Travelling With Kat

07/09/2024

If it’s your calling, it will keep calling you ✨

30/08/2024

✨ Very demure, very mindful ✨

16/08/2024

25/07/2024

Visa free destinations for Philippine passport holders part 1 🌍🗺️✈️🧳

03/07/2024

Since 2023 i have flown on more than 10 flights because the pandemic suppressed my travel dreams. That’s 3 years of patiently waiting for travel restrictions to be lifted hence came . Currently i’m more than halfway through seeing all ASEAN countries. After that, i’m hopeful and looking forward to travel to other continents!🙏🏼

Each country i have visited in South East Asia and East Asia left an impression on me and here is what i love about the countries i have seen on this side of the world:

Taiwan- best night market for food🦞
Thailand- cheapest shopping finds🛍️
Vietnam- tastiest cuisine🥗
Hong Kong- best for winter travel🥶
Macau- Europe vibes in East Asia⛲️
Singapore- pricey💵
Malaysia- affordable cost of living👍🏼
Brunei- must see at least once in your life✅
Philippines- best beaches🏝️

I love that they’re mostly just a 2-hour flight away from each other, some a ferry ride away or a bus ride away. Short-haul flights make me happy. I can happily return to work without a jet lag😃

Until then,
Work, sleep, travel, repeat 🔁
-TWK

29/06/2024

I always try McDonald’s in every country i visit, apart from the local cuisine. Food itself gives me enough reason to travel. The more i try something new to my tastebuds the more i realize there’s much to explore in the global food scene.

The same goes for my travels. The more cities i visit, the more i realize i know little. And that’s the beauty if travelling. You come to your senses that what you know in life is not enough.

Travel helps you learn, evolve, improve, grow, realize, even discover a different version of yourself. You witness how other people live and how different it is from yours. Different countries will bring out different versions of you❤️

Travel for me? it’s a drug. I’m ecstatic when i am in a foreign place (to start with, i was born in a foreign country with different nationalities so maybe that explains the natural affinity?🤔)

Apart from taking a break from the mundane (routine), travel helps me learn. And this type of learning is part of my self-discovery. I hope you get excited to pack your bags and discover the world. Your adventure awaits 🌍✈️🗺️🧳

Until then,
Work, sleep, travel, repeat🔁
~TWK

24/06/2024

Number 1 free thing(s) to do in Macau:
✔️Ruins of St. Paul
✔️ Travessa de Paixão
✔️ Largo de Senado

Pasikot sikot ang daan papuntang Ruins of St. Paul. Nagtanong ako sa mga kababayan natin mga OFW dahil naligaw ako. Buti alam nila ang mga short cuts. Dahil sa mga instructions nila, napadali at napabilis ang lakad namin compared sa instructions sa Google maps. Meron din signs with arrow🪧⬅️

Don’t be scared kapag complicated ang daan. Dahil kayang kayang puntahan padin ang Ruins of St. Paul kahit wala kang tour guide/tour group.

Nag stay ako sa East Asia hotel na 7 minute walk to Ruins of St. Paul. Ang pinaka malapit na bus stop ay bus no. 26 na titigil sa “Auto-Silo Pak Kong” bus stop na tapat ng Sofitel.

Madaming kainan sa Senado Square. Madaming shops nagpapa free taste ng beef/pork jerky at almond cookies. Mabubusog ka sa free taste.

Kung gusto mo din mag DIY, just PM me. Let’s talk about your Macau trip!🇲🇴

21/06/2024

Here are some photos taken during my walks around Macau City and Cotai strip. I love walking around a new city. Getting lost and asking for directions is part of the fun. It’s stressful and thrilling at the same time. You get to discover colorful alleys, witness people rush or eat, and really take in the culture.

When i travel, i like taking my time. This is something i can’t do when i join a tour group. I like the freedom and liberation to choose where to go, what to see, what to eat, what to do (I am assuming this will not be the case if I go on a Euro tour as i will really be part of a tour package group).

Anyway, the streets of Macau city felt like i stepped into a different era. The cobblestone streets are lined with historical buildings, quiant shops, and signages in Chinese & in Portuguese. Cotai strip felt like i was in Europe. Compared to its historical counterpart, Cotai strip is actually a strip of modern casinos and luxury hotels. It’s the perfect spot for photoshoots offering beautiful backdrops.

Out of the two very distinct areas, i’ve a preference for Macau old city. I love its character and charm. I love the unique fusion of Chinese and Portuguese culture that bore the Macanese. I love how time stood still in the streets of the old city.

Until then,
Work, sleep, travel, repeat 🔁

-TWK

🇲🇴

04/06/2024

Taiwan was not on a Filipino traveler’s bucket list until recent. After offering visa-free entry for Filipino passport holders in 2017, Pinoy tourists frequented this East Asian nation.

Taipei is only a 2-hour flight from Manila which makes it easily accessible.

I would recommend to go in winter as walking & commuting will be more comfortable. What to wear during the cold months? I’ve seen locals in long coats & boots.

Food from 7eleven? Albeit cheap, it’s restaurant-level good.

Taipei has one of the best food night markets in East Asia. Lobster is a frequent find.

It’s easy to create and DIY your trip even for a first timer. I relied on the Klook app back in 2019 on my first trip to Taiwan.

You will easily notice how friendly the Taiwanese are.

If you’re pressed for time, atleast do not skip these: Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, Shifen Waterfalls, Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen, Ximending, Ningxia or Raohe night market.

For those who want to see cherry blossoms, Taiwan cherry blossoms start to bloom in February.

There are many more reasons to visit Taiwan. So go and explore it 🇹🇼 ✈️ 🌍 🗺️

Until then,
Work, sleep, travel, repeat 🔁

~TWK

10/05/2024

Manila is a melting pot of different cuisines. Western & Eastern dishes are available everywhere. Very easily you can get Persian, Greek, Soul food, Portuguese, Thai, Korean, and many more. This is why i love the dining options in Manila. The choices are endless and you get to taste the cuisine of another culture/country without flying out.

On my recently concluded trip, I went back to some staples of mine like Paradise Dynasty in Conrad Manila and Yakiniku Like in MOA.

If you intend to go on a food trip sans sights, i suggest you stay in the Bay Area or the MOA area as the dining options here will suffice your curious appetite.

I stayed at the Golden Phoenix Hotel, located just 8 minutes away from IKEA, MOA, and a few minutes away from the SkyWay. So convenient! There are a loooooooot of dining options to choose from. You will not go hungry 😋

Captions below

02/05/2024

🌍What a sweltering summer we’re having. In all my years in the Philippines, this is the warmest of all. Here i am reminded of the times i went on a winter holiday. If you have no travels planned yet, a December/January trip to neighboring Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Macau is just a 2-hour flight away and is perfect for a short winter getaway. All three are visa free for Filipino passport holders, they have efficient transportation systems (IMO Singapore’s still is the best), and during winter walking is comfortable as the weather get can get low to 18C. It’s the perfect aircon weather. On most of my winter trips, i stay for 4D3N and i think that should suffice to explore, eat, and shop. I am a fan of short haul flights, visa free countries, and winter holidays. So HK, Macau, Taiwan are perfect for a hassle-free holiday. Here are places not to miss in neighboring Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau:
Hong Kong: Ngong Ping 360, Victoria Peak, Disneyland
Macau: Ruins of St. Paul, Senado square
Taiwan: Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen
Winter is one of best times to travel beccause you tend to explore more by walking in cool, comfortable weather.

Until then,
Work. Sleep. Travel. Repeat🔁
~TWK

27/04/2024

You know i always thought Vietnamese cuisine would taste bland. Why? Mainly because broths are pale and dishes contain A LOT of julienned vegetables. Which is why i never locally dined in Vietnamese restaurants. Then on my first trip to Vietnam, i was greeted by the most delightful Asian salad! It was the best salad i’ve tried in the ASEAN region. It was fresh, minty, savoury, fishy, citrusy, sweet, sour. It was literally an explosion of flavours. The taste lingered in my mouth (and mind). Gosh thinking about it makes me drool. I would fly back to Vietnam for their food.

Here are some of the dishes i’ve tried in Hanoi and Ha Long, two northern cities in Vietnam. Description in the photos

Until then,
Work. Sleep. Travel. Repeat🔁
~TWK

26/04/2024

Don’t dwell on your dreams—make them a reality. Dream, travel, explore ✈️ 🌎 🗺️

23/04/2024

I haven’t flown a plane to an international destination in 7 months therefore i am grumpy on most days😋

I recently made a costly purchase which mandated me to hold all travel plans i had for the first quarter of the year (mature roles🥲). To see the world is not cheap. You have to prepare ample funds for it. It’s a form of happiness that comes with a cost. A hefty one, especially when you travel with family.

As i type this, i am nearing my holiday✈️🌍🗺️ and can’t contain my excitement🤩

So why do i travel international? I’ll tell you how this curiosity and thirst to explore the world started. I was around 9 or 10 years old, spending most of my days off from school at our flat in Dubai, flipping the pages of a World Atlas (my favorite book then). I was fascinated as i flipped each page. I remember a colorful map of the world, a photo of the Great Wall of China, Macchu Picchu, Pyramids of Giza, Lake Titikaka, & so much more. It ignited a curiosity in me. A curiosity i knew i could not feed the answers to my then 9 or 10 year old self until i became an adult.

Then Medschool happened. My entire youth was spent studying📚 While others excelled in their jobs & careers, i was fully dependent on my parents until my late 20’s (Ok, 30😅). Whew! What an arduous climb to finish Medicine 👩🏻‍⚕️

During Medschool, I’ve spent some semestral breaks in Hong Kong🇭🇰, Singapore 🇸🇬, Dubai 🇦🇪. Seeing Hong Kong felt like i was being magnetized—i always wanted to return. The winter weather? Pleasant for walks in the streets of TST & LKF. The train commute, easy. The food, amazing. My favorite airport was Chek Lap Kok then. I even missed my plane to Dubai dilly dallying in HKIA🤪

Then i finished school, now working, got married, settling down. I’ve been thru different phases in my life but one thing remained the same since i was 10 years old: the thirst to see different parts of the world & experience different cultures & cuisines.

So you see, i travel not only to fulfill a childhood dream. I travel to learn. I travel to explore. I travel to realize. I travel to bond with my family. I travel to discover new things. I travel to appreciate. I travel to take a break from routine. I travel because it makes me happy. Most importantly, i travel to LIVE.

To see the whole world is a journey of a lifetime🗺️🌍✈️ And my journey has just begun.

What are your travel dreams?

Until then,
Work. Sleep. Travel. Repeat 🔁
~TWK

19/03/2024

Book that flight✈️ You owe it to yourself to take a break from the mundane. Your dream destination awaits you🌎 🗺️

04/03/2024

I’m a Filipino traveler, OF COURSE mas importante ang outfit kesa sa itinerary😆😄😁

28/02/2024

I fell in love with Thai cuisine when i first visited Thailand in circa 1998 with my mom. I will never forget the first time i tried Thai fish curry then. My tastebuds celebrated with joy as i swallowed every spoonful. It was so spicy that tears were falling down my cheeks but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. Twenty years later that memory still lives on. And because of that, my favourite type curry is Thai.

As i return to Bangkok i try different street food. I’ve had Pad Thai, Tom Yum, and Mango Sticky Rice before but not in Thailand and not cooked by someone Thai. So having them in Thailand made my return even more authentic and fulfilling.

We ate a whole lot in Bangkok (7eleven meals not included in photos) so i’ll narrow it down to my top 2 dishes which are:

Pad Thai-it is just marvelous to have it in Bangkok. As you keep eating it, the flavour further intensifies🤤 The peanut, the tamarind, the fish sauce. Oh, they just gloriously combine so well

Mango Sticky Rice- enough said🤤

Bangkok will always remain as one of South East Asia’s foodie destinations. And it will always give me a reason to keep coming back for more food adventures🇹🇭

Until then,
Work. Sleep. Travel. Repeat 🔁
~Travelling With Kat

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07/02/2024

Any Valentines plans yet? How about a trip with your spouse? I’ve entered an era where solo travel no longer applies to me. I’ve enjoyed that phase in my early 20’s. Now that i am in my 30’s i enjoy the annoying company of my husband. Travelling with my happy half is both a nuisance and a delight. We argue mostly about directions. I love my maps. My husband relies on landmarks and his invisible compass. And in ALL instances he turns out to be right😩

Here are some reminders on how to minimize/avoid useless arguments when travelling with the best travel partner, your husband/wife:

🔹Prepare all documents prior to leaving for the airport. This is so basic but sometimes it doesn’t get done. My husband forgot his vaccine certificate once so we had to head back to the house. Imagine my stress level as we were racing against time.

🔹You’re both in unfamiliar ground. Best to familiarize landmarks, know train platforms, and try not to get pi**ed at each other when lost. Take photos of train exits, directions, signs. It will help you remember your tracks. I’ve learned through experience that my husband is an expert in navigation and direction. So when we do a lot of walking, i let him lead.

🔹Bring your own documents and let your spouse bring his/her own. That way you will always have your identification with you and if unfortunate events occur, the authorities can easily help you.

🔹Allot a budget per person to spend. Avoid over spending.

🔹Enjoy your time together. No arguments, no nagging, no time to berate each other. Self-control is the key to avoid disagreements & quarreling.

I encourage you to travel with your other half. Strengthen your bond. Discover something new together. Get out of the mundane. Explore some place new together. And i could not stress this out some more… happy wife, happy life🤪

Until then,
Work, sleep, travel, repeat 🔁

~Travelling With Kat

29/01/2024

I love airports. I love exploring them. I once missed my flight to Dubai while taking my time exploring Chek Lap Kok airport. It was always my favorite aiport until I experienced Jewel Changi.

I love travelling alone as well. I’ve flown solo a couple of times. I started flying without adult supervision in my teenage years. At first i was assisted by airport staff but as i became frequent in flying, i got to know my way around different airports.

If you’re flying solo, you have to be attentive during your journey. Here are some reminders when flying alone:

Always look at the TV screens. Sometimes boarding gates change. If you miss the announcement, you can always check on the TV screen, it’s going to be there.

Always keep your important belongings and documents with you. Never leave them anywhere or with anyone. Bring them with you to the comfort room too.

Pay attention to airport announcements. Best not to use airpods so you won’t miss important announcements.

Always be kind to immigration officers. They have authority. Answer their questions with full honesty in whatever country you are. You won’t have to remember anything made up (lies) if you are honest in your answers.

I love having coffee in airport cafés. I love doing it solo too. So don’t just sit in your boarding gate. Explore the airport😅

The lesser the luggage the better. You can move with ease, your hands are free, you look more relaxed.

Be courteous inside the aircraft. There are different people with different nationalities and different cultures. Have airline etiquette.

Travelling alone is so enjoyable. You will learn so much. You will discover so much.

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Work, sleep, travel, repeat 🔁

~Travelling With Kat

15/01/2024

May bucketlist ka ba for 2024? Here are some reminders to avoid debt from traveling ✔️

Travel when able. Don’t travel just because. If it’s not feasible in your current phase in life, don’t do it. Nakakabutas ng wallet ang travel. Unahin ang expenses for family, education, housing, car, medical, loans, etc. bago gumastos pang travel. Remember traveling is a luxury, not a necessity.

Mag save ka para makapag travel. Oo,
hindi mo nakikita ang return of investment kasi hindi siya materyal na bagay. Travel is an investment in your happiness. And happiness is a requirement for your well-being.

Travel during non-peak season for cheaper hotel accommodation & plane fares. Totoo ito. Based on my experience lahat mataas kapag peak season. Mas tipid mag travel kapag tag-ulan at weekday.

Short reminder lang ito but it is of vital importance to every traveler to TRAVEL SMART✈️🌍
________________________

Work, sleep, travel, repeat🔁

~Travelling with Kat

14/01/2024

I’ve travelled alone several times since my teenage years. Here are some important reminders when travelling alone based on my experience:
✔️Bring your documents wherever you go. Don’t leave them in the accommodation.
✔️Get a local sim. Register internet data on it for your entire travel duration.
✔️Always update your loved ones regarding itinerary/activity and the location.
✔️Start and end your day while the sun is up. Even if the place is safe for tourists, don’t risk walking alone at night in an unfamilar place.
✔️When lost, always ask.
✔️Beware of scams: cab, rickshaw, motorcycle offering cheap rides. If the local train is not available, always book a ride via app.
✔️Some countries label their tap as potable. To be extra safe, ingest bottled water. Never from the tap. Just to avoid any unwanted diarrhea.
✔️ if staying in a dorm/hostel/capsule & sharing the room with other tourists, never leave your important things unattended to the point where you bring all your valuables even when you use the comfort room. Better to be safe than sorry.
✔️Don’t be shy to dine alone. You most likely will since you’re on a solo trip. I love dining alone. I enjoy solitude.
✔️Enjoy. Travelling alone is liberating. It’s a journey of self-discovery.

13/01/2024

Don’t forget these Lion City essentials 🇸🇬 🌞

09/01/2024

The time you spent enjoying is not wasted time. It’s your duty to yourself to entertain what makes you happy. I am at my happiest when travelling. It gives me a different kind of high. I am fulfilling my childhood dream with each country that i visit. Travel opens my mind, broadens my horizon, and educates me. It’s a journey of a lifetime.

02/01/2024

Want to travel but got bills to pay? Here’s a guide on how to be a thrifty traveller according to my experience:

1.) DIY is cheaper. Make time to research and compare.

2.) Book flights a year in advance or 6 months before your intended travel date. Buy tickets during lowest seat sales like an airline anniversary promo. Early mornings on weekdays are cheaper when booking flights.

3.) Refrain from unnecessary expenses 3 months before your trip. These include dining out, cinema tickets, shopping, & impulsively buying things that you don’t need.

4.) Pay your bills on time, preferably before you fly out so you won’t have anything pending when you return from your trip.

5.) Don’t go beyond your budget. Don’t skip cultural free things to do like museums, gardens, galleries, shows, parks, beaches, weekend markets, hotel lobbies/grounds etc.

6.) Street food and convenience stores offer restaurant level meals. Know which night market/convenient store to go to & which food to order.

7.) Avoid peak season. Airline fares & hotel accommodations are higher during holidays (holy week, christmas, new year, chinese new year, independence day, school holiday, festivals).

8.) In countries where hotels are more expensive, stay shorter and have a full itinerary.