The Freedom Life: April 2018

The Freedom Life: April 2018

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.  After five years of living in China, and two years of This Beijing Life, things have changed. I left my job as a college counselor in China, and now I’m living a life on my terms. I’m my own boss, I travel when I want, and […]

How to Book Train Tickets in China

How to Book Train Tickets in China

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info. Traveling by train is my favorite way to get around China. It’s cheap, convenient and perfect for the budget traveler. Whether it’s a high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai or a 24-hour overnight train from Shenzhen to Chengdu, I almost always choose Chinese trains […]

Andon Ryokan: Tokyo’s Modern Ryokan

Andon Ryokan: Tokyo’s Modern Ryokan

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.  If there was one piece of advice I heard over and over when planning my trip to Japan, it was “stay in a ryokan!!!” After hiking through Japan’s Kumano Kodo Iseji route for two weeks, I became obsessed with the traditional Japanese ryokan guesthouse. […]

The Ultimate Guide to Kumano Kodo Iseji

The Ultimate Guide to Kumano Kodo Iseji

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info. All photos of me are taken by Chris of Aussie on the Road.  Hiking the Kumano Kodo Iseji was one of the most difficult, incredible things I’ve ever done in my entire life. As someone who doesn’t normally do long-term pilgrimage hikes, I was […]