Asia

We were impressed with Chengdu the moment we stepped off the train. It was by far the cleanest, friendliest and least chaotic city we'd visited since arriving in China. The cab ride from the train station to...

Initially we had booked different reservations for our stay in Yangshuo, but upon a recommendation from another backpacker we switched for a much more affordable and friendly option- The Climbers'...

No one drove in their lane in Yangshuo. In fact, they frequently drove on the wrong side of the road. At the roundabouts it was a strange harmony of cars, buses, scooters and bicycles weaving in and out...

An adventurous stop in Yangshuo where we hiked to Moon Hill, rock climbed at Twin Gates Mountain, rented bicycles to ride to nearby villages and braved the Chinese traffic on a scooter. Photos taken with...

Our taxi came to an abrupt halt and everyone on board let out a collective groan. Up ahead the Jingbao River, full and flowing fast due to recent heavy rains, had submerged the crossing and our driver refused...

At the end of a long train ride we arrived in Zhangjiajie early on a rainy morning and, using the directions given, caught the local #6 bus into town. Thanks to a heads up from an English-speaking local, we...

When we arrived in China we needed a little rest time and the Shanghai City Central International Hostel was a good place to do just that. For three days we hibernated in our air-conditioned room and the...

This is one of those destinations that I feel I completely failed in capturing in this gallery. The grandness of the natural wonders of Zhangjiajie just can't be captured in pictures! Photos taken with...

China—it’s growing on me. It was quite a culture shock after arriving here, having just left China’s quiet and conservative neighbor Japan, and maybe I was ignorantly expecting them to be somewhat...

As a relatively unknown destination for Westerners, Zhangjiajie is a small city in China that is the gateway to some of the most stunning natural wonders in the world. If you are like us and enjoy the beauty...

Our last stop in Japan was a comfortable one in Hana Hostel, Hiroshima. Located close to the main train station, it was just a quick walk with our backpacks before we were lounging under air conditioning in a...

My favorite stop of all in Japan was the beautiful mountaintop town of Koyasan. We attended morning prayers with Buddhist monks, slept in a capsule hotel and visited our first onsen. Then we caught the bullet...

There are many ways to get around Japan through public transportation including subways, busses and bullet trains. One of the most popular options is the JR Pass, (Japan Rail), which provides train and ferry...