What 9 Months Backpacking Asia Really Looks Like: A Visual Recap - Part 2

Part 1 covered 4 months across Finland, Qatar, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Also I use em-dashes — inspired by (but NOT taken from) Chat GPT because it looks much cleaner than the infinite commas I usually use!

We last left off in Manila, Philippines where I promised Part 2 would reveal the WORST experience of my entire journey! Back in November, I had booked this February flight from Manila to Sydney, Australia for only $208. Although it's preferred to keep your options open while backpacking, this was a deal I couldn't miss, plus Australia absolutely had to happen. I couldn't go all the way to this side of the world and NOT hit the neighboring continent (6/7 continents covered!).

BUT despite having had an leisurely day of sightseeing in Manila, booking my hostel room for an extra night just so I could shower and relax before my flight, said hostel being only 20 minutes from the airport, AND me leaving 2 1/2 hours before my flight, somehow, SOME WAY, the traffic was so HORRENDOUS that I showed up less than an hour before takeoff AKA too late to check a bag, go through security, and board the flight. This whole ordeal had me in unrecognizable shambles even to myself, especially after the airline showed no sympathy and charged me $380 to fly the following day. On top of that, my hostel tried to take advantage of me and charge me double to rebook for the night. So much frustration and tears had me in bed for most of the next day, and then I left FOUR hours early for my flight.

That whole experience really changed the way I see life. No matter what you do, how much you prepare, bad s*** can still happen. And you just have to deal with it. I legit get PTSD when stuck in traffic on my way to anything time-sensitive. I hope not to be this cynical for too long, but I do know I'm definitely no longer one to try to arrive "just in time" anymore.

Anyway, let's forward to bigger and MUCH better things!

AUSTRALIA

3 weeks

I made it to Sydney on Feb 18th with a one day delay and was quickly reassured that continuing this journey was the right thing to do! Australia was marvelous: amazing weather, squeaky clean city streets, and accessible beaches from all of the five cities I visited! From the scenic views to the wineries to the friendly people, Australia was more than I ever imagined (and let's be real, all I really imagined were kangaroos, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Sydney Opera House, but Steve Irwin was my MAN! His death shook me so much, I remember it to this day, and I was only in middle school). Australia was always my #2 bucketlist destination after Japan.

Australia actually had a lot less free-roaming kangaroos than I expected. I ended up going to a conservation area on a rainy day to hunt them down. Did you know they're more likely to come out after the rain (as well as at dawn and dusk)? I won't lie, running into a huge gang of like 15 kangaroos was terrifying because they're just out in the open, not behind any closed fences. Also have you seen how brolic kangaroos are?!

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Australia turned out to be the reset I needed after Southeast Asia to feel some sort of familiarity of home. I met up for a third time with my girl and fellow solo traveler Sabe of Sabe_Travels, as well as with another friend from back home who was vacationing in Australia at the time. I even found replacement makeup and Black haircare products (hallelujah because that felt impossible in the rest of Asia)!

My route was Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, and back to Melbourne. I was sure to hit major attractions like the Sydney Opera House, the Blue Mountains, the Twelve Apostles, Phillip Island for the Penguin Parade, and enjoying the city life! I also saw my fair share of wildlife like a koala, a wallaby, cockatoos, several spiders, and "bin pigeons" which are basically their version of pigeons but huge with terrifyingly long beaks!

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Unfortunately, I didn't have time for the Great Barrier Reef or New Zealand, as I didn't want to rush through either Australia or NZ. But they'll see me in the future! From Melbourne, the next logical stop was Singapore!

SINGAPORE

4 days

Redemption! I knew I would make it to Singapore, and there I was for four days. Some people say that's too much time. I personally feel I could've done just one day more. Because of how quickly the city transformed from a low-income economy to an opulent global hub, I was afraid of Singapore feeling too artificial, something like the Vegas Strip.

But, it had much more of a story and cultural influence than I'd expected; the three main ethnicities being Chinese, Malay, and Indian, each community is strongly represented in their own pockets of the city. Also the Singapore City Gallery was a great place to learn about the city's development.

Singapore is also actually very possible to do on a budget by taking public transportation, staying in a hostel, and eating at hawker centers (inexpensive food stalls).

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I stayed in a beautiful hostel called Atelier, with very attentive staff who gave all the insider recommendations that made my planning easier (because TBH, at this point, my planning brain was weakening as I struggled to plan ahead while enjoying the present). Anyway stay tuned for those tips!

INDIA (PART 2)

3 weeks

From Singapore was an easy hop back to Kolkata, where I celebrated Holi with my friend and spent another 3 weeks in March.

Not much else to say here; I lived a chill life in her apartment, frequenting cafes and sometimes restaurants while helping here and there with her gelato business. By the way, her gelato is delicious!! So try some if you're in Kolkata - that's Florentine Artisanal Gelato. It's a cloud kitchen, so you can order on Swiggy and Zomato!

I also published a YouTube video of my combined two experiences in India - 10 Things that Shocked Me About India. Check that out for more, and SUBSCRIBE to my channel for so much more coming up!

HONG KONG

8 days

Now my original plan was to be in South Korea for cherry blossom season (April), however, Hong Kong and Taiwan were calling my name, particularly because I knew the weather would be too hot for my liking if I waited until after Korea and Japan to visit in June.

So from Kolkata, I flew to Hong Kong where I spent eight days. Day one, I was standing outside of a movie theater on a rainy day when I was approached by a local man who was selling discounted tickets (hooray!). Not only did I secure a discount to see Snow White in theaters, but he turned out to be a local journalist and became my unofficial guide / buddy! And not only did he take me around to major attractions, he even invited me to social events with him and his friends; I'm talking about a complimentary omakase experience where he was invited to review, a horse race in the VIP section, and he gave me the insider scoop on where to go and what to eat!

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Hong Kong had its note-worthy moments: the retro neon signs, red cabs, the stunning Kowloon viewpoint overlooking the city, Kowloon Park featuring Kung Fu Corner on Sundays (and flamingos!), and monolithic buildings like the "Monster Building," a commanding residential building that's appeared in several movies, like Transformers!

Hong Kong also had the WORST accommodation I'd stay in, and it was SO expensive: $50 a night for a window-less roach-motel! I also didn't find the locals to be all that welcoming outside of my new friend from day one. Despite the negatives, I feel strongly drawn back to Hong Kong as I reminisce now, and feel with better planning of accommodations, I would enjoy life there, at least in the short term! But, I'll expound on Hong Kong another day.

MACAU

3 days

From Hong Kong, it's an easy ferry ride one hour to Macau - the "Vegas of China." In contrast to Hong Kong, the locals were much warmer, the city was bright and whimsical, and my hotel room was immaculate, and only $40/night!!

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I could have stayed in a hostel for even cheaper, but after my Hong Kong horror, I NEEDED this. A $6 glass of wine while I soak in the clawfoot tub under dimmed bedroom lights, yes please! And the casinos serve FREE MILK TEA while you play. I'm not a gambler, though; $20 is my limit.

Macau was a vibe! I stayed on the northern peninsula, where you'll find the original city and more of the historic sites. Evidence of Portuguese colonization shows through the architecture featuring Portuguese tiles, or azulejo, and the traditional pavement in a mosaic pattern, known as alçada portuguesa. The black and white waves in Macau's Senado Square replicates what you'll see in Lisbon's Rossio Square.

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I visited the historic Senado Square, Fisheman's Wharf (with a replica Colosseum), the Ruins of Saint Paul's, and had high tea in the 360-degree rotating restaurant in Macau Tower! I had so much more marked on my list, so I definitely could've done another day or two.

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Taipa is the island south of the peninsula where you'll find the Vegas Strip equivalent, the Cotai Strip, though much more toned down, not full of loud music or boisterous vacationers. Apparently, there are some nice theater shows you can see, but I didn't have time, preferring to wander the themed hotels, like the Parisian, the Venetian, and the Londoner Grand.

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TAIWAN

3 weeks

After just two nights in Macau, I flew to Taipei. Taiwan has earned a special place in my heart! There was a serene energy, warmth from the people despite their reserved nature, and captivating scenery. Also Japan's 7-Elevens are cool, but to me Taiwan has THE best 7-Elevens (fight me)! I was in there daily grabbing my perfectly seasoned tea egg for breakfast.

In Taipei, I met a French guy who was visiting just for the weekend (he worked in Japan...super jealous!). We decided to stick together and figure out all the touristy things to do, like Liberty Square Archway leading into Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, trying Taiwanese beef noodle soup, and taking the bus an hour to Jiufen, a mountain town known for its Ghibli vibes.

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Later, we met a group in a bar and partied with them. I swear, where do I find these people? Or rather, how do they find me?!

Anyway, there's tons to do in Taipei, like the Ximending Walking District, Fine Arts Museum, the Rose Garden, tea houses, and trying as much soy milk as I could (another Taiwanese specialty)! Also day tripping to Beitou, a hot springs town, for relaxing in a public onsen (yes, naked).

From Taipei, I made my way down the west coast via Taiwan's high-speed rail, stopping in Tainan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. All are wonderful cities that I'll expound on in another post. But for now, here are some pictures :)

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In Kaohsiung, my friend Ms. Thailand joined me while she was on business in Taiwan, as well as the American I met in Manila. He frequents Taiwan, so he happen to there at the time...I swear, it's a small world! He took us through a street market and some bars along the beach in the Qijin District. I ended my Taiwan journey back in Taipei, where I met the lovely Shawn, aka Queen of the District, another Black digital nomad! She's been doing it for three years and has tons of helpful tips, including a new e-book that I've purchased, myself, so do check her out! From Taiwan, it was an easy and inexpensive hop ($138 USD with checked bag) right over to...

JAPAN!!!

6 weeks

Now this may have been my third time in Japan, but I was more excited than ever before! My first visit was in 2017 for 10 days, tagging along with my cousin and her college friends to Tokyo, Hakone, and Kyoto. That trip opened my eyes and heart to exploring more of Asia some day. I returned for 10 days in 2023 with a friend; this time I took the lead, showing her the must-see cities of Tokyo and Kyoto, and adding Mt. Fuji and Osaka as new experiences for myself.

But this solo experience would be different. I aimed to stay in Japan for at least a month and slowly revisit cities with a deeper lens while adding new less-visited ones. I began in Tokyo where I reunited with my Brazilian friend who was nearing the end of her own month-long trip in Japan. I actually met her in a Lisbon hostel back in 2021 (“can you believe it??” Her voice). She's another inspiration for my backpacking trip, as she was backpacking Europe at the time I met her! And who else was there? None other than the French guy I'd met a month prior in Taipei! :)

Tokyo was a blast - I never thought I could last a night out on a bar crawl, but there I was at 4AM, gobbling down ramen while we waited for the metro to reopen at 5AM so we could return to our hostel. We could've taken a cab, but they're notoriously expensive, FYI.

I won't dive too much into Japan now because there's a lot to cover in the six weeks I spent there, and again, that's for another post. But I took the following route:

Tokyo (day trips: Nikko & Kamakura) > Fujikawaguchiko > Hakone > Takayama > Shinagawa > Kanazawa > Kyoto > Osaka > Ishigaki Island > Osaka > Hiroshima

*New cities to me

Overall, my time was filled with shrines, temples, tea ceremonies, onsens, kimono rentals, Universal Studios, fish markets, a geiko (geisha) show, samurai, ninjas, cats, museums, and spending my birthday partying all night with an Osaka pub crawl! I also met in person a travel couple I’d been following online who happen to be in Osaka for the World Expo at the same time I was! Check out the engaging Minjun and Kevin!

There’s so much more I could say about Japan, but for now, here are some pictures to preview what's to come!

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After 46 territories covered, I can still say Japan is my favorite country to date! I'm always ready to go back for more and even eager to help others who want to plan a trip there. Hit me up; I've got you! ;) BUT I needed to move along to another highly-anticipated stop on my journey....

SOUTH KOREA

4 weeks

At the beginning of June, I flew from Hiroshima to Seoul. Many people rave about Korea, some saying they like it even more than Japan! So as you can imagine, I was more than ready to be blown away!

I had a rough start trying to recalibrate after the magic of Japan, adapting to the language, figuring out public transit, and adjusting to the culture. Korea had its wonderful moments, like my cuddly Airbnb cats, a K-Pop dance class, the jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouse), fashion, skincare, and scenic landscape of the beaches and Seoraksan National Park. Also the temples and hannok villages are picturesque and assumingly full of history, but something felt missing. Maybe I should've booked more tours, but I didn't get as much historical context out of these as I'd have hoped outside of the one photoshoot tour I booked of Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was really good! The guide was very friendly and enthusiastic, highly recommend!

I also found Korea not to be too solo friendly, from the Korean BBQ and family-style Korean fried chicken that's hard and costly for a small, single woman to finish on her own, to the endless photo booths that can't help but to remind you that you are alone and have no friends to share the experience with.

I also didn't find most locals to be particularly friendly, outside of a family I dined next to at dinner who PAID for my meal and a couple I met while hiking who also took me for lunch after! Not saying this to sound entitled to a friendly welcome as an outsider, but rather it's hard to ignore the heavy contrast between the demeanor of the Koreans vs my time in Japan, Taiwan, and across Southeast Asia. And trust me, Japan and Taiwan also had uncomfortable moments. But overall, I really don't see the hype about Korea, not to the level of Japan, I'm sorry. But maybe traveling to Korea with others, I'd have had a different experience. What are your thoughts on Korea?

My advice: If you're doing Japan and Korea in one trip, start with Korea and don't do it alone. But ultimately, I've seen enough to where I'm not itching to return. More on that later! For now, some pictures to quell your Korea appetite.

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But anyway, I primarily got between cities by bus (and flew to Jeju Island) via this route:

Seoul > Jeon-ju > Sokcho > Gyeong-ju > Busan > Jeju Island. Although blazing hot in June, Jeju was my favorite experience with the friendliest people, and I'd definitely return!

CHINA

10 days

China was a totally unplanned curveball. Right before I left Tokyo, I had met a fellow Black female traveler whom I'd only known from Instagram - Bianca aka QueenB_Travels. She was launching her first China group trip which had quietly been on my radar, but after having traveled Asia for so long as the sole planner of my destiny, I realized the value of her trip, I said "eff it, I'll go to China!"

So on July 3rd, I landed in Beijing! Now because I wasn't in the States, I couldn't apply for a proper visa, BUT China has a 240-hour (10 day) transit visa on arrival for eligible nationalities, including US Citizens! Day 1 of your visa begins the day AFTER you land, so if you land early enough, you can get a full 11th day!

In China, we visited Beijing, Xi'An, Chengdu, and Chongqing. I'll be honest, Beijing was the only one of these cities I'd ever even heard of (and from where we visited the Great Wall). So I was SO glad to be on this group trip to not have to figure out where to go! Xi'An is one of the oldest cities in China enclosed by an ancient city wall and known for its Terra Cotta Warriors Museum. Chengdu is all about the pandas — truly, there are panda sculptures, pictures, and of course, the largest panda reserve in the world! Finally Chongqing is a futuristic-feeling city with a cyberpunk vibe.

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China would've been awful to navigate solo especially if I'd showed up without doing much research (which happens when you're always on the go). The two most important things I can tell you:

1. Download multiple VPNs and Alipay / WeChat for payments.

2. Keep your passport handy at all times, as it's your ticket for most things.

The trip was such a blast thanks to having such a wonderful group who clicked well. In fact, I also got to meet in person two MORE amazing travel bloggers I’d only known online until then, the witty Keyoka aka Awkward Black Nomad on YouTube and the vibrant Nneka aka RemiahTravels on IG! DO check them out, as well as a new friend, Taseer of TheTaseerPOV for his cinematic-style travel vlog!

I also relished in being almost oblivious to what to expect each day (she shared the itinerary with us, I just didn't bother checking much. Travel fatigue is REAL)!

I'm currently recapping my China trip on my YouTube channel - starting with the Beijing vlog. Check it out to get in-depth tips and SUBSCRIBE to my channel for more coming soon!

INDIA (PART 3)

3 weeks

After China, I looped back to Kolkata one last time for another three weeks at another slow pace of cafes and restaurants with my friend. She took me to many places I hadn't visited previously, like lovely lounges and the Hooghly River, a distributary of the sacred Ganges River. It was really a perfect way to ease out of this journey even down to the most emotional part, parting with my friend for the last time for a long time.

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

1 day

August 2nd, with four bags in tow, it was finally time to return home, but of course, I had to go out with a stopover in Abu Dhabi (this time fully funded by me, as I didn't use a stopover program...booo). I maximized the day by booking a cheap room to store my stuff and relax at my leisure, taking an expensive 24k gold coffee at the gorgeous Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental hotel, a yummy seafood lunch, a visit the The Louvre Abu Dhabi (yes, related to the one in Paris), and spending the evening at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

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It was a scorching day in August, so I was a sweaty mess at the end. I'm SO glad I booked that room to shower in before heading to the airport for my 1AM flight. Anyway I do NOT recommend visiting at that time of year if you can avoid it!

And that's it!

By the end of it all, I was SO relieved to be on that plane heading home, back to my family and back to stability. To read more on my thoughts and feelings returning home, check out this blog post: Nine Months Later, I've Given Birth!

So as you can see, I've got several posts, itineraries, and cost breakdowns to catch up on and share, so subscribe to get those soon! In the meantime, reach out to let me help you plan your next trip!

Shall I go in chronological order, or is there a destination that interests you most? Leave all your thoughts in the comments below!