The Travel Peoples

  September 27 is World Tourism Day. As a tourism advocate, flight attendant and Author Lia Ocampo encourages you to travel safely and continue exploring our beautiful world. The W orld Tourism Day celebration 2022 is in Bali, Indonesia, with the theme: "Rethinking Tourism." She recently traveled to Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, and the Chez Republic to celebrate her birthday, meet friends, continue discovering different cultures, and explore our beautiful world. To fellow globetrotters, what is your best travel experience, and what is your commitment to supporting sustainable tourism? Music from https://www.bensound.com/

Revenge travel is real. After the series of lockdowns amid a pandemic, someone like me only used to imagine leaving the house for new scenery. But now, it was a relief when an opportunity to fly came. That opportunity was in Japan. So, I did not hesitate to say "yes" to applying for a business visa and extending my stay for some leisure. The first few days of my trip were part of my earlier blog . I had three days to revisit some parts of Tokyo and Ota City in Gunma Prefecture. The latter is where my cousin and her family live. I had not seen them for 12 years. The last time I visited was in 2010 when my nephew and nieces were still young. They have been living in Japan for more than 20 years. They already speak the language fluently and have become accustomed to the country's lifestyle. They are Filipinos, so we spoke in Tagalog at their home. Anyway, my cousin toured me around. I immensely enjoyed the sites and the experience. Odaiba City is a beautiful place I want to ...

Ohayou gozaimasu ! (It's one of my often-uttered words in Japan together with arigatou gozaimasau , sumimasen , itadakemasu , oishi , and daijoubu . Google their meanings if you don't know.) My recent travel to Japan was unplanned. First, it was during a pandemic. Second, I just recovered from COVID-19 on May 28. Lastly, it was for business, not pleasure. It was for business every time I visit.  Japan is very strict in observing COVID-19 border protocols, but I was amazed at how easy and systematic the whole documentation process was. I had to make sure that I was already COVID-19-negative before flying. It was a last-minute decision to go because the first test showed I was still positive. I tried again after three days, and it's no longer positive! That was when I booked a flight through Japan Airlines.  It was a seven-hour evening flight. I thought I would be able to sleep on the plane. I did, but only for an hour. I was tired and sleepy, but I could not manage to even c...

  It was a litmus test, sort of. Since the pandemic happened, our first flight came days before Easter in 2022. The last time we flew was in November 2019, when we spent our birthdays in Melbourne.  We did not hesitate. We were excited to experience the plane again despite the short distance. It was an early 40-minute domestic flight to Johor Bahru.  This post chronicles how we spent our three days there. Watch the videos for some of our activities. DAY 1 DAY 2 Day 3 What stood out in those days? I am happy that I had eliminated the awkwardness to fly again. It took me a while to decide if we were going to book a short flight or a long bus ride. So, to experience both options, we booked the flight on the way to JB and rode the bus back home. It was a good decision, apparently. The bus ride was not inconvenient at all, albeit long. You can see in the video the comfortable amenities inside the bus. I enjoyed our top-deck lazy boy seats.  I mentioned in the video that B...

(Here's a guest post from Cath Alcachupas, originally appeared on PinoySeoul.com published with permission.) Two years into the pandemic definitely made a strong impact on our everyday lives. Fortunately, with current developments, economies are slowly beginning to improve and return to normal. Part of these developments is tourism. Out of all industries, tourism was one of the main areas affected by the pandemic due to numerous lockdowns and community quarantines. Luckily, you can still achieve your dream bucket list to travel in South Korea when the country gradually welcomes non-essential travelers and tourists coming from the Philippines and other nations. Plus, with the ease of travel restrictions and requirements, you can finally think more about how to enjoy your trip.  So, turn your frowns into smiles because this article will help you fulfil your Seoul Trip 2022 with some travel tips and a list of accommodations that won’t hurt your pocket. Tip #1: Budget is key Depending ...

  For this kid, indeed, joy has arrived. The writer had the first dibs at Jollibee's sweet spaghetti, the famous Chickenjoy, and the gravy that goes perfectly with the crispy and flavorful signature chicken. It was a privilege to be invited to the press launch before the store finally opens to the public on February 8 at Sunway Pyramid Mall in Selangor. Locals and even foreigners alike warmly welcome the fast-food giant, which has created a buzz since the posting of teasers and countdowns on its Facebook page. But for sure, no one gets more excited about this opening than a Filipino living in West Malaysia, especially those in the Klang Valley. The restaurant's opening means they no longer have to miss the familiar hunger-inducing aroma of the local fast-food favorite. To some, it also means a little atmosphere of home, the Philippines, where Jollibee began.    International operations manager, Rodel Alcantara, who came from the Philippines, mentioned that 50 Jollibee sto...

(This article first appeared on Korea.Net .) Admiring South Korean culture as "soft power" Annyeonghaseyo! Hello! January 13 is National Korean-American Day! The day celebrates and honors Americans of full or partial Korean descent. It marks the arrival of Korea’s first immigrants to the United States on the same day in 1903 in Honolulu, Hawaii. An American former expatriate with a lustrous career in her field graces this piece. Rebecca, as she prefers to be called, reflects on her exciting life in South Korea years back. Now retired and settled back in the U.S., she relives those days and marvels at the current booming Korean culture in her country. Angelica: How did you end up in South Korea? Rebecca: Thanks to my background in international affairs and foreign languages, I was selected to work for an international organization in South Korea in the mid-1990s. That was a quarter-century ago! I miss South Korea and would love to travel there again soon. So, I’m trying to ...