curls and a carry on

Day Trip to Macau

Trip Report: A Week in Hong Kong
Tip: Use Klook in Asia + Chase Merchant Code
Lantau Part 1: Ngong Ping 360, Big Buddha and Tai O
Lantau Part 2: Hong Kong Disneyland

Macau is…different. Some people call it the Las Vegas of China, but that’s not entirely correct. You won’t see Elvis impersonators, strip club promoters, or barefoot bachelorettes on the streets of Macau. The resorts manage to be extremely refined and luxuriously extra. There’s plenty of high stakes gambling, luxury malls, and Michelin starred restaurants; but there’s also leftover Portuguese architecture and meandering alleys with Chinese street food.

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Lantau Part 2: Hong Kong Disneyland

Trip Report: A Week in Hong Kong
Review: United Economy SFO-HKG
Tip: Use Klook in Asia + Chase Merchant Code
Lantau Part 1: Ngong Ping 360, Big Buddha and Tai O

Note: I’m splitting our day in Lantau into two blog posts. We did Lantau (Parts 1 and 2) in one day which was doable but tiring. You can easily dedicate a day to each part.

When I was a child growing up in LA, my dad worked for Disney. One perk of being a Disney employee is free entrance to Disneyland, so I spent a lot of time there! I love Disneyland and when I found out there was a Disneyland in Hong Kong, I had to check it out!

Due to jetlag, we woke up at 7am. Disneyland didn’t open until 10:30am, so we decided to do Ngong Ping 360 + Big Buddha + Tai O in the morning, then go to Disneyland in the afternoon.

We took the Tung Chung line to Sunny Bay station, where we transferred to the Disneyland Resort line.

Continue reading Lantau Part 2: Hong Kong Disneyland

Lantau Part 1: Ngong Ping 360, Big Buddha and Tai O

Trip Report: A Week in Hong Kong
Review: United Economy SFO-HKG
Tip: Use Klook in Asia + Chase Merchant Code

Note: I’m splitting our day in Lantau into two blog posts. We did Lantau (Parts 1 and 2) in one day which was doable but tiring. You can easily dedicate a day to each part.

Thanks to jetlag, we were awake at around 7am. We took the subway to the Tung Chung station on Lantau Island (from HK island, it takes about an hour). The gondola entrance is right next door to Tung Chung station.

Continue reading Lantau Part 1: Ngong Ping 360, Big Buddha and Tai O

Tip: Use Klook in Asia + Chase Merchant Code

Trip Report: A Week in Hong Kong
Review: United Economy SFO-HKG

While researching activities for our trip to Hong Kong, I found a travel company called Klook that lets you book all sorts of tours and tickets online. Klook makes it easy to book activities, save money, and earn Chase UR points.

Continue reading Tip: Use Klook in Asia + Chase Merchant Code

Review: United Economy SFO-HKG

Trip Report: A Week in Hong Kong

TL;DR: 15 hours in economy is tolerable for daytime flights. Bring extra food with you, and pray for an empty middle seat.

United 869
SFO – HKG
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Seat: 35J (Economy)
Depart: 1:15pm Mar 2, 2018
Arrive: 8:30pm Mar 3, 2018

Continue reading Review: United Economy SFO-HKG

Trip Report: A Week in Hong Kong

I just got back from a weeklong vacation in Hong Kong, traveling with my friend E. We had a great time and agreed that Hong Kong is an excellent destination for US-based travelers. Continue reading Trip Report: A Week in Hong Kong

The Best Debit Card for Travel (And Why You Should Have Two!)

In his book I Will Teach You To Be Rich, Ramit Sethi recommends the Charles Schwab Debit Card as a prudent financial choice. In this post, I’ll explain why it’s the best debit card for travelers and I’ll take it a step further — I’ll tell you why you need two!

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My Favorite Portuguese Souvenirs

Trip Report: Portugal
Review: JetBlue Even More Space SFO – JFK
Review: Airspace Lounge
Review: TAP Economy JFK – LIS
WithLocals: Lisbon 10 Tastings Food Tour
Day Trip: Lisbon to Sintra
Lisbon: 3 Day Itinerary
Review: Azor Hotel
Sao Miguel, Azores: 4 Day Itinerary
Review: SATA Lounge PDL and Azores Airlines PDL – BOS Economy
Review: Residence Inn Boston Logan/Chelsea

When I travel, I love bringing back small gifts for my friends and family! Here’s a list of my favorite souvenirs from Lisbon and the Azores, and where to get them.

Continue reading My Favorite Portuguese Souvenirs