Year: 2020

Unusual Temples and Other Incredible Things to Do in Kyoto

Kyoto is an amazing city, quite possibly my favorite in Japan.  It is one of those places you can picture yourself living if you had to move abroad. There is little else that can be said to generalize the place better than that. 

Although Kyoto has well over a million residents, it is hard to tell except for the southern end of town near JR’s Kyoto terminal which has a constant exchange of both locals and tourists alike. 

Unlike smaller towns in Japan, such as Nagano and Nagoya, the city of Kyoto has the benefit of having large town attractions as well, making it rather unique in the tightly packed country of Japan.  However, like all big cities, some of the tourist attractions fall short, especially when compared to other, more unique options that are available. 

The following is my take on some of my favorite things to do in Kyoto that I have visited in the previous 48 hours.

I must stress that this is my views after two weeks of travel in the country.  If Kyoto was the first stop on a trip, the sites may have been perceived differently.

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Things Will Get Back to Normal… Eventually

2020 has been weird.

We had big travel plans this year and were hoping to put our ~100 days of travel on the road in 2019 to shame. Then the global pandemic hit.

Thankfully, we are doing okay. Our blogs took a beating in the spring during the major shutdown/panic but our local blog is pulling its weight now to keep our little media business going (albeit, at the bare minimum). This travel blog on the other hand, not so much.

I’m not complaining about this in the slightest, but I was a bit shocked all the same when I logged in and found I hadn’t published an article in almost two months. So, today I thought it’d be appropriate to share a bit more as to why things may be quiet for a while around here. Don’t worry, this one is not about COVID and is instead about the content we write about.

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Packing Cubes Review – Which Are the Best to Save Space?

I recently got the opportunity to acquire a handy travel accessory that I would not have purchased under normal circumstances- compression packing cubes. These packing cubes were advertised to increase packing efficiency and available space in your luggage, and naturally I was a bit suspect.

The product always seemed like a bit of a wash to me, as it sounds somewhat unreasonable that a zippered packing cube best organizes my luggage and saves space. And prior to receiving them, they were not something that I would ever want to spend $20 per set for.

But after receiving them I have to say, I was impressed. Now I never leave home without them.

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5 Do’s and Don’ts for the Best Sightseeing in Las Vegas

The Do and Don’t list is something that I have always enjoyed watching on travel specials and am throwing my hand into the style! 

While some of these features are often in the style of “you must do this” and “you might as well miss that,” this version is formatted in a different way and in no way tell you not to do something major, as my misfortune might be someone else’s highlight.

Instead, the “Do” will feature a specific place or thing to do in the destination that is a great site and/or experience, and the “Don’t” will spotlight things to keep in mind during that activity that is not well known and publicized when planning the trip.

This entry into the Do and Don’t feature looks at a big one- sightseeing in Las Vegas, Nevada!  While Las Vegas is known for the glitz and glamor, high rollers and whales, it can be done properly for the budget-conscious. 

That is why this list highlights some of the top things to do in Las Vegas and how to do them properly on a budget!

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