Welcome to BWAB!

_{I'm Jona, a former travel journalist and teacher, and a poet and fictionist with a high dose of imposter syndrome. My affairs with the world and words started with a book. I've seen bits and pieces of this beautiful wounded world. Hence, the name of the blog. I'm from the Philippines, lived in Vietnam for four years, and now I'm indefinitely living in Munich, Germany.}

_{What originally was a repository of random thoughts on life, travel, and books, BWAB is now a full-on resources of those embarking the digital nomad life with a decent amount of travel guides, occasional dive trips, and book readings spread thick in between. Oh yeah, a lot of solo travel resources around Europe and Southeast Asia. For quick travel and accommodation guides in Europe and Asia, check my ultimate travel cheat sheet for free.}

_{For real-time stories, puns, personally proven travel hacks, exclusive digital nomad resources, and self-deprecating awkwardness, follow me on Instagram: @jonajournals or my weekly substack newsletter}

what's popular

digital nomad guides

And her joy would become a restless thing, flapping its wings inside her, as though looking for an opening to fly away. ― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

May 2, 2023

Money Guide for Travelers from Developing Countries: Why You Must Have a Separate Travel Fund Bank Account

Money Guide for Travelers from Developing Countries is not usually discussed. Personally, the courage to travel is one thing; having the dough to travel is another. In most cases, I build my courage and travel fund together. The Importance of Why You Should Keep a Separate Travel Fund Account should […]

May 2, 2023

How to Get Australian Visa? The Fast and Easy Way.

A Traveler’s Honest Talk on Money

EDIT: This was written in 2016. A lot has changed in my life. I moved to Vietnam, went back to teaching, and lived the expat life. In November 2021, my two cats and I moved to Munich, Germany. You can follow me on Instagram: @jonajournals for more current life updates. I am […]

May 2, 2023

Yes! Not Everyone Can Quit Their Jobs to Travel Abroad

May 2, 2023

A Developing Country Citizen’s Perspective: What’s Wrong with “Leave Everything Behind and Travel the World”

I shared the table with a Dutch traveler for our complimentary breakfast of coffee, two toasts, and few slices of melon—something that the Burmese or us Filipinos do not normally have for breakfast. But I enjoyed it, nonetheless, especially after an hour or so of pedaling on sandy paths, checking […]

destination guides

You may not know how to save your soul, but you know how to put one foot in front of another.—Rebecca Solnit

May 12, 2023

The Best 19 Moalboal Beach Resorts

I think I’ve mentioned this countless of times that I love Moalboal so much that I bought a tiny piece of land somewhere between Bas Daku (White Beach) and Bas Diot (Panagsama Beach). I love it for several reasons: it’s quite close to Cebu City (my home back then), it […]

May 12, 2023

The 20 Best Boracay Station 1 Resorts: from Luxury to Budget 2023

We all have a story how the travel bug got us. Mine started when I was a university student. I led the school publication, and the president of the student body government and I were invited to join a nationwide student leader’ press conference in Boracay. This was almost twenty […]

May 10, 2023

The Best 20 Beaches on Hvar Island

Personally, Hvar Island was my bet among the Croatian islands I visited. It got this Mediterranean-Adriatic vibe. I’m a sucker of overlooking the sea spots, and Hvar, especially its many beaches, has plenty of that. Hvar Island is a sun-soaked paradise with beaches that are the stuff of legends and […]

May 10, 2023

The Best Lugano Hotels You Can Choose from

As someone who grew up surrounded by waters, I found my first Switzerland experience more than a pleasant experience. My German-Swiss partner chose this destination as part of our week-long road trip that started from home (Munich) then to Jesolo, Venice, Lake Como, and then Lugano. I didn’t expect much, […]

reading life

My grandfather says that's what books are for," Ashoke said, using the opportunity to open the volume in his hands. "To travel without moving an inch.― Jhumpa Lahiri

March 22, 2023

The Top 16 Independent Bookstores in NYC Worth Checking Out

Joan Didion. Jeniffer Egan. Mia Alvar. Eula Biss. Ada Limon are some of the names that come to mind when I think of New York. These writers have written about and from New York. New York City has long been a hub for literary creativity and inspiration, and its independent […]

March 20, 2023

one of the best independent bookstores in seattle

These 16 Independent Bookstores in Seattle Are Sure Worthy of Your Time and Money

Seattle is a city with an infectious love for literature and a thriving independent bookstore scene. Visitors to the city should not miss the opportunity to explore the many charming and unique bookstores that Seattle has to offer. From the iconic and the hip to the cozy neighborhood feel, each […]

March 10, 2023

10 Amazing English Bookstores in Paris and Some Gorgeous Libraries

Are these names familiar? George Sand. Colette. Simone de Beauvoir. Madame de la Fayette. Gertrude Stein. No? How about Moliere, Voltaire, Balzac, Victor Hugoand Zola and Proust. Yeah? Yeah, now I know what kind of reader you are. 😉 So yes, these are some of the most popular writers who […]

March 1, 2023

What I Read in January 2023: On Time- and Place-Traveling

Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Mohsin Hamid, Carmen Maria Machado, Tracy K. Smith, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, and Little Gems on the Internet I aimed for fifty books read last year. I only read 20. I still considered it as an achievement of sort, considering the personal turmoil I had adapting to a new country. Before coming […]