Welcome to BWAB!
I’m Jona—content strategist by day, travel blogger on weekends, poet and reader by night, and plant-and-cat caretaker around the clock. My love for storytelling began with a single book and has taken me across 30+ countries in Asia, Oceania, and Europe.
What started as a blog of random musings, Backpacking with a Book is now a guide for digital nomads, offering travel tips, dive adventures, and book reviews. I also share my journey as a traveler, writer, and parent at Homehums.com.
For real-time puns and awkward stories, find me on Instagram.
what's popular
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
December 14, 2024
Having roamed over 15 European cities since planting roots in Munich, I can confidently say Vienna holds my heart—seconded by Prague. This imperial treasure along the Danube composes a symphony of culture, history, and effortless elegance. From its grandiose palaces to its unparalleled classical music legacy and its coffeehouse culture […]
December 14, 2024
Vienna in winter is like stepping into a snow globe—a city suspended in time, encased in the cold glow of centuries-old architecture, blanketed with the softness of snow. For someone like me, raised in the warmth of the tropics, the thought of winter felt daunting, heavy with its layers of […]
December 14, 2024
When I still lived in Hanoi, we played guess the word game over food and alcohol. I was with my group of friends, the usual ones. I badly wanted our team to win. When it was about cities, I knew it was my turn to shine. They gave me the […]
October 25, 2024
Prague in winter is a city straight out of a fairy tale, with its cobbled streets dusted in snow and gothic spires piercing the cold sky. As someone who has lived in the tropical warmth of the Philippines and the humid buzz of Vietnam, experiencing Europe in the depths of […]
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
June 25, 2024
Nomadic lifestyles and the use of digital currency remain at the forefront of lifestyle journalism. Throughout various corners of the globe, individuals are changing how they live, work, and interact with the world around them. Subscribing to a minimalist, experiential philosophy, nomads and backpackers pave the way for the use […]
June 7, 2024
When I declared that I wouldn’t neglect my decade-old blog anymore, I wasn’t kidding. Despite having the most time-consuming and most tiring unpaid job known to mankind: motherhood, a role I took on recently. Little did I know that this decision would lead me down the labyrinthine path of affiliate […]
May 21, 2024
Travel or study… which one will you pick? The thing is, they’re both important – perhaps even essential – in their own way, but you can’t do them both at the same time, and at some point, you’ll need to make a choice. That’s right, isn’t it? Well, perhaps not. […]
May 3, 2024
Traveling for business can be fun until you find yourself filling out the expense reports. Doing so accurately does take a lot of time away from both business and pleasure. But there’s no overstating the importance of due diligence in this area if you want to maintain your business’s financial […]
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
December 7, 2023
Are these names familiar? George Sand. Colette. Simone de Beauvoir. Madame de la Fayette. Gertrude Stein. No? How about Moliere, Voltaire, Balzac, Victor Hugo and Zola and Proust. Yeah? Yeah, now I know what kind of reader you are. 😉 So yes, these are some of the most popular writers […]
October 19, 2023
It is in my DNA to check out the local bookstore scene wherever I am. Most of my favorites are usually independent bookstores that have that well-kept forgottenness kind of vibe. If you get my drift. Think of Paris’ Shakespeare and Co. Or Hanoi’s Tiny Cafe franchise (although this one […]
October 3, 2023
I have a flippant mind, but in this life, my obsessions have been quite consistent the past fifteen years or so. Books. Cats. Travel. Plants. My hobbies, as I love saying now in German, das passt nicht zusammen. They don’t fit together. Well, living in a camper van will make […]
March 20, 2023
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 […]
life and food
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.—Virginia Woolf
July 23, 2024
In the era of endless travel trinkets, finding something that truly encapsulates the spirit of your adventures can be a daunting task. Keychains, though ubiquitous and practical, often lack that special spark to make them memorable. Enter Artpix’s custom keychains with 3D crystals, a game-changer that transforms a mundane accessory […]
July 8, 2024
Raleigh, where southern charm meets contemporary flair, is a city that embraces its past while forging ahead. Imagine strolling through historic neighborhoods in the morning and sampling innovative cuisine in chic bistros by evening. I personally think it’s a place where the echoes of North Carolina’s rich history mingle with […]
July 8, 2024
Portland, Oregon, where untamed wilderness converges with cutting-edge creativity, is a city of contrasts. Picture yourself hiking through dense forests in the morning and savoring artisanal coffee in a cozy cafe by afternoon. It’s a place where food trucks offer gourmet surprises and indie musicians set the night on fire. […]
July 8, 2024
Durham, where history’s grit mingles with vibrant modernity, is a city that defies expectations. Imagine wandering through old tobacco warehouses repurposed as trendy eateries by day, then enjoying a craft beer in a buzzing pub by night. This isn’t just a place; it’s a testament to transformation, where tradition and […]