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 mind-meandering on Medium.
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
October 1, 2024
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 […]
September 6, 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 […]
September 2, 2024
Split, a city where ancient history and vibrant modern life intertwine, is a gateway to some of Croatia’s most breathtaking landscapes. Its sun-drenched coastline, azure waters, and the imposing presence of Diocletian’s Palace make it a haven for travelers. But beyond its beauty lies another Croatian gem—Plitvice Lakes. For years, […]
September 2, 2024
Going on a desert safari is much more than taking a thrilling ride through sand dunes. It is opportunity to soak in the captivating beauty of the desert. The unending dunes, beautiful sunset view, and thrilling adventure make a desert safari must-do activity in Dubai. However, to enjoy a desert […]
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
September 9, 2024
Hanoi: chaotic, mesmerizing, and utterly captivating. After three months of exploring this city’s vibrant streets and a month of wandering Vietnam’s diverse landscapes, I knew Hanoi was the place to drop anchor. Four years later, my love for this city has only deepened. As a digital marketing manager turned teacher […]
July 26, 2024
As an expat teacher in Hanoi for four years, I can honestly say this city has a pulse unlike any other. From the bustling streets filled with the scent of street food to the vibrant markets teeming with life, Hanoi is a place that inspires. I came here as an […]
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 […]
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
July 12, 2024
I personally believe Joan Didion, Jennifer Egan, Mia Alvar, Eula Biss, and Ada Limon capture the essence of New York. These writers embody the city’s literary spirit, and its independent bookstores are a testament to this legacy. New York City’s independent bookstores are hidden gems offering an intimate dive into […]
July 4, 2024
Summer vacations and a good book go hand-in-hand. My very blog won’t be named as such if I don’t pack at least three books with me wherever I travel. It is just a force of habit because you will never know one book will never be enough. Talking about books, […]
March 14, 2024
Vienna is a beautiful city. Of course, that’s the perspective of a traveler, hmm, scratch that, a tourist whose eyes are glued at these Gothic and Baroque architecture, marveling at the preserved beauty of the bygone years. But there are other Vienna quirks that I find appealing. The subway drunkies […]
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 […]
life and food
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.—Virginia Woolf
October 1, 2024
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 […]
August 5, 2024
Living in Hanoi made me long for the vast quietness of the countryside. Ninh Binh was always my weekend fix during my four-year stint in Vietnam’s capital. Ninh Binh’s huge rafts of farmed white ducks wallowing in its many waterways, with the expanse of rice fields in different shades of […]
August 5, 2024
Hanoi—where history meets hustle and the streets pulse with life. This what draws me and made me stay for four years, first as a digital nomad, then I went back to teaching full-time. It was the eclectic energy. The relentlessness. The restlessness that made me stay. For first-timers navigating this […]
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 […]