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8 Date Ideas in Saigon to Ignite the Vietnam Romance Vibes

January 7, 2024January 6, 2025Asia, Travel, Vietnam BigBody Leave a Comment

I don’t think I’ve ever dated as proactively as I did when I moved to Saigon, as I was newly single and hot off a breakup that had me feeling like that one dude with mascara when they wouldn’t stop picking on Britney Spears. Leave Britney alone. That’s not because I’m some total casanova who the ladies swoon for and the men want to be. Au contraire. It was just time to put myself out there in an attempt to mend my (then) broken heart.

It worked. Kind of. I’m not crying. I just have something in my eye and there’s a lot of dust in the air.

Here are 8 certified date ideas in Saigon to spice up your next date night in Vietnam and ensure that you make the most of this vibrant, hectic, and enchanting city.

What is the Legal Drinking Age in Cambodia? [2025]

January 3, 2024December 30, 2024Cambodia, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

I had a bit of a whirlwind few weeks in Cambodia when I was living in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam and was required to make semi-regular visa trips to Phnom Penh (and sometimes just the Cambodian border) to apply for a new visa and re-enter. Sometimes, I’d make a several-week trip out of it and post up in the country’s capital, Phnom Penh, for relaxation, gluttony, and cultural exploration.

What I found was a country with a surprisingly cosmopolitan alcohol and gastronomic landscape, boasting everything from countless live music and billiards bars blasting classic rock hits to throwback colonial lounges and bustling rooftop bars to Shanghainese speakeasies and international craft beer haunts. And that’s just the beginning. Cambodian casinos (well…they are actually owned by the Chinese), beach bars, and cigar bars are also at your fingertips.

As a popular destination for newly minted high school graduates on gap years, backpackers of all ages and creeds, university students from surrounding Asian countries, and other thrill seekers who enjoy a pint or two (or a bucket), a common question that pops up is “What is the legal drinking age in Cambodia?”

Here’s everything you need to know about the legal drinking age in Cambodia, along with other important alcohol laws in Cambodia.

13 Essential Travel Tools For Digital Nomads to Stay Connected, Productive, & Classy

December 29, 2023May 16, 2024Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

Everyone has experienced that moment after a long, arduous journey to whatever corner of the world they decided on when they reach into their suitcase to grab the one item needed to start their move and/or trip out without a hitch, only to find that it’s nowhere in sight. Been there, done that, and got the t-shirt multiple times over.

For digital nomads or freelancers who frequently change locations and battle an array of geographical, work-related, and visa issues, forgetting a crucial item for one’s trip is just part and parcel. And don’t even get me started on things breaking mid-trip.

If you haven’t experienced it, you probably will at some point. Consider it a right of passage. Or, you can learn from my mistakes and follow this list of must-have digital nomad travel items and cover your bases. Whether you’re a seasoned digital nomad or just starting out on your journey, here are 13 digital nomad must-haves for your next (or first) move or trip abroad – all of which are used by yours truly.

21 Date Ideas in Hong Kong to Avoid Becoming “The Boring Couple”

December 21, 2023January 7, 2025Asia, Hong Kong, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

I’ve been there before. You mindlessly scroll Reddit on your phone next to one another in bed, being intimate hasn’t been on the table since your mother-in-law moved in “just for a few weeks,” you look over at your partner and see them doing the same. Something snaps and you look at them, “Babe, have we become ‘the boring couple?”

“We’re not boring, everyone’s like this.” “Do you remember when we went whitewater rafting in West Virginia? Or snorkeling in The Maldives?” You smirk, “Or the time we did…on top of…while there were people nearby…”. You raise your eyebrows and give them a playful nudge. “This weekend, what say you and I get out and try something different?” Your partner’s eyes widen as they abruptly sit up in bed and begin to visibly shake with excitement.

“How about we ask ‘so and so’ and get a few drinks before?” “I said ‘try something different’ not ‘try someone different’.” “Oh. Alright. Then l know just the list of date ideas to choose from.”

Without further ado, here are 21 certified, tested, fun date ideas in Hong Kong for couples that want to avoid being referred to as “The Boring Couple” and reclaim a bit of spontaneity (without destroying your marriage) – or who just want to get away from their in-laws.

What You Need to Know About Japan’s Legal Drinking Age

December 13, 2023July 16, 2024Asia, Japan, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

During my three months based in Osaka, Japan, I drank a lot of alcohol. No, really. I drank a lot. And that is coming from an existence that already sees a non-zero sum of alcohol consumed somewhat regularly. I attribute this increased consumption to the fact that Japanese dining is complemented perfectly with an ice-cold draft beer (nama beeru) or Chuhai (shochu highball), warm or cold sake, or even a dry red or slightly sweet white wine (the ultimate pairing with sushi).

Japan’s drinking culture is unlike anywhere else in the world – for better or worse. It’s not just the varieties of quality alcohol that you can find in Japan, it’s the vibrancy and depth of the venues to drink it at.

From drinking casual beers and Chuhais while sitting under a bridge along the Yodogawa River (one of my personal favorite memories) to raucous, brash, crowded nightclubs in Osaka and Tokyo, all the way to back alley izakayas and yakitori joints, high-end Japanese whiskey bars, and assorted “nomihoudai” (all you can drink) bars scattered across the country (and everything in between), Japan has it all when it comes to drinking culture, nightlife, and alcohol. If you want a draft beer at Yoshinoya, one of Japan’s most popular gyudon fast food restaurants, you can imbibe as well.

To ensure that you don’t miss out on one of the most robust and unique drinking (and dining) cultures in the world, you might be asking yourself, “What is the legal drinking age in Japan?”

Read on to find out how old you need to be to legally drink alcohol in Japan along with other important Japanese alcohol laws to know.

8 Christmas Date Ideas in Hong Kong to Unlock Your Own Winter Rom-Com

December 9, 2023January 6, 2025Asia, Hong Kong, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

‘Tis the season for requited love. Or unrequited love. Or that unspoken “group love” that your parents partake in every year in their late 60s when they go down to Jamaica for ‘Hedonism 47’ with ‘Aunt Sally’ and ‘Uncle Jim’ – who you only found out when you turned 18 weren’t related by blood. Whatever the case, love, tinsel, gingerbread cookies, and your local middle school’s rendition of ‘The Nutcracker’ are in the air – and it’s time to celebrate.

I have to be honest with you. Up until several years ago when I moved back to Hong Kong, Christmas was one of my least favorite holidays. Something about the shove-it-down-your-throat consumer and brand tribalism, needing to shovel my car out of several feet of snow regularly, and the fact that I literally could (still can’t) never figure out who the ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’ was in the Nutcracker until post-intermission, all were major factors that fueled this “bah humbug” mentality.

Now, I can’t get enough of it. Not because of the LED flatscreen televisions that sync with your frontal lobe and can be purchased via Amazon with a single click of a button, or the catchy Christmas jingles (found in every major Hong Kong mall) that bury themselves deep into your brain to the point where you end up in a content, infantile stupor like Danny Devito (aka ‘Martini’) in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, or Hong Kong’s weather finally being palatable and not requiring you to take three showers every day.

The Legal Drinking Age in Taiwan Explained

December 7, 2023December 7, 2023Taiwan, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

Consistently named as one of the best places to live for expats and one of the most underrated travel destinations, Taiwan is a vibrant, convenient, culturally rich, and downright fun island that should definitely be on your radar. Contributing to its unique eclectic soul and draw is a burgeoning (and now thriving) alcohol and nightlife scene that is not only affordable but domestically and internationally driven.

You’ll find everything from quirky craft beer and whiskey bars nestled in back alleys of popular university areas to bass-thumping nightclubs and upscale rooftop lounges, all the way to lively stir-fry restaurants (rechao – 熱炒) with dedicated ‘beer girls’, all-you-can-drink whiskey-green tea karaoke lounges, LGBTQ+ friendly bars (in Ximending), and British pubs for weekly quizzes, pool leagues, and more.

I first took a dawgz trip to Taiwan when I was 21 years old (while living in Hong Kong) and wasn’t sure of what the alcohol restrictions were or if I should even worry at all. It is still one of the most memorable (from what I can remember) trips of my life. I then moved to Taiwan for three-plus years in 2015. Three formative years – rife with love, bian dangs (Taiwanese homestyle food on the go), post-work night market strolls, and of course, booze (of all types, brands, and sizes).

If you’re traveling (or considering moving) to Taiwan and don’t want to miss out on any of it, you may be wondering, “What is the legal drinking age?”

Below, I’ll dive into Taiwan’s legal drinking age along with important drinking laws and tips that you should know before traveling to the island known as ‘Formosa’ (Taiwan’s main island).

What You Need to Know About the Legal Drinking Age in Thailand

December 3, 2023January 6, 2025Asia, Thailand, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

Thailand isn’t just renowned as a cultural, spiritual, and gastronomical epicenter of Asia, it’s also one of the premier go-to drinking and nightlife destinations for every type of libation enthusiast out there. Trust me, I’ve tested this out far more than the human body should theoretically be able to handle.

From raucous backpacker streets with free-flowing beer towers (and funky balloons) to sophisticated rooftop bars and cocktail lounges of world-class five-star hotels, to the bustling, salacious walking streets found across every corner of the country, smokey convivial BBQ beer gardens, and creative high-ABV craft beer bars and breweries, “of age” drinkers can pick whatever type of poison tickles their fancy in the ‘Land of Smiles’.

But what exactly is the legal drinking age in Thailand?

While you might think that the drinking age is similar to neighboring Asian countries, you might just be surprised to find that Thailand’s drinking age differs significantly. Read on to find out more about important alcohol laws in Thailand so that you don’t end up on the next season of ‘Locked Up Abroad’.

What’s the Legal Drinking Age in Vietnam? (2025)

November 30, 2023December 30, 2024Asia, Travel, Vietnam BigBody 2 Comments

If you’re traveling to Vietnam, you may be asking yourself, “What’s the legal drinking age in Vietnam?” Maybe you heard how Vietnam is the top country in Asia for beer consumption (fact) and want a taste for yourself. Maybe you heard about the country’s burgeoning craft beer scene to provide depth to an already formidable domestic beer landscape. Or, maybe you just want to purchase a few local brews from your nearest convenience store and drink them on the street without any hassle.

The very first step towards accomplishing all of that (and then some) is understanding Vietnam’s drinking laws.

Having lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for over one year (with regular month-long stints since), I can emphatically state that this is one of the best countries in the world when it comes to a thriving and communal beer culture, both classy and hectic nightlife, and boozy brunches and other alcohol-related activities (ex. Ax throwing with craft beers).

Let’s take a look at what you need to know about drinking alcohol in Vietnam.

What’s the Legal Drinking Age in Hong Kong? (2025)

November 28, 2023December 30, 2024Asia, Hong Kong, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

If you’re coming to Hong Kong (or in the midst of growing up here) and looking to get your alcohol fix at one of the city’s countless (timeless) British pubs (for a cheeky quiz night), world-class cocktail bars or lounges, raucous and sweaty night clubs, communal 7-11s (which are an institution in their own right), or other bustling watering holes, you might be wondering what the actual legal drinking age in Hong Kong is.

As someone who moved to Hong Kong at 21, coming hot off of the United States’ archaic drinking and liquor laws, I was in awe at just how different this city was from my hometown and how nothing was off-limits (for better or worse).

Find out everything you need to know about drinking alcohol in Hong Kong.

36 Pros and Cons of Living in New Hampshire in 2024: By a Born & Bred Granite Stater

November 25, 2023November 29, 2023New Hampshire, North America, Travel BigBody 2 Comments

When I first meet someone and they ask where I’m from, I always make it a point to emphasize that, first and foremost, I’m from New Hampshire, and an American second. I’m an impassioned flannel and Columbia fleece wearer, a reformed Hampton Beach “beach bum” who would poach his Powerade to mix with gin from the now-closed down McDonald’s on Ocean Boulevard, a Las Olas die-hard (extra guac and still trying to figure out why the lines are so inefficient), and someone who has been thrown out of the now desolate, anachronistic Fox Run Mall for loitering more than I’d care to admit.

I may be considered “simple folk” by the (self-anointed) big city socialites of New York, Los Angeles, and Miami (I’m the proud owner of the ‘White Trash Cookbook”) but I rest easy at the end of the day knowing where I’m from and who I am because of it. Also, if I’m talking to a Brit, I always place a heavy emphasis on the term ‘New’ and inevitably throw in a barb or two about our defection to the New World to establish the ‘New’ England. It never lands as well as I think it will.

As you can tell, I’m proud to be from New Hampshire and I couldn’t imagine having grown up anywhere else.

What Are People From Hong Kong Called? Learn This Before Traveling Here

November 15, 2023November 15, 2023Asia, Hong Kong, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

If you’re traveling to or moving to Hong Kong, you might be unsure of what exactly to refer to the local Hong Kong population as and want to avoid offending someone by accidentally referring to them as ‘Chinese’ or ‘British’. That’s completely understandable due to confusion over Hong Kong’s Special Administrative Region (SAR) status, previous positioning as a British Colony (up until 1997), and its official 1997 “return” to China.