Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources Archives

9 Practical, No Upfront Cost Hong Kong Side Hustles to Stack More HKD

December 9, 2024December 9, 2024Asia, Hong Kong, Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

Hey. It’s me. Big Body. Your friendly neighborhood blogger who just so happens to live in one of the most prohibitively expensive cities in the world – Hong Kong.

I get it. This is a tough city to be impecunious in.

Rent is exorbitantly priced, cocktails cost an arm and a leg, and the overall value of what you’re able to purchase seems to be dropping off quicker than your freshman-year GPA after you discovered Popov vodka, Swisher Sweets, and long-cut Grizzly Mint pouches.

Note: I’m American so you’ll just have to picture whatever the Hong Kong university experience equivalent of that is. Also, Tai Lopez is a huge bozo so don’t think that me including him in the feature image is an endorsement of this grifter.

Either way, you need to make some extra skrilla and you need to make it now. You know, dough, doll-hairs, cheddar, clams, shekels, Versace lettuce, Hong Kong pesos. As the Wu-Tang Clan so famously rapped, ‘Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M. get the money, dolla dolla bill y’all.’

Here are 9 Hong Kong side hustles you can do to earn some extra skrilla so that you have some breathing room when the financial stress of this city inevitably feels like it is getting to be ‘too much’.

Pale Ale Travel Note: My goal is to provide you with practical side hustles that you can theoretically do with minimal setup. I’ve read other Hong Kong side hustle and passive income articles that were, frankly, offering up dangerous advice – like investing in cryptocurrency (note: I’m a huge Bitcoin/crypto proponent but there’s still an inherent gamble/risk in doing so). Further, many of the side hustles suggested require you to already have a significant amount of money to get started. This is from the ground up.

Is Hong Kong Expensive to Visit?

December 4, 2024December 4, 2024Asia, Hong Kong, Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

“Is Hong Kong Expensive?” is a common question I receive from readers, specifically those contemplating and/or planning a trip to ‘Asia’s World City’. Without sounding too much like a clickbait YouTube thumbnail (and failing), the answer might actually shock you, as Hong Kong may be more affordable than you initially might think.

However, that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of the weeds as several key expenses can ‘break the bank’ (so to speak).

Below, I’ll walk you through the cost of travel in Hong Kong, using anecdotes and personal experiences from my nearly seven years living here. You’ll walk away with a sound understanding of prices in terms of specific items but also experiences, things, and other categories of travel essentials.

You’ll also get a rough feel of exactly how much your trip to Hong Kong may cost. So, without further ado, how expensive is Hong Kong?

Pale Ale Travel Note: As people from all over the world are reading this post, I’ve decided to use Hong Kong Dollars (HKD/HK$) as the main currency for all costs – just to keep things simple.

My Go-To Spot to Exchange Money in Hong Kong

December 3, 2024December 3, 2024Asia, Hong Kong, Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

If you’re traveling to Hong Kong, heading out on your next adventure, or are in the city and looking to convert some of your extra foreign currency for Hong Kong Dollars (HKD), making sure you have the right currency is essential for not only a smooth trip but basic survival.

That’s coming from someone who has shown up to a country (or two), realizing that he had completely forgotten to (responsibly) exchange for the local currency before departing or even learn what the actual currency of said country was, resulting in a hectic scramble to find the nearest ATM followed by my bank rejecting a withdrawal because I forgot to inform them of my upcoming travel plans.

The point is that it’s always a good idea to have a reputable and efficient currency exchange in your back pocket should you need to convert foreign currency to HKD or vice versa.

The reality of currency exchanges is that there are both official (and honest) and black market money exchanges, which will give you a fair exchange rate or milk you for all your worth. A reasonable and fair exchange rate can make or break a budget, especially in a city like Hong Kong where every dollar counts.

No one wants to get taken advantage of by unfavorable currency exchange rates or hidden fees. However, finding a trustworthy currency exchange in a city you’ve never been to, or don’t know that well, can feel like an insurmountable task.

Here is my go-to currency exchange in Hong Kong that has proven itself to offer fair and competitive exchange rates along with efficient, consistent service so that you don’t get ripped off and/or have to settle for less-than-ideal conversion rates.

My Third Month’s Earnings on Mediavine Journey [November 2024]

December 2, 2024December 2, 2024Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

Damn, Big Body! Back at it again with the white vans and another Mediavine Journey income report.

First, if you’re curious about my first two months on Mediavine’s newest ad management solution/product (Mediavine Journey), make sure to read Part 1 and Part 2.

Part 1 breaks down all of the important terms that are used to understand ad network earnings along with some key features of the Mediavine Journey dashboard. Make sure to reference that post if anything doesn’t make sense below.

Once again, to keep things concise – here is exactly how much my travel blog made for the month of November on Mediavine Journey.

Hint: I’m still eating canned beans and most of my socks have holes in them.

Beehiiv vs. WordPress.org For Blogging: an Honest Review

December 2, 2024December 2, 2024Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

In June 2024, after roughly five years of blogging on a traditional WordPress website – the one you’re reading right now – I decided to hedge my bets and branch out by launching a Beehiiv newsletter. This wasn’t because I was particularly passionate about newsletter creation, rather, I applied to Mediavine’s ad management network ‘Journey’ several months prior and still hadn’t heard back.

Frankly, I was a bit burnt out and frustrated with ‘traditional blogging’ and wanted to decouple from it. Google had also rolled out a handful of algorithm updates over the years that saw bloggers completely wiped off the face of search result pages and I knew it was time to stop putting all my eggs in one basket. A major professional shift in my life also meant that I could take content creation more seriously, in a more ‘full-time’ role. So, it seemed like a win-win to launch a new venture and continue with the old.

Since then, I’ve hit the ground running, blogging heavily on WordPress and publishing a weekly newsletter with Beehiiv. And it sure has been a blast. There have been countless learning curves for both but that has ultimately led to a somewhat sound understanding of each platform and how they fit into my content creation process and output.

I’ll be honest. I wrote roughly 1/3rd of this article in a way that was just too excessively complex – too complex for myself. I spent several hours just sitting and trying to make sense of what I wrote and if it was actually cohesive or not. Hint: it wasn’t.

While this may not be the most in-depth review of both WordPress and Beehiiv, it reflects my understanding of both and analyzes the features, strengths and weaknesses, and other bits that have been particularly relevant in my blogging (and newsletter) publishing tenure.

Consider this a launching point for novices unsure of what platform to use when beginning their upcoming blogging journey.

Pale Ale Travel Note: This post is comparing Beehiiv to WordPress.org NOT WordPress.com. The core difference between the two boils down to who is hosting your website. WordPress.com handles all hosting, while WordPress.org requires you to self-host/host your own website (ex. This is typically done through Bluehost, GoDaddy, and other third-party hosting platforms).

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Hong Kong

November 18, 2024November 18, 2024Asia, Hong Kong, Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

“I wish that I knew what I know now…” Hong Kong is my home. My best friends are here. My company is here. My family is here (my ‘Fahza’). It’s where I feel most at peace, most productive, and most secure. But it has taken quite a long time to even feel marginally like I have my sh!t together here. And I use that phrase loosely.

Moving back at the height of quarantine and lockdowns in 2020 (after 6 years away) wasn’t all peaches and cream for Allen Iverson and me. Coming back as a newly minted 30-year-old came with its own challenges, delusions, and realizations.

Here are 5 things I wish I knew before moving back to Hong Kong in my 30s with some favorite pictures of mine from these last 4 years sprinkled throughout. Granted, it was extremely formative coming to these realizations and having these reflections the hard way and I wouldn’t trade anything for it.

I think there’s something to be said about sometimes needing to touch the stove just to know for yourself that the burner is actually on, so I don’t wish I had known ‘them’ before moving to Hong Kong. I’m glad I touched the burner and my palm ended up like Harry’s from Home Alone after Kevin McCallister heated the doorknob to an estimated 700 degrees Fahrenheit – but I’m also thankful I didn’t take a blowtorch to my already disastrous hairline.

Now, these are my confessions (reflections) – cue Usher’s soothing, sensual voice to take you into things.

The Best Airport Lounge I’ve Ever Had the Pleasure of…Lounging At

November 9, 2024November 9, 2024Asia, Europe, Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

This Big Body lives a relatively unglamorous lifestyle. As I currently pen this article, I’m wearing a faded t-shirt that I ordered on Amazon for $8, athletic shorts with several BBQ sauce stains, and a pair of tan boat shoes that have holes at the bottom, letting water seep through any time it rains.

It’s a life devoid of fancy watches and chains, Hi-So club memberships and debutante balls, and Beluga caviar and bottles of Dom. I also don’t even have curtains for my apartment, and I’ve been living there for over a year now. But it’s my life and I quite enjoy it.

But now and then, I get a thirst for how those on the other side live. I think it’s to make up for the fact that I never had a quinceañera. And because of my frugality at most points of the year, I’m able to occasionally splurge. Most recently, I kicked off my three-month stint in Europe with a flight from Hong Kong to Amsterdam via Turkish Airlines, with a six-hour-plus layover at the Istanbul Airport. Oh, and I did the same thing again for my return flight back to Hong Kong.

Normally, I’d spend this time sitting at my gate, staring at the board, slugging a handful of Coke Zeroes, going to the bathroom every 15 minutes because of the aforementioned Coke Zero slugging, contemplating paying for WiFi, talking myself out of paying for WiFi, and wishing I brought I book. Rinse and repeat.

But that wasn’t the case this time as I posted up in the Turkish Airlines International Business Lounge for the bulk of my layover, consuming more baba ganoush and nutty rectangles of baklava than any man should in a single sitting, mixing in several power naps to rest this weary traveling soul of mine, and tossing back countless double espressos in an attempt to counter the jetlag (which I’m pretty sure was ill-advised).

Note: If you are a tenant of the building across from me and have to see me looking like a naked Bigfoot every night, arms swinging in that distinct cryptozoological walk as I walk to the fridge for a late-night swig of water, then please feel free to shame me in the comments.

This post is not meant to be braggadocious or self-aggrandizing, it’s simply written to provide a little nugget of information that could (possibly) make your next layover in Istanbul a memorable and less painful one. Funnily enough, this trip was booked several months prior, in a state of pure ignorance (and bliss) of what was about to come – a financial reckoning due to losing my biggest client the month before departure to the Old Continent.

Here are 5 reasons why the Turkish Airlines International Business Lounge is hands down the best airport lounge I’ve ever had the pleasure of…lounging at.

Is There Uber in Vietnam? This Other Ride-Hailing App Puts Uber to Shame

November 6, 2024November 6, 2024Asia, Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources, Vietnam BigBody Leave a Comment

Vietnam isn’t what I would consider to be a destination for first-time travelers. It can be chaotic, loud, raw, unpredictable, and in your face. But that’s also why it’s addictive and one of my absolute favorite places. Once you prepare yourself to mentally and physically feel vulnerable, step outside of your comfort zone, and keep an open mind, there’s undoubtedly an enchanting character, environment, and depth that can be found in every pocket of the country, making it surprisingly more sustainable and comfortable than you might have first imagined.

Having spent over one year living in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), Vietnam, with regular month-long stints mixed into my yearly travels in subsequent years, I was one of the biggest ride-hailing app proponents in the country. It’s part and parcel of everyday life in Vietnam, for both locals and foreigners and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t used the country’s most popular ride-hailing and delivery service at least once.

However, if you think I’m talking about Uber, you’d be completely wrong. Uber is not available in Vietnam. Instead, almost 50% of the Vietnamese population uses the Southeast Asia-based ride-hailing service ‘Grab’ to get from Point A to Point B. I assure you, it puts Uber to shame with how comprehensive, affordable, and convenient it is.

Since Uber’s exit from the Southeast Asian market in 2018, Grab has overwhelmingly snagged the top spot as the region’s top ride-hailing app and service. It is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for everything you could want – from convenient and affordable transport to food delivery services, insurance and financial services, and even the ability to send packages and documents. I refer to it as a ‘super app’. In fact, most of Southeast Asia uses this app, so if you’re planning on making a trip, this is a must-download on your phone.

Here is everything you need to know about using ride-hailing services in Vietnam, alternative transportation methods available, and key scams and safety considerations to keep in mind when navigating this incredible country.

Pale Ale Travel Note: Don’t forget to check out my entire archive of Vietnam content here.

Free Travel Inspiration & Guides Sent Right to Your Inbox

November 4, 2024November 5, 2024Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

We are coming up on nearly 4 months of my (free) Pale Ale Travel newsletter going live. Side note: I’m not sure why I said ‘We’ when it’s just me…Big Body. And, I’m proud of it. I know when I first published this announcement about the newsletter, there wasn’t much to show for it.

So, I thought I would give you all some better insight into what it looks like and what you can expect 3-4 times per month (right to your inbox) – completely free.

My Second Month of Earnings on Mediavine Journey [October 2024]

November 4, 2024November 5, 2024Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

I’ll aim to keep this one brief. My second month of earnings on Mediavine Journey just came in and increased by 40%…but still leaves quite a bit to be desired.

You can find my first (and previous) month’s write-up about getting started on Mediavine Journey and its earnings in this past article: ‘How Much My Travel Blog Made Its First Month on Mediavine Journey’. In that article, I explain some common terms that are important for understanding earnings and a little bit about the Mediavine Journey analytics dashboard.

In the interest of not repeating myself, I recommend checking that post out if anything below doesn’t make sense and/or you’re unsure what they mean.

Without further ado, here’s exactly how much my travel blog made my second month on Mediavine Journey.

When is the Best Time to Visit Hong Kong? Recommendations From a Man on the Ground

October 25, 2024October 25, 2024Hong Kong, Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

As someone who has lived in Hong Kong for nearly 7 years now (and is still here), I can emphatically state that there are certain times of the year that I recommend traveling to Hong Kong and steering clear of the city altogether.

However, things aren’t always as straightforward as ‘X month’ or ‘X season good’, and ‘X month’ or ‘X season bad’. There’s nuance to it and if you ask me, every point of the year in Hong Kong has its advantages and disadvantages.

It all boils down to what you prefer. It also boils down to timing, feasibility, and affordability. Unfortunately, the holy triumvirate of harmonious circumstances is rarely on the table.

That said, I recommend visiting Hong Kong in either fall or winter, as the comfortable weather undoubtedly allows you to tick off the most items on a Hong Kong bucket list – specifically outdoor activities and exploring. However, if you’re on a budget and don’t mind unpredictable weather, spring is the time to go!

Below are the pros and cons of visiting Hong Kong during each season, including when I would plan my trip to Asia’s World City (if possible). I’ll also break down what you can generally expect in Hong Kong each season of the year, including weather, events, budget-wise.

My Hong Kong Packing List: 10 Items I Wouldn’t Touch Down in Asia’s World City Without

October 23, 2024October 23, 2024Asia, Hong Kong, Travel, Travel Tips, Tricks, & Resources BigBody Leave a Comment

You’re currently reading an article written by the king of traveling somewhere and realizing halfway through the flight that they forgot nearly every essential item to ensure the trip goes off without a hitch. How can someone spend so much time just trying to remember to bring their $25 Amazon seat cushion (aka my ‘butt pillow’) yet forget the undergarments that they wear every single day?

That’s me. Hi. I’m Big Body. Spelled with the same ‘B’ that you use to spell ‘Bozo’.

Having lived in Hong Kong for nearly seven years (I’m currently here), I’ve been around the block or two. Been there, done that. “Gotten” several T-shirts. Traveling to and from the city, packing and unpacking, making hectic and spur-of-the-moment runs back and forth between Japan Home Centre and wherever I’m staying. Rinse and repeat several times.

So, I know a thing or two about what you absolutely need to pack for your trip to Hong Kong and what you can feasibly pick up at one of the many electronic stores, beauty chains, or one-stop destination retail chains.

Luckily, nearly every item and amenity you (probably) need for your trip is easily accessible in “Asia’s World City.” However, just to be safe, there are several things I’d make sure to definitely include in my Hong Kong packing list.

Here they are…