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The Blog — Everything We've Written
Our Japan base camp, the travel tech we use, points and miles, and trips along the way.
App
Free Visa Day Calculator: Count Your Schengen and Japan Days on Any Phone
Points Strategy
IHG One Rewards Premier Card: Is the 180,000-Point Offer Worth It?
Japan
Japan Etiquette for Americans and Australians: A Quick Reference Guide
Points Strategy
United's New Nonstop to Sapporo, and the Card Offer We Took
Points Strategy
Portland to LA on Points: 20 Nights, $1,390 and 358,000 Points
Destination
A Week in Portland: Mount St. Helens and the Goonies Coast
Destination
Driving the Redwoods and the California Coast
Points Strategy
Hyatt Globalist on the West Coast: Sacramento, San Francisco and West Hollywood
Japan
How the Visa Loop Works: Our 2027–28 Plan to Loop Through Asia
Points Strategy
Travel Credit Cards for Slow-Traveling Couples (Fall 2026)
Japan
Otaru Update: Contract Signed, Snow Plans, and Our First Weeks in Hokkaido
Points Strategy
Why We're Not Renewing the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card
App
Kana Hanko Is Now Live on Google Play
Japan
The 30 Japanese Phrases That Get You Through Restaurants and Konbini
Gear
Google Fi International Data Suspended: Why It Happens and How We're Fixing It
Destination
What Is a Repositioning Cruise? Why We Cross Oceans by Sea Instead of Air
Gear
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance: Is It Worth It for Long-Term Travelers?
App
Introducing Kana Hanko: A Free, Ad-Free Way to Learn Hiragana and Katakana
Japan
A Japan Base Camp: Buying a Second Home in Otaru to Explore Asia
Destination
Cruising Alaska: A Back-to-Back Journey on Ovation of the Seas
Gear
GL.iNet Beryl AX Review: Still Worth It Next to the Beryl 7?
Points Strategy
Unlocking Japan: Why the Atmos Rewards Ascent Card Is Our Newest Travel Tool
Destination
Utrecht Surprise!
Destination
Maximizing a One-Day Cruise Stop in Edinburgh: Castles, Cobblestones, and Escaping the Crowds
Destination
No More Tendering! Our Cruise Day in Stornoway, Scotland
Destination
Cruising to Inverness: How We Explored the Highlands on a Budget
Points Strategy
Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Reserve (2026): Which Card Is Right for the Slow Traveler?
Gear
Amazon Basics Hardside Luggage Review: How Did It Hold Up After 9 Months of Slow Travel?