COVID-19

COVID booster #2 in Penang, Malaysia

By Theo / COVID-19, health care abroad, travel experts / September 2, 2022 September 2, 2022

Ellen & Theo after COVID booster #2 in Penang, Malaysia

Ellen & Theo get jabbed again!

Bangkok to Hua Hin by bus in COVID era

By Theo / budget travel, COVID-19, slow travel, travel experts / May 16, 2022 May 16, 2022

Theo and Ellen walk on the beach the day after they went from Bangkok to Hua Hin by bus.

Behold: a beach bargain!

Our first COVID-era trip

By Theo / budget travel, COVID-19, slow travel, travel experts / April 23, 2022 April 24, 2022

Theo complains at the Cebu Pacific counter about poor service on his first COVID-era trip.

Theo’s already complaining about an airline.

Earth Vagabonds restart slow travel lifestyle

By Ellen / border crossing, COVID-19, slow travel / April 12, 2022 April 12, 2022

Theo and Ellen in an empty Bangkok airport terminal as they restart a slow travel lifestyle in the 'new normal' with COVID.

First stop: Bangkok!

Travel during COVID: 3 budget tips

By Ellen / budget travel, COVID-19, travel experts / March 26, 2022 May 31, 2022

3 new travel hacks for the new normal in a COVID world.

Beat marketing trickery and save money.

Budget vacation to Boracay Island

By Ellen / budget travel, COVID-19 / January 25, 2022 January 25, 2022

A vacation to Boracay Island means a lot of beach time on the famous "White Beach" - pictured here in the golden hour before sunset.

Ellen splurges for once.

Boracay Island in the Philippines

By Ellen / COVID-19, slow travel, travel destinations / January 21, 2022 January 21, 2022

A sailboat is seen through trees on Boracay Island in the Philippines.

So beautiful, despite pandemic problems.

How to hand wash clothes, sheets

By Ellen / COVID-19, retired budget travel, travel experts / January 19, 2022 January 19, 2022

How to hand wash clothes and sheets is not difficult, but it's time consuming and strains the back.

Not difficult, but it’s time consuming and strains the back.

The boy on the beach

By Ellen / COVID-19 / January 18, 2022 January 18, 2022

Just a story.

2021: A final roundup from the Philippines

By Theo / COVID-19, early retirement, slow travel / January 16, 2022 January 16, 2022

Boracay Island as seen from mainland Malay Municipality from tribal Ati land in the Philippines.

What a year!

1 year, 10 months, in Malay, Aklan, Philippines

By Ellen / COVID-19, slow travel / January 15, 2022 January 16, 2022

NASA pic of the Philippines from space, with Malay, Aklan circled.

I’m counting.

Did these tourism and travel predictions come true?

By Ellen / budget travel, COVID-19, slow travel, travel experts / January 14, 2022 October 4, 2022

A crystal ball on a beach at sunset gets Ellen thinking about travel predictions - and whether they came true.

Eleven predictions, 11 realities.

What’s happening on Boracay during Omicron phase

By Ellen / COVID-19, slow travel, travel destinations, travel experts / January 13, 2022 January 13, 2022

Boracay has few tourists during the Omicron phase of the pandemic.

The famous island and nearby mainland are on Alert Level 3.

WHO COVID vaccination certificate in the Philippines

By Ellen / COVID-19, slow travel, travel experts / January 12, 2022 April 27, 2022

The Bureau of Quarantine building in Kalibo and the WHO COVID vaccination certificates the department issues.

How foreigners vaccinated in this country can get the official card.

Boosters in the Philippines

By Ellen / COVID-19, health care abroad, slow travel, travel experts / January 8, 2022 January 8, 2022

Ellen gets boosted in the Philippines with a Pfizer shot in Malay, Aklan.

Navigating a process so unlike in the USA.

Boracay holiday vacations bring domestic tourists

By Ellen / COVID-19, travel destinations / December 29, 2021 December 29, 2021

Tourists walk on Boracay's White Beach with masks pulled down under their chins.

Ellen people watches on the island.

December update: Odette, Omicron travel & boosters

By Ellen / COVID-19, slow travel / December 18, 2021 December 18, 2021

Ellen & Tedly in Malay, Aklan, December 18, 2021.

Life is good.

Travel lifestyle interrupted; God’s will confounds

By Ellen / COVID-19, life lessons, slow travel / November 30, 2021 November 30, 2021

cabo san lucas seen from a flight window

A week of ups and downs.

Extraordinary Ati weaving projects underway

By Theo / COVID-19, slow travel / November 28, 2021 November 28, 2021

Ati weaving supplies, like box cutters and measuring tapes.

See what our Ati friends can make with these tools!

Tourism in the Philippines, China, boosters, travel plans

By Ellen / COVID-19, slow travel / November 20, 2021 November 20, 2021

Tourists at the famous Willy's Rock on Boracay Island in the Philippines.

Tourism is up, China attacks Philippine boats, and our travel plans.