SMALL-TOWN GIRLS, MIDNIGHT TRAINS

— travel inspiration for small budgets and big dreams —

travel inspiration for small budgets and big dreams

Strike-d Down but Not Destroyed

Well, it finally happened. A strike — the current French rail one — has finally managed to disrupt my carefully laid travel plans. My family and I are scheduled to take the TGV Lyria from Paris to Geneva on the 29th but that is looking like a no-go at the moment.

Free Things to Do in Paris

While Paris *can* be an expensive place to visit, in terms of activities it doesn’t have to be. Indeed, there are so many free things to do there that you will probably find the only thing you can’t afford is the time to do them all.

The Stranger

I only had 3 things in my “bucket list” on my last trip to Europe: (1) talk to locals, (2) talk to fellow travelers, and (3) buy a book from a bouquiniste.   . .In Paris, near the Cathedral of Notre Dame, you will see a row of green metal boxes lining both banks of […]

Where We All Go

♥ ♥ Four weeks ago, as I was walking towards the Tuileries Garden, I fell in step and into conversation with a retired French schoolteacher. It actually started with him asking me if I was Japanese and when I said I was from the Philippines, he exclaimed that he had been. Christian — that was […]

11 Days in Europe: Paris, Venice and Rome Sample Itinerary (and Insider Tips)

FEBRUARY 2022 – HEY EVERYONE! I’M TEMPORARILY PAUSING THIS SERVICE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY UNCERTAINTIES RELATED TO TRAVEL AT THE MOMENT. BEST OF LUCK ON YOUR JOURNEYS AND REMEMBER TO APPRECIATE YOUR BLESSINGS. ♥ . * You know how it is. You’ve finally saved enough to go on a 2-week trip to Europe — […]