Tips Alipay and WeChat Pay in China: What Actually Works for Transit and Small Shops
I found out the hard way that having Alipay and WeChat Pay set up isn't overkill in China. It's the difference between b...
Tips 
Net Taiwan: SIM Card or eSIM? Why Chunghwa Telecom Is Still My Pick (2026 Update)
I first wrote about buying a Chunghwa Telecom（中華電信） eSIM at Taipei Songshan Airport back in November 2022. The carrier i...
Tips How to Pay for Things in Taiwan: Cash, Cards, EasyCard, and the July 2026 MRT Change
Short version: bring some cash, use your card at department stores and drugstore chains, and do not assume every small s...
China Why Google Maps Doesn’t Work in China (And What to Use Instead)
Open Google Maps in mainland China, and it looks fine at first. The map loads, your blue dot is there, streets have name...
Tips Shanghai: Pudong Airport to the City (and Beyond). Maglev, Metro, or the New Airport Link Line?
Every time I land at Shanghai Pudong (上海浦东), I go through the same mental math. Take the Maglev (磁浮) and transfer at Lon...