DEM Flyers

12 days trekking Everest Base Camp!

I just finished up a 12 day trek through Everest Base Camp, Kala Patthar, Chola Pass, and Gokyo lake in the Himalayan region of Nepal🇳🇵! It was physically and mentally challenging but totally worth it for the views, and getting insights into the local culture of the Himalayan regions.

There’s a lot of information and tips out there already [1] [2] [3] [4] but hopefully I can add a bit more detail and practical tips that aren’t just normal trekking tips, as that’s pretty well covered. Many of these tips will also apply to other trekking regions in Nepal as well, such as the Annapurna Circuit. Continue reading →

STARLUX and 7-11 collaboration merchandise flash sale!

February 11, 2024 / michael / 1 Comment

Shout to my co-blogger E who loves Snoopy! I discovered this walking into a local 7-11 in Taiwan: 7-11 is running a merchandise collaboration with Peanuts and STARLUX, the new Taiwanese airline (as well as a few other brands), until February 20. You place your pre-order now, and then pick up the goods in May in Taiwan when ready. Likely if you do not live in Taiwan, you’ll have to find a local friend to purchase for you. See this webpage for a list of goods available and pricing. Continue reading →

JAL Global Club members and the Life Status Program transition

February 9, 2024 / michael / 0 Comments

Japan Airlines has made major changes to their frequent flyer program starting in 2024 by introducing a new Life Status program, and tweaking the membership requirements for JAL Global Club. There likely was an overabundance of elites who qualified for lifetime elite benefits by earning JAL Sapphire once, and JAL wanted to rectify the situation (see blog post by TRAICY).

I fortunately was able to qualify for JAL Sapphire through the Fly On program in 2023, and as a Japanese resident applied for JAL Global Club membership by switching my credit card to a JAL Global Club card. While JAL promised that members who were JAL Global Club members in 2023 would keep their status, it remained to be seen how exactly JAL would implement this. We weren’t sure if membership would continue past 2024 just for holding a JAL Global Club credit card or living outside Japan and renewing with miles. Continue reading →

New Trip Suggestions: Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan

January 30, 2024 / michael / 0 Comments

We maintain a Trip Suggestions Index to help people decide what to do when traveling to a new place! I just updated the index with a lot of new places in Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. Of course, all old lists are actively updated as we are traveling around, so feel free to follow any list and use them as guides.

Hong Kong (Wanderlog, Google Maps) 🇭🇰 Japan 🇯🇵 Furano & Biei, Hokkaido Hakuba Ishigaki Nagasaki Nagoya

Sapporo, Hokkaido Continue reading →

Our favorite souvenir foods from Japan!

November 28, 2023 / michael / 0 Comments

The bloggers at DEM Flyers love Japan, and a big part of it is all the delicious Japanese food. This extends to the wide variety of souvenirs you can take home. We’ve compiled our list of favorite snacks so you can look out for them on your next trip, or you can try them at home if they are available in your country!

If you don’t want to go to a physical store, often many items are available online; I’ve included online shopping links where applicable. If on Amazon Japan, you can sign up for a free trial of Prime and get them delivered to you in Japan for free, or shipped internationally! Some items are also available to buy on Amazon US for inflated prices, or in Asian grocery stores. Continue reading →

How to get last minute tickets for Machu Picchu

November 2, 2023 / michael / 0 Comments

Note: I wouldn’t actually recommend this method, but in desperate times…

I’m currently on a trip to Peru, Mexico, and the US, with the first leg in Peru to check out Lima as well as Machu Picchu. Due to poor planning, I failed to reserve Machu Picchu tickets in advance, but was able to scramble and get last minute tickets anyways! I’ll detail below how I did it.

Machu Picchu is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, and there’s lots of information. You’re highly recommend to reserve your tickets ahead of time, especially in the peak season of May through September, either through the official government website or through a guided tour. There’s also good information on what kind of ticket to get, such as this blog. I was being a bit lazy about planning my trip, and I was going during the shoulder season, so I didn’t bother looking until about 3 weeks ahead of time. Continue reading →

Wevat: Tax-free shopping in France

October 5, 2022 / e* / 0 Comments

Most of us know that shopping internationally can mean a significant savings especially with tax refunds via Global Blue, Planet Payment, Travelex, etc. I recently returned from Paris, where I shopped at a few stores who did tax refunds via Global Blue. However, I also discovered and tried out a newer service called Wevat (referral REQRESZQ for additional 5 euros refund; I receive no commission) for smaller purchases, and I’m here to report the experience! Continue reading →

eMed review and reimbursement through insurance

January 18, 2022 / e* / 0 Comments

I’ve been using eMed, a telemedicine service utilizing the Abbott BINAXNow COVID-19 rapid antigen test kit (which is NOT a molecular NAAT/PCR test), several times over 4 months now to fulfill the 1 day COVID test requirement on international flights to the US. This kit is officially accepted by the CDC for travel to the United States, and as of Dec 6, 2021, a COVID-19 test (molecular or antigen like this one) is required within 1 calendar day of flight departure to the US. Previously, they accepted a test within 72 hours of departure. Continue reading →

Trip Report: Miraval Tucson Arizona, one year later

November 28, 2021 / e* / 0 Comments

A little over a year ago, I went to Miraval Tucson Arizona for the first time (trip report here). It was before vaccinations, and my first time traveling since the pandemic started. A lot has happened in the last year, we have vaccinations now and even boosters. I was invited to go to Miraval again with a friend (second time for both of us) last week with the current BOGO deal that they run every year. We had an awesome time and it was a slightly different experience than before since I did different activities this time. Continue reading →

Photo Report: SFO Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse

October 25, 2021 / e* / 1 Comment

I recently checked out the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in JFK and loved it so much (MilesTalk also went not long after me and seems to have felt the same way!) that when I saw the SFO lounge was also available with Amex Platinum, I knew it would be worth going to the airport early before my flight. I did keep expectations low though, since I knew it was smaller and it had less stellar reviews while it was a Priority Pass lounge.
Continue reading →

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