A feast for the senses

I love to travel. As a matter of fact, I did my share of visiting different places and embracing different cultures. But it was not before I discovered TJ’s vlog I found out that I was doing it the wrong way. My trips were usually short and were lacking all the colorful exotica and genuine enjoyment that is streaming from her videos.

I love her engagement with the locals. No matter if she is trying a meal or exploring a waterfall, there is always a friendly guide who helps her make the most of it. This is definitely something I was missing. My trips were dull compared to his active interaction including from what are the ingredients of the food to the story of a sunk church in the Philippines. There is so much laughter and innocent banters, you cannot help feeling good about the content. And the content is rich. And I mean really rich. She is choosing amazing places like a Philippine mall food court where joy starts with the fantastic architecture and go on to the brilliant food that makes you wanna pack your bags and catch the next flight to Manila. There is so much color in the videos, from the food, the clothes, the buildings, that it is almost impossible to stop watching in the middle of the video. I used to play them one after another all day. And why am I saying I was doing it the wrong way? I was doing very little up-front research what is worth visiting and simply wandered around Paris, Berlin or Singapore. On the contrary, TJ is always prepared. And then, she is rarely paying and sitting quietly, what makes her a fantastic blogger is she makes the most of her encounters with the people, be it vendors, massage givers, guides so her vlog is lively and engaging, but most of all, her experience is very satisfying and she captures it masterfully and presents t in a friendly and funny way, which is also fantastic.

A never before seen experience was her knife massage in Taiwan. She was so excited and polite, it was a pleasure to watch. The therapist explained it was not just a massage, it is redirecting the chi in your body, it is a health system. It originates from China thousands of years ago. The way TJ interacts is hilarious and it is obvious everybody around her is having a great time, including the vlogger. The most interesting part was when the massage therapist entered her information on a 2500 years old artefact, and pinpoint accurately TJ’s problematic areas. It was incredible to watch and again, very funny. They warmed up in an incredible synchrony exercise, and her attitude was so positive, it was unbelievable. The therapist was massaging her problem area and you could feel TJ’s satisfaction and enjoyment. She wouldn’t stop commenting and she was always polite and not a hint of negativity or skepticism. Those knives were moving like crazy, and yet, no harm was done, so she was simply enjoying the unnatural experience. I was so inspired, I actually inquired how to learn this art.

Another fabulous video was her transformation into a Japanese Lolita girl. It starts with choosing an outfit, what is a girl there not to like. She even got to choose her wig for the transformation, and it looked amazing. But again, her attitude. She is passionate and engaged, and she transfers it through the screen to the viewer. It was a look I have never seen before, natural and yet, synthetic, and it was a pleasure to watch. It was really great to feel the sense of the culture as well.

She was also so excited and hungry at the Korean Food market, it was too cute. She started by presenting “food as big as your face”, which was comical. You could really relate to the smell experience, which according to TJ is amazing. And her reactions, they are so expressive, and her descriptions of the food are absolutely spot-on. What makes it a great video is the exotic, picturesque settings, which count to half of the joy of trying new things. She clearly communicates it is good by explaining if she asking to take another bite before continue talking, it is gorgeous. One of the strangest things I have ever seen is noodles so long she was actually given scissors to cut them in pieces. And she keeps being lively and refreshing while describing her dining experience. Another great experience is the Japanese Maid Café, where she got permission to document the whole experience. The girls there looked amazing in maid’s outfits, it was almost ridiculous. And again TJ was immaculate guest, engaging, singing, laughing like she was made for this gig. She was so impressed when the maid drew a kitten on her coffee, I have to admit, I wouldn’t mind one with my morning brew too, it was too cute. But when she got her face on an omelette with ketchup, it really got her scream. Once again, great connection with the locals, and loads of positivism and enthusiasm. I am so grateful because I get an insight into a different culture, customs, people and places and am forced to take in new and refreshing perspectives. These videos are so full of moments of joy and challenges, it is enough to make you crave travelling just to feel one-third of that fun. Yeah, one third should do.

I think when I have the opportunity to travel again, I will visit some of the places I have never heard of from her vlog. The food, the culture, the fantastic people, it is definitely a must on my to-do list. I got so into these places, because of the colors and the savory sights, but also because it looked like so much fun. But I am doing it the right way this time. Engaging with a friendly local, up-front preparation, for a very special experience. So thank you, TJ, your vlog is a real feast for the senses and true inspiration.