My Wander Story: A New Chapter

For a long time, My Wander Story was simply a place where I wrote about the places I visited.

I shared stories from my trips and saved memories here. It was personal and mostly about my own experience.

But life changed, and I became a mom.

For three years, I left my career to focus on my daughter. I wanted to make that choice, but it meant putting some of my goals on hold.

My Wander Story became quiet during those years.

I didn’t write much or think about growing the website. I was busy adjusting to my life as a full-time mom, caring for my family, and handling everything else life brought.

But it never really left me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I always knew I wanted to come back to it.

Now, I’m slowly returning to my career and learning what it means to build something of my own as a mom.

I still want to work from home. I want a career that lets me grow and gives me the flexibility to be there for my daughter.

As I thought about returning to My Wander Story, I realized I didn’t want it to be just like before. I want the website to grow with me and help others too. Now, I want to share not just where I’ve been, but also what I’ve learned about travel, money, working online, and navigating this new chapter.

More than the places I’ve been

Over the years, I’ve been lucky to visit some beautiful places, from spots close to home to places I dreamed about for years.

One of those dreams was my first trip to Japan during sakura season.

I had dreamed of that trip for a long time, and being there during sakura season is something I’ll never forget.

That trip taught me that even when you plan carefully, last-minute adjustments and surprise expenses can affect your own finances. It made me realize that being prepared isn’t only about having an itinerary. It’s also about knowing your limits and having a set budget before saying yes to something.

I’ve always been someone who likes to plan my travels ahead of time.

I research places I want to visit, check transportation, see how far things are from each other, compare places to stay, and use maps to make the best of our time without wasting it on travel.

I also like having an idea of how much we might spend each day.

It’s not about controlling every minute, but knowing what to expect with money gives me more freedom to enjoy the trip.

And now that I’m a mom, I’ve realized something else.

I want more space in my travels.

I still like having an itinerary and knowing our plans, but I also want time to slow down, enjoy meals, take breaks, let my daughter explore, and just be present.

Maybe that’s what traveling smarter means to me now.

It’s not about spending the least. It’s about knowing what matters to you and making space for it.

Why I’m Rebuilding My Wander Story

When I chose to rebuild the website, I knew I didn’t want to just bring back the old My Wander Story.

I wanted it to have a bigger purpose than just sharing my trips. This time, I hope my experiences can help someone else.

I want this website to be a place you can come to when you want to travel but don’t know where to start.

Maybe you’re planning a family trip and wondering where to stay, how to plan your days, and what costs to expect. Or maybe you’re traveling with friends and want an itinerary that keeps everyone happy without being overly strict.

I’ll also share what I’ve learned from both my successes and mistakes, because sometimes those lessons are just as helpful as travel tips.

I also want to talk about something that matters more to me now: how to make travel affordable without putting unnecessary financial pressure on ourselves.

Because sometimes the question isn’t simply, “Where do I want to go?”

It’s also:

How can I afford this?

How much should I save?

How can I plan this without putting myself under unnecessary financial pressure?

And sometimes, the bigger question is:

How can I create a life that gives me enough flexibility and income to actually experience the things I want?

I know how that feels. That’s also why I want My Wander Story to cover more than just travel.

Travel, Money, Work, and More Freedom

I’ve been working online since 2011, mostly as a virtual assistant and in marketing-related work.

After stepping away for three years, I’m now finding my way back into the online world of work again.

A lot changed while I was away. Technology is different, people work differently, and AI is now part of daily work in ways I’m still figuring out.

I don’t have all the answers, and I don’t want to pretend I do. I’m rebuilding my career, learning what working from home means for me now, and trying to balance my goals with family life.

I want to share that journey too.

Because maybe you’re also looking for ways to earn extra income online.

Maybe you want to work from home so you can spend more time with your kids.

Maybe you’re thinking about freelancing or starting something of your own.

What My Wander Story Is Becoming

The new My Wander Story is still mainly about travel, but now it also reflects how my life has changed.

You’ll still find practical travel guides and itineraries, like my 2-day Bohol itinerary and budget, alongside newer stories and lessons from my travels. But now, I’ll also talk about work, money, family, and what I’m learning as I rebuild my career. Travel is still at the heart of My Wander Story. Work and money are simply part of the bigger question of how we make travel possible.

I want to share useful tips that make travel feel possible, along with lessons I learn as I go.

As I keep rebuilding my career, I’ll share what I learn about working from home, working online, and finding ways to earn while making more time for the people I care about.

I’m not an expert at everything I’ll talk about here, and I don’t want to pretend to be.

I’m a traveler, a mom, and someone working to rebuild her career while making space for what matters. I care about money because I know how hard people work for it, but I also believe travel is worth making room for.

If You’ve Been Wanting to Travel Too

If you want to travel but feel like you can’t afford it or don’t know where to start, I hope you’ll find something here to help you make the first move. I’m also creating travel planning resources to help make the process a little easier.

If you’re looking for ways to earn extra online, find work-from-home options, or just want more time with your kids while earning, I hope you find something helpful here too.

So, welcome back to My Wander Story.

And if you’re new here, welcome.

If any of this sounds familiar, I’d love to hear your story too. Feel free to share it in the comments below.

Maybe I can do this too.

Lor