One of the reasons for travelling is to do things that you wouldn't experience in your daily life and it's even more memorable when it's with your loved ones.

For local celebrity couple Jeremy Chan and Jesseca Liu, their trips to Japan and Taiwan last August and December respectively for their upcoming travelogue Double J Baecation were filled with memorable first experiences.

While they have acted in various dramas together, including the recent Channel 8 drama Once Upon A New Year's Eve, this reality show marks their first travelogue together.

Speaking to AsiaOne recently, Jeremy said he was mainly the one driving to their destinations because he was worried about Jesseca being at the wheel. "I have never drank so much coffee and energy drinks before. I think I drank a few years' worth!"

The 42-year-old shared that they slept an average of four hours a day during the shoot.

"We started filming once we got into our car, and it's like a live show, all the way until our meal breaks," he said.

Jesseca, 45, added: "Usually when we go on our personal trips, we will arrange to take the train on some days and not drive every day."

Despite that, both of them agreed that it was still an "exciting" experience for them, because they have never gone to many of the places on their itinerary before despite having been to Japan and Taiwan previously.

She shared that in Japan, they started from Tokyo and travelled northwards, visiting places such as Aomori prefecture and Ginzan Onsen.

"Both of us love Hayao Miyazaki, so we chose to go to Ginzan Onsen to fulfil one of our dreams, which is to visit the place which inspired his animation. It's very beautiful," Jesseca expressed.

The hot spring town is said to be one of the inspirations behind Miyazaki's animation fantasy film Spirited Away.

'I think once is enough'

Jesseca also said that she felt more assured with Jeremy around during filming.

"I might not have agreed to do this show if not for Jeremy. It's only because he was around and I know that he could help me if there was anything that I didn't do well," she expressed, adding that they had no script and only an itinerary to follow.

Jeremy added that this was the first time both of them didn't do any "homework" in preparation for a shoot, because they wanted to be "surprised" by what they experienced and give their honest reaction to it.

"If there is something that I didn't like, I would say it. Just like our camping experience, I think once is enough," he laughed.

He and Jesseca spent one night in a campervan towards the end of their two-week trip in Japan.

"We have never tried that so at first, we thought it might be an enjoyable experience," Jeremy said.

Jesseca said that at the campsite with 20 to 30 lots, they were one of the only two groups there.

"A father brought his child to experience camping for just one night. He told us later that the Japanese don't really go camping in summer because there are really a lot of mosquitos," she added.

Jeremy said that everyone in the production team was bitten and they had to make a few trips to the pharmacy to get medication.

As for himself, he added: "It itched even after I had returned to Singapore… I think the mosquitoes must have thought it was a buffet."

On their two-week trip in Taiwan, they started from Taipei and travelled towards Taichung and Tainan before heading back to Taipei again.

Jesseca said she enjoyed river tubing during their trip and enjoyed the scenery and nature.

They also went to a workshop to make their own blue-and-white porcelain pieces (Qing Hua Ci).

"We drew our cat and made a plate for him. We also bought a lot of pottery!" Jesseca shared, adding that she loves collecting pottery and unique souvenirs by local artists.

Double J Baecation premieres on April 2 and airs every Tuesday at 8pm. It will also be available on demand for free on mewatch on the same day.

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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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