Whether you’re traveling to London or La Paz, a daypack is a must. While many might lean toward a daypack that’s 20L-30L, that’s too much room in my opinion. I used a 20L daypack for a 4-day trek in Peru and was able to fit...
Whether you’re traveling solo or with a group, in the city or countryside, at a restaurant or museum, you are not immune to the inevitable encounter with pick-pocket or petty theft. What’s ironic to me is the lack of awareness when one is distracted by...
Wow, there’s just so much to say about this topic, it’s hard to find a place to start. Most of us prefer the same level of comfort when traveling as we have at home. Packing becomes this grueling process where we go from having everything...
One amazing side effect of long-term travel is the necessary step for one to reevaluate one’s belongings. Maybe you’re not a casual hoarder like 99% of us are. But if you’ve been on this planet for a few decades, it is more than likely you...
For my very first backpacking trip, I got the largest backpack to fit everything I wanted to carry, a whopping 72L of goodies. How’d that turnout? Let me sum it up visually… Just like everyone else who carries a 72L bag, I did not use half the...
We travelers will often see variations of this common phrase at popular sites — “Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints.” It’s a good reminder not to litter and protect the environment for future visitors to enjoy. After many different encounters throughout my travels, it appears there are...
What do you look for when traveling abroad? Not other tourists I hope! Personally, I prefer to run into as little tourists as possible. Sure the amenities will be better in destination cities and tours are readily available in all shapes and sizes, but those conveniences also...
While planning for our next trip to Portugal and Spain, I wondered how everyone else figure out what they want to see? Discover places beyond the usual tourist spots? Of course there’s the popular TripAdvisor or Lonely Planet review sites, but I want places that are off the beaten path, up...
When I say strange, I mean it in the most intriguing and educational ways possible to an American. Having had the chance to experience local living, wander through small towns and be a passenger on the autobahn, here’s what I’ve learned about the Germans… On...
Sometimes I forget those days before smartphones were a necessity. Here is a list of my all time favorite apps and web tools to make travel easier even without Wi-Fi. Separated into 3 phases; before, during, and after travel. Before you arrive to your destination…the research phase...
Since October 2013, I’ve been on the road (with a brief two weeks at homebase in between) until May, essentially living out of a backpack the entire time. After my return home with some time to reflect on the journey, I want to thank my...
To tip or not to tip??? I did not have to tip in Colombia, Peru, or Bolivia. Chile was a hit or miss, they wouldn’t say no to it but I didn’t see every passenger tip either. Now Argentina, they will “charge” a baggage fee...
Whether it’s backpacking or luggage wheeling, these are some of the essentials that I find extremely helpful and necessary for any travelers. Packing cubes At first I thought it seemed redundant to have a bag within a bag. But it’s proven time and time again...
How it all began After college (almost a decade ago *gasp*), thanks to the support of my parents and also some of my own savings, I was fortunate to have the chance to travel to Asia for four months (though mainly China). That was the...
What vaccines for which country? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has the full list of recommended vaccines for each country. Insurance My insurance (Cigna PPO) covered routine and preventive vaccines (Hepatits A/B, TDAP, flu, MMR, polio, etc). It did not cover yellow fever...
A friend told me he learned how to wipe with his hand after staying in South East Asia for eight months, I had nothing but respect. In a grossed out way but still, respect. Then this came along to give me a fighting chance during my...
The fabric markets in Shanghai can house hundreds of mom and pop booths, this translates to hundreds of potential tailors for you. Which one should you choose? How do you spot a good tailor? I spent two days interviewing tailors from booth to booth, here...