My travel ethic is a bit different than most travelers. While I like visiting famous must-see sites- My favorite travel memories have been formed by straying just a bit off the well-trodden tourist track, and exploring- often in solitude or near solitude-historic, natural, or cultural sites that many times are more awe-inspiring than popular tourist must-sees. The thing is, what makes a destination place on tourism “must-see” lists, usually is more about good PR, advertising, and accessibility from major airports than it is about the quality of the site. By broadening my itinerary to include quirky, less popular, and obscure sites, I’ve made amazing travel memories visiting, often in total…
10 under $5 Travel Gear Essentials for your Budget Packing List
When you are in planning mode for a big trip, it’s tempting to order lots of new high-tech travel gear, and in fact, good travel gear and a well thought out packing list can make travel go more smoothly so you can have more fun on your trip. But splurging on specialty travel gear before you ever leave home can put a dent in anyone’s travel budget! While travel gear tends to be expensive and sold by brand names that often price their product as much by brand recognition than by the quality of their products, there’s far more competition for well priced, innovative travel gear than you might think. One site you might not…
One week as a Digital Nomad in San Pedro de Atacama
I don’t normally write an entry on Digital Nomading from a particular location unless I’ve spent a significant amount of time in that place, but San Pedro felt like an exception due to its unique features- No, I don’t mean the surreal desert conditions or the local culture, but the hoards of a very particular type of traveler flocking to this recently-popularized area, and the impact that type of tourist has had on the availability of resources and on the cost of living. COST OF LIVING AS A NOMAD IN SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA Transportation: The cost for taxis within the city (a flat rate of 3,000 CLP in…
Illustrated Packing List + 1 Pro Brain Hack for Surviving a 16 Hour Flight
Long flights can be the most challenging part of international travel. Hours and hours in a tiny airplane seat can be torturous to bodies both big and small. I survive brutally long flights are by packing the 10 supplies listing below, but my ultimate tip for getting through a long intercontinental air flight is kind of hidden this doodle: it’s the doodle itself! Confused? Keep reading! My #1 Hack for Surviving a Long Flight: Many creative people experience a phenomenon called “flow”. Flow is a mildly dissociative state (but don’t worry, it’s totally normal/healthy) that’s induced in our brains when we feel creative, inspired, and productive. When human brains enter…
Visiting Plitvice Park + Accessibility Report for Older & Physically Limited Bodies
Visiting Plitvice National Park in Croatia was one of the highlights of my recent trip to Croatia. I chose a guided tour from Zadar, Croatia as my entry to Plitvice National Park, but there are a number of different ways to access this area. Standard buses – not just tour buses arrive and depart from the national Park means dates every day multiple times. The app of website GetByBus is the best way to find bus schedules and book tickets to destinations along the Dalmation coast. Want to get a quick sense of what it’s like to walk the pathways and boardwalks of Plitvice in person?Check out my…
The PNW Hiking Trail where Gnomes Roam – Seattle Day Trips
If you’re seeking a quirky half-day adventure near Seattle, look no further than the gnome trail in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains about an hour east of downtown Seattle. The gnome trail is a collective art project, collaboratively in a state of constant creation and change thanks to visitors who participate in this hiking trail turned art project. What is the gnome trail? The gnome trail is an easy hike for most age groups (although not stroller friendly). It has a good amount of incline, just enough for a nice stroll with slight exertion. The trail is well-maintained, with no particular parts difficult to traverse due to…
My Packing List for One Bag | Female | Plus Size | Solo Travel
Below you’ll find my master packing list for my travels as a solo female digital nomad traveling with just a carry-on suitcase and a small daypack. Although I tailor this list for each and every trip, it’s the default I’ve fallen back on as I’ve traveled for the past 3 years. Basic Supplies FOR packing: Plus Size clothing: Outerwear: UnderWear: Clothing: Plus Size Travel Clothes Recommendations: Safety/Security Items Essential Comfort / Self Care Items Tech Essentials Personal care Etc & Miscellaneous.[/su_list] Antibiotic ointment. you will if you’re traveling for any length of time significant length of time, you will get cuts scrapes and splinters. It’s always…
Choosing the Right Travel Daypack: My Favorite Bag + the $2 Security Device I Take on Every Trip
Despite a few international travel trips in the past, my summer 2017 trip to Italy, Croatia, and Bosnia was my first solo International trip. For me, travelling internationally is always high stress, and traveling alone definitely added a layer of anxiety to my travel at first. Being extra vigilant about my security felt important, so I put my creative-on-overdrive brain to work and I came up with a few novel ways to keep my belongings in my daypack (including my passport and wallet) safe from pickpockets, theft, or accidental musplacement. These tips my help other solo travelers plan ahead for ways to keep their passport, ID, cash, wallet, phone, and…
International Thrifting – How to buy memorable souvenirs around the world
One of my very favorite ways to remember my travels is through the artful objects collected on my various trips. Learning to see objects as art has made souvenir shopping so much more interesting and now, one of my favorite elements of travel! When I was a bit younger I assumed the best souvenir was something that served as clear evidence of having visited a place. Usually, I’d purchase something emblazoned with the name of that place to proclaim to the world my adventure. Stalls in tourist markets around the world indicate I was not alone in this assumption– most are filled with cheap objects emblazoned with the…
Easy Recipes to Make in an Airbnb Kitchen (International or USA)
Perhaps one of the hardest parts of long-term travel is the care and feeding of my own body. What’s familiar and second-nature back home, takes energy- and often creativity- when traveling. When I settle into a work-friendly AirBnB for a few days to catch up on business (Usually about 5 to 7 days) I find that I’m not very productive if I’m only eating junk food, take out, or processed food. I’m more productive and find myself recharged for more travel adventures when I do a grocery run and then cook simple, homestyle recipes. Although learning how to shop in a grocery store in another country can be an adventure…
