Unique digital nomad travel adventures from around the U.S.
Smartphones and technology have changed the way we travel. I will not pretend to be an expert in those ways, but I certainly enjoy many of the conveniences technology offers while I am on the road. Below are a review of six travel apps for …
We’re baaack! And going through the usual post-trip activities—fighting jet lag, getting back into a routine, planning the next adventure, etc. It is never easy coming home. But unless you are going sell everything you own and become a nomad, it is a necessary part …
Travel is full of memorable and unique experiences. Many of them you could never recreate even if you tried (and there are some you never want to). That said, I rarely have an experience I would describe as once-in-a-lifetime. It just feels like that should be reserved for extra-special adventures or experiences. That’s not to say I am not continually looking for opportunities that deserve the title, but they are not always easy to find. However, I did find one recently on my trip to Australia in the form of a Reefsleep. This unique experience was like nothing I have ever done in my life. For lack of a better way to describe it, it was awesome.
I admit, I had high expectations going in. I debated for weeks on whether to even purchase it because of the price–this trip was already expensive enough! (See my post on the true cost of traveling in Australia.) In the end, I decided it would make a nice (albeit rather extravagant) birthday present. Let me just say, it was worth every penny.
The experience begins when you board a Cruise Whitsundays boat alongside 200+ other people. That part is not so delightful. And when you get to a pontoon boat out in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, you’re still dealing with those same 200+ tourists. But as they frantically try to cram in as many “reef” activities as they can in a few hours, you get to relax. I did go on a dive and it was a nice small group of four divers. But after that, I just took it easy. When the boat sailed away at 3 p.m., it took with it most of the tourists and crew.
There were just a handful of us left on the pontoon: six crew and nine guests. It was so peaceful. The first thing I did was get in the water, along with a few others. Snorkeling the reef with only three other people around you is definitely a privilege. And the things we saw! It was spectacular snorkeling.
After we tired ourselves out, it was time for dinner. Our Reefsleep host fired up the barbie (as they say here) and proceeded to provide us with one of the best meals I’ve had here. It was so good. And don’t get me started on the view. The sun just happened to be going down right when we were enjoying our meal.
Once dessert had been consumed, we made our way to the viewing chamber to watch the fish feed. This was another privilege since the fish are way more active in the evening, plus you don’t have to fight anyone for a good view. It was a good way to pass the time while the crew set up our swags.
I won’t lie, after my experience with a swag in the Outback, I was not really looking forward to giving it another go. But these swags were an entirely different ballgame. They were big and roomy and had screens on them. They were more like little tents and the experience was a much more positive one.
The best part of the evening however, was the stargazing. I will never forget what it felt like to lay there and look up at the sky. THAT was what made the whole experience worthwhile and elevated it to once-in-a-lifetime.
The next morning, we enjoyed a hearty breakfast (or brekkie), some more snorkeling and general relaxation before the day trippers arrived. Then we watched them frantically trying to fit everything in before 3 p.m. This time when the boat left, I was on it saying goodbye to one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
Experiences like the reefsleep may not happen on every trip. That is probably why they mean so much more when they do happen. The key is to keep searching for them and then to soak up every moment when they do happen.
If you get the chance to do a Reefsleep, do not hesitate. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will never forget.
I am very excited to share this road trip itinerary for three days on the Oregon coast. I take no credit for its amazingness. It was given to me by a former local and all-around Oregon expert. She really came through and provided the greatest …
Fun work trips are possible. I promise. Do you have to travel for work? If the answer is yes, below are some suggestions for how to make your next business trip a little more enjoyable…provided you can find some free time of course. Suggestions for …
When I was getting ready to go on my first international trip as an adult, my mom’s sister, Aunt P, called me up with an offer I couldn’t refuse. She told me that before she left on a big trip the year prior, her husband had handed her a few hundred dollars with the explicit instructions to buy one item that she normally wouldn’t dream of buying. (Frugality is usually the way we roll in my family and buying something expensive just because you want it isn’t something that we do.) Aunt P was offering me the same advice and to celebrate my maiden voyage, she was generously providing me with $200 to purchase my souvenir splurge.
Ever since that trip, I have made it a point to buy one thing each time I leave the U.S. that is a little frivolous and that I know I will love forever and that will remind me of that particular trip each time I look at it. Now, I’m not saying I only buy one thing each trip. Goodness no–where’s the fun in that? But as B and I are not high rollers and we usually try to keep the costs of our adventures on the lower end of the scale, I can keep room in my budget for that one item that will be my special memento of the trip.
When looking back at these treasures, I don’t regret buying a single thing. On your next trip, I would highly recommend following my Aunt P’s example and splurging (whatever that means to you) on one item that you know will be one of your favorite things. Here are a few of my favorites that I’ve collected along the way.
On that first trip I took to Italy, my friends and I were wandering around St. Michael’s square. Our Rick Steve’s guide book recommended a specific shop that sold good quality Murano glass so we stopped in to look at their wares. I found a vase that was simply beautiful–I have always been a sucker for blues and this vase just spoke to me. As our group was fairly large and several of us bought items, we were able to group together and ship our precious purchases back home safely so we mitigated the threat of breaking as it bounced along in my backpack for the next few weeks.
We actually ended up spending enough money collectively in the store that the owners brought us into their back room and gave us a demonstration on how they blew the glass. It was amazing–in about 30 seconds with a puff of air and some twists, this maestro whipped up a glass kitty cat.
My two friends and I spent about a month traveling around the Yucatan area of Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. Mayan culture abounded (a dream come true for a history grad like me). We were able to visit several famous archaeological sites like Copan and Tikal, but pretty much everywhere you looked there were Mayan items or pieces inspired by the Maya. Toward the end of our trip, I hadn’t yet made my special purchase but I knew it was going to be something that was related to the Maya.
Sure enough, when we walked into one store in Flores, Guatemala, a magnetic force pulled me towards some replication Maya face masks. I hadn’t seen these anywhere else on our trip (luckily, otherwise I would have had to cart the thing around), which made me like them even more. I have no idea what these were made of, some sort of rock veneers, but I can guarantee I don’t have anything else like it!
B and I took joined a tour group when we visited Ecuador and our tour guide, Patricio, had some slightly sketchy practices of bringing us to places where we suspect he got a kickback of our purchases. On our first day in Quito, he took us to one such shop and because we were annoyed that he was doing this, we didn’t buy anything. But here’s the thing: the stuff in this shop was gorgeous. I wanted it desperately. Alas, our tour continued and as we traipsed all over various parts of Ecuador, I still had that jewelry in that back of my mind.
On our last day of the trip, we were free to explore Quito on our own. Naturally, B and I made our way back to that shop. Luckily it was open and I was able to purchase a gorgeous ring. A slight language barrier precluded me from knowing what it was made out of. I believe it either comes from coral or a seashell that is found in Ecuador’s coastal waters. It reminds me of that trip and our shady guide whenever I wear it.
If a person goes to Peru, I can pretty much guarantee they will come back with some variety of item made of either llama, alpaca or vicuna fur. It’s practically impossible not to. You see the stuff at just about every store and on every corner of every street. Hell, I even managed to buy a pair of mittens on a trek in the mountains, far away from a town or city. Since this was the predominant export of the country for tourists, I decided I wanted to get something as my special souvenir made of alpaca.
What you will notice if you spend time in Peru is that not all of these wares for sell should be treated equally. I’m pretty sure most stuff I bought was sheep with a little llama thrown in for good measure. But for my special souvenir I needed something of a higher quality. I went into a swanky looking shop in Arequipa and selected a beautiful black sweater made of alpaca. You can tell what branch of the family you are buying as alpaca is much softer than llama. The only problem with this sweater is that it is so blasted hot I very rarely find an excuse to wear it. Instead I pull it out and pet it every now and then.
After doing a little research, C,B, and I learned that the Baltic countries are renowned for their amber jewelry. In case you guys missed Jurassic Park, amber is fossilized tree resin, so it basically looks like chunks on solid honey. Very pretty. C and B picked up some earrings, but I purchased to a lovely amber and turquoise necklace. It was funny, I picked one out and was trying it on and the shop lady must have seen our clothes and thought we weren’t the kind of tourists that spent a lot of money. She offered me a similar necklace with smaller beads. Since this was going to be my big purchase of the trip, though, I was able to spend a bit more and buy the one I really wanted.
As I am preparing for a trip, I will do a little research into what the country or region is famous for. You will most likely be able to figure this out on your own once you arrive as that item will be prevalent. But how sad would it be to come home empty handed from a country that is the best place in the world to buy a particular thing just because you didn’t realize the country was mecca for that thing? I shudder at the thought. Try looking in the ‘what to buy’ sections of your guidebook or wikitravel.
B and I like to use backpacks when we go on trips. Space is at a premium in those things and you have to think very carefully about what you want to carry around. Jewelry, in addition to being fabulous, is usually very small and can fit into tiny spaces in your pack.
B has a rule that if you know you will regret not buying something, you better buy it. It was rare that we were able to return to the same store in Quito that sold jewelry that we loved. On most trips, you are in a town one day and gone the next. If you come across something that speaks to you, you should really just go for it and hand over the credit card. Crazy things can happen even if you are in the same place. In Helsinki I decided I was going to purchase a gorgeous reindeer rug. However, the stores were all closed the very next day, thwarting my rug purchase. As we were flying home early the following morning, I was unable to make my purchase. Sigh.
Trips are expensive. It helps to make a mental (at least) budget and know how much you are going to spend. I highly recommend adding a line item for a souvenir that you normally wouldn’t allow yourself to purchase. I know I have never once looked at these special items and regretted buying them for one single second.
Other tourists. They are that element of travel we sometimes forget to think about until we find ourselves surrounded. No matter where you go in the world (but especially at must-see places) it is difficult to avoid buses full of people as eager as you …
Holidays are a funny thing. Every culture has them and sometimes they cross country boundaries (e.g. Easter, Christmas) and are celebrated in many countries. But sometimes they are unique to that particular country. It’s easy to think other countries’ holidays sound crazy when you did …
![Travel Planning for a Trip [Australia Specifically]](https://i0.wp.com/janeseestheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Australia4.jpg?fit=1144%2C858&ssl=1)
The dates are set, the plane ticket is bought and the travel fund is steadily growing. It is now time to start travel planning and focusing on the details of your trip. Not long ago, I wrote a post about what I am doing to plan and save money for a month-long trip to Australia. In that post, I mention that planning the nitty-gritty details of a trip is one of the most enjoyable aspects of travel planning and that it deserves its own post. So here we are. R and I are currently in the throes of planning those nitty-gritty details and I thought I would share with you how we prefer to do so.
There are three parts to travel planning: researching, scheduling and booking. Sometimes these parts happen simultaneously and other times they happen separately. For this trip, we are researching and planning our schedule at the same time. Following that, we will do some actual booking.
This phase is one of the most exciting parts of travel planning. However, it can also be a little overwhelming—especially with a country as big and vast as Australia. Never fear. Start with the advice below and you will be well on your way to planning a stellar vacation.
Talk to anyone and everyone who has visited your chosen location. Ask questions. Ask for recommendations. Generally, people are pleased as punch to talk about their adventures. Even if they had a bad experience, there is probably something you can learn from it. Just this week, I discovered that a gal from my volleyball team spent two months working in Australia. Over a celebratory dinner after our game, she gave me a couple of recommendations for places to visit as a couple of books I should read before I go. I gladly accepted any advice or suggestions she had.
I especially love talking to my coworkers about travel. Since we work on projects all over the world, my coworkers are very well traveled and they make an excellence resource for my research. I sat down with two of my coworkers who have spent a considerable amount of time in Australia—one actually lived there for two years. I asked many questions and took notes. Both spoke so highly of Perth that I decided to make it part of the itinerary—a decision I might not have made on my own given how long it takes to get there. Now I cannot wait to visit!
Talking with people who have visited a place (or who live there) can also help confirm something you have researched. R recently mentioned that she had found a place called Fremantle in her guidebook and that it looked really cool. I was able to respond and say that both of my coworkers recommended a visit there. So naturally, we added Fremantle to our list of places to visit.
I love it when people hook me up with a friend or family member from the country I am looking to visit. Locals give the best advice and I always prefer to get their insight. For this trip, I am reaching out to three locals. One I have met personally and the other two are family members of a friend of mine. Not only is it important to contact them and get their advice, but I always feel more comfortable having a contact in-country that may be able to help if anything goes wrong.
You can also connect with locals via the internet on sites like Vayable. Or just keep your ears open. Last week at a conference for work, I ran into a gentleman with an Australian-sounding accent. I asked where he was from and he confirmed my suspicions. I then mentioned I would be visiting his homeland in a couple of months and he did not hesitate to tell me his favorite haunts.
Guidebooks and novels abound and you will rarely lack for reading material about a particularly country, especially Australia. R wrote a post about guidebooks and how they can help with planning a trip. We laughed last night because her guidebook for Australia is 1,100 pages! She said that is the most pages she has ever seen in a guidebook. But it makes sense, Australia is a big country and there are a lot of things to do and see. When it comes to reading up on a country, filtering through it all will be a lot harder than actually finding something to read.
Although the World Wide Web can be overwhelming with its vast amount of information, it is critical to planning a trip. Remember the post I wrote highlighting my preferred websites for planning a trip? I use many of those same sights to plan the nitty-gritty details of a trip. Below are a few of the sites I am currently using to plan this Australia voyage:
The research phase can start at any time. However, generally we wait until a few months before a trip to really start travel planning and researching. We find it is easier to nail down the schedule that way. And to be totally honest, we usually have to make it through our current trip before we feel justified planning the next one. Yep, it’s a rough life.
Warning: this phase of trip planning can be frustrating. I never seem to have enough time to do all of things I want to do. Of course, that is why this phase is so important. If you want to get the most bang for your buck (or get the most out of your time, in this case), you have to do some careful travel planning.
I made a couple of really rough itineraries back when we were looking at dates and plane tickets. Now that those things are settled, we have started to refine our itinerary. We know the general areas we want to visit. We just have to figure out exactly where to spend our time (and money) in each area.
One area we want to visit is Alice Springs and Uluru. However, something to keep in mind is that it will be summer while we are there and very hot. I talked to my coworker who lived there for two years and she had very few additional recommendations on what to do in the Alice Springs area—mostly because of the heat that time of year. Given all of this, we have opted to make our time there short and just focus on our must-do, Uluru. We will also be flying since driving or taking a bus or the train takes more time than we want to spend.
That research phase discussed above is very important when it comes to setting up your itinerary.
Deciding on your must-do list is one of the most important things you will do when planning a trip. These should go on the itinerary first. Then you can work around them and add or subtract activities and places as you see fit. I mentioned in my previous post that my love of the movie, The Man from Snowy River, runs deep. In fact, this dream trip to Australia can be traced back to that love. Did you know you can visit Jim Craig’s house!?! It is called Craig’s Hut and it is located in Victoria. Be still my heart. Needless to say, this went on my list of must-dos and is an important part of our itinerary.
A couple of other must-dos include renting a campervan, visiting Uluru and taking a picture of the Sydney Opera House. After talking with my coworkers (as mentioned above), places like Rottnest also went on the list and further research resulted in adding Tasmania. Once those must-dos are settled, then we start looking at filling in the gaps and figuring out exactly how we experience something.
We want to visit Uluru. It is on the must-do list. But the details of how we do so are up for debate. We could book a typical day-tour to walk around the rock and get some photos. Or we could book something unique and sleep under the stars in something called a swag. A choice like this is kind of a no-brainer for us. If you have the choice to make an experience unique or special, do it!
UPDATE: camping under the stars in the Australian Outback in the middle of summer is an awful idea. We were so miserable that I cannot, in good conscience, recommend it. Go see Uluru, but do not see it the way we did.
When we first started looking at visiting Tasmania, the obvious choice appeared to be taking our campervan on the ferry. However, after evaluating the associated costs and schedule, R stated that Tasmania was off the table. However, instead of dismissing the idea completely, we looked into flying there. Those costs are feasible. We will have to rejigger our itinerary a bit, but we feel it is worth it to visit the island. There is usually more than one way to get something done. When it comes to travel, make sure you evaluate all your options before you make a decision.
Unfortunately, due to time, money or both, you will not be able to do everything you want. That is why the must-do list is so important. While doing some initial research, I stumbled upon a picture of Kimberley. It blew me away. Further research proved this place is well worth a visit. But that research also proved that logistically and monetarily, Kimberley is not a feasible option on this trip. If I wanted to scrap almost everything else we are doing, we could see Kimberley. But I do not want to do that. So for now, Kimberley will have to wait for another time. This makes my heart ache a little bit because I want to see it all! But even on epic vacations, there has to be compromise.
Your schedule does not have to be set in stone. But it is easier to make and execute a plan if you have some sort of schedule. It is also easier to book accommodations and activities if you know which dates to book.
In this age of technology, it is rare not to be able to book something ahead of time. For some people, booking before they leave stifles their ability to be spontaneous and go with the flow. I appreciate people who can travel that way. I am not one of them and I prefer to have most everything booked (and paid for) before I arrive.
One reason I prefer to book ahead of time is that there is no worry that something will be sold out or full once you get there. Another reason is that you can often save some bucks by booking early. For example, internal flights booked from outside Australia are free from the 10% GST (Australia’s VAT).
R and I have not quite started booking yet. But we will do that soon. We plan to book our accommodation, internal flights, campervan rental and some tours. We also need to take care of our Australia travel visa, travel insurance and cell phone plans. This trip will be upon us before we know it, and we like to be prepared.
Travel planning can be divided into three phases: researching, scheduling and booking. If you are a planner like me, you are going to thoroughly explore and map out each phase. But even if you do not, try to enjoy each step of your planning process. Planning sets the stage for your entire trip and you want it to be a good one.
UPDATE: read what we experienced on our trip to Australia and how we did travel planning.
Let’s talk about travel shoes for women. Travel = walking. A lot of walking. Having sturdy, comfortable shoes is crucial since you need to be able to wear them all day, every day. If they are cute, well, that is an added bonus. But honestly, …