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I’ve traveled through 43 countries, most of them solo, and I’ve done my fair share of travel planning. Although I do learn the hard way at times, I pride myself on being able to search out the best deals, while still remaining flexible and open to serendipity when I travel.

I often get questions about how I plan an itinerary, what I pack, what gadgets I travel with and of course, budget. So I’m going to be fleshing out this section with articles to help answer some of your questions!

>> If you are looking for destination-specific advice, check out my Hawaii Resources for articles listed by island or my Destination Guides for worldwide recommendations on things to do, see and eat!

Have questions or need help? I’ve got you!

Travel Planning
A row of seats in an Amtrak train, with a tray table down to hold a coffee beverage with the sleeve saying Amtrak, a pair of brown leather boots up on the seat to show how much legroom there is with an empty seat next to me.

Frequently Asked Questions – Travel

Trip Planning Resources

Money & Budget tips

How do you budget for such a long trip? You must be rich! (Hint: This couldn’t be further from the truth!)

  • 100 Days: A look back at my first 100 days in South America, including daily budget breakdowns for Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
  • 250 Days: A continuation, including breakdowns for Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and South Africa.
  • Money Management – Tips for managing your cash while traveling, plus what to do if you lose your ATM card in Bolivia, like me!

Working on the road

Resources and best practices if you’re looking to work to help fund your travels.

  • Virtual Post Mailbox (Mail Processing) – I’ve been a customer of VPM for years and it’s so convenient! They receive my mail for me and send me a scan of the envelope, then I get to decide whether to have them open and scan the contents, forward it to an address I specify, or shred.
  • Airalo eSIMs (Data Connection) – To get a data connection when I travel, I now almost exclusively use Airalo eSIMs! You can use code MALIA2345 to get $3 off your first eSIM. I recommend trying out the lowest package (usually 1GB) to test it out in your destination. Activate it before you board your flight (while you’re still connected to data) and it will start once you connect to a local network in your destination. Once you confirm that it’s working, it’s simple to top up the appropriate package via the app.

Itinerary Planning & Research

How I pick destinations for my travels, how much I plan ahead and how much I leave open-ended. Great websites, blogs and books for travel planning and inspiration.

Safety & Solo Travel

While I wish that I got more comments of “bon voyage” than “stay safe”, I do understand the concern. Here are a few things that I do to stay safe and to keep connected as I travel.

  • Register with the US Dept of State (STEP program) or the equivalent in your country of origin
  • Keep copies of important documents in an itinerary saved to Dropbox and shared with a trusted contact – passport, credit cards (front/back to have emergency numbers), insurance info, travel reservations
  • Personal safety – I carry a whistle in my purse and keep one near me when sleeping, a small doorstop to block my door from the inside and a small bike lock to secure valuables
  • Clothing which has secret pockets can come in handy, keep extra amounts of cash as a backup

What to pack

I travel with quite a few electronics in order to work on the road. This is a list of what gadgets I find most helpful.

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Accommodation

  • Trusted Housesitters – Sign up for a free account to browse and then choose your membership as a pet parent or a sitter (or both!) and get access to a worldwide network of housesit/petsit opportunities and a chance to have a more local experience in your destination.
  • WorkAway.info – Workaway volunteers participate in cultural exchanges as agreed with hosts all over the world. Be sure to read reviews and information from past volunteers to be sure that you’re a good fit.
  • Couchsurfing – A classic site for “cultural exchange” around the world where home stays are offered by hosts around the world. (A safer site for women with a similar idea is Host A Sister.)
  • AirBnB recommendations – while I’ve stayed at many a hostel in my day (and still do, occasionally), I’ve largely moved out of the phase where I’ll book a dorm room when I travel. AirBnB started out as a site that connected travelers with locals who would like to rent room in their homes! I’ve stayed with some great hosts all over the world, but unfortunately these days short term rentals such as Airbnb are causing rents to skyrocket in many markets. You may want to consider booking a hostel or hotel instead.
  • Tips for Saving Money using Hotwire – how to get the most out of using Hotwire or Priceline for booking hotels.

Transportation

Other Helpful Resources

  • Airport layovers – A listing by airport of where to eat and things to do to kill time on a layover.
  • Useful smartphone apps for travel
  • Useful websites for travel planning