I’m by no means an expert, but I’ve done my fair share of travel planning and I do 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!

Frequently Asked Questions

Round the World (RTW) Trip Planning

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

Accommodation

  • AirBnB recommendations (worldwide) – 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 is a fantastic site that connects travelers with locals who would like to rent room in their homes! I’ve stayed with some great hosts all over the world that I’d love to recommend for you. (Click here for $25 off your first stay!)
  • Tips for Saving Money using Hotwire – how to get the most out of using Hotwire or Priceline for booking hotels.


Hotels.com: $99 or Less

Transportation


A single stop for European rail travel.

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

I hope you’ve found these helpful! If you are curious about something that you don’t see answered here, feel free to leave a comment below. You can also connect with me on social media using the buttons below. Happy travels!