Sharing My Best Travel Resources.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve been traveling slowly across this big, beautiful globe. From the turquoise shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the intrepid and pristine Alaskan Fjords, I’ve been taking my time enjoying the journey.
Always curious and appreciative of the diversity of our World, I’m fascinated by unique cultures, drawn to the healing energy of Mother Earth, and trying my absolute best to immerse myself in local customs and traditions throughout my travels.
I’ve traveled to over 80 countries and not only lived but also worked abroad.
My travel style has changed over the years, but I maintain my favorite ideology of slow travel with a modest budget. Slowing down really allows me to connect with people and places, eat more locally, and have the space to appreciate the journey. It also helps significantly with reducing my travel costs.
At the end of the day, I’m a minimalist, with my experiences making me rich beyond my wildest dreams.
Disclaimer: There’s a chance this post contains affiliate links, and I receive a small (but grateful) portion of the sale. There’s no extra cost to you, and I only promote things that I use and love.
My Favorite Travel Resources
House Sitting
I have been house-sitting extensively internationally for over 10 years and have helped save me over $30,000 in accommodation expenses and benefits, such as having free access to a car.
➜ How To Start House Sitting Today
Travel Accommodation
I use Booking.com for all my travel accommodations and opt to stay in family-run hostels and guesthouses over familiar American hotel chains. This is a personal commitment that I made to myself to help ensure the money stays in the local community.
Booking.com
☛ Travel Tip | Look for a place that offers a monthly stay discount. Sometimes this discount can be up to 60% off the original price.
My Favorite Backpacks
I never leave home without my favorite Osprey Pack. I own over 5 Osprey backpacks, and it is my brand of choice.
Osprey
Osprey offers the All Might Guarantee, which means they will replace any faults or damages free of charge. If they can’t fix it, they send you a new pack. I’ve personally used their guarantee and can’t recommend them enough.
➜ I use an Ariel 65 Pack when carrying a tent and cooking gear, and I plan to be without services for a few days. Similar backpacks by Osprey in this category would be the Aura AG 65 Pack or the smaller Eja 58 Pack.
➜ For carry-on travel and multi-day hikes that don’t require tons of gear, I opt for my Kyte 38L Pack. This replaces the Kyte 36L, which was discontinued. If looking for something that is comparable to the smaller pack, the Sirrus 34 Pack or the Tempest 33 Pack are good options.
➜ Osprey Fairview 40 Travel Pack is another favorite backpack that meets carry-on requirements. This is not a hiking backpack, but for those looking to travel with a backpack rather than roller luggage.
➜ For day hikes, I use the Osprey Daylite Plus. There is a smaller version of the pack: the Osprey Daylite
➜ For casual strolls and travel, I also love the Osprey Daylite Sling
➤ If shopping at REI, they can help provide a proper backpack fitting and sizing, along with testing the pack with weight.
My Favorite Backpacking / Hiking Gear
I love camping and hiking. From trekking around Cusco Peru , to exploring the Picos de Europa National Park, or walking the Camino de Santiago, here are some of my top gear recommendations.
➜ I never leave for a hike without my Hydro Flask Lightweight Water Bottle – 32 fl. oz that helps me cut down on plastic waste and is light in my backpack.
➜ Speaking of water, I just recently switched to the Platypus GravityWorks Water Filter Complete Kit for multi-day treks.
➜ I am obsessed with my NEMO Hornet Ultralight Tent has been all across the globe with me and is awesome for multi-day treks. NEMO makes such amazing lightweight tents. Don’t forget to purchase the correct footprint to ensure extra protection for the tent.
➜ For a sleeping bag, I love the Sea to Summit Spark Down Sleeping Bags. They offer a few different temperature ratings, but they are so lightweight and warm!
➜ I have both a small camping stove and a Jetboil Flash Fast Boil System that I use interchangeably, depending on the trekking trip.
➜ When it comes to hiking shoes, I am a huge fan of Salomon’s hiking boots. Lately, I’ve been doing more hiking in trail runners. I’ve walked thousands of miles in my Altra Women’s Lone Peak Trail-Running Shoes, which are zero-drop, so they may not be for everyone. For hiking sandals, I love my Chaco Women’s Class Sandals, but depending on the terrain, Xero Shoes Z-Trek Sandals.
➜ To cut down on plastic waste, I use my own travel silverware kit. I recently switched to a Reusable Utensil Set. To help cut down on waste of food, I carry a reusable storage container for my leftovers.
➜ Regardless of where I’m hiking, I never leave home without a proper First-Aid Kit, at least one Emergency Blanket, a Swiss Army Spartan Knife, a Headlamp, and a Power Bank for my phone.
➜ Hiking poles are a great way to offer extra support to for your knees.
Women Traveling Essentials
➜ Ladies, consider traveling with a DivaCup or leak-proof underwear from Saalt Wear. I personally prefer the Saalt Leak Proof Comfort Bikini and their Cotton Underwear, and I use the thongs for light days. I absolutely fell in love with them. Saalt Wear also offers menstrual cups or discs as well, with a variety of bundle packages that can include a menstrual cup, too.
Are You Planning to Walk the Camino de Santiago?
I’ve personally walked over 12 Camino de Santiago routes. Browse all my Camino resources, or take a peek at what I pack (depending on the season.
Where I Purchase All My Travel Gear
I am an anomaly in today’s world and do not purchase or use Amazon. My last purchase to Amazon was made in 2017 and I’ve never looked back.
I purchase all of my gear from REI.com and am a member. I also purchase directly from the company, like Osprey.com, if they don’t have what I’m seeking.
REI
There are tons of perks for being a member of REI, including returning tested gear with no questions asked.
Osprey
By far my favorite hiking backpacks with a mighty lifetime guarantee and a promise to waste less
Nemo Equipment
The best ultralight backpacking tents and gear with a huge focus on sustainability
In today’s society over consumerism is a huge issue and I believe in spending money on high-quality gear with lifetime warranties that includes trying to repair damages, instead of buying something cheaply made just to throw it away and buy new.
I have moved to owning very little and found the rewards far outweigh the benefits. Always pause before a purchase, do you absolutely need it? Consume responsibly.
Car Rental
Discover Cars
I’ve had really good luck with Discover Cars in Europe. They generally offer basic car rental insurance and the chance to upgrade to a higher coverage option. I’ve called customer service, and they helped add insurance plans over the phone before pickup (in English).
Traveling from Point A to B
➜ I try to aways utilize local transportation. However, in Mexico and Europe, BlaBlaCar is awesome and sometimes cheaper than the bus.
➜ In Europe, FlixBus is super convenient and is expanding.
Hiking Resources
Hiking is my favorite way to connect with a destination from day hikes to multi-day treks I use Maps.me. This offline map helps me plan my routes and get off the beaten path.
I also use a Wikiloc account for building my hiking maps and build them from my AppleWatch.
I also love to check and plan my hiking routes with useful mapping tools like graphhopper.
My Favorite Gear for Donaji (My Rescue Pup) 🐾
Ruffwear
The best adventure gear for your four-legged companion, from harnesses to camping gear and more.
Stunt Puppy
My favorite Midwest-based company for dog collars and harnesses that does a lot to give back.
➤ My favorite gifts for hikers who have dogs (that love to adventure, too)!
Disclaimer: There’s a chance this post contains affiliate links, and I receive a small (but grateful) portion of the sale. There’s no extra cost to you, and I only promote things that I use and love.