I’ve traveled to over 80 countries and not only lived but also worked abroad. 

Some pivotal moments for me that have forever changed my life include: landing my first international house sitting assignment in Spain, hitchhiking through Eastern Europe, taking Ayahuasca in the Andes Mountains, getting locked in Peru when the international borders shut due to health crisis, adopting a puppy from the mountains in the Sierra Sur of Oaxaca Mexico, and more recently walking the Camino de Santiago all the way to the “End of the World.”

My travel style has changed over the years, but I maintain my favorite ideology of slow travel and on a backpacking budget. Slowing down really allows me to connect with people, places, eat local, and completely 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.

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 hotel chains. This is a personal commitment that I made to myself to help ensure the money stays in the local community.

Booking.com

☛ Slow Travel Tip | Look for a place that offers a monthly stay discount. Sometimes this discount takes up to 60% of the original price.

My Favorite Backpacks

I never leave home without my favorite Osprey Pack. Seriously, I own over 5 Osprey Backpacks and recommend them all.

➜ I use an Osprey Ariel 65 Liter when carrying a tent and plan to do multi-day treks.

➜ For carry-on travel and multi-day hikes that don’t require gear, I never leave home without my Osprey Kyte 36 L.

➜ Osprey Fairview 40 Travel Pack is another favorite backpack that meets carry-on requirements, although, I don’t recommend this pack for hiking.

➜ For day hikes, I use a small Osprey Daylite Pack, but if you like extra storage, the Osprey Daylite Plus is another good option.

➜ My most recent purchase for day hikes is the Osprey HIKELITE 18, which allows me to carry all my dog’s gear, too!

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’ve been digging on my Hydro Flask Lightweight Wide-Mouth Vacuum 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 Platypus GravityWorks Water Filter Complete Kit – 2 Liter for multi-day treks.

➜ My NEMO Hornet 2 Person Ultralight Tent has been all across the globe with me and is awesome for multi-day treks. Don’t forget to purchase the footprint. This tent allowed me to hike the high-altitude Ausangate Trek in Peru to sleeping at one of the best beaches in Oaxaca Mexico, Lagunas de Chacahua.

➜The NEMO Hornet has been discontinued, but similar Nemo models include: the Hornet Osmo Ultralight Backpacking Tent and the Dragonfly Osmo Ultralight Backpacking Tent

➜ When it comes to my feet, I am a huge fan of Salomon’s hiking boots. Honestly, I don’t think there is a better hiking shoe for women. Lately, I’ve been doing more hiking in Altra Trail runners. Currently in my closet are the Altra Women’s Lone Peak Trail-Running Shoes. Again, Salomons also makes really sturdy and excellent trail runners. For summer and casual hiking, I wear a pair of Chaco Women’s Class Sandals.

➜ To cut down on plastic waste, I use my own travel silverware kit. I recently switched to a Reusable Utensil Set since I use it with my camping stove. To help cut down on waste for food storage and leftovers, I also carry a reusable food storage box like this one from Stasher.

➜ Regardless on where I’m hiking, I never leave home without a First-Aid Kit, Emergency Blankets, a Swiss Army Spartan Knife, a Headlamp, and an extra Power Bank for my phone.

Women Traveling Essentials

➜ Ladies, consider traveling with a DivaCup or leak proof underwear from Saalt Wear. I tested Saalt Leakproof Comfort Bikini Underwear and I absolutely fell in love with them. Saalt Wear also offers menstrual cup or disc as well with a variety of bundle packages, that includes a menstrual cup, too.

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.

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.

Travel Insurance

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.

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.