Category: Ask The Experts

Got a question about travel? Then you’ve come to the right place! In this collection of articles we dive into all the best tips and tricks of travel that we’ve collected over the years.

We also hit up our professional traveling blogging buddies to spill the beans on what their top tips are for getting the most out of travel. From saving money and booking trips to the best authentic experiences and how to really get off the beaten track. Ask the experts has it all and more!

Got a question that isn’t answered in these articles? Feel free to drop us an email and let us help you with your next travel adventure!

Tips For Traveling as a Couple: How Not to Kill Each Other

Jules and I do not have a normal relationship by any means. We spent 2 years together before I even visited his home country of Australia, or met any of his family and friends. We essentially moved in together within a week of becoming ‘official.’ The majority of our relationship has been spent on the road. Needless to say this have been quite an experience.

“Taking an hour, an afternoon or even day or week apart can be so beneficial to maintaining a healthy relationship”

Neither Jules nor I had traveled with significant others before; in fact we’d both spent most our trips backpacking solo. Traveling as a pair, especially at the beginning of our relationship, was a bit of a learning curve. Suddenly we were spending every waking (and sleeping) moment together. We quickly learned everything about each other- personality quirks, stress triggers and what really made us tick.

And even though adjusting to each other’s habits was challenging, we also began to see why traveling as a couple is such a rewarding experience. We’ve shared memories from the highlights of our trip and shared frustration during travel mishaps. After traveling as a couple since 2012, I think we’re fairly qualified to give advice on the subject. Here are our best tips for traveling as a couple without killing each other!

Take Time Off From Each Other

This is our best couple travel tip and the one thing that can really make or break your experience. Taking an hour, an afternoon or even day or week apart can be so beneficial to maintaining a healthy relationship. This may seem like common sense, but often it’s easier said than done. After spending 24 hours a day together, it can start to feel like your turning into one person. Eventually separating for even short periods of time can feel weird and lonely.

Regardless if you’re feeling sick of each other or not, it’s crucial to spend some time apart. This prevents future chances of blowing up at each other at the top of the Angkor Wat or some other inopportune time. Jules and I recently spent a week apart while I went to a yoga retreat. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous to be off on my own again, but felt a refreshing burst of independence afterward.

Learn to Compromise

When you travel on your own you have the freedom to do pretty much whatever you want, when you want. You can change your itinerary on a whim. When you’re traveling as a couple however, most of your travel plans become joint decisions. It can be difficult to give up the reigns, especially if you’re used to traveling alone.

Compromise and flexibility are key. It may seem petty, but even keeping track to remember whose turn it is to choose the next destination can be helpful. And always remember that it’s not the end of the world if you split up and experience different locations!

“Even the most adorable character traits can get annoying after an exhausting 36 hour bus ride through the bumpy countryside of Peru”

Patience is a Virtue

Inevitably, you’re going to get on each other’s nerves. Even if you follow our previous tips for traveling as a couple, there are still going to be times when you just want to wring your partner’s neck. Maybe you’ve heard that cute laugh of theirs, the one that made you fall in love with them, just one too many times. Even the most adorable character traits can get annoying after an exhausting 36 hour bus ride through the bumpy countryside of Peru.

And that’s okay. It’s totally normal. In fact it would be probably be weird if you didn’t get on each other’s nerves every once in a while. That doesn’t mean you should immediately throw in the towel and book flights to separate corners of the globe. Just breathe. Be patient, just as your partner is patient with you when you’re doing your adorable/ annoying whistle rendition of “Singing In The Rain” for the hundredth time.

Treat Yourself to a Fun Experience

Traveling as a couple shouldn’t just be about how many days you can survive together, you should also be having fun. As well as taking some time to enjoy your solo adventures, you should factor in some really fun experiences together! Whether those adventures be at home or abroad, deciding on a fun activity together is a great way to get excited about a trip as a couple.

If you’re looking for the perfect travel experiences for a couple, then you can’t go past Tinggly. They’re an awesome company that has curated the best travel experiences around the world, all into a neatly packaged box. Whether you’re an enthusiastic solo traveler (male or female), on a honeymoon, or simply traveling as a couple, Tinggly offers a carefully designed box of experiences to suit your travel needs. You simply purchase one of their themed travel boxes and search through the hundreds of amazing experiences from all around the world. You and your partner can discuss what you’d enjoy doing together, as well as where you’d want to travel to, and then book and go!

It’s that easy! Before you know it, you and your partner will be off on an amazing travel experience together. It’s also the perfect opportunity to dip your toes into together together and to have a trial trip!

Have a Trial Trip

Before you and your partner start booking tickets for your year-long adventure around the world, think about doing a trial trip. Particularly if you are a relatively new couple. Traveling as a couple reveals all sorts of things you didn’t know about each other. Your partner is going to see you at your dirtiest, smelliest, crankiest and most agitated.

They’ll see you when you have bags under your eyes after barely sleeping for 3 days. They’ll see you when you get food poisoning and when you’ve had a little too much bootleg gin. Basically, they’ll see you at your finest hot-mess status!

You’ll find out what qualities in each other make you compatible and which don’t. Before putting your relationship through the ringer, give it a little test drive. Take a week long road trip or go out of the country for 10 days. See how you jive making decisions together, dealing with complications and keeping to a budget.

Traveling as a couple presents challenges and will undoubtedly push your relationship. But remember that those bad experiences will push you to grow as a couple like never before and the good ones will create memories for just the two of you to share for (hopefully) the rest of your lives.

And if you’re still undecided about traveling as a couple, check out a couple of extra articles to see what best suits your style;

The One Thing I Wish I’d Known Before Backpacking Solo

Choosing the Best Travel Companion: Solo, Couple or Group?

Ultimate Packing List for Southeast Asia for 2021

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Everybody hates packing for a trip away. Sure it’s fun to get excited and started imaging yourself in that new outfit as you explore the world, but there’s also the stress of not knowing what to pack, as well as packing to much or too little. Luckily after years of traveling through Southeast Asia we’ve got your back!

If you’ve checked out our guys packing list and girls packing list for Southeast Asia you’ll already know exactly what clothes we pack while traveling South East Asia, but in this list we thought we’d extend the packing list to show you all the other bits and bobs that we travel with. From smart accessories that make travel easier, to camera equipment and things we’d never leave home without!

What to Pack for Southeast Asia

We used to walk through REI (a huge outdoor store in the US) and see people loading up their carts with travel accessories and think….. newbies! You know the kind of things like dry bags, small shampoo squeeze bottles and reusable eating / cooking items. But as the years have gone by we’ve learned a new appreciation for all the small accessories that make life on the road ever easier.

Here is our list of the best things to pack for Southeast Asia travel when it comes to traveling, the kitchen, doing laundry and personal care:

Self-Seal Dry Bag – Definitely one item that we’re excited to crack out along our travel. In the past we’ve seen a lot of people travel with them, but never really saw the use. Coming into the rainy season in Southeast Asia, and with lots of canoeing and beach activities, it’s good to have confidence that your electronics and travel gear is protected from the elements.

1.5L Osprey hydration packs – Kind of like a CamelBak, these water bladders tuck into your backpack, connecting to a mouthpiece for hands free hydration. When temperatures and humidity are always scorching it’s super important to stay hydrated. If not for your health, at least to starve off that killer hangover the next day!

Eagles Nest Outfitters DoubleNest Hammock – For the secluded beaches and remote countryside locations where you can just string up and kick back. A couple of hammocks were very useful for our last trip through Central America, so we’re saving space with this ultra light and super strong double hammock. Because we didn’t spend enough time together already…

Petzl Tikkina Headlamps – Never travel without a decent headlamp. When you’re backpacking around the world you’ll find power isn’t always as reliable as places like the US and Australia. It’s worth investing in a decent one, because the last thing you want to do is be stranded in the dark on some secluded beach. The good brands are all pretty much the same and from personal experience we recommend either Petzl or Black Diamond.

In the Kitchen

Light My Fire 8-Piece BPA-Free Meal Kit 2.0 – We’ve traveled with quite a bit of the Light My Fire gear in the past and have now decided to get the full kit. These are like the tupperware version of those Russian nesting dolls that pack into each other. Each piece packs into the next making a super transportable kit complete with bowl, cutting board, strainer, utensils and cup! The sporks are pretty decent, but perhaps buy a backup one as we’ve snapped a few here and there along the way.

Doing Laundry

Pegless Washing Line – If you’re doing your own laundry, or just need a spot to hang up your wet bathing suit, a pegless washing line is the perfect small accessory to take on the road. It has two strong hooks on either end to attached it to something and then the tightly wound elastic works as hookless slots to stick your clothes in so they don’t fall off the line.

20L stuff sack – Just a plain bag that rolls up into basically nothing. Super handy to keep all your dirty laundry separate from your clean clothes. You can also never have too many bags when traveling. Whether it’s wet clothes from a day at the beach or some local shopping, stuff sack bags are great for separating your travel items.

Personal Care

Microfiber Quick Dry Travel Towel– The ONLY towel we’d take with us backpacking. Not only do they dry 4 times faster than other backpacking towels, but they are really compact, have high SPF sun protection, contain Silver to combat smelly bacteria growth and they are actually comfortable to use! Other towels stick to you, making you never feel dry, but these are awesome!

PRO Packing Cells / Cubes – Never traveled with them before, wouldn’t travel without them again! Really useful for keeping all of your stuff organized. When you’re on the road for a long time it becomes very tedious packing and unpacking your bags every couple of days. Packing cells definitely help ease the burden by allowing you to organize your stuff into smaller bags, and then just jamming those into your big bag. Problem solved!

Other Southeast Asia Travel Essentials

Leathernen Skeletool – Would never leave for a trip without my trusty Leatherman. This multifunctional Skeletool design is light weight and has all the things you need on the road. Knife, pliers, wire cutters, screw driver and of course a bottle opener.

Sewing kit – Better to fix those holes then buy new clothes. I’m a modern day Armani with a needle!

Carabineer clips – Can never have too many. Handy for clipping on shoes, water bottles and all that other stuff.

Electronics for Long Term Travel

Usually we’d travel a lot lighter, but because of all the work we do while traveling we’ve had to take more electronics. Between blogging, freelance work, completing our Masters and our community development work we’ve had to bring along a lot more gear.

Work, Blogging and Study

Macbook Pro – Our whole work life is online, so it’s only natural that we’ve both got a computer. We use them not only for our travel blogging work, but when we were studying our Masters, any non-profit work we’re doing and also just to stay in touch with the world and our families. We couldn’t operate an online business without one each, so that’s what has to travel with us now. Want to know how you can start a travel a blog and travel the world for free?

iPhone – Christine has an XS and Jules an XR, both of these travel with us everywhere. I mean it’s the future, who doesn’t travel with a smartphone these days. When we arrive in new destinations we grab a local sim, so we have Internet access and can keep our travel content flowing. The newer iPhones also take an amazing picture, so sometimes we just use our phones to capture content, instead of our professional cameras.

Best Cameras for Southeast Asia Travel

These days you can travel Southeast Asia with just a smartphone if you want to get amazing pictures, but if you do want to take it up a notch here is the camera equipment we travel with. Granted, we do this for a living, but here’s what we pack to Southeast Asia when we hit the road.

Sony a7Rii – Hands down the best camera we’ve ever had, but probably not an entry level choice if you’re just looking for some nice travel shots. It’s fast, it’s sharp and it takes a damn good picture when you learn how to use it.

DJI Mavic Pro drone– The perfect combination of quality drone equipment, while also being small enough to pack in a day bag and take out adventuring. Shoots 4K at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps for slow motion footage. Easy to learn, durable and our go to drone for traveling over the last couple of years.

GoPro – Hands down our favorite action cam for sports, underwater or general wear and tear situations. Always reliable and the video footage is incredible. Particularly the ability to shoot at 4K 60fps, the GoPro gives you some incredible slow-mo scenes. The new HERO also has amazing image stabilization, meaning all those bouncy shots in a tuk-tuk come out super smooth.

Pixter Travel Pack– Pixter makes clip on lenses for smartphones, instantly turning our iPhone into a legit photography machine. The travel pack comes with a wide angle lens and a flexible tripod with bluetooth remote control so you can take selfies with ease. We really love our wide angle lens clip because it allows the phone camera to take in a much wider area (eg. below). Pixter’s lenses are great for people who want to up their travel photography game, without investing in a super fancy camera. For us, its the perfect solution for days when we want to snap photos without lugging around our heavy Sony a7Rii.

(The left is shot normally on our iPhone, right is shot with the wide angle Pixter lens)

Reading on the Road

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite – while we’d choose paper over technology any day back home, this is so much more practical for traveling. Forget lugging around books and chasing down second hand book swaps. It’s super handy to have any book at your fingertips whenever you want it, especially when you’re leisurely swinging in a hammock on that hidden beach in Cambodia.

Are you packing for a trip soon? What are some of the things at the top of your list? Drop us a comment below, we’d love to know!

Guys Packing List for Southeast Asia

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After more than a decade of backpacking you’d think I have my packing list down to a tee, but once again I found myself frantically sorting through all my options when it comes down to organizing my bag for backpacking South East Asia. As a guy packing for Southeast Asia you’d assume it to be easy; board shorts, singlets, couple of shirts and your favorite party shirt, but to maximize your space there’s a little more thought that should go into your planning.

So how do you pack your bags for a year on the road? In a nutshell, its a combination of research and past experience. I had the experience, but now I needed the research. For the first time ever I actually sat down and did some forward thinking on the climates we were going to be traveling through. What I found was pretty consistent across the board for Southeast Asia weather… hot and humid, with a decent chance of rain.

With that in mind I started to look for light, breathable clothes that wouldn’t weigh me down and take up too much space. Finally I was starting to put a little thought into my packing list. This time I swore I was going to be more planned and prepared, as opposed to rushed and unorganized.

In the past I’ve been known to just throw anything into a bag and hit the road. I’d choose style over practicality, and comfort over space saving. But those days are over, and I’m here to share with you the best packing list for men traveling to Asia.

Best Tops to Pack

1 Patagonia Micro D Fleece

1 Patagonia Torrentshell Rain Jacket

2 T-shirts

2 Singlets

3 Button Down Shirt

Most of the weather in Southeast Asia is hot and humid, so I’m not really going to need too much cold weather gear. In saying that I have still packed a couple of items to combat the odd cold night, and the very frequent downpours during the rainy season.

I’ve gone for a super lightweight black Patagonia fleece as my only warm upper layer. To battle the rain I’ve got a light breathable Patagonia shell jacket to keep me cool and dry. This is definitely going to be handy during monsoon season in the Philippines. (I feel like a bit of a walking advertisement for Patagonia, but I honestly just love their gear!)

For other tops I’ve thrown in a couple of breathable cotton t-shirts, some singlets and my favorite party shirt, knowing that I don’t need much because Southeast Asia is a mecca for cheap disposable clothes at every stop along the way. If you’re tossing up whether to bring that extra t-shirt or shirt… don’t! I’ve probably got one too many to be honest, but when going away for the year it’s nice to have your own clothes sometimes.

Pants to Pack

1 Patagonia Cotton Pants

5 Board Shorts

1 Running Shorts

I’m definitely bottom heavy on this trip, as I’ve packed a lot of different styles of shorts. I’ve only opted for one pair of long pants, choosing a pair of light cotton pants from Patagonia (in case I need to go anywhere classy). The rest are are all board shorts with pockets.

Board shorts are the definite winner on the backpacking checklist for Southeast Asia. They have so many practical functions; light to wear and pack, quick to dry and never need ironing. You can take them for a run, then jump in the beach and let them dry off as you walk home. Jump in the shower and wash them with yourself and then hang up to dry. You’ll never need to pay someone else to wash them.

Best Shoes for Southeast Asia Travel

Nike Free Runs

Teva Men’s Sandal

Havaianas

Even though you can get cheap knock offs of most shoes I’ve gone for the originals on this trip, because sometimes you can’t substitute quality. I’ve packed the mandatory Havaianas thongs (or flip-flops to you non-Aussies), a pair of light Nike Free Runs and some Teva sandals.

Free Runs, or any other shoes with that light, compactable material are great to travel with if you like to stay active. I know they’re not the best work out shoe due to a lack of support, but they sure beat packing your heavy cross-trainers.

And the Teva sandals. Let me stop your trail of thought by saying, I get it! I used to think Teva’s were only reserved for Americans, like it was something you could only buy if you worked for the Peace Corp or in a summer camp, but boy was I wrong. These are by far the best addition to my traveling checklist. As someone with flat arches, my Teva sandals offer way more support and comfort than rubber flip-flops ever could. With a handy clasp buckle to clip on and off and a neutral color scheme, I like to think I make them look stylish, even if your first thought is middle-aged tourist with knee high white socks.

Other Stuff on the Backing List

1 Baseball Cap

1 UV Buff

5 Pairs of Jocks

3 Pairs of Socks

As a guy traveling Southeast Asia there aren’t as many nifty accessory options. As a girl, you’ve got so many more options in multifunctional and beautiful patterned shawls and colorful sarongs (For a full list be sure to check out Christine’s Girls Packing List for Southeast Asia). What do guys get… hats. Rather than purchase some of the cheaper knock-offs I brought along a couple of things from back home. My SF Giants hat to represent along the way, and a super functional Buff (High UV Pro).

If you’re not familiar with Buff headwear you should check them out. They’re extremely well suited to the hot, humid and sunny regions of Southeast Asia to protect you from the heat and cool you down. They also have an SPF 50 factor to limit the suns harsh UV rays from penetrating straw hats and the like.

I’ve also got some socks and jocks, but not too many. Everything you’ll need is here and a quarter of the price if you need to buy something along the way. I’m on a wash one, wear one rotation at the moment with the jocks, and I haven’t even brought out any of the socks I packed.

So there you have it, my year long list of accessories and clothes for Southeast Asia all summed up beautifully in this short post. This is basically me for the year, bar a couple of purchases along the way to restock my ratty clothes that will inevitably wear down and fall apart. It might seem like a few things, but considering I’m living out of a backpack for the next year it really isn’t a lot. My whole life packed into a 70L backpack and hauled onto my back, trudging through the excitement of backstreet Bangkok, hiking the uninhabited countryside of Cambodia and popping in for a swim with turtles in the Philippines.

Last word of advice, pack light and be prepared to add to your clothes selection after seeing how cheap some of the stuff is in Southeast Asia!

What Should I Have Packed?

There aren’t too many things that I missed along the trip. When it comes to clothes a lot can be bought over here. There are definitely a couple of gadgets and gizmos that I might have included, but you can check out that post to see all the little extras we missed.

What Should I Have Left At Home?

Probably just the quantity of clothes. Everything we packed was handy, but we probably just packed too much. My rain jacket was useful for all those rainy days, but it didn’t get a massive workout because when it rains the best thing to do is just get under cover. T-shirts, shorts and shirts are in an abundance and if you don’t pack as many items you’ll have a little more room to pick up some fun travel souvenirs along the journey. I definitely should have cut back on those and as a result I ended up ditching a few along the way.

A Beginners Guide to Editing Travel Photos

The first time I ever opened Photoshop to edit some photos I stared blankly at the screen for five minutes, tried to click a few buttons and then closed my laptop in defeat. Having never been particularly tech savvy I just didn’t know where to start! To me it looked more like a space station command center than a photo editing program, and my initial reaction was ‘it’s just too difficult’.

But like all things in life, you have to at least give it a crack before you can give up. So I sat myself down one afternoon with a beer and some new found confidence, and tried again.

Editing travel photos in Photoshop doesn’t have to be a massive mission. Instead it should be a fun and exciting journey to watch your great travel photos become even greater. Editing travel photos for publication is something everyone does, or at least they should do. There’s no shame in admitting that your photos look better once edited, so as a budding photographer or blogger this should be high on your agenda of things to learn about.

Before You Start Editing

Before I talk about editing travel photos in Photoshop, there’s just one golden rule! Don’t ever your new photos edits over your original photo. NEVER CLICK SAVE! There might be no turning back and you could be stuck with those changes.

Once you’re done with any edits always be sure to click ‘Save As’ or ‘Save As Web’. You want to leave the original photo file as it is, and you don’t want to save any permanent edits that can’t be undone. You never know when you might want to go back and make some changes. Specifically once your Photoshop skills improve.

An even better alternative is to make a duplicate copy of the file, and tinker around on that. Once you’ve opened your photo file go to Image–>Duplicate. A pop-up box gives you the option of naming it something different, or just calling it ‘copy’. Now you can play around with the duplicate without the worry of accidentally saving over your file.

Another handy function that might come in use, especially if you make a lot of edits that you’re not happy with is Revert. Found in File–>Revert, this function takes your picture back to its original state. If you’ve made a million and one changes and just want to get back to the start without going step by step, just hit Revert to take you back. Now you can start again!

An unedited raw shot of the beach. Notice the faded sky, bland colors and lack of pop!

Same photo using the ‘Color Balance’ function and a few other edits, Contrast and Vibrance. (Over exaggerated color used for example).

Same photo once again with a Black & White adjustment layer, some Smart Sharpen, a bit of Contrast and Levels work and a Color Balance adjustment layer.

Hit Up The Forums and YouTube

If you’re a newbie like I was, get ready to utilize the extensive range of resources on the internet. I can’t tell you how many YouTube videos I’ve watched over the last year that taught me how to create awesome black and white portrait pictures, or how to use functions like Levels, Curves, Layers, Smart Sharpen, Color Balance just to name a few.

It might seem like a stupid Google search request to ask ‘how to make photos black and white in Photoshop’, but let’s face it, there are much worse search responses than that. I mean just start to type ‘how to make…’ into Google and see what you get. A tutu, French toast, a paper plane and money are some of the top results! No question is too embarrassing for the internet.

Experiment!

Once you get familiar with the layout of Photoshop you’ll naturally start to spread out and experiment with more editing functions. Just sample everything! As long as you’ve made a copy you can go to town on your picture. Open up a couple of different styles of photo (portrait, landscape, beach, colorful, etc) and see how each change looks on each particular photo.

You’ll find that certain pictures work better with some changes than others. Some good beginner ones to check out under Image–>Adjustments are Vibrance, Brightness/Contrast, Color Balance, Hue/Saturation, Black & White and Shadows/Highlights.

A couple of easy edits using Vibrance, Contrast, Smart Sharpen and Saturation.

Using a Black & White adjustment layer first, then altering the Levels on the Background Layer. Next is Smart Sharpen and Highlights.

Stick With It

Photoshop can be incredibly complicated. As overwhelming as this feels for beginners it leaves a lot of room to grow and continue to develop your skills. When you’re just starting out, it can be frustrating to go into Photoshop with a vision, but not understand the steps it takes to achieve that vision. With a bit of persistence, however, you’ll soon learn the capabilities of each tool. As you continue you’ll find your Photoshop skills rapidly improving and your photos becoming better and better.

Your photos are often the most tangible memories you have from your travels. It’s an easy way to show your experiences to family and friends and a reminder for yourself just how incredible your adventures were. With a bit of Photoshop editing, your photos can turn into beautiful pieces of art and accurate reflections of the visuals of your journey.

Did you find our beginners guide to editing travel photos helpful? What tips and tricks would you like to learn next? Drop us a comment below or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter!

Why You Shouldn’t Be Scared to Quit Your Job and Go Travel

So you want to quit your job and go travel? You want to escape the paralyzing constraints of the 9-5 world, but you’re worried about the ‘what if’ scenarios. What if I can’t get another job? What if it all goes wrong? What if I regret it?

Well how about I give you one more ‘what if’ to consider. What if you sit on your butt your whole life, too scared to make the changes you want, and then you wind up regretting the opportunities you should have jumped at? For me it’s that what if that makes my decision a little easier as I prepare to quit my job for the third time to go off traveling again.

I’m not here to convince you, but if you do want a little more convincing here’s a couple of extra reasons!

You’ll Get Another Job

Yes you may have worked hard to get your last job, so it sucks to quit, but it’s totally possible for you to do it all again. Jobs might be hard to come by, especially if you’re building up a career, but you might even experience something on your travels that leads you in a new career direction. If you’ve got to start again, at least do it with no regrets and some kick ass stories to tell.

Work Overseas and Travel at the Same Time

If you’re still worried about re-securing a job at home, and you don’t have quite enough money to travel long-term, why not look for work overseas? Education, health care, construction, hospitality, banking… every country around the world has jobs in these professions. Some countries more, some countries less. Working overseas is also a fun way to gain a new perspective on your career. It shows you areas of your job that you might not have dealt with back home, and it makes you even more skilled upon your return… if you do!

Gain Valuable Life Experience

Now more than ever the world is interconnected through sport, art, politics, economics, business, among many other areas. Spending time overseas and experiencing the world tells potential employers a lot about your life skills. Determination, resilience and cultural tolerance, just to name a few. Just think, if an employer asked a question like “tell me about a time you accomplished something difficult”, crack out that one time you hiked solo through Central America with nothing but a backpack, some broken Spanish and a gutful of adventure. See if they’re not impressed!

Life is Short

Now this isn’t meant to be a pessimistic view, but in the broad scheme of things it’s undeniable. Life has gone on for millions of years without us, and is likely to go on for millions of years after we die. Why not make the most of this short time we have! If it’s something you want to do… do it!

Ask For Leave

One last resort. Your job might love you so much that they put your position on temporary hold. Some jobs can do this easier than others, and some jobs might just take you back once you’ve returned anyway. Always remember to leave your current job on good terms; you never know when you might be back knocking on their door.

So there you go, it’s time to quit your job and go travel! And if I haven’t convinced you yet… send me a message and I’ll keep trying! We’re headed to Thailand in February 2015, and you’re always welcome to join us!

Have you quit your job recently to go traveling? Drop us a comment below or Facebook message and tell us all about it!

Choosing the Best Travel Companion: Solo, Couple or Group?

Among the many topics of conversation that backpackers have on the road, this is by far one of the most interestingly debated. What’s the secret to choosing the best travel companion? Traveling by yourself, traveling with your partner or traveling with friends? Each brings their own advantages and flaws to the discussion, but ultimately it comes down to what you want to get out of your trip, and a lot of personal preference. We take a look at some of the highlights and lowlights for each, and let you be the judge.

Traveling Solo

If you’ve recently read Christine’s take on traveling solo you’ll know that when you travel alone you’re never really alone if you don’t want to be. I mean, if you want, you can definitely find your own space, but there are so many people backpacking solo that you’re always bound to make new friends. One of the best things about hitting the road on your own is that you’re open to the possibility of chance and opportunity. You choose your own destiny and you take the path that you want to explore.

“When you travel alone you can do what you want, when you want”

I know this sounds selfish, but when you travel alone you can do what you want, when you want and how you want to do it. It’s a very liberating feeling to be in a foreign place, where nobody knows you and you can just be who you want to be. That being said, traveling alone can also get lonely when you’re in a foreign place, feeling homesick or unwell, and there’s no one that just gets you. You know the times when you can just pop over and visit a friend, spill out all your problems, and they can make you feel better in a second? This can be hard to come by on the road alone.

Traveling As a Couple

So you’ve got a partner, and you don’t have the liberty of just packing your bags and hitting the open road alone for a few months solo. Not to worry, traveling with your significant other has a number of awesome perks that traveling alone doesn’t. For one, wouldn’t it be nice to share all those amazing traveling experiences and memories with someone you also want to share you life with? Traveling alone and meeting person after person, making friends for only a couple of days, and then having to do it all over again, can be very tiresome.

“They put up with you at home, so hopefully they can also while traveling”

The beauty of traveling with your partner is that you’ll always have a solid constant companion with you. And they put up with you at home, so hopefully they can also while traveling. And hey, you’ll still meet people. You’ll also start to meet other couples, which you might not have had the opportunity to do when traveling alone. The only negative is that if you guys find out you’re not super compatible travel partners, you could find yourselves fighting over more things than usual. No relationship needs these extras stresses!

Traveling with a Group Friends

Last but not least, traveling with a group of mates. This category can really go either way. On the one hand they’re your best mates, you’ve got heaps in common and they’d be ripper traveling companions. On the other hand, you’ve never lived in such testing conditions for an extended period of time and slowly you notice things about them that you previously hadn’t. Back home they would be the first person you’d call for a night out, but that doesn’t always mean they’d make compatible traveling buddies.

“Slowly you start to notice things about them that you previously hadn’t”

Luckily I haven’t had any negative experiences like this, but I’ve definitely heard my fair share of broken friendship stories over the years. When picking friends to go traveling with choose the ones that have similar interests as you. If you’re all about experiencing the culture, meeting the locals and having an authentic trip, don’t invite that friend who just wants to rage every night and hang out in the crowded hostels. And vise-versa. There’s nothing wrong with a trip to blow off some steam, so don’t choose the shy friend who wants to keep to themselves and just do their own thing.

Final decision

Too hard to split (although I probably should say traveling with a partner or I might find myself alone again next trip). I know that’s not very helpful as a conclusive thought, but it really comes down to your personal preference and what you want to get out of your travels. I think the easiest way to decide is to try all three! Having experienced all three types of travel I would definitely say that each has its own pros and cons, and I’m glad I could sample a little of each. Variety is the spice of life, so mix it up and see what works best for you!

How have you gone about choosing the best travel companion? What worked for you? Drop us a comment or message us on Facebook and Twitter!

Top 5 Reasons to Backpack Brazil

This weeks Top 5 Reasons to Backpack Brazil is brought to you by our South American backpacking buddy Emily from Emily Luxton Travel Blog.

Brazil, with it’s stunning coastline, breathtaking natural beauty and air of constant party, is an amazing place to backpack. The people are full of passion and joy (you just need to watch a football game with them to see how much!), the food is delicious, and there is so much to see and do. It’s hard to squeeze the whole country into a four week trip, let alone a top five, but her’s a decent crack at the top 5 reasons to backpack Brazil…

Sexy Samba and Carnival

Rio’s iconic five day festival takes place before lent every year, but year-round the city pulses with the spirit of the samba celebration. The hypnotic dance style, with it’s crazy, colorful costumes and serious overdose of hip-shaking, is at the heart of carnival, where the main parade is actually a competition between the city’s samba schools. Throughout the year it’s possible to visit samba schools to watch shows and carnival rehearsals to get a taste of carnival before the main event.

Stunning Beaches

If you only needed one reason to backpack Brazil, the incredible Atlantic coastline is surely enough. Choice surf, palm trees, fresh coconuts and paradise-inspired scenery, Brazil has it all. In the south, there’s the rugged coastline around Paraty, with dramatic cliffs skirted by the dense green of the Atlantic rainforest. In Rio it’s all trendy beach bars and outdoor gyms, overlooked by the unmistakable Sugarloaf Mountain. Up in the north, there are some spectacular beaches, especially around Porto Seguro and the popular Afro-Brazilian island Morro de São Paulo near Salvador. Island lovers shouldn’t miss Ilha Grande; home to idyllic waterfalls, tropical rainforest, and howler monkeys, not to mention some stunning white-sand beaches.

Incredible Iguassu Falls

This stunning, and simply enormous, waterfall has to be one of the best reasons to visit the country. It’s actually made up of over 150 individual falls, and is so big that it spans two countries. In my opinion, Brazil is the best side to see Iguassu from, as it’s only from here that you can see the massive horseshoe fall, Garganta do Diabo (Devil’s Throat).

The Amazon!!!

The largest eco-system on earth, the Amazon takes up about 40% of Brazil’s total area – so it’s pretty hard to miss. And you really shouldn’t miss it; this enormous swathe of rainforest is a real adventure. Fall in love with the breath-taking scenery stretching on either side of the Amazon river, endlessly repetitive and almost shockingly green. The best place to visit the Brazilian Amazon is Manaus, a surprisingly huge city right in the middle of the enormous Amazon and seemingly cut off from the rest of the country. From here you can take tours into the forest and even spend a night or two in a jungle lodge.

Churrascarias (Brazilian BBQs)

An absolute must-do dining experience in Brazil has to be the churrascarias (barbecues). Basically all-you-can-eat buffets, these restaurants serve up amazing barbecued meat, particularly steak, which is served right off the cooking spit. The waiters bring the spits to the table and serve up a little bit of meat at a time, over and over until you stay stop – it’s a carnivore’s heaven!

About the Author

Emily is an aspiring travel writer and wannabe digital nomad currently on an indefinite gap year with her partner Sam. You can follow her adventures on www.emilyluxton.co.uk, a blog which she hopes will show people like her, who missed out on the pre-uni gap year, that it’s never too late to travel. You can also follow her amazing adventure on Facebook and Twitter.

Have we missed anything? Drop us a comment to add your thoughts on the must-see backpacking spots of Brazil!

Top 5 Reasons to Backpack Guatemala

Gorgeous Guatemala! Full of beautiful scenery and culture! Take a crazy chicken bus around the country or laze about in the breathtaking natural wonder of Semuc Champey. It’s all here in our top 5 reasons to backpack Guatemala!

Crazy Chicken Buses

No trip to Guatemala would be complete without a terrifying ride on one of Guatemala’s infamous chicken buses. Decked out in crazy custom paint jobs; fitted with blaring/crackling speakers; an assortment of Ben 10, Spiderman and bible quote stickers; packed to the rafters… and then a loco bus driver overtaking traffic around blind corners on a cliff side road. Despite their hazards they’re incredibly cheap and offer an authentic way to see Guatemala.

Cheap Spanish Schools

If you want to learn Spanish then Guatemala is the place to go. There are hundreds of options to choose from, whether you’re just starting out or si pueda hablar español perfectamente! Learn Spanish in the hustle and bustle of city life in Xela (Quetzaltenango) or Antigua, or settle for a quiet lakeside spot at Lago de Atitlan or Flores. Not only is Guatemala famous for its abundance of Spanish schools, but they’re also amongst some of the cheapest in all of Latin America. Vamos!

Breathtaking Scenery

We fell in love with the lush rolling green hills and towering volcanoes of Guatemala. Everything is just so green! Of all the countrysides we visited, Guatemala stands out to us as purely amazing. If you find a minute to relax on the chicken buses, open your eyes look out the window to see what we mean.

Historical Mayan Culture

Everywhere you go in Guatemala you witness a country that is proud to hold onto its Mayan heritage. From the colorful attire of old folk and young, to the variety of different Mayan languages that change as you travel through the regions (all 21 of them). Although enduring a terrible series of events during the civil war, the local population are doing everything they can to make sure this once powerful empire doesn’t become another lost page within the history books.

The Amazing Semuc Champey

Hands down one of our favorite adventures along the journey. Apart from being extremely beautiful, it’s just a magical place to visit. It might get its fair share of tourism, but it doesn’t matter. Stunning limestone pools with refreshing turquoise water for swimming, exploring dark caves by candlelight and scenic hikes through the valley. Our tip, forget paying for a tour, they’ll rush you too much. Give yourself two days to do it properly and really soak in the atmosphere.

Been to Guatemala? What else can you add to the list?

Top 5 Reasons to Backpack Mexico

Top 5 Reasons to Backpack Mexico

Top 5 reasons to backpack Mexico…. Only 5?! We could easily give you 50! Even after 6 months of dragging our tattered backpacks around Mexico it still feels like we only scratched the surface. Mexico, a country rich with both cultural history and contemporary traditions, is a must see location with anyone keen on backpacking through Latin America.

Delicious Food

Look beyond what you think might be classical Mexican food in tacos, nachos and burritos (not that they alone aren’t delicious); Mexico has so much more to offer. From the fancy restaurants of the cities to the tiny street vendors all over country, the selection of choices in Mexico is mouth-wateringly massive. Of course there’s lots of corn based products, cheese and deep-frying, but there’s also a lot of fresh veg products on offer for the health conscious travelers out there.

Check out of our personal favorites; sopes, bombas, elotes and quesedillas!

The Coast

Who wouldn’t like to kick it on the Pacific Coast for a couple of months doing nothing but surfing, catching rays, eating fresh seafood and drinking cocktails? Luckily for you it’s totally possible in Mexico! And you don’t have to spend a fortune making it happen. If you can travel in the quieter months you’ll score a cheap beach rental and be able to make your dream a reality! Tap into your inner beach bum and pack that bag today.

Mexico’s coast is also home to a number of wicked surf spots, so if you’re up for a wave don’t forget to pack your board. They vary in level of difficulty so there’s always something for everyone.

Lucha Libre

Pack your spandex and Lucha Libre mask, it’s show time! Wrestling is at the heart of Mexican culture, with its awesomely terrible acting, corny story lines and epic rivalries. Catch weekly shows in the capital and believe us, you won’t be disappointed. Mexico City puts on a wicked show of lights, music and atmosphere to make it a certain show stopper. Otherwise jump at any opportunity to watch it around the country. It almost gets better the poorer the production.

The Ruins

Aztec, Mayan, coast, desert or jungle; take your pick with Mexico’s selection of ancient ruins. Take an Indiana Jones-like trek through the jungle of Palenque, scale the heights of Tenochtitlan or cruise though the coastal remains at Tulum. Each set of ruins tells their own unique story of Mexican heritage and history.

The Capital

Forget Man on Fire’s portrayal of Mexico City, where kidnappings and police corruption run riot, the country’s capital is fast becoming a booming hub of culture, art, music and nightlife. With an exceptional public transport system (that costs next to nothing) you can jet around the city and check out all the amazing sites with ease. Be sure to check out the Museum of Anthropology, the historical plazas of the city center and cultural sites like Frida Kahlo’s house and the Diego Rivera murals, just to name a few.