Author: Diana Southern

In March 2014, Diana called it quits on her traditional American working life and set out to explore the world with her partner in crime (and love of her life) Ian Norman. They now live a sustainable life of full time travel, working for themselves and seeking adventure at the same time. Here on North to South, Diana documents their journey in achieving and maintaining this "road less traveled" way of life.
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Puffin Watching on Iceland’s South Coast (Dyrhólaey, Iceland)

Puffin Watching on Iceland's Southern Coast (Dyrhólaey, Iceland)
Puffin Watching on Iceland's Southern Coast (Dyrhólaey, Iceland)

So you’re dying to see puffins on your trip to Iceland, eh? I’m no bird watcher, but that was me, on our inaugural trip to Reykjavik this summer. Unfortunately, we discovered, they’re not as common as horses and sheep, and we almost went our whole 6-day trip without finding them.

Once we did, however, it was magical! We saw upwards of 80 birds swimming, fishing, flying and waddling, and there were always around 10 of them a short 3-5 meter distance away. If you’re visiting Reykjavik during puffin season and don’t mind a 2+ hour drive, read on for our simple tips for locating these beautiful birds and the photos we captured once we (finally) found them. 

Continue reading “Puffin Watching on Iceland’s South Coast (Dyrhólaey, Iceland)”
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Two Months, Twelve Countries, One Bag: How We Backpacked Light in Europe

Two Months, Twelve Countries, One Bag: How We Backpacked Light in Europe

Ian and I just returned from an amazing 2-month trip to Europe. We visited 12 countries in our “road less traveled” style, planning a flexible route on a reasonable schedule and budget, staying mostly at Airbnbs with some hotel stays mixed in between. And we packed only one medium-sized backpack each, weighing in at just 17 pounds (8 kg).

Whether you’re headed abroad for two weeks, months or years, if you want to pack light for an easy backpacking trip, steal our packing strategies and lists here! Continue reading “Two Months, Twelve Countries, One Bag: How We Backpacked Light in Europe”

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A Day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath (Budapest, Hungary)

A Day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest

A Day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest

Known for its large open air thermal pools and rowdy late night parties, Széchenyi Bath is one of the most popular thermal baths in Budapest. So even though we’re not “spa people,” visiting a bath was a must on our Budapest list, and this was our very first!

A bit nervous and with no clue what to expect, we dropped in for a day at Széchenyi. Here’s what happened next!  Continue reading “A Day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath (Budapest, Hungary)”

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How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save You Money

How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save you Money

How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save you Money

Planning a Europe trip can be expensive, but smart planning can save you loads! For starters, did you know it’s possible to:

  • fly from the U.S. to Europe for under $200?
  • find friendly locals renting out lovely homes at well less than half the price of a hotel?
  • book comfortable transportation between European cities for as low as $5?

Bottom line: an awesome Euro Trip doesn’t have to be so pricey — something I discovered while planning our two-month Europe trip to 12 countries in 2016. Want to know my secrets? Follow these easy trip-planning guidelines to travel farther, experience more, and save money on your upcoming Euro Trip.  Continue reading “How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save You Money”

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Traveling with Invisalign

Traveling with Invisalign by Diana Southern

Traveling with Invisalign by Diana Southern

You probably haven’t noticed, but I have braces.

Braces? Really? At twenty-something? Yeah, and if you knew me back in middle school, you know I already had braces, in like, 7th grade. But I lost my retainer in college (actually, it was stolen), and by the time I got back to my orthodontist in St. Louis, my top teeth had gone right back to the way they were before. And now, 9 years later, I finally decided to fix it. Again. ::sigh::

Lucky me, the world now has Invisalign, so I don’t have to go through the standard braces charade a second time! And despite the short durations I spend in any one place these days, I found a way to fit straightening my teeth (metal free) in with my travels! Read on to find out what Invisalign is all about, and what the process is like when you’re constantly moving from place to place.  Continue reading “Traveling with Invisalign”

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Europe Trip Planning: How to Get Around Europe for Cheap

Europe Trip Planning: How to Book Affordable Transportation within Europe

Europe Trip Planning: How to Book Affordable Transportation within Europe

Plane? Train? Automobile? A combination of all three? Planning a backpacking trip around Europe isn’t as easy as it used to be, because now there are more transportation options with a wider variety of prices. If you do your research, you’ll often be rewarded with some really great prices. But it’s a lot of work for a multi-destination trip, and it’s even trickier if you’ve never heard of the transit companies you’ll be booking with.

I recently planned out our spring Europe trip and discovered some helpful online tools that make booking transportation easier. We booked a combination of buses, trains, flights, and cars in advance, online, to get us around Europe on a budget. Now three weeks into our trip, our pre-booked transit tickets have kept us moving around Europe quickly and comfortably.

Want to get the most for your money but don’t know where to begin? Use my trusty transportation planning strategies to find your most cost-effective route around Europe! Continue reading “Europe Trip Planning: How to Get Around Europe for Cheap”

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Our Spring 2016 Europe Trip Itinerary

North to South's Spring Europe Trip Itinerary

North to South's Spring Europe Trip Itinerary

We’re going to Europe! Well actually, we’re already in Europe, but we’ve just finished planning our two-month Europe trip. We’re visiting (at least) 12 countries and 21 cities on our trip. Below, find our itinerary for our spring trip (April 20 – June 24, 2016), and let us know if you’re planning a trip to (or have recommendations for) any of these destinations. We love chatting about travel plans!

P.S. Follow along on Facebook or Instagram (hers/his) — we’re posting photos daily! Continue reading “Our Spring 2016 Europe Trip Itinerary”

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Our Hiking Gear

Our Hiking Gear (and why we love it) | North to South

Our Hiking Gear (and why we love it) | North to South

Hiking is one of our favorite outdoor activities. It always offers up something amazing: spectacular views, wildlife encounters, a breath of fresh air… Plus it’s a hobby that requires little money — Yay! — after a small initial investment.

From basics like boots to specialty items like bear mace, if you want to know what gear we use (and recommend) for hiking, find out right here!  Continue reading “Our Hiking Gear”

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U.S. Road Trip Re-Cap: Week Eighteen (Niagara Falls to Washington D.C.)

North to South U.S. road trip recap week eighteen

North to South U.S. road trip recap week eighteen

I can’t even express what a good time we had riding the Maid of the Mist around Niagara Falls! Who knew you could have so much fun being soaking wet?

Niagara Falls has been on my Must See list forever, so when we left the Adirondacks, we headed west to experience the cool mist on a hot day. It was perfect. And after that it was back to the East Coast to finish off the week in our nation’s capital.

Note: I’m still catching up on our weekly road trip re-caps! This one covers September 6-12.  Continue reading “U.S. Road Trip Re-Cap: Week Eighteen (Niagara Falls to Washington D.C.)”