Quit Your Job and Travel the World: How we did it and you can too!
If you enjoyed the five epic views in Europe we shared last week, there’s more where that came from. Find the second half of our favorite European viewpoints to hike to below!
Continue reading “Taking the Stairs: 10 Breathtaking Views to Hike to in Europe (part 2)”
At the very beginning of our two-month Europe trip, Ian and I made a deal. Any time stairs were an option, we’d take them. Stairs up the Eiffel Tower? Why not? Hike to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar? Sign us up! It turned out to be the best decision we made all trip. Not only did we take in some truly awesome sights, but we got loads of exercise and saved money, too!
Ready to get your heart pumping? Put on your walking shoes. Here we share our top ten viewpoints to hike to in Europe, with directions for how to reach them! Continue reading “Taking the Stairs: 10 Breathtaking Views to Hike to in Europe”
Walking across an airport runway, enjoying epic sea views all the way to Africa, conquering the Mediterranean Steps, and observing Gibraltar’s resident apes. It took us several hours, but we literally walked all the way from Spain to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar… and back… and saw loads of cool stuff along the way!
If you’re the active sort with a day to spend in Gibraltar, you’ve gotta try this. Continue reading “Hiking to the Top of the Rock of Gibraltar… all the way from Spain”
Want to plan a low-stress European vacation? These tips will get you well on your way! Continue reading “North to South’s Tips for a Smoother Europe Trip”
I’ve owned the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Daypack for a year and a half, and it’s the one bag it took to convince me: Not all backpacks are created equal. Who knew it was possible to travel with two bags but only carry one? Perfect for urban exploring, day hikes, and even grocery shopping, aspiring light packers — this backpack’s for you. Continue reading “Aspiring Light Packers, This Bag’s for You: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Daypack Review”
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)”
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”
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)”
Planning a Europe trip can be expensive, but smart planning can save you loads! For starters, did you know it’s possible to:
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”
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”
