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What NOT to do While Traveling

It is important to learn the tricks of the trade when traveling the world and there are a ton of tips out there to help you do it in a way that is cheaper, more efficient, and more enjoyable. However, sometimes it is just as important to understand what NOT to do in order to become a better explorer. Below are some of the pitfalls and obstacles that should be identified and avoided in order to have the best travel experience possible.

Don’t overpack

One of the most common of rookie mistakes. One of the cool things that travel can show you is just how few earthly possessions you really need. Always strive for less when packing for your travels. This will make you more mobile, you’ll get less tired, and it will be easier to do random adventures without having all kinds of baggage in tow.

Don’t go in with no plan

If you are like me, it is tempting to buy a ticket to an exciting destination and then just see what happens when you get there. I am here to tell you not to do it. At least have an outline, some semblance of a plan of what days you will be in which locations. Doing this planning ahead of time will save you so much money and a lot of potential headache as well. Planning out your lodging and transportation ahead of time will ensure you don’t waste your money or your time, the two most valuable things you have when traveling. Once you have the plan in place, you can always divert from it if an opportunity arises. Some of the best memories in travel come from unexpected adventures. However, you at least have a plan to fall back on should the random adventures not happen.

Don’t go in with an attitude

Everyone needs to understand that when traveling abroad, this is not your home country. Things are done differently, people are different, and you are a guest. If you go to a new country expecting all of the comforts of home just with a different landscape, not only are you going to be disappointed but you are going to miss out on some of the most spectacular things those cultures have to offer. As long as you go into every situation with humility and an open mind, you will find just how much this beautiful world has to offer.

Don’t flash around a lot of cash

This is getting easier in an ever more digitalized world, but cash is still king in most countries. You will inevitably need to get out some cash in the country you are visiting, but you should never carry too much cash on you nor be showing it out in public. Anyone who takes out a large wad of bills is asking for trouble, even in the seemingly safest countries. Instead, carry a little cash on you. Better yet use something like the Charles Schwab debit card and only take out a little cash at a time whenever you need it. This will help make you less of a target and in the unlikely event that you are separated from your wallet, you aren’t left destitute.

Don’t go too fast

This is one I fell prey to in my early days of travel. It is understandable that your time is precious and you want to see it all. However, trying to go too fast will strip you of real experiences and will get you to burn out fast. When you try to travel from place to place too fast, you don’t really get to experience the culture and there are almost no opportunities for the random adventures mentioned above. You end up spending half of your time (or more) on planes and buses and taxis until it seems like they were the whole trip. It may be frustrating not being able to go to as many places but trust me, choose quality of quantity. Just make sure you choose the locations you want to see most and give yourself at least a few days in each location. You will enjoy your experience that much more and you will give yourself some important time for rest.

Don’t forget to make memories

Your travels are adventures that you will be looking back on for years to come so don’t forget to make memories. Take pictures or videos when the urge hits you. Don’t let them take you out of the experience, but I’m always glad a year after a trip that I took more pictures rather than less. More importantly, of course, are the experiences themselves. This is what traveling is all about: to broaden your horizons and to step out of your comfort zone. It’s understandably uncomfortable to step out of your comfort zone but the best things in life are on the other side of fear. Who knows which new experience will become the most memorable?

Bottom Line

International trips are so rewarding, but there are several things to avoid if you want to be a good and responsible world traveler. Now that you are aware of some of the biggest ones, hopefully you will go into your next trip with the right attitude and armed with the tips and advice that will make it your best travel experience yet. Get out there and explore!

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How to Travel Without Checking a Bag

When traveling around the globe, there are few things more frustrating than to finally arrive at your destination and find that your belongings did not make it with you. What would have otherwise been a fun adventure has now turned into a nightmare of calling the airline to figure out where your bags are and trying to figure out how many days you can wear the same, stinky clothes. Many world travelers, like myself, have opted to circumvent this scenario entirely and learned how to travel anywhere in the world with only carry-on luggage. Unlocking this vagabond level-up will help ensure you save time, your belongings are secure, and you have more freedom to go anywhere.

Why don’t you want to check a bag?

The number one reason to avoid checking bags is to save money. There is often a fee associated with checking a bag. We are budget travelers afterall and cutting out any unnecessary expenses frees us up to travel to more exciting places! But even when checking a bag is free, there are still several reasons to forgo this amenity.

It saves you time in the airports - When coming to the airport, you can avoid waiting in lines to check your bags. This gives you one less hassle to deal with and will help ensure you make it to your gate on time. When leaving the airport, you can avoid the time it takes to wait for your bag at the luggage carousel and you can get right to exploring.

Extra security of always having your bags with you - You can rest assured knowing where your belongings are at all times. They are always with you and not being tampered with. An added benefit is that you can access anything in your bags that you may want during the flight.

Keeps you from overpacking - One of the biggest mistakes I see new adventure travelers make is that they overpack. When you don’t check a bag, it forces you to pack smarter as you won’t have that large bag to fill.

How to Make it Work

Get a Solid Traveler’s Backpack - The easiest way to make this type of travel possible to have the right equipment. A solid traveler’s backpack or hiking pack is the single most important piece of equipment you need. I have the Teton Explorer 4000 65L pack [link] and not only does it fit in the overhead bins of even the smaller planes, but it is easy and comfortable to carry and has tons of pockets and compartments for easy access to anything you need from it.

Pack Less Clothes - One thing that I wish I knew when I started traveling was that I didn’t need as many clothes. You want high quality, stain and smell resistant clothing but you don’t want too much. Pack plenty of socks and underwear, but go with less than what you think you need on everything else. Even if you are traveling for more than a week, don’t pack more clothes, just find a place where you can do laundry on the way. This has worked splendidly for our group from the mountains of Peru to the jungles of Thailand.

Pack Specifically for this Trip - This may sound obvious, but many people just have a lot of things that they pack when they travel, regardless of location or time of year. Pack specifically for the trip you are doing. If you are going to the beach you probably don’t need a heavy coat. Conversely, if you are hiking in the Alps you can leave the flip flops at home.

Pack a Day Bag Inside Your Pack - This is personal preference, but I like to have all of my belongings in one location when I’m on the move. I do, however, pack a day pack inside my main pack. The day pack is versatile and is good to have throughout your trip, but it can come in handy specifically when your pack might not fit on the plane. Twice so far I have been told I could not get on the plane with my pack, so I got out the day pack, put a bunch of items in there, and voila! I had a smaller pack (my carry-on) and a personal item that I could put under the seat. You can start in this configuration, I just find it simpler to keep track of one bag in the airport instead of two.

Bottom Line

Traveling the world is such a rewarding experience, but it also can have its hassles. When you travel without a checked bag, you can completely avoid the hassle of lost luggage and stalling all of your plans. With a well packed backpack, you will have the security and the flexibility of a true world traveler, and you will be able to enjoy your trip worry-free. Get out there and explore!

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How to Stay Safe While Traveling the World

The world can be a big, scary place. Though we long for excitement and adventure, that excitement comes with stepping out of our comfort zone and every adventure comes with inherent risks. Occasionally someone will ask how we risk going to some of these places when they can be so dangerous. I liken it to a tightrope walker. A tightrope walker obviously faces risks in what they do but they have studied the fundamentals and have trained to the point that something that looks impossibly risky to you or I is relatively safe for them. It is the same for our travels. Over the last ten years of traipsing the globe, our crew has gathered a multitude of ways to minimize the risks of international travel and to ensure each of our adventures are truly safe and fun. Below are some of our best tips to ensure that you too will feel safe and secure on your next trip abroad.

Always travel with friends when possible

There is safety in numbers. Whenever possible you should travel in a group. Not only will you have more people watching your back, but criminals simply look for the path of least resistance. It is much easier to go after a lone traveler than it is a group.  Even if you are traveling alone, tagging along with tour groups or finding people you trust to travel with for part of it will greatly reduce the chance of anyone trying to mess with you.

Go with a trusted local if possible

One of the best ways to see any new place is through the guidance of a local. Not only will you see things you wouldn’t have otherwise, but they also know the ins and outs of where to go and just as importantly where not to go. It also really helps to be with someone who speaks the local language. Whether it is a friend from years back or someone you just met on the trip, if they are someone who you truly trust, they will make your trip much safer and more vibrant as well.

Do you research

Doing your research ahead of time is important for so many reasons. It helps you save money so that you can travel every year, it lets you live the excitement of the trip twice, but it also will help you avoid pitfalls when it comes to safety. There is so much information out there now that there is really no excuse for skipping this step. Learn where you are going. Research the exchange rate. Find out what areas are safe and what areas to avoid. Check which hostels and hotels are the best and why. Learn some common phrases in the local language. All of this will help prepare you for what you are getting into so that you aren’t caught off guard when you are finally there.

Let your family know your plans and do check ins

This step is simple but a lot of people don’t do it. Always let a friend or family member know where you are going and what dates you will be there. For our big trips, we create an itinerary online and then we share that itinerary with our family members so they can access it at any time. To go even further, do periodic check ins when possible. Sometimes you may be in a remote area without wifi or cell signal but there are almost always points along the way where you can get online and send out a quick message saying that everything is fine. With this, should anything actually go wrong, you have others working to help you out.

Get the lay of the land

Even after you have done your research, it is a good idea to confirm your information. This is where a little conversation will go a long way. Once you get to your destination, ask the people working in your hostel or hotel about the area. They are usually more than happy to help you out and make sure you have a good experience in their country. You can also do this with restaurant workers or just locals on the street. The vast majority of people are truly friendly and want to be helpful. However, do not give out too much information yourself. Don’t be telling strangers where you are staying or for how long or that you have a big stack of money that you need to exchange.

Try not to look like a confused tourist

There are a lot of tips on the internet about how not to look like a tourist. I would take this advice with a grain of salt because 1. You ARE a tourist and 2. I don’t care how much you try to blend in, you will very clearly be seen as a tourist in most countries. The advice I like to give people is not to look like a CONFUSED tourist. Don’t be clueless. Know where you are going and what you are doing. And if you truly need help, ask for it. Generally from a local official if you can. A surefire way to get people to notice you is if you are standing in the middle of the street with your big backpack, looking around like you don’t know where to go. If you truly don’t know what to do next, find a nearby restaurant or shop where you can go in and sit down for a while until you get your bearings and come up with a plan of action. This will help keep you away from the eyes of those who would want to do you harm and will give you a confidence out on the street that will ward off most bad guys.

Carry a copy of your passport

When traveling internationally, it is always a good idea to carry a copy of your passport in a separate spot from the original. Though you will have trouble if you lose your actual passport, having the copy will be such a help both for you and the authorities so that you can safely get a replacement and get back home. I simply carry a paper copy of mine open to the picture page, but you could carry a laminated copy as well to ensure that it won’t be destroyed if it gets wet.

Don’t carry a lot of cash

One big mistake I made when starting to travel was carrying a lot of cash. Being a tourist exchanging hundreds of dollars simply makes you a target. There are such better options these days for traveling both in terms of security and expediency. The first is using a travel credit card whenever possible. Not only will this ensure you get the fair exchange rate for that country, but you will be collecting points on your card with each purchase. Just be sure to let the provider know your travel plans before your trip or your card may get declined. The second option is for the times when credit cards aren’t accepted and cash is needed. This would be a checking account that reimburses all ATM fees like the Charles Schwab debit card. Using this card, you can get cash out anywhere at the fair market rate as long as there is an ATM. This keeps you from having to carry too much cash at any one time and you can just get it out as you need it.  With both of these options your money is protected. If your wallet is lost or stolen, you just have to contact the bank or credit card company and they will freeze your card so it cannot be used.

Don’t carry your wallet in your back pocket

A pet peeve of mine is people carrying their wallets in their back pocket. I get it, you can get to it easier from a sitting position, but it is a foolhardy way to carry your money and important documents. Front pockets are much more secure. You have less chance of anything falling out of them. They also cover more sensitive areas of the body which makes it easier for you to feel that it is actually there and not in the hands of a pickpocket. Speaking of pickpockets, you know what keeps them away from you? When you can see exactly what they are doing. Keep your wallet on the front side of your body where your eyes are. I had someone try to pick my back pocket once while walking down a busy street in Mumbai. I instantly turned around to see who it was but I had no idea. They just acted like one of the crowd so I had no way of knowing. Fortunately, I already knew not to carry anything important in my back pocket, so I was safe and the would-be thief went away with nothing. Another thing I would encourage is wearing travel pants with zipper pockets. Not only do you guarantee the contents won’t accidentally fall out, but it is yet another safeguard against thieves.

Carry essentials with you, carry a lock in your pack

When doing adventure travel, there will almost surely be times when you will need to leave your belongings behind for a while. This is usually somewhere like a hostel and there are a few things to do to ensure the safety of your belongings. First and foremost, always carry your wallet and your passport with you. These are the most essential items no matter where you go and you should always have them with you so no matter what happens, you can always get back home.  Secondly, you should carry a lock in your pack. Most hostels have lockers that you can use to store your things, but they do not supply locks. Give yourself the peace of mind that your things are safely stored while you’re out experiencing the culture.

Bottom Line

Though all travel comes with risks, they are by no means insurmountable and there are always ways to mitigate them. Take the proper steps to prepare yourself for the journey ahead, and you will be able to have a fun and rewarding experience with all the confidence of a world traveler. Get out there and explore!

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The Time a Bridge Disappeared in the Jungle

We were exploring through the jungles of Southern Thailand. For the last few days our crew had been settled in this little, fairly remote village. It was the type of village you picture when thinking of Southeast Asia: A dirt roadway lined with small houses and shops cutting it’s way through thick vegetation. We had gotten to this village in the back of a pickup truck which was the best way in from the nearest bus stop. The village spanned maybe a mile along the road with an earthen bridge in the middle crossing over a small jungle river. We had grown fond of this village during our short stay. Not only was there the natural beauty of it, but the people were warm and the food was delicious. We had visited several of the shops and stopped in to a couple of restaurants for our fix of pad thai, pineapple rice, and curry.

On our final day in the jungle, we were packing our bags and getting ready to catch the bus that would take us to our next destination.  I had yet to learn about the Charles Schwab Debit Card, so I needed to exchange money as did others in the crew. Three of us went off to find a shop with a decent exchange rate while the others stayed behind to finish packing and check us out of our accommodations. We ended up walking past our favorite restaurant, over the earthen bridge, and into a small shop where they advertised having the best exchange rates. It took some time but we got our Thai Baht and, now armed with local currency, we started to head back to our crew. We got about halfway back when, to our dismay, we saw a free flowing river and no way to cross it...the bridge was gone!

In the time we had gone in to exchange our money, a backhoe had completely taken out the earthen bridge as they were starting construction on a more permanent bridge. There were no signs around warning that this work was going to be starting but even if there were, none of us read Thai.  So there the three of us stood, with no way back to our crew...and we had a bus to catch! We assessed the situation for a minute. There was no way we were going to wade through the water in a place like this where there could be poisonous animals and, as far as we could tell, this was the only crossing point. We decided to venture on a path down river for a while, hoping there was another spot where there might be a small bridge or a point where the other bank was close enough to jump across. After walking for a while we came upon a house which seemed to be the only structure this far out and some local people, clearly seeing lost tourists, came out to help us. We did not speak Thai and they did not speak English, but through patience and gestures, we were able to communicate to them that we were looking for a bridge and they were able to communicate that the bridge in town, you know the one that no longer existed, was the only way across.

We made our way back to the site of our non-existent bridge and stood there wondering how to get back, who could help us, if life really has meaning, all of the things that go through your mind in a stressful situation. Luckily, a man standing nearby must have seen our dismay and asked us in perfect English if we needed to get across. We excitedly answered yes and he said he could help us out. He walked down to the river where the backhoe operator was laying the foundation of where the new bridge would go and got on the machine to talk to the operator. After a short conversation, the man came back to us and said we could cross the river one-by-one in the bucket of the backhoe! We cautiously made our way down to the edge of the river and one at a time we were taken into the air by this giant mechanical arm and swung around to be gently set down on the other side. We thanked both the operator and the man who had helped us and we hurried on our way, just in time to grab our things and make it to our bus.

You may think of this as a one-off scenario, but one thing I love about traveling the world is that it is filled with these mini-adventures...times that were unexpected, and maybe even a little bit stressful, but they give you one heck of a story to tell. The other highlight I took from this is how good people are. Whether it has been in the jungles of Thailand or the mountains of Peru, the vast majority of the people we have come across are so kind and generous. It truly shows you that what you see on the news is the exception, not the norm, and that most people just want to enjoy life and want to help others do the same. But don’t take my word for it. I highly encourage all of you to put what I say to the test. Go visit that country that you’ve always wanted to see. Go experience the culture and see just how wonderful the people there are. And if you’re lucky enough, you won’t even have a bridge disappear on you. Get out there and explore!

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How to Save Up Money for Travel

One of the biggest obstacles keeping people from traveling to their dream destinations is not having enough money. You can learn plenty of tips to significantly lower the costs, but the reality is that travel is still not a cheap endeavor.  Getting your finances in order is the only solution to reaching that goal of traveling every year. There are some concrete principles which need to be followed in order to put you on the path to your ultimate travel goals. The good news here is that these principles are not specific to only your travel budget but they can be used for every aspect of your life. You will have to put in the work, but you will be reaping the benefits of it for years to come, complete with being able to call yourself a world traveler!

Get started in financial literacy

For any area of life in which you want to make improvements, learning the important information is key.  Here you will find many of the core principles of budgeting and personal finance, but do not stop there. I fully encourage you to explore the wealth of knowledge freely available in blogs, podcasts, and videos. For our purposes, we highlight some of the basic actions to be taken so that you can start saving money for the purposes of travel.

Pay off high interest debt

The very first thing every person should do no matter what their travel goals are is to assess their debt. If you are buried in debt, your priority should not be traveling anyway until you are free from that burden. A good rule of thumb is to make a plan to pay off any debt above 5% interest. If you have any extra money at all after your expenses it should be put towards this debt. Mathematically, you should try to pay off the highest interest debt first because that will save you the most money. However, we are humans and it can be very unmotivating to try to pay off that debt if it is a large number. The most important thing is getting the debt paid off, not necessarily the order, so a popular tool people use is called the snowball method. With this method, you will pay the smallest balance first. For instance if you have $20,000 in student loans, a $2,000 personal loan and $1,000 in credit card debt, you would pay off the credit cards first. Once that debt is paid, whatever you were paying towards it gets added towards the next smallest debt, in this case the personal loan. You repeat that process until you are out of debt. Getting these small wins initially and seeing some results gives you motivation and will make it more likely that you will stick with it until you finally achieve freedom from debt.

Make a personal budget

It is true that “what gets measured gets fixed.”  To find the weak points in your spending habits, you need to first figure out what you are spending your money on. This can be done very easily these days with free budgeting apps like Mint or with more in depth paid software like YNAB. However, if you want to go fully customized, you can just plug your numbers into a spreadsheet on Excel or Google Sheets. Simply take all of the money you earn in a month and subtract all the money you spend in that month and see what is left over. If you have a negative number at the bottom, you have a problem. Budgeting is not glamorous work, but understanding your own habits can be very powerful and honestly quite surprising. When I started budgeting one thing I believed about myself is that I didn’t eat out very often; hardly at all. Well, after 6 months of tracking all of my expenses, I realized that what I usually spent eating out was roughly double what I had initially estimated. I just had a short memory. Once you have your budget you should get a clear picture of where you may be able to cut some expenses and you can choose what is most important to you. One example that always seems to come up in personal finance is getting rid of your morning coffee run to save money. That can be beneficial if you are motivated to do it but what if you really love that morning coffee? The point is your budget will help you prioritize which areas of your spending are more important to you. To continue with my own example, once I saw what I was spending on eating out I still wasn’t really motivated to change anything AT FIRST. However, things took a drastic turn once I started putting savings into my budget for travel. Afterwards when I would think about stopping to get some Chipotle I would ask myself, “Would I rather get Chipotle right now, or would I rather eat at home and go to Peru this year?” Sometimes I would still get the Chipotle but overwhelmingly I started choosing my travel goals and spent almost nothing on eating out. Putting my goals in the budget made them very real and motivating for me.

 Make a budget for your trip

Now that you have your monthly budget, you have to figure out what your savings goal will be in order to take your trip. This takes a lot of planning, but it can be a very rewarding process. Not only will you know how much money you need to reach your goal and how long that should take, but you will get to experience the trip twice: once while in the planning phase, and then again when you actually go there. Discovering the famous attractions and lesser known areas of a new destination can be very exciting and can help you keep your focus on why you are doing this. Find out what things you most want to do and then search for the deals around them for lodging and transportation. Add up all of those costs plus a little more for unforeseen expenses and you will have a number to set your goal. After that, it is just a matter of discipline and patience until you have saved enough and you can be on your trip!

Have an accountability partner

Anything that requires discipline and willpower is an easier process when you don’t have to do it alone. Have a friend or family member keep you accountable for sticking to your budget. If you plan to travel with friends, you can keep each other accountable and with this shared goal, it is much easier to stick to it until the end. Make sure you check in with each other at least once a week and you must be honest with each other. This is the only way you will learn and grow from mistakes made.

Ways to cut spending

One of the quickest ways to realize your financial goals is to cut any unnecessary spending. Once you start doing this, you will naturally start to prioritize what things are more important to you and what things you truly do not miss. Here are some common ways to cut spending:

Eating Out - Eating out can be an expensive hobby. It is also easy to fall into both from a social standpoint (all of your friends are going out) and from an energy standpoint (I don’t feel like cooking today). The thing is, this is simply not a necessity. Not only is cooking at home healthier for you, but it is going to save you a lot of money and helps you learn a valuable skill. If you are very busy and can’t cook all the time, buying ready-to-go meals at the grocery store is still cheaper than eating out.

Alcohol - This is another category that is not a necessity. Cutting out alcohol can also increase your health as well as your savings. Some people may want to cut it completely for the savings but even if you don’t want to cut it completely, budget to buy some alcohol for home. Don’t go to a bar where you will be paying for expensive drinks.

Coffee - Many people love their coffee. Still, if you want to save, consider making coffee at home rather than going to Starbucks or your local coffee shop. You will be spending pennies on the dollar.

Going to the movies - Going to the movies can be exciting, but more and more technology is letting us have just as good of an experience at home. Not to mention movie theater concessions have a ridiculously high mark up. Opt to make popcorn at home and enjoy a movie in the comfort of your own living room.

Going shopping - Most of us in the U.S. have more clothes than we need. In fact, many people have clothing hanging in their closets that has never been worn. Unless you absolutely need something like a new dress or new pants for a job interview, stop shopping retail.

Negotiating utilities and phone bills - Most people either don’t know or get complacent, but you can negotiate your bills! You should regularly be on the lookout for sales and promotions from your phone company, internet and tv providers, insurance providers, and more. Another good tactic is to switch providers of these services every so often because they will usually give some sort of discount to new customers. This is a great way to lower those bills that you pay every single month.

Ways to increase income and savings

Though this one can be harder to execute, it can also be the most effective. The easiest way to be able to save more money is simply by having more money in the first place. This is obviously much easier said than done but there are a few ways in which you can grow your dollars:

Ask for a raise - One of the quickest ways to get more money is to simply ask for it. Now this must be preceded by good work on your part, but many people could get at least a small pay bump just by asking for it. There are many helpful resources online on how to properly and effectively ask for a raise. If you get one, all of that money that you didn’t have before could be put toward your travel savings.

Avoid lifestyle inflation - Anytime that people do get a raise or get some unexpected income, they tend to adjust their habits to that new income level. However, if you are able to live just fine at your current income, then anything that you make on top of that should be put towards your savings. Do not succumb to lifestyle inflation just because it is easy. You know you can live on less. Do it and reap the benefits of more travel!

Start a side hustle - If you cannot get a raise or have already gotten one but still need more income, you can start something of your own to make money. If you enjoy woodworking, you can make furniture and knick knacks to sell. If you enjoy photography you can advertise to do pictures for people. If you don’t have a very flexible schedule but you have a car, drive Uber when you can. If you work hourly, see where you might be able to pick up an extra shift or two. There is technically no limit to what you can make into a side hustle. It is simply something that you do apart from your primary job that people will pay you for.

Save your tax return for your travel - When it comes time for you to receive your tax returns, plan to put it towards your next trip. If you have a good budget, your tax return isn’t needed in order to live anyway. Depending on the size of your tax return, that right there could fully fund your next adventure!

Open a high yield savings account - A quick and easy way to help your nest egg grow just a little faster is to put it in a high yield savings account. Most banks offer savings accounts that give less than a tenth of a percentage in interest. However, there are several online savings accounts like Ally Bank and CIT Bank that offer much higher interest rates up to 2%. This by no means will make you rich, but it is a good way to have the value of your money keep up with inflation.

Bottom Line

There are always ways to save up for the travel that you want to do. Once you understand how much your trip will cost, how much money you make each month, and how much money you spend each month, you can figure out exactly what you can save for your travel and how long it will take you. With a combination of increasing your income and slashing your spending, you will see positive results and before you know it, you will be on an airplane to your dream destination. Get out there and explore!

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Hiking the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu

The Salkantay Trail is a popular alternative to the Inca Trail to reach Machu Picchu.  It is roughly a 37 mile long trail which takes about 4 days to arrive at the famous ruins. This trail takes you through the rugged beauty of Peru from the snow capped mountains down through the rainforest below. However, those who want to follow in the footsteps of this ancient path should read on to ensure you are prepared for the challenges and that you don’t miss out on some of the greatest experiences this hike has to offer.

Why choose the Salkantay?

For budget backpackers, there is no better option than the Salkantay to get to Machu Picchu.  While the Inca trail is the most famous, it is restricted due to high demand. Not only do you need a permit, but it must be obtained several months in advance and having a guide is required.  For the Salkantay, there are no permits required and no fees to use the trail. It is free to set up tents along the trail though if you wish, there are several houses along the way that will let you camp in their yards for a small fee. These places also offer food! You have much more freedom on the Salkantay to choose your own pace, stop at different spots along the way as you wish, and even take slightly different routes depending on your preferences. Perhaps the most important consideration for the Salkantay is that it is raw beauty like you haven’t seen before. You will be able to admire the marvel of the icy “Savage Mountain” and just a day later admire the wild flowers of the rainforest. 

Recommended Equipment

You can check out our recommendations on how to pack for a mutli-day hike.

The Trail

The trail itself is well marked and easy to follow.  There are a couple of points where you can choose different paths to go down, but either mapping your route beforehand or talking to other travelers should get you going in the right direction.  This trail also has several small villages and houses along it, making it easy to make pit stops for food or to camp for the night. All of the locals that we met along the way were extremely friendly people and they made delicious food for cheap. There are also several streams and waterfalls along the trail where you can refill your water bottles. Just make sure you always fill up where the water is running and make sure you have some sort of water treatment system like Aquatabs or a LifeStraw.

Things to remember if you hurt yourself on the trail

A hike is not without risks or challenges, but they are no reason to be discouraged. Our group happened to run into a scenario where one of our members twisted an ankle halfway through the hike, effectively making us progress slower than expected. From the small village of Chaullay (below) we managed to secure travel for our friend to capac nan; a coffee farm and our next destination. Throughout this whole process we trusted the Peruvian locals with the responsibility of our friend and they were more than hospitable, even providing first aid and refreshments! So don’t be afraid to befriend some locals while you are here!

Spots of Interest

Humantay Lagoon

Toward the start of the trip, just above all of the camps lies an offshoot of the trail that leads to the Humantay Lagoon. This is a small lake fed by the mountain runoff and is a beautiful spot for pictures. However, the trail up to it is quite steep and is longer than it looks. For our crew, this small hike was the litmus test for who was going to be affected by the altitude, as this is above 11,000 ft elevation. More on dealing with elevation later on.

Coffee Farms

While hiking the Salkantay, we noticed that several of the locals had huge piles of white beans drying out on tarps beside the trail. It wasn’t until our last full day of hiking that we realized these were coffee beans as they are plentiful in the area. During one of our stops, the owner of the property where we set up our tents also worked on a coffee farm.  He invited us to the farm when we got up the next morning, which was on our way up the trail. He showed us their entire process from harvesting the beans from the fruit to grinding the beans to brewing the coffee. We even scored some coffee liqueur at the end. This was a wonderful experience and also a small glimpse into the local lifestyle.

Hot Springs

There had been a silver lining to our friend who was injured earlier in the hike. We had to split up the group which resulted in two entirely different experiences. The first group continued on to Llactapata, a steep mountain, and the second group took a ride to the Aguas Termales de Cocalmayo hot springs in Santa Teresa. You can make a guess as to which group had the injured person in it. The hot springs were unlike anything else we had experienced on the trip. There were natural flowing waters, canopy tops, paved floors, it's as if we arrived at a tropical hideaway. (Photos above courtesy of google as we were too relaxed to lift a finger.)

Llactapata

After a high energy morning hike which brought us up and over another mountain, we arrived at Llactapata. This place has one of the most breathtaking views in the world. Situated in a clearing on the side of a mountain, it gives you a vantage point to see both green and snow capped peaks from miles around, a waterfall below, and with a good eye and a clear day, you can spot the ruins of Machu Picchu in the distance for the first time. Pictures do not do it justice, but it was a great morale booster for our group and a wonderful spot to stop and rest in the middle of the day.  Llactapata is also known for its own ruins which you can explore at your leisure or even camp at.

Things to Plan Head

As with any adventure, a little preparation will go a long way in making sure you have the best experience possible with minimal inconvenience.  Here are a few things to do ahead of time so that your Salkantay hike is the best it can be.

Purchase Machu Picchu Tickets - You need to purchase tickets ahead of time in order to get access to the famous ruins of Machu Picchu. These can go fast so you will need to do this part several months beforehand.  You can choose just exploring the ruins, the ruins and hiking Machu Picchu mountain, or the ruins and Hiking Huayana Picchu mountain (the one that is in all of the pictures). I found the cheapest way to get these tickets when booking as individuals and not a tour group, is directly from the government website. This website is quite dated and in Spanish, so we will soon be posting a step-by-step guide of how to book your tickets.  Make sure you give yourself at least 5 days between arriving in Cusco and going up Machu Picchu. You do not want to miss your day at the ruins because you didn’t get through the trail quickly enough!

Route & amount of distance per day - Make sure to plan out your exact route along the Salkantay. This can be done along the way, but is much easier to do before you are on the trail without cell service. There are several maps that can be printed off (we don’t spend money on tourist maps!) and many of them have recommendations of stopping points for each day to keep you on track and make the most of your experience.

Your fitness - Hiking the Salkantay is not an easy feat.  Our group consisted of experienced hikers and it was certainly challenging for each of us. You are hiking for roughly 9 hours a day several days in a row all while carrying a 30lb pack. This will test your body. Do practice hikes around your local area in the months leading up to the trip. Preferably with a pack to get used to the extra weight.

Get ready for the altitude - Altitude sickness sucks. In our group, half of us were affected by altitude sickness and half were not. It really varies and there is no way to guarantee that it will not affect you. In fact, with the highest point of the pass at 15,000 ft, it will likely affect you in some way.  The best thing you can do is try to acclimatize slowly. Cusco sits just over 11,000 ft and is usually the starting point for people doing the Salkantay Trail. If you can, give yourself a few days in Cusco before you start hiking. It is a beautiful little city to explore and it will give you some time to get used to the thin air before you start doing strenuous activities.  There are also medications that can be purchased or prescribed to help avert these affects. Finally, there is mate de coca, or coca tea, which is sold all around the area. For generations, the coca leaves have been used to ward off the effects of altitude sickness and they are still used today. I can personally vouch for this one, as I was hit hard by altitude sickness my first day on the trail. However, each morning I would have my coca tea, then would chew on the leaves as we started our hike for the day and it really did wonders for me.

Test your equipment - So you have made sure you have everything you need for this hike. But how do you know it will hold up during your adventure? You need to test your equipment before taking it on such a journey. 

1. Tent - Take out your tent and make sure it is waterproof. We used a sealer for the seams of our tent as well as Kiwi’s waterproof spray for the tent overall. We then tested it using a water hose to simulate a steady rain and the inside stayed perfectly dry. Also, remember to have a tarp underneath your tent. Getting wet from underneath is just as bad! 

2. Pack - You should also test out your hiking pack to not only make sure it has good comfort and utility, but most packs also have rain covers that should be tested beforehand. The same thing goes for rain jackets and water repellent hiking pants. 

3. Boots - Your boots are probably your most important equipment. You need to make sure they are form fitting. Too small will give you excess blisters and pain, too large let your feet slide around and greatly increase your chance of twisting an ankle. You also need to make sure your boots are broken in. While buying brand new boots for a hike sounds exciting, it is a quick way to destroy your feet. You need boots that have already formed to your foot shape and that are still comfortable and reliable after several wears.

Main things to remember on the trail

Rise with the sun - get up as soon as there is some light so that you can break down camp and get ready to hike. This way you make sure you have the most amount of daylight possible for hiking. Believe me when I tell you that it is vastly more difficult to hike in the dark even with good headlamps. There is a higher likelihood of straying off trail and getting lost. Get up early and this won’t be a concern.

Slow and steady - Like the proverbial tortoise, slow and steady really does win this race. Since you started first thing in the morning, relax and don’t push yourself too hard. Remember, the purpose is to enjoy your hike and take in the beauty around you. Keep a nice, steady pace and the miles will melt away. Keeping this pace will also help protect you from injury. Every single injury I have seen during a hike has come from a fatigued hiker who was trying to push their bodies too much. Make sure to take breaks when needed and drink plenty of water.

Drinking water - For multiple day hikes like the Salkantay, you need water and lots of it. However water is heavy. You can’t carry all that you need with you, so you will need to fill up along the way. The most important things to remember are not to get your water from stagnant pools and to treat the water. The Salkantay has a lot of waterfalls and rivers so finding a source of running water will not be hard. You could also ask to get water from the locals, but there is no guarantee that is any safer than getting it from the streams.

Hidroelectrica

The hike through the Salkantay eventually brings you to Hidroelectrica. This is really a train stop turned small village. Here people can continue to make the trek to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu, or they can opt to take the train the rest of the way.  The train is pricey, however, and this is only a half day hike from Aguas Calientes. Besides, you want to be able to say you HIKED all the way to Machu Picchu! We decided to stop in Hidroelectrica for lunch, then trekked the rest of the way. We also knew we would only be at Augas Calientes/Machu Picchu for one day so we decided to leave our hiking packs with the owner of the restaurant where we had lunch and opted to take our day packs the rest of the way. The nice thing about the rest of the hike is that even though it’s about 12km it is almost completely FLAT. That combined with having almost no weight to carry meant a much faster hike.

Where to stay in Aguas Calientes

The town at the base of Machu Picchu is remote and picturesque.  However, because this is such a highly trafficked tourist destination, the town has prices to match. As you hike into Aguas Calientes, you come in from the downhill side. The very first hotels you come across are large and ornate, rivaling the fancy hotels of large cities. Here is where you will see the older tourists. Here is where you will be received with a welcome in English. And here is where you will spend several hundreds of dollars per night.  However, the farther up the hill you go, or if you go to the buildings behind the main street, the hotels and hostels get significantly cheaper.  You may need to brush up on your Spanish a little, but we were able to negotiate a deal for our crew for less than 1 tenth the cost of the hotels at the bottom. Especially after 4 days of hiking and camping, a clean bed and a hot shower was more than enough for us!

When you are at Machu Picchu

The entire trip has built to this moment. You climb the switchbacks to the top of the mountain and there you are...in front of the gates amidst a sea of people with no ruins in sight.  There are 3 things that I recommend you do first

Go to the bathroom - This will be your last chance until you come out of the site and it’s actually quite difficult to get back in once you come out. Get it done now and then enjoy Machu Picchu for as long as you can.

Get a Spanish speaking tour guide - This is one area where we splurged. To get the knowledge of someone who truly knows the site was well worth it. We were able to learn a lot of the history of this famous site with our guide and once the tour was done, we still had time to explore for ourselves. She also helped us get through the gate quicker and showed us some of the best spots to take pictures. Also, if you get a Spanish speaking guide, it is cheaper than getting an English speaking guide. Our guide actually spoke both which worked out great for us because she gave us a tour in English but at the lower price!

Get in line - It takes a little while to get through the gates and into the site. Make sure you are ready so you can get right in and enjoy your time at Machu Picchu. Your guide can help expedite this process.

Once you are inside, get as many pictures as you want, explore the ruins, watch the llamas, and marvel at the architecture built into this mountain.  One thing that I loved about Machu Picchu is that while it is quite touristic, each group has a set time slot.  It gives you plenty of time to explore while also giving you enough space to truly enjoy it and to get beautiful pictures without people constantly blocking your way.  On your way out of the site, remember to stop by the stand where they have the special Machu Picchu stamp for your passport! It is a wonderful memento to have.

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How to Travel Every Single Year

Many people have the dream to be able to travel around the world and see as much of it as possible. They dream of palm trees and beaches, of new languages and music, and of experiences they will remember for a lifetime. Sadly, most people never realize this dream for a multitude of reasons, one of the most common being that they can’t afford it. However, traveling around the world can be easier than you think. Our crew has been crossing the globe for almost a decade now and all of it has been either as poor college students or as young professionals who are also paying student loans. There are many tricks to the trade and below we outline several of them that have helped us throughout the years and have turned our collective dream of world travel into a reality.

Identifying the heavy hitters 

To fully understand how to save money on traveling you need to identify what makes traveling expensive in the first place. Below, we listed the five most expensive parts of almost any international trip. Our crew has learned how to save in every one of these categories, making our trips cost much less than what they seem like they would. Let’s jump in.

1. Flights - Booking airfare is the single most expensive part of almost any world travel. However, there are several ways to consistently find the best flight deals or to even get flights for free through rewards points. If you can successfully get free flights, you’ve probably just reduced the price of your travel by half!

2. Lodging - The next most expensive part of traveling for most people will be where they will be staying. This is where being young can work to your advantage. There are many youth hostels throughout the world which cater to people in their early twenties and are a cheap way to stay in an area and connect with other like-minded travelers. While traveling through Southeast Asia, we were getting hostels for as low as $2 per person.  However, if you want to truly want to remove this cost, why not bring your lodging with you?  Many people bring their tents as they travel around the world. Six of us did a 5 day Trek to Machu Picchu where we stayed in our tents until the final night. The total cost was about $20 for the six of us as we paid land owners to camp in their yards and use their showers.

3. Transportation - Next up we have ground and water transportation. No matter where you fly to, you likely will not want to stay in one spot the entire trip and so will be paying for rental cars, taxi rides, ferries, rickshaw rides, or other forms of transportation to get you around. When doing long trips, like a road trip around South Africa, getting a rental car is probably your best option.  This depends on the state of the roads, your manual driving proficiency, and of course the rental cost in that country. Still, many times having the flexibility of being able to go where you want when you want makes getting a rental worth it. There are actually some great deals to be had at the airports, but don’t forget to search outside of the airports as well. Some rental companies have offices farther away from the airports that will give you a better price. If you are not dealing with rentals, however, this is an opportunity to practice haggling. Negotiating cheaper taxi and rickshaw rides is a great way to save money in this category.

4. Food & Drinks - This is a tricky one because trying out the local cuisine is one of the best experiences to be had in a new country. Yet, when you really look at it, you will actually do this more effectively when trying not to spend money. Eating in expensive restaurants does not usually give you the experience of the area, yet trying out cheaper street food will give you a much more clear picture of the popular local delicacies. Always be careful with street vendors though. Make sure you only eat fully cooked food and not all street vendors follow good sanitary practices. You can also buy groceries and cook in your hostel for even more savings. For drinks, they can be a lot of fun but can also be a quick way to break the bank. Sample the local beers, wines, or liquor; just don’t do it every night. Most places you go to eat you can either get a free glass of water or drink from your own water bottle. This is another time when experiencing what is local will also help your wallet. Whether it is mezcal in Oaxaca or Savannah in South Africa, drinking what is locally made not only helps their economy, but it is generally much cheaper than having something imported. When you’re able to have truly top quality wine in Cape Town for about $2 a bottle, you take advantage of it!

5. Activities - This is quite a broad category but most people spend a good chunk of change on the activities they have planned for their trip. We certainly advocate having experiences and supporting local economies, but you can always do it smartly. First, your research should help you flesh out which of these activities are actually worth the money and which you can probably skip. If you are traveling in a group, you can also see if they will offer you group discounts which is often the case. You should also look closely at what free activities are available around the area. Sometimes, these are the best experiences there are. Finally, remember that certain popular attractions are popular for a reason. Sites like the Taj Mahal or Angkor Wat really are that impressive and are worth paying for.

Travel in the off season

One tactic that has been very effective for our crew has been traveling to most locations during their off season.  This is when most of the tourists have left and life returns to more of a normal pace in the area. This is usually due to less desirable weather conditions, such as the monsoons in East Asia, but there is generally a window between peak tourist season and the bad weather and that is where we sneak in. This makes almost everything cheaper from lodging, to attractions, to the food and as a bonus, you don’t have to deal with as many tourists so you can have a more authentic experience.

Do your homework

While you don’t want to schedule out every minute of your trip, doing your research and having a plan will save you a lot of money. As mentioned earlier, this can help you figure out which activities are worth doing and which you can skip. You also can plan to travel in the most efficient way. For example, you may want to drive through a new country for a few days but then fly back to the first city before your flight home. You can often tweak which days you travel so that this small flight lands on a day where the airline is having a deal, and you can get the flight for half the price that it usually is. You can also email different vendors for both activities and lodging and have them compete against each other for your business. These are just a few of the ways you will save money on your trip before you even set foot in the airport.

Know the exchange rate

One important thing that you must do during your research is to learn the exchange rate for whichever countries you will be visiting. You should always know how much money is worth wherever you are. Just as importantly, learn what things typically cost in that currency. How much does someone in that country pay for going out to dinner? How much do they pay for gas? How much do they pay for clothes? Understanding both of these things will help you stick to your budget. Several of us have had instances where we bought something and only when we rejoined the group did we realize we grossly overpaid for our trinkets. Looking these things up ahead of time will go a long way toward avoiding that situation.

Don’t pay foreign transaction fees, exchange fees, or ATM fees

One of my biggest mistakes in my early travels was believing that I had to bring cash with me and pay exchange fees to change this cash over to the local currency. I could have saved hundreds of dollars if I had the best travel credit cards, and the Charles Schwab Debit Card. Good travel credit cards work the same way in other countries the way they do in your home country. You don’t have to worry about paying any foreign transaction fees. However, there are still several things you will need cash for and this is where the Charles Schwab card comes in. It is a debit card that reimburses all ATM fees at the end of the month, regardless of which country you are in. This means you can withdraw money in the local currency at the actual exchange rate. You will initially pay for whatever fee the ATM charges as well but at the end of the month, Charles Schwab will pay you back for each of these fees!  With the combination of your credit cards and debit card, you should be able to avoid this category of expense completely.

Get comfortable with haggling

I have not had a ride in another country yet where I paid the first price offered. Especially when seeing foreigners, many people will give you an obscene price, hoping to take advantage of your ignorance and inability to do the exchange rate in your head. This goes for transportation, street food, and most of all souvenirs. A lot of people aren’t comfortable with haggling, but it is a skill you need to learn in order to travel on a budget. If it makes you uncomfortable, just remember a vendor will never sell you anything for less than what they are comfortable with. A good way to start is no matter what price someone gives you, ask if they can go a little lower. Definitely have a conversation. Be respectful, but ask for a lower rate. You will soon find that these vendors build in room for haggling in their initial price and they are expecting that they will have to lower it. You will save a ton of money this way.

Try to learn a little of the local language

No matter where you go, being able to say at least a few phrases in the local language goes a long way. Simply trying to converse with someone in their native language shows respect and often completely changes their demeanor. They go from simply seeing you as a tourist to seeing you as a person who truly is trying to learn about their culture and they become much more receptive to you. This can open several doors anywhere from someone giving you a better deal on food to making new lifelong friends.

Bottom Line

Though the price tag of international travel can seem daunting, there are always actions that you can take to reduce that number and to truly make your dreams attainable. With these tips, you can slash the cost of your travel and make it something that you do every single year. Get out there and explore!

[where2next]

Time vs. Money: The Age Old Question for Travel and for Life

At the end of my college career, I knew I wanted to see the world. I had already gone to India on two separate occasions and had fallen in love with the idea of seeing different cultures and how other people live. However, I was keenly aware of the fact that I would be graduating from college with a mountain of debt and I would soon be starting a job that would require 40+ hours of my time every week in order to live and to pay off that debt.  It was during this time of acute awareness that a dear friend and I had a conversation that would fundamentally change the way I decided to live the rest of my life. We were discussing life after college, specifically having to start paying off college loans. I posed this question to him: Did he think it more prudent to pay off loans as quickly as possible and not spend any money or to pay the minimum to the loans knowing he would pay more in the long run, but freeing up some money in the process to do the things that he wanted to do?  His answer was something to the effect of, “It’s not like life ever gets any less busy. You should have experiences now when you know you have the time to do it. You don’t know if you will have that in the future.” What he touched on was a fundamental truth. I had been viewing my life in dollars and cents, but I had been ignoring an even more important aspect: the value of my time.

Understanding the Trade Off

Well all get exactly 24 hours to spend every day. Nor more, no less. Though this is something that is freely given us, it is ultimately up to us how we spend it. Money as well, while it is usually not given to us freely, is a resource for us to use to help build the types of lives we want. There is also a strange relationship between time and money as they are often seen as opposing forces. Almost everyone invests their time in order to make money, but they also use that money to buy back their time. For example, have you ever paid for a bus ride, an Uber, or for gas in your car in order to get someplace because it’s faster than walking? That is one simple example of how people use their money to buy back their time. Rich people buy back their time constantly with housekeepers to clean their homes, groundskeepers to do their yard work, cooks to prepare their meals, and even drivers to free them up while they are on the road. They understand that they only get 24 hours a day so they try to free up as much of that time as possible to do what makes them rich in the first place. 

You need to budget

We can use this same principle to help us plan our travels. Unfortunately, traveling requires you spending both of these precious commodities. You can only take so much time off of work and you can only save up so much money for your travels when you have bills to pay.  This is where budgeting comes in and what I have built my entire lifestyle around. However, it is not enough to just budget your money, you have to budget your time just as well if not better. Only have a short time for vacation? Work out a schedule with your boss where you can stay late Monday-Thursday and take Friday off. Do you not get any vacation pay at all? See if you can pick up some overtime shifts that will cover the money that you would be making during your travel. The point is not to accept the status quo and to push against it in order to achieve your goals. With proper budgeting, you can create a lot of opportunities that you previously thought were unattainable, even being able to travel every year.

Comfort vs. Risk

The next step you need to go through is assessing your risk tolerance and your desire for comfort. Some people just want a comfortable vacation to take them away from all stress and worry so for them it is worth paying more money in order to attain this. For others, they want to experience as much as they can on as little money as possible. However, this usually means they also need to invest more of their time. An easy example of this is someone who decides to take a bus to the next city which costs them $50 but takes 8 hours when they could have gotten there by plane in less than 2 hours but it would have cost them $200. Several of us who are used to budget travel also know fully well that you can take one of the nice charter buses or for half the price, you can take a local bus that may not have the amenities, but gets you to your destination in the same amount of time. This is how travelers like us sacrifice comfort in order to stretch our dollars and to be able to travel longer and to more places. You also have to think about your amount of risk. Many times it is worth getting a cheaper hotel or hostel, however, sometimes this puts you in a part of town that you should not be in, in which case it is not worth the money savings. You always need to be vigilant about your safety when traveling and sometimes the risk is too great. On the other hand, putting yourself in slightly uncomfortable situations is where growth and adventure are born and if you never take any risks, you will be missing out on that key aspect of traveling. But if you want to stay in nice hotels and would rather fly than be on a long bus ride, that is fine too! As long as you understand the tradeoffs you are making and are good with those decisions, you will have an enjoyable experience.

The benefits of traveling on small budgets

Once you are used to budgeting both your money and your time, there are a myriad of benefits that you will be reaping. Spending your time and money more efficiently means you can spend less of each on your travels without sacrificing your enjoyment of those experiences. Spending less time and money on your trips just means you will be able to travel more often or to more remote places than you would have been able to before. Budgeting also tends to keep you away from the tourist traps and more immersed in the culture. If you’re going where things are cheaper, you will be going closer to where the locals live. This has led our crew to some amazing impromptu experiences like a lunch cooked up by some new friends on a locals beach where we were the only people around. You get many more opportunities to actually meet people and to truly understand how they live. Finally, traveling on a budget puts you in growth situations.  You will have to do good research and plan ahead in order to get the best flights and to get an idea of what the highlights are in the area you will be exploring. You will have to learn how to haggle and often in a different language. You will have to learn how to connect with people in order to get help with directions or simply to better understand them and the area. All of these things will help to make you a more well rounded person and will give you the tools to successfully navigate the globe.

Bottom Line

Though we all have limited amounts of time and money, we can learn to spend them more wisely in order to attain the lives that we want to live. With good time management and budgeting, we can finally travel to those places we have always wanted to see but have never been able to get to. We can also discover agency in ourselves by putting ourselves in growth situations which help our budgets, connect us to people, give us new experiences, and ultimately enrich our lives. Get out there and explore!

[where2next]

How to Always get the Best Value Flights

Booking flights can be a daunting process. Trying to find the quickest and easiest way to get to your destination for the lowest cost possible is an art form in itself. To craft this art and save your money, there are several tricks of the trade that you should know that will help you ensure you get the best deals out there.

Book your flights early and during the week

It is recommended that to get the best deals, you book 6 weeks out for domestic flights and 8 weeks to 6 months out for long international flights. This is a trend, but not a rule, so be sure to check back with during this time to make sure you can lock in the lowest rates possible. You should also do your searching in the middle of the week. While this isn’t a strict rule, Tuesdays are usually the best days of the week for booking low cost flights. It is better to book your travel at a time when less other people are looking at the same flights than it is on a Friday when many more people are looking to book and the prices go up.

Compare between sources

Use sources like Kayak and Google Flights to search for deals and to compare prices for the same flight. You should always search on at least 2 of these platforms as some generally get deals from time to time that others do not. Do not book through Google Flights just because that is what you always do. Check the competition and make sure you are getting the best that is out there. You should also check some of the budget airlines individually as not all of their deals get captured by the aggregate websites. When doing your searches, you should also use private browsing mode. The theory is that if booking sites see you are searching for certain flights, they will show you premium prices because they know you want to travel at that time so you should use private browsing to avoid this. This tactic has questionable efficacy, but it is a simple thing to do and it definitely doesn’t hinder your efforts so there is really no reason not to.

Don’t be afraid to go multi-city

Sometimes the best path is not a direct one. Using the multi-city option on flight search sights can be a powerful tool. For example, you could fly into Austin, TX and do some traveling then fly out of Dallas Fort Worth in order to save money on your flights. Note that this in no way is a rule and does not always work but I have had a few instances now where stringing together a few cheap flights actually saved me both money and time overall getting to my final destination. In the constant battle of time vs. money, this is a win all around! Even if there isn’t a meaningful difference in price, you could save yourself some long layovers this way or conversely if you are willing to have a longer layover you may be able to get a much cheaper flight.

Be aware of 3rd party services

Any time you are not booking directly with the airline, you need to understand the policies of the 3rd party websites you are booking through. Unfortunately I got to experience first hand why services like Kiwi have horror stories in their reviews. I was not late for my flight and had no connections, I was simply told when I got up to the ticketing counter that I was not booked for the flight. Somehow I booked with Kiwi but they had not booked me on the actual flight...even though they had charged me for it! This led to an hour and a half pleading with Kiwi over the phone at the same time pleading with the agent at the desk (who was helping as much as she could). Finally I had to just pay for a new ticket out of pocket to ensure I didn’t miss my flight and I had to run to the gate. I did finally receive a PARTIAL refund a couple of weeks later from Kiwi but rather than reverse the charge on my credit card, they sent me money through Paypal and in British pounds rather than USD. Needless to say, I will never be using their services again.  The bright side is, I have used larger 3rd Party sites like Kayak and Google Flights several times and have never had an issue with them thus far.

Use rewards points if possible

If you have one of the best travel credit cards, you may have enough points to redeem for your flights. Even if you do not have enough points to cover the flight, you can often redeem these rewards towards the flight if you book it through that credit card, giving you a discounted flight. I usually wait until I can get a free flight, but sometimes if I have to travel on a certain date, I use my points to get a half price flight. Also, if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, your points multiply when booking flights through Chase so that you get 1.25x points or 1.5x points respectively. That means if you have 50,000 points with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, that is the equivalent of $750 worth of travel! The caveat here is that the Chase system is limited in the flights that it offers and I can always find better prices elsewhere. However when you take your extra points into consideration, sometimes booking through Chase is definitely the way to go.

Bottom Line

There are many ways to find good flight deals, but the key is to do plenty of research and be patient. Once you get a good lay of the land, you will start to understand which sites are giving you good deals, and which offers you should forego. Understanding this fundamental aspect of being a world traveler will open up more opportunities for you to go around the world and the benefits you reap from that adventure will last you a lifetime. Get out there and explore

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What to do While Waiting in an Airport

Becoming a world traveler is an extraordinary life but it does come with its own set of challenges, not the least of which is the amount of time you will be spending in airports. This time is usually accompanied by one of two feelings: either you are frantically trying to get to your flight in time, or you are bored and trying to pass the time while waiting during your layover. This post addresses the latter situation. While this is geared towards having 2+ hours to spend in the airport before your flight, many of these tips can help you regardless of the amount of time you will be waiting.

Find your departure gate

The first thing you should be doing when entering an airport is confirming which gate your flight will be leaving from. Departure gates can change so even though you may have the number on your ticket, you want to rely on the screens in the airport to get confirmation. However, it is not enough to find the number on a screen, I recommend that you go directly to the gate.  This is so you know the exact location of your gate in the airport so that you can find your way back should you venture out from the area. You should then know how much time it will take you to return to the gate from wherever you go. 

Talk to the gate agents

This also gives you an opportunity to make yourself known to the gate agents. Not only can they confirm this is your gate, but if you are traveling with friends where your seats are separated, you can ask to be seated next to each other. Additionally if you are friendly and kind, you may even be able to score some free upgrades! However, this usually needs to be done within an hour of your departure so if you are early, don’t bother the agents until your flight shows up on the gate

Use the restroom

Especially if you just came off of a long flight, you may want to use the restroom.  Thankfully airports tend to have several of them and they are well marked. Even when I have seen restrooms completely full, you usually don’t have to venture that far to find the next one. I avoid using the airplane lavatory whenever possible so this is a high priority when entering the terminal.

Fill up your water bottle

Now that you have used the restroom, you should fill up your water bottle(s). Most airports have drinking fountains and bottle filling stations near the restrooms and it is completely free.  This is in stark contrast to the bottled water that is sold in the airport shops and restaurants which on the low end may cost you $2. If you can’t find a working drinking fountain, you can also go to the restaurants or bars and ask them to fill up your bottle for you. A few may so no but I have found that just as many are willing.

Set up camp

Now that you know where you need to go and you have balanced your liquid levels, it is time for you to find your spot. I always look for spots that have comfortable chairs rather than the typical airport benches. I also look for walls and rooms with outlets to charge electronic devices.  Lastly, I try to find a spot that isn’t as crowded. Sometimes this is hard to do in a busy airport but every airport has areas that are less trafficked.  

Find a lounge

The pinnacle of all places to set up camp is the lounges. Almost every airport has at least one lounge and they have all of the three above criteria as well as their own wifi networks. But the best part of it all, most lounges also have free food and drinks! You can find online exactly where all of the lounges are in your airport.  The best way to get access to the lounges is to get a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express Platinum.  These cards have fees but they can more than pay for themselves. If you don’t have official access, you can always ask. The desk agent will usually turn you away, but you could also ask another traveler. Most travelers with a lounge pass can bring in 2 guests for free so if you’re upfront and friendly, they may just let you in.

Try to sleep

Once you have found your spot to settle in, why not catch up on some rest?  One of the hardest things to do while traveling, especially flying, is to get good sleep. Unlike the airplane, you now have a chance to lay down, albeit on a hard floor or bench. If you did not bring any sleeping aids with you, most large international flights supply sleeping masks that you can take with you. If you came prepared, you can take out your sleeping mask and ear plugs to help you catch those z’s. Make sure you either have someone in your group who will not be sleeping or you have an alarm set. You don’t want to be missing your flight!

Access free wifi

More and more airports are giving free wifi access in almost all terminals and common areas. Even if there is no free wifi, many shops are willing to give you their wifi password, especially if you purchased something from them. Now you have access to the internet at large.  Sometimes the connection isn’t good enough for streaming videos or playing games, but general browsing is always an option.  Bonus Tip: Download shows and movies onto your laptop or mobile device before the trip so that you can watch them regardless of internet speed.

Work or play

Even if you can’t score internet, there are a host of things you can do depending on how you packed.  I usually have my laptop with me so even if I can’t get on the internet, all I need is an outlet and I can do some writing. You can also bring a book or download books to your mobile device so that you can finally catch up on some reading. Another thing I like to bring on my travels is a plastic deck of cards. I choose plastic because they are more durable and I don’t have to worry about them getting wet.  Our crew loves to play card games while we sit around and chat. It’s probably my favorite way to pass the time in an airport.

Buy duty free

I don’t usually advocate for spending money on this blog. After all, every dollar spent frivolously could go towards your travel adventures.  However, most travelers want to get gifts for family and friends and so if you are looking for ideas, the duty free section of international airports is where to go.  This is where they sell things like alcohol, chocolates, cigarettes, and more which are all exempt from certain local or national taxes making them cheaper for you to buy than in a normal store.

Bottom Line

No matter where you go, airport experiences are usually a low point for travelers.  However, it does not have to be that way.  With a little planning, airports can be an enjoyable part of the journey in their own right.  You just need to have some forethought and a good attitude and you will be able to enjoy your entire trip from start to finish. Get out there and explore!

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How to Fly for Free: The Best Travel Credit Cards

The two main barriers to entry when dreaming of a life of travel are getting the time from work and paying for everything that travel entails. The largest single expense for almost any travel plan is the flights.  However there are ways you can get cheaper flights or even get flights for absolutely free! The way to do this is through the rewards of a travel credit card. When used correctly, these cards will give you rewards over time that you can then put towards your flights and other travel expenses. With the right plan, you could be on your way to booking your first free flight.

Disclaimer

Now that I have given you the promise of free flights, there are a few things that you have to understand upfront to properly take advantage of these opportunities. First and foremost is that these are credit cards. They can be powerful tools when used correctly and when used incorrectly, they can be even more powerful sources of debt. You should never spend more money than you have, regardless of how much the card will let you spend. You should also never carry a balance.  Pay off your card in full every month so that you do not have to worry about paying interest. Credit cards have some of the highest interest rates out there and they are an easy way to get into debt quickly.  Lastly, the cards that I discuss here require good credit.  It is recommended that you have a credit score of at least 690 before applying for these cards.  However, if you can manage your credit cards well and have built up your credit score sufficiently, these cards can end up earning you hundreds or even thousands of dollars towards your travels.

What I look for in a travel credit card

No foreign transaction fees - There are a few things that I look for to make sure the benefits of a travel credit card are worth my consideration. First, is that the card has no foreign transaction fees.  Most credit cards will charge you a fee around 3% for any purchases you make out of the country. However most travel credit cards will have no such fee and so you can use your card abroad just as you would use it at home. This is also a great way to keep from carrying too much cash when traveling.  

Points Perks - The next thing I look for is a card that gives me at least 2 points per dollar on travel expenses. If I am using this card for travel, I want to get something back for those purchases. 

Introductory Offer - After the points, I look for a good introductory offer. These can change frequently so be on the lookout for good deals. When the Chase Sapphire Reserve card first came out, they were giving 100,000 bonus points to anyone who met the 90 day spending requirement. Couple that with the fact that it gives 1.5x points when booking travel through Chase, and that was a $1,500 bonus value!

Lesser known perks - Finally, I check the lesser known perks of the card. For instance, many travel credit cards offer primary rental insurance. You should always check exact coverage but this allowed me to have peace of mind while driving through South Africa without having to pay the rental company anything for insurance. There are also other perks like lounge access which need to be considered when looking at a card with a high annual fee.

The best introductory travel credit cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred - This card has had a long standing of one of the most solid all around travel credit cards out there. It has no foreign transaction fees, earns 2 points for every dollar spent towards travel and dining, you can redeem points for 1.25x when booking travel through Chase, and you can earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months (that’s $1,000 bonus when booking through Chase).  There is an annual fee of $95, however the bonus and perks more than pay for it. There may also be times when Chase is willing to waive the fee when you sign up, so keep alert. My formula is to keep these cards for as long as the perks outweigh the annual fee. If the scales are tipped, you can usually downgrade to a no fee card. With this tactic, you do not have to close your account, which can hurt your credit score, but you get rid of the fee.

Barclay Arrival Plus - A solid card abroad or at home. No foreign transaction fees, 2 points for every dollar spent on anything at all, earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in the first 90 days, and no annual fee for the first 12 months make this card a slam dunk. The annual fee is $89 dollars after the first year so be sure to check whether it is worth your investment or you downgrade before the first year is up.

Capital One Venture - Very similar to the Barclay card, this one is solid.  No foreign transaction fees, 2 points for every dollar spent on anything at all, earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, and up to $100 credit toward your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application. If you are not already part of one of these programs, it is a must as a traveler. There is a $95 annual fee but it is well worth it for at least the first year. Again though, you can downgrade to a no fee card later if it no longer makes sense for you.

The best credit cards for travel pros

Chase Sapphire Reserve - This card made huge waves when it was introduced in 2016 and it was quickly sought after by travel pros. They have since reduced the massive introductory bonus, but it is still a very impressive card.  Though it comes with a heavy price tag with a $550 annual fee, you can quickly see how this card can still more than pay for itself.  There are no foreign transaction fees, you earn 3 points for every dollar spent on travel and dining, you can redeem points for 1.5x when booking travel through Chase, and you can earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months (that’s $750 bonus when booking through Chase).  In addition to this, you get a $300 annual travel credit, up to $100 credit toward your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application, and airport lounge access through enrollment in Priority Pass Select. Considering your $300 in travel credit, that immediately takes the annual fee down to $250. Add in the Global entry fee, 3 points per dollar, and introductory bonus, and you can understand why people “pay” to have such a high-end card. However, these cards also require a higher end credit rating so it is recommended you have at least a 720 before you apply.

American Express Platinum - The updated features of the Platinum card is the American Express response to the Chase Sapphire Reserve. There are no foreign transaction fees, you earn 5 points for every dollar spent on flights and hotels, and you can earn 50,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months(up to $1,200 in value). Additionally, you get a $200 annual credit for airline fees, a $200 Uber credit, up to $100 towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application, up to $100 Saks credit, complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs, and complimentary membership in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred, and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive. Most impressive of all, you get access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection which includes Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, Airspace and Escapes Lounges, and Delta Sky Clubs on same-day Delta flights. This card also has a $550 annual fee, but should be worth the cost if you take advantage of all the perks. This card differs from the Chase Sapphire Reserve in a few key ways. The Sapphire Reserve only gives 3 points per dollar spent, but that is on any restaurant or travel related expense.  The Platinum gives 5 points per dollar spent, but that is strictly for airline expenses and hotels. The Platinum clearly gives more total perks, but they are in such diverse categories that you may not have use for them. Either way, these are highly sought after cards because even if you don’t use all of the perks, they are still often worth the price.

Bottom Line

Credit cards are not to be handled lightly, but they can be powerful tools to help you achieve your travel goals. They can get you Global Entry, gain you access to the lounges, and give you access to several rewards programs. If you start spending on your travel card, you will build up a nest egg of points and before you know it, you will be on your first free flight. Get out there and explore!

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How to Get Through Airports Faster

Often backpackers can be misconstrued as cheap. While it may seem that way at times, there is a difference between cheap and frugal. While someone who is cheap will never shell out money for something that they see as unnecessary, a frugal person understands that there are times when spending a little more money goes a long way. We believe this is absolutely the case when it comes to Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. In the constant battle of Time vs. Money, this is a clear case of how spending a little money now will save you a lot of time in the future.

What are TSA PreCheck and Global Entry?

TSA PreCheck is a government program that expedites you through the security lines at hundreds of airports within the US. Have you ever been waiting in the security lines at the airport and seen other people going through a much shorter line? Those people have TSA PreCheck. You must apply online for pre-approval. Once you are given pre-approval you must get scheduled for a 10-minute interview and background check at which you will also be fingerprinted. You will also need your passport or both your driver’s license and birth certificate to complete this. It currently costs $85 to apply and if you are approved, you are enrolled for 5 years.

Global Entry is the big brother of TSA Precheck. You go through the same application process and get all of the same benefits, however you ALSO get an expedited customs experience when returning to the U.S. from abroad. You also receive a Known Traveler Number and an official card. Global entry currently costs $100 to apply and also has an enrollment period of 5 years. A cost of only $20 a year!

Perks of these programs

Ease of use - The most obvious benefit of these programs is being able to go through security more quickly and easily at US airports. Not only do you get to enter a shorter line to begin with, but then you do not have to remove your shoes, take electronics out of your bags, or go through the millimeter scanners (usually).

Time Savings - Since I have gotten Global Entry, it takes me an average of 15 minutes from entering the airport to get to my gate. I used to spend double that just WAITING in the security line. Amazingly, that still pales in comparison to the difference in going through customs. My first time coming home through JFK from a trip abroad, I spent about 2 and a half hours in the customs line and then about 10 minutes with the agent.  My first time coming into JFK after having Global Entry, I spent 5 minutes at the Global Entry kiosk, 5 minutes in line (there were only 4 people ahead of me), and maybe 2 minutes with the agent. A savings of almost 2 and a half hours! Needless to say, this time savings was worth its weight in gold after 26 straight hours of travel.

Adaptive Logistics  - As any traveler, I have had several close calls trying to make flights. Cancellations and delays are just part of the game when you travel. While Global Entry and TSA PreCheck is only for US airports (and a handful outside of the US), I have already had 2 instances where this made the difference between me making my flight and missing it. This gives you that much better of a chance of keeping to your original itinerary. You could also say it gave me multiple hours of time savings in each instance

Which one should you get?

Considering that the application process is practically identical for these 2 programs and there is only a $15 cost difference, there is almost no reason not to get Global Entry. The only reason to go for TSA PreCheck is if you absolutely know you will not be leaving the US in the next 5 years but if you are a fan of this blog, that probably isn’t the case!

Enroll for free through a travel credit card!

Travel credit cards have been our life’s blood since we have started exploring and several travel credit cards offer reimbursement for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee! Research which card is right for you or if you already have one that has this perk. These programs are already a great value for the price, but what better deal is there than free?

Bottom Line

There is nothing more valuable in life than your time and every person gets only 24 hours per day. Investing a little money and effort now could save you days worth of standing in airport lines when you could be doing so many other things. With the time saved and the extra peace of mind Global Entry and TSA PreCheck bring, there’s no way not to make it part of your travel arsenal. Get out there and explore!

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How to Pack for World Travel

The idea of exploring the world with nothing but your determination and a backpack is one that excites many people. However, when it comes right down to it, several are ill equipped to even deal with a little rain or navigating their way in the dark. Yet, with the right equipment and some preparation, you will be ready for anything the world has to throw at you. Below are a few considerations to make when deciding how to outfit yourself for your travels around the globe.

What are your Priorities?

The very first thing you need to consider when packing is what type of trip this is going to be. If you are going on a beach vacation where it is warm and sunny, you probably don’t need boots or a heavy jacket. Conversely if you are exploring Iceland in the winter, you can probably forgo the shorts and flip flops.  A budget traveler should make a pack geared toward easy mobility, low costs, and is adventure oriented.  The way I like to think about it is that if you are prepared for a multi-day hiking/camping trip, you’re probably prepared for anything. However, there are a few things to keep in mind no matter what adventure you choose. We will go over these considerations first, then will dive into the ones that are more adventure oriented.

Key things to Consider

Have all of your documentation - Perhaps the most obvious category for what you need to pack is your documentation. The most important is your passport because you aren’t going to be entering another country without it. If you are planning to drive, you will need to bring your license as well. You should also have printed copies of important documentation such as airplane tickets, booking confirmations for your lodgings, important addresses, and so on. This is an easy way to ensure you will always have what you need even if your phone dies. Having a pen and paper is useful as well to write down things on the go. 

Keep your electronics working - The last thing you want is for your phone to be dead when you have important information on there that you now cannot access. Having paper backups are good, but you also need to prepare to power any of the electronics that you are taking with you. The first thing you will need here is a universal adapter. Other countries have different wall outlets than we do in the U.S. and several even supply a different voltage. For this you need to get a universal outlet adapter. This will let you plug into any outlet commonly used around the world and even has a setting to change between 120V and 230V (the 2 standards most countries use).  The second item you should have on you is a power bank. These come in different shapes, sizes, and prices but a good rule of thumb is to get something that will give your phone at least one full charge from empty. This will help you get through the times when your phone is almost dead and you are in an area where there is nowhere to plug in.

Have some basic medications handy - One often overlooked category for young travelers is medication. If you take any medication regularly, be sure that you have enough for your entire trip. You can talk to your doctor beforehand so that you can get a prescription for any extra you may need. However, even those who take nothing should be packing at least 2 essentials: ibuprofen and antacid tablets. Advil and other ibuprofen are anti-inflammatory meaning they help reduce swelling and pain. These are perfect for headaches and other muscle aches experienced during travel. Antacid tablets such as Tums or Pepto Bismol are crucial to keep your stomach happy. Whether it is turbulence on an airplane, nausea from altitude sickness, or some street food that surprises your system, you will be glad to have this on you. I have had Tums take things from unbearable to calm a few times in my travels and I never leave without them. Make sure you get tablets and not the liquid form so you don’t have to worry about spills.

Considerations for Adventure Travelers

Stay dry and warm - If you are doing a lot of hiking or outdoor adventures, this is your number one priority. Getting soaking wet while traveling isn’t fun. Additionally, hypothermia is a real danger and can set in earlier than you think.  Make sure you have a truly waterproof rain jacket and waterproof pants and boots. If you are camping, get a small but sturdy ten and waterproof it before leaving. Test all of your equipment.

A good pair of boots - No matter where you go, having a quality pair of boots will be one of your greatest investments. Whether going through mud or over rocky terrain, whether in the heat of the tropics or the cold of the tundra, your boots will take you there. Be sure to find a comfortable pair that are warm, waterproof, and be sure to break them in before your trip. You don’t want blisters on your feet.

Carrying Water - Water is heavy. As such, you don’t want to carry too much of it at any time. My maximum is 64oz (1.9L). I never need to carry more because there are always places to refill your water bottles. However, due to the questionable water purification in some areas of the world, I recommend having at least 2 methods of water treatment with you.  I carry AquaTabs and a charcoal filter straw. This is much more efficient than trying to carry large amounts of water.

Dress in layers - Heat gets captured more efficiently when dressing in layers. Star with a moisture wicking base layer and then add on from there. Your outer layers should be a heavier fleece or coat and then a rain jacket. The rain jacket can also be used as an effective wind breaker. As the day warms up or as you travel to warmer areas, you can remove layers to stay cool.

Less is more - Whether it is clothing or tools, opt for high quality items for your pack. Antimicrobial fabrics allow for longer wearing periods for your clothing and everywhere we have traveled, we have been able to do some laundry. Pack fewer clothes and just wear them more often. The exception to this is to have plenty of socks and underwear.  You should also be sure to have multi-use items like a bandana and high quality tools like a bright, long lasting headlamp. This will give you peace of mind and help you save space.  Lastly, a big, heavy pack is a no good pack. Keeping things smaller and lighter will allow you to carry all day long without hassle and will make it possible for you to fly without checking a bag!

Bottom Line

With these things in mind, you can start packing for whatever adventure awaits you knowing that you will be fully prepared and equipped. Remembering a few key things can help you avoid hours of aggravation or discomfort and will allow you to spend that time making the memories that will last you a lifetime. Get out there and explore!

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Get the Charles Schwab Debit Card

In 2016, the gang embarked on one of our most ambitious trips to date. We traveled to Southeast Asia and hit highlights in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia all within 3 weeks. Unfortunately, though we were in one of the cheapest regions in the world, our budget was hit by one cost that we greatly underestimated: CURRENCY EXCHANGE.  In an area that is still dominated by paper money and very few credit card machines, we scrambled to change our US dollars to Filipino pesos, Malaysian ringgit, Thai baht, and Cambodian riel. This quickly racked up hundreds of dollars spent just to exchange our money not to mention the amount of time we spent doing this while already on a tight schedule. Little did we know at the time that this entire situation could have been avoided if we had done some smart planning ahead of time. We should have gotten the Charles Schwab Debit Card.

What is the Charles Schwab Debit Card and why do you want it?

Charles Schwab offers a checking account and debit card for FREE. They call this the Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking account. There are no minimum balances or account fees. The most important features of this checking account are  zero foreign transaction fees for debit card purchases or ATM withdrawals and Schwab REIMBURSES you for all ATM fees incurred WORLDWIDE.

How does it work?

To open the checking account, you also need to open a brokerage account with them. Don’t worry, the brokerage account is also free and has no fees or minimum balance requirement (mine has always had a balance of zero while I use the checking account to save hundreds of dollars on ATMs and exchange fees). This checking account is online-only so you will need to fund it with money from another account that you own. Once you open the account, you will receive your debit card which you can then use to unlock this amazing superpower. You need to have enough money in your account to cover the ATM fees initially, but at the end of every month, all ATM fees incurred will be refunded to your account. Any money that you withdraw internationally will be at the actual market rate for that day so you get your full money’s worth! It is also important to note that they reimburse ALL ATM fees, not just abroad, so it can save you money at home even if you don’t have any upcoming travel plans (but you should!)

Important Tip: It does take some time for your funds to become available in the Charles Schwab checking account after you initiate a transfer. The bank states that it takes 4 business days from the date they RECEIVE the funds for them to become available to you, so plan accordingly and make your transfers ahead of time before you are in another country and in need of cash!

What is the catch?

There is no catch. The one possible downside is that Charles Schwab may run a credit check in order for you to get approved for the checking account. But with no account fees and all the money you will be saving abroad, it is well worth it!

Peace of Mind

Besides the obvious benefit of saving you money, doing your foreign transactions this way also makes your finances much more secure. In the Southeast Asia trip, I was carrying over $1,000 in cash in my backpack (I wasn’t the smartest traveler starting out). We, fortunately, were never bothered, but we were obviously tourists and if someone had taken my backpack, that money would just be gone; never to be recovered. Now I travel with $100 in my wallet and my Charles Schwab debit card. I still hope to never experience getting mugged, but I do rest easier knowing that if anything happened I could call Charles Schwab and cancel my card.

Bottom Line

I have now had the Charles Schwab debit card for over 3 years and I have used it everywhere from the plains of Africa to the Amazon jungle and it has always worked. I could no longer imagine traveling without it. I feel more secure not carrying cash around, I have saved hundreds of dollars in exchange fees, and I have saved a bunch of time never having to find currency exchanges or trying to haggle with them. I just go straight to the ATM and get out my own money for free.  Combine that with the fact that this is a no-fee account, and it makes the Charles Schwab debit card one of the best deals out there for travelers. Get out there and explore!

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Blue Lagoon vs Myvatn Nature Baths - Where Should You Spend Your Time & Money in Iceland?

Blue Lagoon is undoubtedly the most famous spot in all of Iceland, however in our research we found that northern Iceland is home to Myvatn Nature Baths, which many reviews claim is the Blue Lagoon of the north. Naturally, we just had to try them both to determine which is better and if either are truly worth their high price tag.

Our reviews of each will cover five main points: Price, Experience, Crowds, Dining, and Add Ons. We will both rate each of those points on a scale of one to ten for both Myvatn and Blue Lagoon. At the end we will add up the point totals and the location with more points will be our pick for the best hot spring spa in Iceland.

Let’s get started with Price:

At the time we went, the price for Blue Lagoon was about $85 each and the price for Myvatn was $45. It is worth noting that Blue Lagoon does include one drink and a mud mask in the admission price, while Myvatn‘s price only includes admission.

Food pricing, as with most places in Iceland, is pricey. However, Myvatn does edge out Blue Lagoon in this regard with slightly lower prices.

Jason’s Price Ratings:

Blue Lagoon: 4/10

Blue Lagoon is definitely over priced for what you are getting, however this is offset to a degree by that fact that it is an icon for the country and rightfully remains a must do for visitors and locals alike.

Myvatn: 6/10

Myvatn, while not including as much with your admission price, is nearly half the price of Blue Lagoon. This helps make it a much more budget friendly option, especially for those planning on traveling to the north anyway.

Victoria’s Price Ratings:

Blue Lagoon: 6/10

With Blue Lagoon you are definitely paying for the experience of being able to say you have been there, but the included drink and mud mask are definitely a nice plus to help offset the high price.

Myvatn: 8/10

While Myvatn isn’t as well known, it gives a similar experience to Blue Lagoon and at half the price, you can still spend money on food and drinks while staying under budget.

Next up we will take a look at the experience:

Blue Lagoon offers a much more upscale experience. Everything you do while at the spa is connected to the wristband you are given upon check in. This band will get you into your locker, as well as allowing you to pay for drinks and food. Everything is very modern and in impeccable condition.

The experience at Myvatn is not nearly as upscale as Blue Lagoon, but it did feel more personal. At Blue Lagoon, there is a swim up bar, where as at Myvatn, there are servers that will bring drinks to you wherever you are in the springs. While not as fancy as its southern counterpart, the facilities at the nature baths are still very nice despite not looking as new or modern.

Jason’s Experience Ratings:

Blue Lagoon: 8/10

Walking into Blue Lagoon definitely makes you feel like a million bucks. The upscale experience throughout is truly relaxing and an all around good time. Crowds later in the day can detract a bit from the experience though.

Myvatn: 9/10

The personalized experience at Myvatn is amazing. Really shows off the great hospitality Iceland is know for. Additionally the springs don’t feel as man-made, and that combined with the amazing mountain views results in an experience that feels very close to nature.

Victoria’s Experience Ratings:

Blue Lagoon: 7/10

Blue Lagoon is just as beautiful as you see in the pictures, but only at the beginning of the day before the crowds get overwhelming.

Myvatn: 8/10

The big plus for Myvatn is location. The beautiful views of the mountains and gorgeous sunsets, if you are there later in the day, are amazing and only add to the incredible experience.

Closely related to the experience is the crowds:

With more popularity comes more crowds, and that definitely holds true at Blue Lagoon. As the more popular of the two springs it definitely is more crowded. As the day progresses it seems to get increasingly more crowded. Comparatively, Myvatn stays less crowded overall and the crowds seem to stay at a consistent level throughout the day.

Jason’s Crowds Ratings:

Blue Lagoon: 5/10

After the first hour of the day, it really starts filling up. It’s not Disney World level crowds, but it is substantial and does detract from the experience a bit.

Myvatn: 8/10

Crowd levels at Myvatn are much more reasonable. One great thing they do to keep the crowd levels low and the experience enjoyable for everyone, is close off admission when tour groups come in. This can be a minor inconvenience if you happen to show up during this time, but luckily there is so much to do in this area that it’s quite easy to pass the time until you can come back to enjoy the nature baths.

Victoria’s Crowds Ratings:

Blue Lagoon: 6/10

Seeing the lagoon first thing in the morning is everything you expect going into it. It is breathtaking, but after a few hours it starts getting crowded and all you see are people everywhere.

Myvatn: 9/10

The consistency of the number of people at the nature baths is really what makes it stand out from Blue Lagoon. It never gets so crowded that it takes away from the experience.

Next up let’s take a look at the food and beverage offerings:

A quick note before we get into it: Blue Lagoon offers both table service restaurants as well as a spot for quicker bites to eat. We were not able to check out their table service restaurants during our visit, as it was out of our budget ($67-77 per person for lunch, $103 per person for dinner at one and $110 per person at the other), so our review will only be covering their quick service food and beverages.

The food offerings at the cafe at Blue Lagoon included small sandwiches, wraps, and smoothies. We had the sandwiches and they were tasty, but they didn’t have much meat or other toppings on them, resulting in it being mostly bread. The wraps appeared to be a bit bigger though so we would probably recommend that. On the beverage side of things, in addition to the usual sodas and waters, they had one beer on tap (Gull Lager which is just like any other normal mass produced lager), one hard cider, a white wine, and a red wine.

At Myvatn, the food selection was much larger, offering salads, cakes, soups, salmon, and other bakery items in addition to the same offerings as Blue Lagoon. Also portion sizes appeared to be bigger here. For beverages, they had a truly fantastic selection of craft beers (all Icelandic craft beers, even a limited release beer from Einstok that we had been trying to track down for quite some time. Three of the beers were on tap, the rest were in bottles), as well as a couple of wine options and the usual sodas and waters.

Jason’s Dining Ratings:

Blue Lagoon: 5/10

The food options didn’t really impress me too much here, nor did the beverage selection, but it’s also worth noting that nothing we had was bad. Everything tasted great, but it just didn’t really fill you up for the price you paid.

Myvatn: 7/10

The beverage options are what really impressed me at Myvatn. I love craft beer and to have the great variety they had there was fantastic. Sipping on my favorite Einstok beer (Icelandic Toasted Porter) while watching the sunset behind the mountains with my fiancee will always be one of my favorite memories from this trip.

Victoria’s Dining Ratings:

Blue Lagoon: 5/10

Basically just ditto to what Jason said. I was really disappointed in how hungry I still was after eating considering how much lunch had cost.

Myvatn: 7/10

I was really impressed with how diverse the food selection was. There was something there that would to appeal to everyone. Additionally, they have the best Icelandic craft beer, Einstok (not a biased opinion).

Finally we are going to take a look at add-ons:

Blue Lagoon offers a number of add-ons including, spa treatments, massages, the Retreat (an experience that has private changing rooms and exclusive access to the Retreat spa and lagoon), and the table service restaurants we mentioned earlier. Additionally, Blue Lagoon offers accommodation options at their Retreat and Silica Hotels ($1286 and $559 per night respectively).

Myvatn doesn’t really have any add ons as its focus is more on the hot spring and steam rooms.

Jason’s Add-Ons Reviews:

Blue Lagoon: 6/10

While there are a lot of available add-ons to create a one of a kind experience at Blue Lagoon, the pricing kept all of these experience out of our budget and thus likely not affordable for the average traveler on a budget.

Myvatn: 1/10

Victoria’s Add-Ons Reviews:

Blue Lagoon: 9/10

The add-ons Blue Lagoon offers really can make a unique and worthwhile experience for those who have the budget for it. Especially since most of the add-ons revolve around solving the main problem the lagoon has which is the crowds.

Myvatn: 1/10

Our final totals:

Blue Lagoon: 61 points

Myvatn: 64 points

After putting those reviews to the test, we came to largely the same conclusion as the reviews. Myvatn Nature Baths is the Blue Lagoon of the north. Furthermore, it was the experience we liked better out of the two. That’s not to say that we didn’t enjoy our time at Blue Lagoon. Blue Lagoon was a fantastic and memorable experience as well, but for us, Myvatn just had that x factor.

As with most decisions of where to visit in your travels, there’s no right or wrong answer. The answer of what you will enjoy most comes down to what your personal preferences are. If you are big into doing the touristy stuff or you are all about the fancier things in life, Blue Lagoon is definitely the better choice for you. But if you are more like us and prefer visiting sites that are more off the beaten path and secluded, or you are on a budget, but still don’t want to miss out on the experience entirely (and especially if you are a craft beer fan), Myvatn Nature Baths is definitely as good of a choice, if not a better choice, than Blue Lagoon.

Happy Travels Everyone!

-Jason