Tips
Tips coverage
How I Learned to Pack for Three Weeks in a Backpack After a Decade of Overpacking
After years of hauling overweight suitcases through cobblestone streets and paying exorbitant baggage fees, I finally cracked the code on minimalist packing that actually works for long trips.
I Traveled Through Southeast Asia for Six Weeks on $32 a Day and Here Is What Actually Happened
A six-week backpacking trip through Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia on a shoestring budget taught me that cheap travel is less about suffering and more about knowing exactly where your money goes.
The Night I Was Mugged in Lisbon Changed How I Think About Travel Safety Forever
After a terrifying mugging in the Alfama district, I rebuilt my entire approach to personal safety on the road, and the strategies I developed have kept me incident-free across eighteen countries since.
The Stomach Bug That Ruined My Bali Trip and the Medical Kit I Built So It Would Never Happen Again
After spending four days curled around a toilet in Ubud, I rebuilt my travel health kit from scratch and learned more about gastrointestinal medicine than any gastroenterologist would probably want to teach me.
Why I Stopped Carrying a DSLR on Trips and Started Taking Photos That Actually Mean Something
After years of lugging heavy camera gear across continents and coming home with thousands of forgettable shots, I ditched the DSLR, relearned how to see, and started taking travel photos worth looking at twice.
Navigating Celiac Disease in Oaxaca Taught Me More About Travel and Food Than Any Guidebook Ever Could
As a traveler with celiac disease, eating abroad is a minefield. In Mexico, I stumbled into an education about how food cultures handle dietary restrictions—and where they fall dangerously short.
Renting a Car in Ireland Without Losing Your Mind or Your Deposit
Ireland's narrow country roads, manual transmission defaults, and aggressive insurance add-ons nearly made me cancel my rental. Here's how I navigated the chaos and kept my driving record intact.
The 14-Euro Hostel in Prague That Was Better Than the 180-Euro Hotel I Booked Next Door
A booking mix-up in Prague led to one of the best travel accommodations I have ever experienced, and it completely rewired how I think about where to stay when I travel.
The Japanese Phrase Book That Failed Me and the Language App Routine That Actually Worked
After a humbling two weeks in Japan where my phrase book was useless and Google Translate got me in trouble twice, I built a language prep system that changed how I communicate abroad.
The Visa Nightmare in Ho Chi Minh City That Taught Me Everything About Travel Documentation
After being denied boarding at LAX for a missing visa stamp, I spent two years perfecting a documentation system that ensures nothing falls through the cracks again.