The Travel Tag! (30 Questions)

1. Where are you from in the world?
I was Born in New Jersey, USA, but I spent my childhood in Holland. We moved back to the states when I was still young, but we still moved around a bit. I guess I consider my "Hometown" Mt. Airy, MD since that's where I spent my high school years!

2. Have you been overseas? When/Where?

I have! I actually have been to over 20 countries in the last 4 years, but when I was little we traveled to even more places! Some of my favorites are:  Spain, Ireland, Germany, Holland, South Africa, Thailand and Singapore!

                                       

Blankenburg, Germany

3. Do you prefer summer or winter? Why?
I guess Summer, but Christmas trumps all! Especially in Paris! I love Christmastime in Paris - oh and Barcelona too!

4. Summer or winter fashion?
Winter - I'm all about the boots.

5. Where is somewhere you would love to travel to?

I'd love to go to Iceland, Japan and so many more places

6. Name your essential makeup items for the beach
Sunscreen!

7. Are you currently saving up for a trip?
We are getting ready to book our honeymoon to Portugal this fall!

8. Do you like/dislike travelling?
Absolutely LOVE it!

9. Name a place in the world you would love to shop.
I'm honestly not a big shopper.

10. Who is your favourite beauty guru and where do they live?

Zoella - Brighton, UK

Ingrid Nilsen - California, USA

11. What accent in the world is your favourite to hear?

Australian

12. How many countries have you visited?
More than 20

13. Why do you travel
I've always traveled and it's just a part of me!

14. Favourite city or country?
Barcelona!

15. Most memorable experience abroad?
Probably swimming with elephants in Thailand or bungee jumping in South Africa

16. Best item purchased abroad?
I got some awesome soccer shoes in Barca.

17. Advice for those who want to travel but think they can't?
Just start saving! I promise you can do it :) 

18. Travel accessory you always pack?
Adaptors and converters
19. Can you recite your passport # from memory?
No... probably should though

20. Preferred method of travel: planes, trains or automobiles
Probably airplane because it's fastest, but I love trains too.

21. Top 3 Travel items?
Converter, Good walking shoes and a camera

22. Hostel or hotel?
I love hostels!

23. Are you a repeat visitor or do you explore new places?
I would absolutely be happy to revisit places, but I want to explore new places as much as possible!

24. Do you read up on your destination for culture, history or safety or do you wing it?
I absolutely do! Did you know you can be caned for spitting gum on the streets of Singapore?? Research people!

                                 

                                                                      Singapore

25. Favourite travel websites?
Lonely Planet, Hostelworld.com

26. Where would you recommend a friend to visit? City and why?
Barcelona! Soccer, food, beautiful architecture! LOVE IT

27. You're leaving tomorrow, money is no option, where are you going?
Probably Australia and New Zealand.

28. Favourite landmark you have visited?
Leaning Tower of Pisa, Eiffel tower or Notre Dam.

                        

29. Beach holiday or travel/explore holiday?
Travel and explore! But I do enjoy a good beach day

30. To travel is to...

adventure

I own a travel company called MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com and would love to help you coordinate your next adventure!

Here's where I got the questions! http://www.fashionarttravel.com/2014/09/the-travel-tag-30-questions.html

How To Pack Carry-On Only

With airlines charging more and more for checked-baggage, many travelers, myself included, have opted to just pack in carry-on luggage whenever possible. I've had years of practice and have legitimately packed for a month-long trip doing carry-on only. Here are my top tips for avoiding those baggage fees and packing light!

1) Try to minimize the number of shoes you bring. I know it's tempting to bring a different shoe for every outfit, but instead try to pick just a few shoes that are more versatile. My go-to shoe packing tends to be one pair of running shoes, my Sperrys and a pair of flip flops that can get wet - for the shower, pool, walking in the rain. etc I also shy away from boots or other bulky shoes as they take up quite a bit of space in your luggage. If you do need to bring a pair of boots, I recommend wearing them on the plane. They may be a bit of a hassle going through security, but they will save you weight and space in your luggage.

2) Wear bulkier layers on the plane. Planes tend to be cold anyway, so if you are bringing a big sweater and a puffy jacket, wear them! Packing them will take up valuable space. Not to mention, they'll keep you nice and warm during the flight and can even double as a pillow. You can always take them off and stuff them in the overhead bins if you get hot.

3) Bring re-wearable items go together. I highly recommend packing a pair of durable jeans and a favorite hoodie or sweater. These items can be worn multiple times and re-worn with different outfits. By color-coordinating majority of your clothing items, you'll be able to mix and match and save yourself quite a bit of space as a result! Same goes with accessories - I recommend picking jewelry that goes well together and that you don't mind wearing multiple times.

4) Bring "small" items of clothing. By bringing items such as dresses (which are an outfit all by themselves), leggings and t-shirts, you'll save room! If you bring several pairs of pants and a sweater for each day, you'll run out of space quite quickly.

5) Pack travel-size toiletries. You'll be limited on space an
d will have to keep your liquids to a minimum. I recommend little things like using a powder foundation and bringing a shampoo bar, because those things will add up and save you quite a bit of space!

It may not be the most luxurious way to travel, but I personally prefer packing light. I like knowing that my luggage is going to make it to my destination and that I won't have to wait at baggage claim. It also makes me really think through my packing. I tend to forget less things and have more coordinated outfits than when I just throw things into a bag.

Here I am on my backpacking trip through Holland and Germany. It was amazing to be able to just pick up my things and move on to the next town so easily. All in all, I highly recommend packing light!

If you're up for some adventure  I'd love to help you plan - MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com

Women's World Cup 2015

It is finally time! The Women's World Cup is here! Canada, Netherlands, Norway and Germany have started out with a win and USA plays Australia tonight.

I'm definitely rooting for the USA, but I also have high hopes for the Netherlands. I think Germany will be a really strong contender (obviously - they're ranked #1 so they should be good!) as well.

I'm a little surprised by Canada's performance. I thought they would have come out a little stronger against China considering they have home field advantage and they are ranked 8 places higher. They got a Penalty Kick in stoppage time and didn't waste it. I always root for the home team, so I'm glad they managed to start the tournament off well. It's possible that as the tournament progresses they will get more confident and be able to make something of their opportunities.

Netherlands didn't come out as strong as I had hoped. I thought they were going to blow New Zealand out of the water and they only managed to put away one goal! Similarly to Canada, I think they were just getting their feet under them. It's a new atmosphere and there is a ton of pressure on the players. Keep in mind, I grew up in Holland so I have a bit of a soft spot for the dutch - but I really do think they'll do well!

As for Norway and Germany, no surprises there. They annihilated Thailand and the Ivory coast, respectively. Germany perhaps put away more goals than is typically tasteful (there's sort of an unspoken rule that good sportsmanship dictates you stop at 9 goals), but it is the world cup and goal differential could conceivably be a factor in their tournament progression. It would be strategically advantageous to wrack up those points while they can.

I went on News Radio 680 WPTF today to talk about my thoughts on the Women's World Cup so far.

I'll be on again tomorrow around mid-day to talk about the USA's performance in tonight's game.

Who do you think will win the 2015 Women's World Cup?

Malena

Hennef and London 4/27 - 4/28

Yesterday was really hectic as it was our last day in Germany. It was another tournament day but I did get to ride in a German ambulance when one of our kids got hurt (he was fine, no worries). That was an experience!
Later that night a group of us went out to eat with some of the Germans. It was really nice down by the river and the restaurant owners were so so nice.
One of the German coaches and I had to work late because after dinner we had to round up the luggage and store it. The end result was a late night for me!
Today had an early start too. I woke up around 5 and finished packing then headed off to the airport with the early group. I had some work to do regarding ticketing but in the end everyone left for home!
Now I am in London in a hostel.

 I spent the afternoon exploring the city! I may take a nap because surprise! One of the Germans decided to tag along on my London trip. We struck up a friendship over the course of the trip and he had some time off and things just kind of worked out :) his plane gets in late tonight and they had an open spot in one of the male dorms so he will just crash at the same hostel I'm at. Tomorrow we will explore!

Tournament Day 1 4/26

Today was the kids' tournament so I spent the day relaxing, enjoying the games and taking lots of pictures and videos. I got to sleep in today which was pretty fabulous I must say :) I even got a ride to the fields so I didn't have to walk. The weather was really nice too and hopefully it will hold up for tomorrow- it is supposed to rain!
After the tournament one of the German coaches helped us find a good place to eat and we had a great time just enjoying the atmosphere of an authentic German restaurant.
Tomorrow is another tournament for the other age group of boys that are traveling with us. I think I may even finagle a ride in the morning - I'm hoping my feet and legs will be rested enough that I won't have any trouble hiking all over London in a couple of days!

Malena

A Day Out In Bonn 4/26

Today we spent all day in Bonn and had a grand old time. We started out by stopping by the local soccer shop for a bit then hopped on the bus and drove to Bonn. Jonas is a local German coach and he came with us, thank goodness. He was a huge help in showing us around.
We went down to the river and did a 4 hour boat tour.
For the first two hours we ate lunch and watched the scenery. Then we went up top. The weather was beautiful! Nice and warm :) I even dozed off for a few minutes on the way home. It was very pretty and I got some nice pictures while relaxing a little bit.
Then we split up and did some shopping. I didn't buy much but I really enjoyed just exploring! I love eating local food and just observing the culture.
Dinner went about as planned but with fewer people. We had a nice German dinner and enjoyed the atmosphere!

This weekend is the tournament for the kids and then we fly out on Monday and I'm off to London!

Malena

Cologne Stadium Tour 4/25

Today was a long day, but I got see some awesome things!

I went early to training to do laundry but the German coaches were really nice. Who knew German laundry machines could be so complex!! I suppose American ones are too.... Add with a foreign language and you have my morning, ha.

I ran back to the hotel for a super fast lunch then we were off to Cologne for the stadium tour!! We had a seriously great guide. He took us around the whole stadium and in the locker rooms etc. I always enjoy stadium tours and this one was personally guided, in English no less!

After we got back I actually had time for a nap!!!! Oh it was a beautiful half hour.

Then we headed to Siegburg for dinner. It was a very authentic brewery and I bought two steins! They were so cheap and such a good memory. We came back to the hotel no hung in the lobby for a bit and now it is bedtime! I am so very excited.

Tomorrow we have a fairly early start - we are headed to Bonn.

Malena

A Beautiful View 4/22

Today we started out with a training session for the kids. I left a little early to handle something at the hotel.  We then decided to go to Aldi (who knew Germany would have the same grocery store as NC!) and  hunt for some regular water that wasnt fizzy! We managed to find some and picked up some food for lunches. I got some salami, bread and strawberries and a few fun authentic German snacks.
My favorite part of the day was by far going to see the Blankenburg Castle! It was so incredibly beautiful! Rolling hills, little towns and a train. We even explored a cute nearby town before heading back to the training grounds.

For dinner our German friends took us to this awesome spot right by the river! It was really hard to find the road and some of the driving tactics were scary! We got there fine and I had the best pork of my life! It was called something-steak but was pork with seasoned garlic butter and fries on the side.  So delicious! I even had apple streudel for dessert! Yum!
Next we went to a local bar and I had my first authentic German beer.
I'm super tired and my Bluetooth key board is on the fritz so sorry for the short post! I'll post pictures when I can.

Malena

Germany Bound! 4/20 - 4/21

I left for Germany by way of Chicago. I met up with the team I am traveling with in the airport. They seem very nice and all is well. I had an amazing plane for that leg of the trip! Pretty empty and international quality - ie free tv and charging stations!
I lucked out again seat wise to Germany! No seat buddy for an overnight flight! I stretched out! I didn't sleep all that well, but thanks to new medication I wasn't even too sick in the morning :) I managed to get through it and we had no problem meeting the host team in the airport. We made it to Hennef!
We had a bar-b-que with the host team which was lovely, then watched the kids scrimmage. I then took the supporters to check in with the hotel. Just a few minor hiccups (two beds pushed together does not really count as a double room haha) and we were good to go!
I had a meeting with the supporters then we headed out to dinner.
 We took a cab there after struggling to find the walking route, but we mastered it on the way back! It is nice that we can walk into town. Tomorrow I am going to look into buying a SIM card for my phone so I can make international calls for work when I need to.
We had dinner in a nice German restaurant and a lot of people stayed to watch a big soccer game on TV. I had some work to do and was (am) SUPER tired so me and two others headed out early. We walked home and had a grand time! We stopped in a gas station and I bought an ICECREAM KITKAT CONE! The glory.
We made a few errors, but we learned more about the city! I feel pretty confident I can find my way around at least fairly well now.
Tomorrow I think we are going to go see some cool old castles after the kids train in the morning!
What fun!

Malena

PS Tablet is being weird so pictures are coming soon!

Packing for Germany/London

Hello everyone!

I am only days away from embarking on my next adventure! I will be flying from DC to Chicago to Dusseldorf, Germany. From there we go to Hennef. I am taking a mini vacation after the work portion of the trip to head to London, England!

Right now I am in the final packing phase and I am trying to learn from my last trip. Namely, I need a new day pack. I used these bag for my trip to Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

The green bag is my main pack and I will be using that again this time, however the black bag, while super cute, was much too inconvenient. One of the straps is partially torn and it didn't have great strap support so by the end of the trip my shoulders HURT.

I was shopping around for a small day pack when I came across this beauty in the sale section!

(Sorry for the low quality selfie)

I know it is a little big for a traditional "day pack" BUT it has AMAZING support! Everything I need will obviously fit really easily inside and I will have plenty of room to put my jacket and scarf inside it as well. I typically carry my iPad mini, DSLR + Lens, Med Kit (I work with kids who play soccer), miscellaneous pouch, and my purse (with important documents such as my passport inside). This pack was actually cheaper than any small versions that I found (apparently its last years model... like I care! Ha!) AND as a bonus it has lime green detailing - always a plus in my book!

Now I know what you're thinking - isn't that too big to carry on along with your green pack? You might be right. I'm not sure if I would be able to get away with this being my "purse like item." So instead (mainly to avoid the hassle of airlines and for carrying convenience) I will actually be traveling with this bag INSIDE of my green pack. It fits inside just fine - even when my pack is "Full." I never actually pack my pack full in case I want to buy some awesome souvenirs and decide to stuff my bag and check it on the way home rather than carry it on.

Now, the only problem I run into is that larger items that go in my "day pack" won't fit in my green pack and keep it in an airlines carry-on friendly size. Instead I will carry my Purse, iPad mini and camera in a little sling backpack. That way when I arrive in Germany I can simply roll the sling bag up and slide it in my day pack and re pack my day pack with my med kit etc. I know that seems confusing but I think it will work for me! I will get a nice comfy day pack with plenty of room to spare AND I can still carry everything on! No problemo.

I'm so excited! Expect a lot more posts as my adventure kicks off!

Malena

Iowa Trip

I am very excited! This weekend I am heading out west. I will be visiting my sister in Iowa. She has been attending Vet school out there for the past four years and is graduating in May. This weekend is sort of a last hurrah and I am so excited! We don't have anything too particular in mind, she is just going to show me around.

Hopefully the flight out there won't be too bad. I am going to have to pack a carry on suitcase and a backpack - I'll be working while I'm there and will need my laptop and work stuff. Not exactly traveling light, but oh well. Everything is still carry on and that is really what I shoot for.

My trip to Germany and London is now just about 3 weeks away! I need to step up my game and up my preparation. I have already bought travel insurance and notified most of my credit cards about my travels, however I still have not decided if I want to just pack in a roll bag this trip or go for my backpack again. I'm not moving around near as much this trip. However, come December I will for sure be using my backpack as I am going from Barcelona to back-packing Italy!

Anyway, first up is my trip to Iowa! Here I come!

I'm going to Germany and London!

Now that the tickets are bought, I am officially going to Germany in April! I am going to be near Bonn for 7 days for work, then I am sneaking in a quick vacation in London for a few days before I come back home. I am currently planning out what I want to squeeze into my London trip. I know I will be staying at a hostel but I want to try to hit as many big ticket items as I can while I'm there. Some ideas are Big Ben, the Palace, the London Eye, and maybe a bike tour and/or a Jack the Ripper tour. I'm open to suggestions!
After that I'm home for a week or two and then its off to see my sister graduate from vet school in Iowa. We will be stopping by Cincinnati on our way there so that's a nice little trip. I'm also toying with the idea of taking a weekend trip to New Mexico later this summer, and I know I'll be headed to Florida for a week for work in August (Disney World!!!). There is also a slight chance I'll be heading to Brazil and Ireland this year. So many possibilities! I should also be heading back to Barcelona this December (for work), then I will probably backpack Italy in January (for fun!). As I've said, I love to travel. Anyway, I'll keep this updated as things start to finalize, but get excited for some posts about Germany and London coming your way soon!