My Top Tip for Efficient Packing - Packing Cubes!

There are all kinds of tips out there for becoming an efficient packer - maybe I'll recap some of those next week - but today, I wanted to talk about my absolute favorite packing tip: PACKING CUBES! If you haven't heard of them, they are exactly what they sound like. They are little mini suitcases to go inside of your big suitcase.

I know some people like to bring a trash bag for dirty clothes (which totally works) but I personally like to have a packing cube or two designated for dirty clothes. And honestly, if you're like me and are too cheap to buy real packing cubes, you can use 2 gallon ziplock bags. I used those for YEARS until I recently found some real packing cubes on sale at TJ Maxx. By putting dirty clothes in a cube or bag, it keep the rest of your clothes fresh and keeps the dirty clothes nice and compact.

Being able to compartmentalize your clothes is a game changer, especially if you are hotel hopping on your trip. Digging around in the same bag for two weeks can lead to a chaos of clothes, cords and dirty socks - definitely not ideal. By keeping everything separated, you'll be able to keep your clothes and electronics folded, compact and easily-found. This is especially true if you are living out of a backpack. 

Additionally, needing to fit your outfits into a specific cube will help keep you from throwing crumpled clothes back into the main compartment of your suitcase. I've found that loose, unfolded clothes can lead to straining zippers and an epic struggle to close your suitcase. The last thing you want is to bust a seam because your clothes weren't quite compact enough for the flight home. 

I absolutely love my new cubes, but I think I will probably still throw in a few giant zip locks as well. Find what works for you!

If you'd like some help getting organized for your next trip, visit MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com. 

When Should You Start Packing for Your Trip?

The final countdown to a big, epic adventure can be agonizing (see my last post for tips on how to survive it!). I had an interesting conversation with my travel companions for my upcoming trip to Australia and New Zealand - when is too early to pack for a big trip?

My answer is: it's never too early! Well - at least for the most part. If it makes you happy and excited, I say go for it. Start packing now! I know people who have an entire bag packed and ready for a trip at all times. I don't quite go that far, but I am a fan of packing early. Here's my logic (take it or leave it!)

You Have Time To Change Your Mind

This is very important. I am forever fine-tuning my travel wardrobe. Keep in mind, I often work in yoga pants a hoodie - I'm not a fashionista. But when it comes to travel, I want my outfits to be cute AND functional! My travel pictures are my favorite pictures, and I often display them in my house. Therefore, I'm a big fan of cute, travel-friendly outfits. Because I am so out of practice with putting together outfits (is that even the right phrase?), I need time to fine-tune my travel wardrobe. Kind of like writing a paper - the first round of packing is my rough draft. Does that make any sense? Am I alone on this way of thinking? Maybe. 

All Your Favorite Clothes Will Be Clean

This is a tragedy I have encountered a time or two before I began packing weeks in advance. I used to wait to pack until the night before a trip, but I inevitably found my most comfy travel bra/underwear/socks/sweatpants etc. were dirty! I mean it makes sense. You're going to wear your most comfortable clothes fairly often. I now have taken to setting aside my favorite clothes (especially for the plane!! Those 12-hour plane rides are brutal), so I can rest assured those bad boys are ready to go. The down side is obviously you can't wear those clothes leading up to the trip but for me, it's totally worth it.

You Have Time to Remember Often-Forgotten Items

Inevitably, you will realize that you've forgotten something while on the way to the airport. Just accept that fact. BUT by packing early, you cut down on the likelihood that the forgotten item is something crucial, like say your passport. Maybe you will have forgotten something easily-replaceable like a toothbrush instead. By beginning the packing process early, I find myself snapping my fingers and dashing around my house to grab something for weeks leading up to my trip. Then come the day of the trip, I am ready!!! 

I know this was an odd blog post, but thanks for hanging in there. Check out my other posts for some actually-helpful tips and tricks. If you'd like some help planning your next big adventure, visit MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.

New Year, New Travel Goals

Happy New Year! Now that it is the new year, everyone is setting their new year's resolutions, so why not set your travel resolutions? Traveling takes quite a bit of effort. You need to determine where you want to go, set the goal to travel there, start saving, book your flights/hotels/attractions etc. All of that can seem quite overwhelming, so start with the basics!

Set Your Intention
It all starts with a positive mindset! You must make a mental shift and think of yourself as a traveler. You are not too old, too young, too poor, too scared. You are a traveler! I truly believe that for the vast majority of people, travel is a possibility. It may take months or even years of preparation and careful saving, but you can do it! Travel doesn't have to be to the other side of the globe to be fulfilling. Just find an adventure that's right for you and go for it!

Pick a Destination
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the actual planning process, focus on the fun! Scroll through travel blogs, look at beautiful travel pictures and get inspired! This is the part that is easily the most enjoyable so dive in now! Looking at travel pictures on social media can help keep you motivated to stay on track with saving and the nitty-gritty planning.

Start Saving and Planning Now!
Now is the time to start getting ready for your trip! For many of us, travel is a really big financial and personal investment. Big trips take lots of planning, so you have to start early. It's better to save up and make your trip everything you dreamed of than to rush it and have a mediocre trip - or worse! End up paying off credit card bills for years.

Travel far, travel responsibly, travel often. Start now! If you'd like help getting started, check out my website MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.

Hiking Necessities

I'm a huge fan of the outdoors, so naturally I jump at the chance to go hiking anytime I can! Besides going on plenty of local hikes, I've gone for a hike in New Mexico and an extreme hike (coasteering) in Portugal. Coming up? The Grand Canyon! We are planning to go hiking just about every day. We are quite excited! That said, it's so incredibly important that you are well prepared for your trek. Here are some items I recommend bringing with you on your day hike!

Here we are hiking La Luz Trail in New Mexico! I'm in the middle wearing orange and rocking that knee brace. Note the tall socks, long-sleeve sun-shirt and hat. #Prepared

Safety Equipment

Even if you are going on a small day hike, you should be ready for an emergency. I personally like the bring things like: waterproof matches, some rope (I have a paracord bracelet), emergency blanket, first aid kit and a whistle. That way should I fall or get hurt, I would have what I need to survive a night or two in the wilderness. Obviously, I hope to never need any of these items, but I can hike with a relaxed mind knowing I've taken the necessary precautions.

Of course, you should also carry your cell phone, but unfortunately, that's not fool proof. Phone batteries often die when you are out in the wilderness (thank you, roaming). That being said, you can opt to bring an external battery to recharge as needed. I also highly recommend bringing a paper map - don't really solely on your phone for navigation!


Protective Gear

Regardless of your skin complexion, you need to protect yourself from the sun! Skin cancer doesn't discriminate! That being said, I recommend wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a long-sleeved sun-resistant hiking shirt and tall socks. Bug spray will also make your hike a little more comfortable. And don't forget to re-apply your sun screen!

If your neck is prone to burning, I recommend flipping your collar up, tying a bandana around your neck, or investing in a buff. A buff is a stretch tube of sun-protectant fabric that can be worn in a  zillion different ways. I tend to wear mine as a headband or as a neck/ear protector. Don't forget that bandanas make great multi-purpose items! You can bandage a wound, wipe down your gear, use it as a sweat rag etc. Always a good thing to have nearby!



More Food and Water Than You Think You Need

This seems obvious, but I can't stress it enough! Bring more food and water than you think you need. Do not skimp! What if you get lost? Or the water source is dry? Don't set yourself up for a bad situation - come prepared. Regardless of the length or duration of your hike, you need to treat nature with respect.

If you'd like some help planning your next big trek, I'd love to help. Visit my website at MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.

Australia and New Zealand Planning - Starting Out

Big trips take big planning. That's why we are starting the process nice and early for our trip to Australia and New Zealand. We are thinking of going February or March of 2019, but we've already started narrowing down the places that we might want to visit. 

Let's start with Australia. There are so many places I want to go! Sydney,  Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide! I want to see them all! Unfortunately, with a two-week time frame, we probably will not be able to hit them all. That said, I know we will see Sydney. I want to see the Opera House and do the bridge walk specifically. They look so incredibly fun!

The second Australian city we'll visit will probably be either Melbourne or Gold Coast. We'll just have to see! Both look absolutely beautiful and are (relatively) near our route.

As for New Zealand, there are too many places to list! We will probably try to visit Auckland and/or Christ Church. And we probably will visit Hobbiton! Because how cool would that be? That's up near Auckland so I could see us using that as a jumping off point. So many things to consider! 

The other big attraction that looks amazing is the world's largest bungee jump swing, A J Hackett Bungy New Zealand Nevis Swing. We've already done the World's Largest Bridge bungee jump in South Africa, so why not hit another big one? 

                                          

I mean, just look at how beautiful that is!!! I absolutely can NOT wait to go visit these gorgeous places
for myself. If you have any recommendations, I would LOVE to hear them!

If you want help planning your own adventure, visit MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.

PS These pictures are from Pixabay. I typically use pictures I've personally taken on this blog, but alas I don't have any Aussie pics... yet!

This Valentine's Day, Fall in Love With Travel - Single or Not!

February means it's the season of love, what with Valentine's Day being the main focus of the month. I thought I'd dive into why you should fall in love with travel - whether you're single or not!

Why I LOVE to Travel - and Always Have
I'm still a twenty-something, but I'm "settled down" married now. However, that doesn't mean I don't still travel. My love of exploring a new city and going on an adventure is something that has always been near and dear to my heart. I traveled constantly as a young child with my family, and sometimes it feels like I've just never stopped. I love to travel with friends and family, but I definitely have never been put off by traveling solo. In fact, I've backpacked through Italy for a few weeks completely on my own. It was one of the most exciting and empowering experiences of my life! Anytime I'm traveling, solo or with others, I'm learning, growing and exploring - my 3 favorite things! I'm lucky to have found a partner not only in life but also in my travels. I know my husband is always up for some adventure, but if the right opportunity presented itself I wouldn't have any problems traveling on my own again.

Don't Let a Lack of Travel Buddy Stop You!
Solo travel sounds scary, but I promise you it's not that bad and is absolutely worth it! As long as you are cautious and take a few safety precautions, there is nothing to keep you from seeing the world. Traveling by yourself is one of the most empowering thing you can ever do. You learn to  be self-reliant and nothing else compares! Don't sit back and wait for someone to come along who would be willing to travel with you, take control of your life and do it for yourself!

Make it Happen
So many people live their whole life wondering "what if?" Obviously, travel is not something that everyone can afford to just dive into on a whim. It often takes careful planning and determined saving. Great things take time and hard work, but as someone who has lived a life full of beautiful experiences, I can tell you that it's worth the fight.

If you need a little help in the planning process, I'd love to help! MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com

Hiking the La Luz Trail - Albuquerque, NM

Now that we are back from Portugal, we've already started brainstorming ideas for our next trip. We are tentatively thinking about hiking the Grand Canyon which got me reminiscing about our hiking trip to New Mexico in 2015. It was gorgeous, and I don't think I properly shared photos from that, so here we go!

Our biggest hike was La Luz, which is a trail that goes up the side of Sandia Mountain. I believe it's roughly 8 miles, but it does go up a mountain so leave yourself plenty of time!  That elevation change will get ya. We took our time and enjoyed the views, so it wound up taking us about 10 hours.

But look at the views! So beautiful!

And here's a shot of the triumphant gang at the top of the mountain. Go team! If you're in New Mexico, an outdoor enthusiast and up for adventure, I highly recommend this hike! 

Coasteering and Cliff Jumping in Portugal

We spent a few days in Lagos, Portugal to relax during our honeymoon.... but of course we had to squeeze in some adventure! I found amazing reviews for something called "coasteering." If you're anything like me, you've never heard of coasteering. I really wanted to go cliff jumping (safely) so I started doing some research, and that's when I stumbled across coasteering! It's a combination of hiking, swimming, rock climbing and cliff jumping to make your way along a coastline. It's a lot more swimming and rock climbing that hiking, but it was amazing! 

We started by hiking down from the parking lot to the water and did our first little jump! For the first 2 lower jumps we were allowed to any trick we wanted, so of course I had to do a backflip! 

The views were beyond amazing! And the weather was perfect... but we were definitely glad to have those wetsuits.

Also, thank goodness for those life vests! That swim seemed to go on forever! My husband and I definitely had to take some breaks.

This is an action shot of the group making our way along some rocks. We even had a few times where we were in a cave and had to put feet on one side and hands on the other and kind of shimmy along. It was so fun!

This was one of our bigger jumps! They told us to put our arms out to stabilize before bringing them in tight for impact. I apparently turn out to be quite majestic when I cliff jump. #FallingWithStyle

All in all, cliff jumping and coasteering were AMAZING! We had so much fun and I 10/10 would do it again. In fact, if my husband and I travel near the coast (any coast) again anytime soon we are for sure going to be on the lookout for other coasteering tours. I would recommend going with a company who knows what they are doing. Our tour was very professional and we had the proper safety equipment which was reassuring. Be careful, do your research and get out there and enjoy the adventure!

Is Pisa Worth the Trip?

Every trip through Italy seems to include a classic "Holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa" picture (Guilty). But is it really worth it?

The long and short of it is - It's an iconic landmark, but a pain to get to! If you have a spare day to take the train out and back from Florence, I say go for it! I had a great time, but there's honestly not much to it. You get off the train, look at the worn map and follow the faded line to the tower. It is pretty incredible and definitely leaning! I just waited until I heard someone speaking english and asked if they would mind taking my picture. They were sweet, and I got a great picture out of it!

That said, there wasn't much to do beyond take a cool picture. You could pay to go up the tower, but I opted not to. I just didn't want to spend the money and wait in line - I was trying to still get back to Florence in time to do a few more things. While I waited for my return train, I sat in a cafe with a beautiful view of the tower, enjoyed an EPIC cup of hot chocolate and used their free wifi. It was a really nice way to kill time!

For me, it was worth it. I got to slow down for a little bit and relax, both on the train and at the restaurant. It was on my bucket list, so I'm glad I got to tick that off too. Honestly, take a look at your schedule. If you have a spare half a day, go for it! If you are more pressed for time and the picture isn't too important to you, you may want to skip it.

Tips on Hostel Life

Staying in a hostel is a wonderful thing! I've met some amazing people while staying in hostels, and I've had some truly memorable experiences. What's even better is through careful research, I've been able to avoid any bad experiences.  Here are my top tips for having a great experience out there in hostels across the world.


1) Pick a safe, clean hostel
This is far and away the most important aspect of ensuring you have a stellar hostel experience. No one wants to sleep in a sketchy bed full of bugs, dirt and much, much worse. I've heard of hostels with a "chess room" that was available by the hour - aka it had very little to do with chess, but had a locking door. Ew!

I've avoided these really gross hostels by doing a ton of research ahead of time! I like to look on hostelworld.com for the safety and cleanliness ratings. Generally I aim for AT LEAST an 80 percent, but preferably a 90 or above. These hostels are still going to be affordable but will be WAY safer than hostels that scored in  say the 50th percentile for cleanliness and safety. It's worth the few extra bucks per night to feel safe. Trust me.


2) Don't forget sheets, towel and lock (depending on the hostel)
Depending on where you're staying you may need to bring some of the basics with you. Believe it or not, some hostels don't even provide sheets! It's important to check on those sorts of things before you go. If you aren't keen on traveling with a full set of sheets and a towel, oftentimes you can rent them from the hostel for a small fee. I've done this in the past and it's been fine - just make sure you factor the cost into your budget!

And always always always bring a lock! Majority of hostels provide lockers, but not many provide locks.

3) Use a locker
My next tip is to use that locker! Even if your bunk/roommates seem like amazing, nice people you just never really know.  Locks keep honest people honest. I have never had anything stolen from a hostel (knock on wood), but I'm also very careful to always lock up my valuables, even if I'm stepping out for just a minute or two.

4) Don't be afraid to socialize
Finally, HAVE FUN! Hostels are a great place to meet people from every corner of the world. I personally love to hang out in the hostel's common room or bar. It's a great way to socialize with strangers while having a bit of a safety net - there are usually staff nearby that can step in if needed. A lot of hostels even have movie rooms, game areas or a communal book shelf. Take advantage of these! If you invite someone to play monopoly and they say no... who cares? You probably will literally never see them again. And if they take you up on it, you may just make a life-long friend!

Me with some new friends in a hostel in Florence, Italy

Hostels are a great option for travelers on a budget - just make sure you're prepared! If you'd like some help planning out your next trek, visit MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.