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!

Check List for Traveling Abroad

Deciding to take an international trip can be very overwhelming! I decided to put together a little checklist of sorts to possibly help some of you begin to plan your very own adventure.

1) Pick a Destination
In my case I actually have a bucket list of places I want to go. For no I am working on whittling that list down, though it seems to get longer after every trip. Keep in mind that the farther away the destination, typically the more expensive the trip will end up being - airfare is a killer. If you are having trouble picking a specific city or series of cities start by picking a category - European, Asian, Hot, Cold, Tropical, Snow-Covered etc. then narrow it down from there! Don't forget to do research regarding the destination - make sure its safe! For example, Egypt and the Middle East may not be ideal vacation spots right this moment. A good website to check out before you go is this one.

2) Start Saving Up
This is the necessary evil of traveling - it costs money. Usually it costs quite a bit of money. Start saving as soon as you get the thought in your mind that you might want to travel!

3) Plan Your Lodging
Decide what kind of trip you want to go on - is this a backpacking adventure? a mountain cabin getaway? A spa/resort type trip? That will determine your lodging. Personally, I opt for hostels whenever possible (when I travel for fun). I cannot explain how much I love hostels. You get to meet people from all over the world, get inside tips from locals, get cheap food, and most importantly get cheap lodging! You can pay anywhere from $15 - $50/night!! Even in major cities! Now you will have communal showers and communal rooms, but they give you a locker (bring your own padlock or you will have to buy one from the front desk - same goes for towels and sometimes sheets)

4) Plan Your Transportation
This is an important step. Don't just expect a bus to be waiting for you at the airport - if there are buses expect there to be multiple. A lot of hostels and hotels will provide information on the easiest way to get from the local airport to their location. The best mode of transportation can vary from city to city. For instance, in Paris I used the subway to get absolutely everywhere but in Amsterdam I simply walked. In NYC there are cabs available, but talk about expensive! Often times it is worth looking into buying a public transportation card for several days- you'll be amazed how often you use it! In some cities, such as Nashville, public transportation is not readily available and you may want to look into renting a car. Don't forget to review the road rules of the country you are in because they may be different than what you are used to.

5) Plan Your Activities
I know a lot of people want to just go with the flow and I do too, but only to an extent. When I travel I make a list of key places that I will be sad if I don't see. I make sure to plan certain activities for certain days, but I leave flexibility. For instance, in Paris we decided to leave the Louvre for a rainy day and explore the city while the sun was shining! I also think it is important to leave time for spontaneity. That way I know I will get to see absolutely everything I wanted to see, but there is room to explore!

6) Plan a Budget
The best advice I can give here is to be generous with your budget. You main expenses are going to be airfare, lodging, ground transportation, and food. Don't forget food. I recommend eating locally. Instead of constantly hitting up the restaurants nearby, check out the local grocery stores. While it is no where near as glamorous, eating pb&j sandwiches will sure save you money! You can also make it fun - in Paris we bought cheese, sausage and bread from street vendors and had ourselves a feast! Yum!
I also highly recommend "You Need A Budget" (YNAB). It is a little pricey but I got it on sale for $15. It is seriously amazing. It lets you set aside money for certain things (bills, travel, food etc.) Set a savings goal and when you reach that goal you don't have to feel any guilt at all spending it on the trip of a lifetime!

7) Get your Travel Documents in Order
Make sure you have ALL the travel documents you may need. Some countries require visas. These will also vary depending on how long you will be traveling. Do your research! The last thing you want to happen is to have your trip stopped before it even began because you didn't realize your passport was expired. Check that expiration date! Even if it is current, some countries require your visa be valid for 3 months AFTER your trip.

8) Plan Out Your Packing List
This sounds a bit like over-organzing but it is a lifesaver. Look around online for example packing lists. You'll be glad you did. This way you don't forget vital things like power adaptors and converters (those are two different things!) You also won't make it all the way to Europe and realize you have no underwear. Now keep in mind it is not the end of the world if you forget an essential, at least in most places. Europe has stores just like here in the US. You can typically find somewhere to buy some toothpaste etc.

9) Buy Your Tickets
I don't mean just your plane ticket, either! You should buy your tickets ahead of time for as much as you can, in my opinion. Having our Paris Rail Card sent to us ahead of time was so convenient. It can also save you time and money. We got to skip the MONSTROUS line for the eiffel tower and show up at our scheduled time. Anything that might have a long line I recommend buying the tickets for it ahead of time if at all possible.

10) Go Shopping
This is the time to pick up travel-sized everything! Remember that liquids are not your friend as far as the airlines are concerned.

11) Pack
I recommend packing conservatively. I have another post here with some packing tips!

12) Head Off on an Adventure!
Remember to have the time of your life, but respect the culture you are in. Just because the locals do something differently from you, doesn't mean they're wrong. Keep an open mind. In general people are good. With that said, I do recommend that you be aware while abroad (and in general). Keep your money zipped in an inside pocket and try not to stick out as a tourist. Use apps instead of paper maps and try to learn at least a basic greeting in the native language of that country.

I hope this helps!
Malena

Never Stay at the Paris Hotel Liege

I am not a picky hotel person, I'm really not. I do tend to look at reviews, but often think people are too particular. It was not the hotel's fault that there was a noisy toddler in the next room etc.

That was why when I saw the numerous positive reviews for Paris Hotel Liege I figured it would be okay. Both me and my traveling partner agreed that this was just a place to sleep and would be fine. We knew we planned to stay in the city as much as possible so a nice hotel was low priority. However, little did we know what we were getting into.

When we first arrived I will say the staff was nice and it was very close to Gaar du Nord (the train station). However, the positive impression ended there. We climbed up an incredibly narrow flight of stairs and onto a landing that was dark. We actually had to find a light switch for the hallway. As we opened the door we were overwhelmed with the smell of mold. There was no toilet paper in the room. None. The towels were kind of just folded up on the side of the tub and there was no hand soap. We decided on our way down to ask for a new room. They were very accommodating and said we could switch the next day.

When we got back they had restocked the toilet paper, towels and soap (thank goodness!). That night we slept fine. However, the WiFi did not work well at all. The next day we decided we didn't really need a new room after all but forgot to let the front desk know on our way out. As a result we came back to quite the surprise. We went to our room and couldn't get in. We figured our key had just stopped working and went and got some help from the front desk who couldn't get it to work either. Eventually they got the door open and our stuff was gone. What.

It turns out they had just packed up our stuff (haphazardly - Coletta's toothbrush was in with my clothes) and moved it. Now none of our stuff was missing, but I mean that was so weird. It was very invasive. 

Upon inspecting our new room, we realized we were better off in our first room. This room's ceiling was about to cave in. Talk about water damage! Just a warning, some of the pictures are gross.

And of course there was the mold. Oh the mold. It was everywhere, particularly around the tub.

And in the toilet. (WARNING GROSS PIC BELOW)

And one of the weirdest parts of this hotel? My towel was not even from the hotel! I picked up a seemingly white hotel towel only to discover some embroidery on it. It was a website about camping in Paris. What. On. Earth.

I think the kicker was that there was actually a patch of floor missing. Yes, missing. Coletta just about fell as she tried to walk to her bed. The floor was gone and they just covered over it with carpet. That seems safe...

Luckily we were troopers and just decided that it wasn't a huge deal. The beds were clean (ok there was a huge bleach stain on my blanket - ew) and pretty comfortable. The WiFi worked alright in our new room and the location and price were right, but I would not stay here again. I also would highly recommend you find somewhere else to stay in Paris. I loved Paris, but not our hotel.

Tips for Prolonged Traveling in a Carry-On

For my recent trip to Europe I went on 5 planes, 7 trains (not including subway trains) and multiple buses. I was so glad that I decided to pack for carry-on only.  In the past I have been rather unlucky with my baggage and if the airline were to lose my bag, getting it back would be almost impossible because I moved around so much. Here are the things that I discovered worked the best for me.

1. Only bring 2 pairs of shoes. No more, no less. I brought a pair of Sperry Topsiders that I bought back in August specifically for this trip. I can't tell you how much of a great idea that was. They were the perfect walking shoes.

My Sperrys looking well-loved

I loved the purple soles

Now I specifically think that two pairs of shoes are a good idea because it helps to prevent blisters by switching up your walking shoes. For my second pair of shoes I chose a pair of seriously comfortable combat boots. They are flannel- lined and I water-proofed them to boot (sorry for the pun). These were perfect for those inevitable cold, rainy days.

These beautiful boots

I actually wore a hole in the heel, I've worn these so much

The only thing I would have done differently with these boots would be to add some insoles to give my arches a little more support. The only additional shoe that I thought about bringing was a pair of flip-flops for the shower at the hostel, however I only stayed one night in a hostel on my last trip so I opted to leave those behind.

2. Pack Light! I only brought clothing items that I thought I could wear multiple times and stayed within a basic color scheme. I folded everything up very small and put my clothes in giant zip lock bags. I flattened the air out and carefully filled my 60L pack. This also added extra insurance that my clothes would stay dry. I once had a bag that was checked at the plane and sat on the runway in the rain actually fall over and lay in a puddle for about 20 minutes. I had to spend a week in Canada with soggy clothes. Not ideal.

Now, the trick to being able to carry the pack on the plane, is to not fill it completely. This leaves room for souvenirs or to combine your day pack and main pack if you don't want to carry two bags at any point. The only item I brought but didn't wear was my fancy party dress. I ended up taking it easy for New Years and I was fine with that!

My 60L pack

My clothes in zip lock bags

3. Bring a shampoo bar. I discovered this shampoo bar at Lush and it was a great idea! It meant less liquid to carry around - always a plus when dealing with airlines. Also, it turns out that the shampoo bar works fantastically! It really helped control the oil that is naturally in my hair. My only complaint is that if you don't completely dry the bar, it will get mushy in the tin. The trick is to take the bar out of the tin and dry it that way after use.

Lush Shampoo Bar

Slightly Dented Lush Tin

Melted bottom of my shampoo bar

4. Bring a tablet instead of a laptop. I brought an iPad mini and a bluetooth mini keyboard instead of my expensive laptop and it worked perfectly! I was able to keep up with my work documents, post blogs, and keep in touch with home all through the use of my iPad mini. It was light, portable and no where near as expensive as my laptop, thus it was cheaper to insure.

 Hope this helps!

Malena

What to Do Differently Next Time You Travel

My trip to Europe was absolutely fabulous. However, there are always things that I can do better! Here are some things that I think I could have changed about how I packed or traveled.

1. Bring a smaller backpack.

I absolutely love the backpack I brought on the trip! It was my mom's (thus free) and it held everything I could possibly want and more. The problem? It got HEAVY.  I had my DSLR, Kindle, emergency kit, iPad mini and usually my scarf, gloves and hat inside of it. I think next time I will leave the kindle at home. I wound up having very little time to read during the work portion of the trip - I can just use my iPad for the times when I can read. As for the vacation portion of my trip? I picked up a free book at my hostel! For my next trip I am going to look into a backpack that has better support.

2. Be specific with meeting points at airports

I learned the hard way how important it is to be VERY specific as to where you will meet someone in an airport. WiFi often does not work or is limited in foreign airports and  thus it is nearly impossible to get a hold of who you are meeting.

3. Double and triple check the quality of your hotel

Despite both my traveling buddy and I inspecting and approving the hotel in Paris, it turned out to be quite below our expectations. It had mold, water damage, and they moved our belongings without us present. I will have a separate blog post about this coming soon! To be honest, I'm not sure what more we could have done. Almost everyone gave the hotel an 8 out of 10! It was quite odd. The hotel did have a good location and the people were very nice, but it was hardly an 8.

4. Buy a sim card before leaving

I had a nearly impossible time getting a sim card to work in my phone while abroad. It was a hassle trying to find a shop that would sell me one, then I needed internet (which didn't exist at our hotel) to activate it. I plan on getting a sim card in the states for Germany and London when I travel this April.

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Best of Amsterdam And Rotterdam

This is a similar post to my previous two - a recap of my favorite places and photos, this time from Holland.

I got a wonderful bike tour of Rotterdam - the way it was meant to be seen!

Classic Holland shot. Beautiful.

This was on the boat tour in Rotterdam. You can really tell how much I love to travel.

Me and a family friend, Coletta on the boat tour.

Rotterdam has some seriously cool architecture. 

Goofing off with some local statues.

Got some new shoes. 

Me with a windmill!

This is a shopping mall (I think) in Amsterdam.

Have I mentioned that I love Amsterdam?

Seriously so beautiful.

And this was a local flower mart. I love me some Tulips!

Malena

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