What You Need to Know About International Pet Travel
International travel with a pet can be a complex process depending on where you’re going. I’ve taken my dog, Mia, to three different countries so far and while the basic process is the same, the depth and complexity have varied quite a bit. My hope is to arm you with enough information so that you know where to start and the right questions to ask. Please note that the information below is about traveling with a pet, not a service or emotional support animal. Should your pet travel? You love your pet. No one is questioning that, but you need to be realistic about whether or not taking them along…
Is it safe to travel to [insert random country]?
“Is it safe to travel to country X?” Every time I see this question, I can’t help but cringe a little. I know that it’s likely coming from a place of good intentions, but it still forces me to involuntarily wince each time someone asks it. Whose definition of “safe” are we using? I mean, what place IS safe? Because if we look at the United States of America in comparison to other countries, we learn that a lot of places are “safer”. According to SafeAround, the USA’s safety index is 68.8. An index of 100 means the country is perfectly safe while 0 means it is extremely dangerous. In the 2019 Global…
True Confession: Sometimes, Travel Isn’t So Great
I know it’s not a popular topic, but I think it’s important to discuss the less-than-glamourous side of travel – the stuff that can and does go wrong. Take a quick glance at Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and you’ll see everybody posting about their awesome their trip was. Does that paint a complete picture? I don’t think so. Sometimes, traveling sucks. My trip last month was pretty much a disaster from start to finish. It feels like everything went wrong. The Plan During China’s Mid-Autumn Festival’s 3-day weekend I planned to do a quick trip to Seoul, South Korea instead of fighting the hordes of tourists that were bound to…
What Inquiring Minds Want to Know – My Life in China
During my travels this summer I was often asked about living in China. People tended to have a lot of the same questions. I figured that you might as well. So in honor of returning to China this week, here my answers to the most frequently asked questions. Why did you move to China? Short answer: A job Long answer: China is a top location for a lot of aspiring expats because of the low cost of living and strong salaries for foreigners. But that’s now why I moved here. I’d visited China twice before and knew that it wasn’t someplace I wanted to live. Somehow, I landed a job…
Exploring Mexico Like a Local with Airbnb Experiences
For me, this has officially been the summer of Airbnb. During my time here in Mexico, I’ve had five Airbnb “stays” and taken three Airbnb “experiences”. By now I’m pretty sure that you’re familiar with Airbnb “stays”. A few years ago Airbnb expanded their offerings to include “experiences”, activities that are led and designed by locals. Airbnb offers more than 30,000 experiences including classes, tours, and events. Why would I book Airbnb experiences instead of regular tours? You don’t like crowds – I usually turn up my nose at doing tours. Large groups move far too slow for my taste. So the smaller group size of an Airbnb experience is…
My Love Life, Donald Trump and Supporting the Cuban People
After the Obama administration made it easier to travel to Cuba directly from the US, scores of folks flocked to the island. Given my wanderlust, I’m sure you’re not shocked that I’d been trying to get to Cuba for a while. My initial trip, an educational tour back in 2014, was canceled due to some banking disagreement between the US and Cuban governments. Fast-forward to last summer when my BFF fixed me up with a dude SHE matched with on OkCupid 😜. Since his “frequent travel” was a major part of his profile she thought he might be a better match for me. A week or so after our first…
Travel Like a Pro: 9 Apps To Elevate Your Travel Game from Beginner to Boss
Traveling domestically or internationally can be stressful or fear-inducing for lots of people. It can be intimidating to navigate unfamiliar places or unable to speak the language. This fear can often hold back those who want to strike out and start exploring. If you’re hesitant to travel, solo or not, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find a list of the travel apps I use regularly which have seen me successfully navigate nearly 40 countries. You’ll be traveling like a pro in no time. #1 TripIt for Travel Planning and Solo Travel Safety The idea behind TripIt is to have one place to store and organize all the…
The Secret to Eating Street Food Without Getting Sick
One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to eat street food. It’s delicious. It’s cheap. What’s not to love? Well, some might not “love” getting a case of Montezuma’s revenge (aka traveler’s diarrhea) or food poisoning. You’ve got to be careful out there. No one wants their trip ruined by gastrointestinal issues. In a place like Mexico City, there are TONS of street food vendors selling everything from fresh fruit smoothies to elote to tacos and everything in between. It can be tricky picking a place that is both delicious AND safe.In all of my travels, I’ve never gotten sick. I credit this to these basic…
