One year ago today, my husband and I packed up our lives into a carry-on bag and boarded a flight to Europe on a one-way ticket.

As I’m writing this, it may appear that I’m more or less right back where I started – drinking coffee at our house in Tampa, Florida.

But I’ve been across the world and back, and although it may sound the same it feels far from it.

It’s hard to sum up a full year’s worth of adventures, experiences and traveling into a single blog post (one that’s tolerable to read, anyway).

We are beyond grateful for the opportunities this past year has brought us – it’s been the adventure of a lifetime. But in the spirit of transparency and at the risk of oversharing, I’m pulling back the curtain on our first year as full-time travelers.

The Internet – Instagram in particular – can paint a rosy picture of other people’s lives. The highlight reel is all that you see.

My goal is to give you, my friends, a real picture of the up’s and down’s, of life on the road and what it’s like to spend a full year away from home.

Did you ever play that game as a kid where you go around the dinner table, and each person shares the high and low points of their week? Example – High: I won my tennis match. Low: I got a B on my English paper.

Keeping in theme, here’s the story of our first year as full-time travelers… A side that you probably haven’t heard yet.

One Year of Travel: The Highs, Lows & What’s Next

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April 2018

HIGH

We purge our belongings at a rate that would make even Marie Kondo proud. We fill an entire Salvation Army truck with our hand-me-down, fraternity-house-chic furniture.

We move out of our house in Tampa, then immediately hop on a plane to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for the wedding of our good friends.

LOW

I bittersweetly give notice at my medical device job. While it was a conversation I’d played over in my head a million times, when that moment came I felt like I was going to throw up.

After months of debate and planning, the train had left the station and there was no turning back.

Sunset over San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

May 2018

LOW

I wrap up my last day at work, then spend the next three days sleeping until noon, questioning my life choices and laying on the couch watching Outlander.

A group of college girls signs a one-year lease and move into our beloved house. I spend my newfound free time sleuthing for evidence of a dog I hear has moved in with them, violating their lease of our newly renovated house.

HIGH

Our friends throw us a Bon Voyage party. Shit’s getting real. We board a flight to London, then the next thing we know we’ve landed in Croatia.

It’s more beautiful than we could have imagined, and all of the stress that comes with voluntarily uprooting your entire life lifts with the jet lag.

June 2018

HIGH

We spend the month in the coastal city of Šibenik, Croatia. We adjust to life abroad, life without our day jobs and life at a leisurely pace that we’d never before experienced.

We spend our days swimming in the Adriatic, hiking in Krka National Park and doing, well – nothing. Our newfound freedom sinks in.

LOW

We take a weekend trip to the island of Zirje, Croatia to find that all businesses and restaurants are closed for the off-season.

Our Airbnb advertised as “entire place” shares the living space with a chain-smoking German man who wore only a Speedo, visor and a tank top for the duration of our visit.

After watching him clip his toenails at the dinner table next to us, we attempt to leave the island to find the next ferry isn’t for two days. Despite the bad weather that rolls in we stick it out, play cards and eat potato chips and scrambled eggs for dinner.

READ MORE: A Beginner’s Guide to Island Hopping in Croatia

July 2018

HIGH

We visit the Middle East for the first time and tick some major things off the bucket list.

We hike through the Lost City of Petra, float in the Dead Sea, visit King Tut’s tomb in Luxor, and watch the sun rise over the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo.

It was pure magic.

READ MORE: Travel guides for Egypt and Jordan

LOW

I Google “best place for medical tourism in Europe”. The answer – Hungary, and fortunately for all parties involved we were already on our way to Budapest. We make a visit to a private hospital for a minor, but necessary procedure.

I’ll spare you the medical details, but I could have eaten breakfast off of the floor and the lobby had a view of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Medical tourism is a real thing, y’all.

READ MORE: A Beginner’s Guide to Budapest, Hungary

August 2018

HIGH

We fall in love with Amsterdam, and what starts out as a 10-day stint quickly turns into a month.

We immerse ourselves in the city, catch up with friends, and attempt to live like locals. If I were to move to Europe for an extended period, I’d set up shop here.

READ MORE: The 10 Essential Things to Do in Amsterdam

LOW

After three months away, homesickness creeps in as we’re packing up our bags (again) for Spain. We receive news of the tragic passing of a family member, and we miss a few big events for family and friends.

The unanticipated side-effects of long-term travel sink in, and despite the amazing experiences and adventures, we can’t deny that we are really, really far away from home.

September 2018

LOW

A high-school football knee injury rears its ugly head on day two of the Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile pilgrimage route across Spain. Travis grits through the remaining 486 miles wearing two knee braces.

I pop a blister the size of a golf ball and calculate how many pedicures lie ahead of me until I can wear sandals in public again.

HIGH

We complete the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in a questionably aggressive 31 days. We push ourselves physically and emotionally to limits we weren’t quite aware that we had.

We walk away (no pun intended) with friends from all over the world, and we vow to hike the Camino again before we turn 40.

READ MORE: 10 Myths about the Camino de Santiago, Debunked

October 2018

LOW

Fearing deportation, a scarlet letter on our passport or at minimum a stern scolding by a customs agent, we flee the Schengen Zone of Europe on the final day of our tourist visa.

Much to our surprise, neither upon exit in Portugal or arrival in the UK did anyone so much as blink an eye… Nor as I had hoped, give us a gold star for following the rules.

All the counting days on our calendars, scouring the Web for punishments for overstaying and researching conditions in Portuguese women’s prisons was for not.

We were in the clear (phew!) but we did feel a little silly.

HIGH

We relish our final month abroad in Lisbon and London. We reunite with old family friends and visit their home in Liverpool before flying home on Halloween, wondering what the hell just happened.

November 2018

HIGH

November brings five months worth of visits with friends, three weddings and a baby shower.

But the true icing on the cake was meeting my new nephew, Jackson, for the first time. Like the Grinch who stole Christmas, I think my heart grew three sizes that day.

LOW

While we moved out of our house in Tampa eight months prior, for the first time we felt homeless. We were home but we weren’t, and we spend the month hopping around Airbnb’s and our (very gracious and hospitable) friends’ guest rooms.

We acknowledge that this isn’t sustainable long-term, so we make plans to set up a home base again after our next stint away.

New to Airbnb? Here’s $40 off your first listing!

December 2018

HIGH

Because at this point it’s normal to pack up everything you own and move to a place you’ve never been, we road trip West to Vail, Colorado. We exchange Epic Passes in lieu of gifts, and we ski on Christmas Day.

LOW

It hits us that for the first time in our lives, we are both away from our families for the holidays… Then immediately invite them out for next year.

Winter 2019

HIGH

We fall in love with winter, mountain life and the complete change of scenery from our home in Florida.

After a 15-year hiatus from skiing, I graduate from the bunny hill to my first black diamond runs by the end of the season.

LOW

After skiing said black diamond run, I slip on an ice patch and tumble down the mountain… With one ski still on.

I spend the next three weeks sitting by the fire nursing my leg injury with a bag of frozen cauliflower rice.

Silver lining- I wrote a few blog posts during my forced hibernation – check them out here.

April 2019

HIGH

After living out of a suitcase for a year, we reestablish a home base back at our place in Tampa… This time not in the house, but in one of the apartments in the backyard!

What was previously a rental unit starts to feel like home again.

LOW

We furnish the apartment from scratch. Our bed gets lost in transit, and we sleep on an air mattress for three weeks.

May 2019

HIGH

We celebrate our five-year wedding anniversary in Longboat Key, Florida, returning to the same spot where we got engaged. With our apartment now furnished, we host our first Airbnb guests and plan to rent it out while we’re away on future travels.

LOW

Not anticipating the last minute Airbnb booking, we clean up after the guests ourselves for the first and last time. Lesson learned – just pay for a cleaning service.

Celebrating five years of marriage in Longboat Key, Florida

So what’s next?

Here we are, one year since we first left, and the million dollar question stands: Are we still traveling?

The short answer: Yes, and we always will be.

They say that some people are genetically predisposed with wanderlust, tracing back to the days when people lived nomadically. Travel is in our blood, and we plan to travel as much as we can for as long as we can throughout our lifetime.

Our goal remains the same as when we set out one year ago – to travel slowly and truly experience a destination, versus breezing through places just to check it off of our list.

In the short term, we will be in the States for the summer as we visit family and friends, catch our breath and regroup for a bit. We plan to maintain a home base going forward, having our cake and eating it too as we rent it out while we’re traveling.

A sunny Wednesday afternoon in St. Pete Beach, Florida

We’re also still pursuing various side hustles to perpetuate our remote lifestyle. I’m keeping my hand in the professional world, and I’m back working part time for my previous employer when we are home.

I’m keeping my focus on my new favorite activity – blogging! While Year One of blogging consisted mainly of throwing things at the wall to see what stuck, I’m thinking bigger picture now.

I’m focusing on the long-term growth of my site, building a brand and attempting to turn this little passion project into an actual business. Speaking of, I’m off to Italy next week for a blogging workshop!

Long story short, there’s no handbook for this. After a full year on the road, what we have learned is long-term travel truly is a marathon, not a sprint.

It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn… Perhaps wisdom, at least for me, means realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go.”

– Anthony Bourdain

I think it’s true that the more places you go, the more you add to your list… Places you’re now dying to visit that were never on your radar before (Mozambique, I’m looking at you).

Catching sunset in Anna Maria Island, Florida

Who knows what the future holds, but for now the Longest Weekend continues.

We’ll never stop learning, exploring, or saying yes to adventures. Like in travel, life is full of ups and downs, but it’s the average of the two that makes it all worthwhile.

So stick around, there’s still a lot more to come and stay tuned for our next big adventure this fall… This time we’re headed South!

Cheers,

Meredith

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The post One Year of Travel: The Highs, Lows & What’s Next appeared first on The Longest Weekend.

The magical Old Town of Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

It’s the end of an era. The closing of a chapter, the turning of a page.

Making friends with the locals at the pyramids at Giza, Egypt

1. Less actually is more.

Travis and I left Florida with just one carry-on bag and backpack each, and that’s all we came home with.

From a logistics standpoint, we honestly wished we even had less than we did. A bigger bag means more stress packing up each time you move, a tougher walk from the metro station to your Airbnb and more things to potentially lose along the way.

We abided by the “one in, one out” rule with our suitcases. If we bought something new, then we ditched or donated an item that we were no longer using. For more on how to pack for a long trip in a carry-on, click here.

With the exception of probably your honeymoon, you will never regret packing light for a trip. And anything you forgot, you can probably buy wherever you are anyways.

    
The day we left Florida on a one-way ticket to Europe, awaiting the train to Sarajevo in Bosnia & Herzegovina

2. Cab drivers know all the best spots.

Searching for that hidden, locals-only beach in Croatia? The best dim sum in London? The best poffertjes in Amsterdam?

Forget Rick Steve’s, TripAdvisor or Yelp. Ask your cab or Uber driver and they will always point you in the right direction. While these sources can be helpful, most of the spots you’ll find on these sites cater to tourists and thus repel locals.

Our favorite question to ask is, “What’s the one place I can’t leave here without trying?” The answers never disappoint.

I’ll loop bartenders into this category as well.

    Heading off the beaten path in Croatia

3. Don’t point fingers.

The restaurant that you trekked all the way across Paris for is closed. You find yourself on an express train heading out of Amsterdam, but one hour in the wrong direction. The hike in Petra that was described to you as “up just a few steps” actually entails scaling boulders, vertical ascents and putting your life in the hands of a 16 year old guide named Ahmed.

I’m going to take a guess and say that 95 percent of arguments that two travel companions find themselves in results from a scenario like this.

The beauty of travel is to experience the unknown, but with that even the most well-organized and seasoned traveler is bound to encounter some mishaps.

If (ahem, when) things do go wrong, do not point fingers at your travel buddy. What’s the fun in going on an adventure if everyone knows where they’re going anyways?

The nail-biting view of the Treasury from above in Petra, Jordan

4. We’re tougher than we thought.

There were many times along our journey where we surprised even ourselves with our strength and resilience.

Like when Travis walked the entire Camino de Santiago, all 500 miles of it, with a painful knee injury. Or when I yelled expletives at the two women in Belgrade posing as police offers who followed us, demanding we take them to the ATM to pay a fine for a “transit ticket”.

An inner perseverance and scrappiness kicked in that we weren’t aware we had, and that carried us through some stressful and uncomfortable situations.

Upon our return we’ve often been asked if we ever felt unsafe, and through all of this I can honestly say we never did.

Call us self-aware, jaded by the road or just plain lucky, but we have yet to encounter a situation we couldn’t take on… Or at least bail ourselves out of.

     
In Spain with 100 miles to go on the Camino de Santiago, cheers to evading a scam in Belgrade, Serbia

5. Everyone speaks English.

Wait, what?

While of course you should make every effort to speak the language of the country that you’re visiting, more often than not people speak some level of English.

And this goes both ways. Most people can understand a language prior to speaking it fluently. Even if they aren’t saying much, assume everyone can understand what you’re saying.

There’s nothing worse than overhearing a tourist who assumes someone can’t understand them, talking about said person or the country they are visiting in a negative light.

And on that note… Regardless of how strong your language skills are, it never hurts to point to the menu when ordering. After a few times of getting served a completely different entree than I ordered, always point.

A sunny August day in Amsterdam

6. Don’t chase the unicorn.

In the age of Pinterest, blogs and Instagram, it’s easy to be inundated with recommendations for the best or most photogenic restaurants, coffee shops, and lookout points. The FOMO is real, and I’m the first to admit that I’m guilty of constantly searching for the “best” spots.

But over the past five months, I’ve come to terms with the fact that we can’t see everything and we can’t go everywhere.

While I’m all about doing my research ahead of time, there’s something to be said for just winging it and discovering places on your own.

Know a good thing when you see one. It’s okay to eat at that delicious and surprisingly cheap Thai place a few times, even if you are in Portugal.

7. Souvenirs aren’t mandatory.

While the idea of buying a memento at each destination was great in theory, the practicality of it for our travels was non-existent.

Plus photos are free, last forever and don’t clutter your suitcase or your house later on.

    Sunrise in Šibenik, Croatia, the cathedral in Burgos, Spain

8. A little homesickness is normal.

Anyone who claims that they never get homesick is probably lying.

To say that we had fun during our five month stint abroad is an understatement. But we’d be lying if we said there weren’t moments when we didn’t missed the ease of being home in the grand ole’ U.S. of A.

Of course there were times when we craved the creature comforts of living in America – clothing dryers, grocery stores that have everything, Chick-fil-A…

But more than that we missed the daily connections with our family and friends that are just not quite the same when you’re thousands of miles away, battling a big time change.

Fortunately this feeling didn’t last long, and the homesickness usually hit Travis and I at different times, allowing the other person to carry the team and to bring perspective to the situation.

But we were three months in to our journey and had just embarked on the exciting adventure of the Camino de Santiago when the homesickness hit us both simultaneously. For Travis, it was missing his brother’s first football game of his final high school season. For me – it was my best friend’s bridal shower, and it killed me to miss it.

Leaving home and traveling far away from what you know is amazing, but this part was a side effect that caught us off guard.

9. Always, always wear sneakers.

Enough said. One of the best things about Europe is how walkable the cities are.

But even the most comfortable sandals are such until about seven miles in to a long day of walking around London. Anything more than that and you’ll be missing your Nike’s.

    
Walking the halls of Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest, Hungary and Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt

10. Good people are everywhere.

Bad people are everywhere, but more importantly good people are too. Stereotypes aside, universally we found that most people are just trying to make a living and provide for their families.

Whether that looks like the man in Egypt peddling alabaster a little too aggressively, or the guy who charged us twice the price for sodas because we were tourists, universally people are often just making the best of the cards they are dealt.

As a traveler, you are a guest in that country. It’s normal to feel uncomfortable – that place isn’t intended to make you feel comfortable. That’s why home feels so good.

The boogeyman isn’t real. Ask questions, listen, extend kindness and more often than not, you will experience it in return.

     Our guide Sheva in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina, a new friend in Petra, Jordan

11. Home is a state of mind.

    
Sunset in Budapest, Hungary, exploring the many temples of Luxor, Egypt

The post 11 Lessons Learned from 5 Months Abroad appeared first on The Longest Weekend.

How do you pack for the adventure of a lifetime? Light.

This is always one of the first questions I receive after sharing our extended travel plans. When strategizing on how to pack for our six month stint abroad, my husband and I agreed to abide by two rules:

1. Everything must fit into one carry-on sized bag and a backpack, each.
2. Every man for himself.

The second rule actually meant that I was not allowed to add anything to Travis’s suitcase when he wasn’t looking, like on most prior trips.

He also reminded me that this isn’t a fashion show, we will be living there. The initial thought of fitting my entire wardrobe into a carry-on suitcase gave me heart palpitations, but I knew that the ability to be nimble would be worth it in the long run.

After successfully passing the suitcase test, I’ve gathered my best tips for packing for long-term travel on a small scale:

Pick a color scheme

Envision one of those spreads in a magazine where one item is worn seven different ways – this is the ultimate goal. Only bring something if you can wear it for multiple occasions, in a few different ways.

Picking a color scheme will set yourself up for success and ensure that all of your outfits will go together. For me that was black, grey, olive, white and denim.

Not sure which items should make the cut? Enlist a friend to police your packing. Sometimes you need an impartial party to bear the bad news that the yellow linen sundress isn’t a practical choice.

Follow the rule of two

Allow yourself two of each:

• Dresses
• Leggings
• Tank tops
• Short and long sleeve shirts
• Shorts
• Jeans
• Rompers
• Swimsuits
• Scarves
• Light jackets
• Sandals
• Sneakers/hiking shoes

Start with two of each, then if you have extra room you can go up from there. Also don’t be afraid to shed items you find that you aren’t using along the way.

Keep it organized

Packing cubes are a girl’s best friend. Not only do they keep your stuff in order, you usually can fit more into your suitcase as a result.

I’ve tried a few different ones over the years, but my favorite ones are these compression packing cubes from Gomex.

Buy the basics when you get there

Universal items like shampoo and toothpaste are sold everywhere in the world. Save your precious suitcase real estate for the things you think won’t be able to find abroad.

Bring enough for the first day or two, then stock up when you get settled. I’m a big fan of these clear TSA-approved liquids bags that are water-tight and the perfect size for your 3.4 ounce bottles.

Pamper yourself on the road

Leaving behind our normal lives (and paychecks) also meant saying goodbye to the luxury beauty habits that had crept into my lifestyle over the years. This meant no more regular mani-pedi’s, facials or massages.

Instead of going completely cold-turkey on the beauty regiment, I found that packing a few secret weapons bridge the gap and still make me feel like a human-being while on the road:

Facial mask sheets – These all-in-one facials come in envelope form, slide easily into your dopt-kit and will rejuvenate your skin in 30 minutes or less. Perfect for combating the dehydrating airplane air!

Nail polish remover wipes – Commit to one color of polish, then pack a few of these Karma Naturals organic nail polish remover wipes. They are super portable and allow you to do your nails without the normal mess or toxic smell.

A teeny tiny hair dryer – Unlike in the States, many Airbnb’s we found in Europe did not come equipped with hair dryers, so bringing one with me wasn’t optional. I found the little sister version of my beloved BabyBliss hair dryer on Amazon. It folds in half, is dual-voltage so you won’t fry it overseas, and has a detachable nozzle for styling. Priorities, right?

A tennis ball – Quite possibly my favorite travel hack ever, bringing a tennis ball is the poor man’s answer to a massage. It’s the cheapest, easiest way to soothe your sore shoulders from carrying your backpack or sitting for hours on a plane.

Mail yourself a care package.

For the things that you anticipating are either only sold in the States or that you are nervous about finding on the road, purchase enough for the length of your journey, then divide it by two. Pack half of it in your suitcase, and have a friend mail the remainder to you on the road.

The US Postal Service sells a flat-rate shipping mailer, and it is exactly what it sounds like — a box that you can fill to your heart’s content and pay only a flat fee.

While we left the U.S. with our travel itinerary intentionally open-ended, we had a rendezvous with friends booked in Amsterdam that was scheduled for, coincidentally, exactly half-way through our trip. I also have a friend who lives there who graciously agreed to receive the package on my behalf.

For example, I sent myself the following:

• Hair serum
• Juice Plus vitamins
• Probiotics
• Foundation

While I’m sure I could find replacements for most all of these items abroad, it gave me peace of mind.

Despite the cringe-worthy $69.00 price tag for the flat shipping fee to the Netherlands, I know that my future self will thank me later. A girl’s gotta do…

Pack a crash bag.

We’ve all been there. You arrive home from a 20 hour travel day craving a shower, sleep and French fries only to find all of the laundry is dirty and you’re out of toothpaste.

Add in our scenario, where we’ve gotten rid of most of our worldly possessions and are technically “homeless”, and it would be the recipe for disaster.

Luckily, we thought this through and packed ourselves a “crash bag.”

What’s in it?

• Clean pajamas
• One day’s clothes
• A few days’ worth of essential toiletries

What item can you not travel without? Share in the comments below!

Cheers,

Meredith

The post How to Pack for Six Months of Travel in a Carry-On appeared first on The Longest Weekend.

Traveling for a long period of time is no easy undertaking. In addition to the obvious factor of leaving the comforts of your home, friends and family, there are some crucial logistics that even the savviest traveler should not overlook.

Contrary to getting ready for a long weekend or even a ten-day holiday, preparing for an extended trip abroad requires some strategizing and planning for the unexpected.

Fortunately, I’ve got you covered and have created this guide to ensure that no detail goes unaccounted for. From making sure that your cell phone works to ensuring you receive your friends’ wedding invitations, look no further.

Pin me for later!

1. Get on board with Airbnb

Airbnb is one of the biggest game changers to happen to the travel industry in years. It allows you to escape the tourist traps and live like a local in cities all over the world. Whether you’re looking to rent a house with bikes, a chic city apartment, or even a houseboat for the week, Airbnb has something for everybody. New user to Airbnb? Here’s $40 off of your first stay!

We’ve had great success with Airbnb not only in the States but all over the world, from Cuba to Croatia. By staying in an actual home or apartment, Airbnb allows you to truly settle in to a city and make yourself at home.

Hotels are awesome – don’t get me wrong – but the ability to cook your own breakfast, do laundry, and just relax and spread out after a long day is something you can’t put a price on.

Did I mention it’s super affordable? Airbnb is typically much cheaper than staying in hotels.

Million dollar view from our Airbnb in Florence… for half the price of a hotel!

Many of our best experiences in different countries have resulted from the interactions with our Airbnb hosts. From giving you the best restaurant and bar recommendations to cooking you a phenomenal home-cooked meal, most hosts will elevate your stay and take pride in ensuring that you enjoy their home city.

Airbnb is a win for both travelers and homeowners alike, as it provides an income opportunity for families to earn extra money as they open their homes. Sustainable tourism is the future, y’all.

Pro tip: Read the reviews carefully prior to booking. The beauty of Airbnb, like Uber, is that the guests rate the host, and vice versa. This is where you’ll find out the good, the bad and the ugly on a listing.

2. Don’t skip the travel health insurance

While no one likes to think about getting sick or injured on vacation, it’s not something to mess around with. Fortunately there are a number of companies that offer health insurance for all types of travelers, whether you’re on a summer holiday or a full-time expat.

Our pick is IMGlobal, and for around $250 per month we have coverage for anywhere in the world. This includes hospital stays, medical evacuation and repatriation, and even includes coverage for adventure sports like skiing. IMGlobal also provide a medical concierge, trip cancellation coverage and lost luggage insurance.

Considering that it can run you upwards of $350,000 to be airlifted from an international destination, we figured it was worth the additional cost just in case.

Will we use it? Believe it or not, we already have!

Six weeks into our travels we made a visit to a private hospital in Budapest, Hungary for a minor, but necessary issue… and man, were we happy to have the peace of mind of the travel insurance. Should the occasion arise, it will more than pay for itself.

3. Ensure your cell phone will work

Sadly, I broke up with my iPhone. I’m sorry Apple, it’s not you, it’s me.

While I’ve been a loyal iPhone and Mac user for years, when it came to selecting an international cell phone plan there was no way around it.

In addition to the prospect of roaming charges that rivaled a mortgage payment, we also didn’t want to be scrambling for SIM cards upon arrival in a new country. We needed easy, affordable and reliable cell service that would work pretty much anywhere.

Enter, Project Fi.

Project Fi is Google’s solution to a cell phone plan. It’s gaining popularity particularly in the travel community as it works in 170+ countries. Project Fi runs on the Android network and partners with global 4G LTE and WiFi networks. We opted for the Google Pixel 2, which I’ve actually become a big fan of after getting over the initial learning curve.

For $20/month on Project Fi you’ll get unlimited texting and the data is a la carte, meaning you only pay for what you use. International phone calls are $0.20 per minute, but you can easily work around this by using WhatsApp or Skype.

Project Fi’s biggest selling point? The data costs are capped, even internationally, at $80 per month for unlimited data. For more details on the plan see Project Fi’s website.

All other providers we looked into either charge around $10 per day (unsustainable for long-term travel) or offer “unlimited” but slow your data down to a crawling speed after minimal use.

Another major perk is that on Project Fi can use use your phone’s mobile hot spot for free. This is crucial, as it provides reliable, secure internet on the go.

You find WiFi pretty much anywhere, but is it secure? Probably not. Even in our Airbnb we still utilize our locked mobile hot spots for accessing secure sites like online banking and for booking lodging… Just in case.

4. Know the immigration laws

Can’t I just come and go as I please? Nope. Every country has different visa requirements that you must be aware of upon entry.

While some countries are stricter than others, it’s always good to be knowledgeable on how long you can legally stay in a country without applying for a visa. Many countries also require proof of onward travel upon arrival, meaning you need to show when you’re leaving so they know that you’re not overstaying your welcome.

For example, an American traveling to Europe is allowed 90 days in what is referred to as the Schengen Zone. The Schengen Zone is comprised of 26 European countries, and as an American you are allowed a total of 90 days for every 180 days in the zone.

The Schengen Zone as of 2018 – Image courtesy schengenvisainfo.com

But how will they know? Upon exit you can get in biiig trouble if your digital passport record indicates otherwise. Not worth it!

Pro tip: When departing on an international flight, you must have at least six months of validity remaining on your passport. Even if your trip is just for the weekend, the airlines can be real sticklers on this and can deny you from boarding… aka you’ll likely miss your trip! Always check your passport’s expiration when booking your flight, in case you need to get it renewed.

5. Stay in the loop on global security and current events

This almost goes without saying, but make sure to stay up to date with the U.S. Department of State’s Security Warnings. In 2018, the travel warning system changed to a four-tiered system:

1. Exercise normal precautions (green)
2. Exercise increased caution (yellow)
3. Reconsider travel (orange)
4. Do not travel (red)

While a level 2 may sound scary, there are many perfectly safe destinations with this security coding. Think most places in Europe, or even many in the Caribbean that are considered level 2’s. Read the warnings, then make an informed decision.

Be sure to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This free service will register your trip details with the local U.S. Embassy at your destination.

Why does this matter?

• The U.S. Embassy can contact you in the event of an emergency that results from anything like social issues to a natural disaster.
• The U.S. Embassy has your passport information on file, in the event it gets lost or stolen.
• They’ll also have your emergency contact information in the event it was needed.

For example, some friends of ours received a notification through STEP that their upcoming trip to Colombia coincided with the presidential election. Good to know!

6. Get a virtual mailbox

While it seems like the whole world has gone virtual, there are still some things in life that require snail mail: ie. wedding invitations, medical bills, some banking documents…

Traveling Mailbox is the nomad’s answer to receiving your mail, regardless of where you are in the world. You can be blissfully off the grid, but stay in the loop for the important stuff.

Traveling Mailbox is a service that provides you with a real, street postal address and allows you to virtually manage your mail. They scan the outside of envelopes you receive, then open and send you a virtual copy of the letters of your choosing for a small fee. They can even forward it to you directly if you need the document in the flesh.

I credit one of my favorite bloggers, Go Curry Cracker, for introducing me to this travel hack. If you haven’t read their blog yet, check them out! They retired in their 30’s and have been traveling the world ever since. #goals

7. Lock it up

Getting your stuff stolen is a fear that crosses every traveler’s mind. Heck, it might have already happened to you! The last thing you want to deal with while traveling is to fall victim to a pickpocket or bag-slasher (yes, that’s a thing).

The answer: PacSafe.

PacSafe’s bags are equipped with multiple locking mechanisms, slash-guard technology and puncture-resistant zippers. While nothing is completely foolproof, these extra layers of protection prevent the quick grab-and-dash that most commonly occurs.

I am a big fan of the PacSafe’s convertible backpack. This bag converts to a cross-body and is the perfect purse for day-to-day exploring around town. It has plenty of room for all the essentials like your camera, an umbrella, water… Heck, I’ve even fit my jean jacket in there.

     PacSafe’s Convertible Backpack and Carry-On Suitcase

The real advantage is in its engineering: it has an RFID-safe blocking pockets to prevent scanning through your bag of passports and credit cards (yes, that’s also a thing) as well as locking zippers to prevent pick-pockets.

PacSafe’s carry-on bag is also fantastic and what we elected for our travels. It has all of the security features mentioned above, as well as a long locking cable that will come in handy on a long train ride, while waiting at the bus station, or even to lock your bag to your bunk when staying in a hostel. Again, not foolproof but will slow down a potential thief.

Want more packing tips? Check out my post on how I packed for six months of travel in a carry-on. 

8. Leave your jewelry at home!

Engagement rings, nice watches, flashy costume jewelry — I’m looking at you. Prevent yourself from being targeted by blending in as much as possible.

9. Arm yourself with entertainment

No matter how excited you are about the place that you’re visiting, at some point getting  a little homesick is inevitable. We anticipated this when packing for our six month stint in Europe, and packed a few things to make our days feel more normal:

• UE Roll Speaker – The mini version of our favorite Bluetooth speaker is small but mighty, and the perfect companion for a day at the beach. Bonus: it’s waterproof and comes in lots of fun colors.

• Apple TV – Are we sitting on the couch every night watching Netflix? No. However, the ability to catch up on our favorite shows or watch a movie every once and a while has been a real treat.
• A deck of cards and a set of dice – Don’t underestimate the power of a good old fashioned card or dice game. We bring these with us even on quick overnight trips, as you never know when you’ll get stuck in the rain or bored on a bus trip.

10. Stay on budget!

Use an app on your phone to track your spending. We enter everything from our housing costs to dinner and bus tickets.

I like Wallet for Android or Trail Wallet for iOs. The free apps allow you to input your budget for a set time period and will break down your spending by category. It’s easy for tracking your spending on the go, in real time. You can add multiple users to your account, and it works on different currencies so it does the conversions for you.

Do you have any go-to tips for traveling long-term? Share below in the comments!

Cheers,

Meredith

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