Travel practicalities

Have a question about travel? Ask away, and I’ll do what I can to help, either by writing up a new article or responding directly. Here’s what I’ve written already, either in response to a question or as I struggled to figure something out.

The essential steps for travel planning (for Passport Health). I hate travel planning, so I’ve boiled it down to just the essentials. My top tips, including how to save money with the Global ATM Alliance, critical info you need in advance, packing tips, and special advice for Canadians too.
For USA Today, packing essentials: Top 10 necessities when traveling.
How to plan your dream vacation, for USA Today.
How to choose where to stay: Different categories of hotels (mentioning several of my favourites), for USA Today.
Should I travel after a terrorist attack? My analysis of the real risks and the key questions I’ve asked myself three times before deciding NOT to cancel trips to NYC, Paris and Tunis following attacks.

Independent travel, transportation and logistics

My independent travel page, No tour, no problem.
In this Globe & Mail article by Fiona Tapp, I talk about travelling solo as a woman How can companies help female business travellers stay safe on the road? And here’s the print version.
Planning, packing and photo tips for visiting Iceland: How to go on a photo tour of Iceland like a pro, for the photo site Skylum.
Hotels for solo travelers, for Second Chance Travels, about some great hotels in three places everyone should visit: Siem Reap, Cambodia; Galapagos, Ecuador; and Fez, Morocco.
How to survive the medinas of Morocco — no, you don’t need a guide, but you do need to come prepared (for Passport Health).
Stuff I like, including World Nomads travel insurance, Tangerine banking to avoid foreign transaction fees, and RoadID safety bracelets.
Machu Picchu without a tour — how to get there, get your tickets and keep your costs low (especially useful for solo and budget travellers).
The best order to see Peru‘s highlights without getting sick:
- How to avoid altitude sickness in Peru (for Passport Health).
- How to see Peru without getting altitude sickness (for LuxuryAndBoutiqueHotels.com).
How to see everything you want in the Galápagos islands but not return home exhausted: Best way to see Galápagos (for LuxuryAndBoutiqueHotels.com).
On which Galápagos island should I stay? (for LuxuryAndBoutiqueHotels.com).
Galápagos Islands without a tour — logistics and costs for travelling to and between islands independently (to come).
How to survive a long layover in Mexico City’s airport.
To help make sure your experience arriving in and (especially) departing from Panama’s Tocumen airport is as easy as possible, my Panama’s Tocumen Airport: Need to Know.
Taking the bus in Panama City, Panama (even if you don’t speak Spanish).
Here’s a crazy transportation story from my very first day in Southeast Asia – don’t let this happen to you! The original email home, Pursued by police in Phnom Penh, and the shorter version published in Canada’s national newspaper.
I was quoted in this article about tips for couples travel, The Buddy System, by Stacey McKenna, for the Coloradoan’s Mind+Body magazine: online version; PDF of print version.

Travelling respectfully (responsible/sustainable travel)

International dining etiquette, for Second Chance Travels, so you know how to eat around the world without committing any faux pas.
How to travel respectfully in a Buddhist country.
The respectful tourist’s guide to Tak Bet, the Buddhist alms-giving ceremony.
Worried about accidentally offending someone when you travel? You should be, as there are many faux pas to make! Fear not, they can be easily avoided with a little foreknowledge. For Hostelling International’s Magazine (formerly TERN):
- A global guide to public displays of affection, with illustrations by Alice Clair.
- French version: Guide international des démonstrations d’affection en publique.
Here’s my A global guide to public displays of affection, for TERN magazine.
On behalf of all tourists, I apologize Luang Prabang — how the Tak Bat ceremony, and the reason Luang Prabang became a UNESCO site, is being ruined, and what you can do to stop it.
What do you mean, I can’t wear my tanktop at Angkor Wat? (for Canadian Traveller).
And more packing tips: How to pack for Southeast Asia (for SilkWinds magazine).
Dear travellers to Cambodia: Please don’t come visit until you’ve understood these 9 things (for the Matador Network). And to read my 10th tip which was edited out: Dear travellers to Cambodia: Please don’t come visit until you’ve understood these 10 things.
How to help — not hurt, or be hurt — when travelling: Think you’ve been conned? (for SilkWinds, Singapore Airline’s regional in-flight magazine).
Need to know — the culture of Bali (for LuxuryAndBoutiqueHotels.com).
Pack smart for Southeast Asia, practical tips for what to bring to dress comfortably and respectfully in this predominantly Buddhist hot and humid region (for Singapore Airlines’ regional in-flight magazine, SilkWinds).
Shopping sustainability — how you spend your money can make a big difference. Some advice for Luang Prabang, Laos in Beyond the monks and the mountain for New Jetsetters.
Promoting literacy is a great way to give back when you travel. Ideally you will buy books at your destination (to ensure you get them in the language of need / education and to support the local economy). Please don’t mail books, though — the cost of postage alone would buy so much more if just donated in cash to the library or school you wish to support, and that way educators can select books based on their highest needs. The Medina Children’s Library in Fès, Morocco needs books in Arabic as well as cash donations to help pay for librarian salaries and rent. For more info, scroll down in this article I wrote about dining and other things to do in Fès.

Health and safety

Scams:
- Think you’ve been conned? How to avoid travel scams, for SilkWinds, Singapore Airline’s regional in-flight magazine.
- For Hostelling International’s magazine (formerly TERN), Five travel scams I always avoid and the one that got me.
  - And the French version: Cinq arnaques auxquelles j’ai toujours échapé et celle que je n’ai su éviter.
Food safety:
- How to eat safely while traveling — My bouts of Montezuma’s revenge have (knock on wood) been very minimal. For Second Chance Travels, I’ve given my tips to help you keep it at a minimum too.
- In this article by Elizabeth Seward, I’m quoted about food safety at buffets (strangely combining my current travel life with my former food safety life): 5 unappetizing things you didn’t know about all-you-can-eat hotel buffets.
- For Passport Health, How to avoid traveller’s diarrhea, with tips I bet you didn’t know to make sure your stomach stays happy and healthy.
- Belly health on the road, a post from Panama for World Travel Buzz.
Preventing diseases:
- Everyone is freaking out about Zika — should I? (For World Nomads) There is something you should be worried about with Zika, but I bet it’s not what you think.
- Why is everyone so freaked out about Zika? Tips for protecting not just yourself but people more vulnerable than you from Zika and the much more dangerous diseases dengue and malaria.
Altitude sickness:
- How to avoid altitude sickness in Peru (for Passport Health).
- How to see Peru without getting altitude sickness (for LuxuryAndBoutiqueHotels.com).
- The challenges of eating at high altitude: Dining challenges in Cusco, Peru (for LuxuryAndBoutiqueHotels.com).
Tragedy and tourism:
- Should I travel after a terrorist attack? My analysis of the real risks and the key questions I’ve asked myself three times before deciding NOT to cancel trips to NYC, Paris and Tunis following attacks, for World Nomads.
- Should you travel to a country after there’s been a terrorist attack? I say yes, and explain why; plus a link to the highlights of the wonderful country of Tunisia, which I visited a month after the attack on the Bardo Museum.
- Questions to ask about visiting a country affected by a tragedy like a terrorist attack: Tragedy and tourism: Tunisia’s Bardo Museum (for The Wayward Post).
And other travel health stuff I don’t know how to categorize:
- In this Globe & Mail article by Fiona Tapp, I talk about travelling solo as a woman How can companies help female business travellers stay safe on the road? And here’s the print version.
- Turn off your engine at the waterhole (and other ways to stay safe in Namibia) for The Travelettes.
- Visiting the dentist in Thailand.
- Stuff I like, including World Nomads’ travel insurance and RoadID bracelets.
Stress can happen to everyone, in regular life and while travelling. Want to reduce stress and prevent burnout? Some articles below. I also give workshops on stress management and preventing burnout … feel free to get in touch.
- How I curated my bedroom to help deal with my insomnia, written for Apartment Therapy for World Sleep Day. It includes some of the stuff I always pack in my bag so I can sleep on planes and in practically every hotel room (even the ones which clearly were not designed for sleeping).
- Simple self-care advice for a happy and mindful life (for RUBY).
- My exhaustion story.
- Fighting burnout when your to-do list is already full (for RUBY).
- B is for burnout: Pay attention to these warning signs (for Nanuism).
Stress relief:
- Feeling tired while travelling in the Muslim or Arab world? Get yourself to a hammam! Here’s what to expect: The hammam: a different sort of spa day (for Nanuism).
- And here’s a round-up of spa hotels around the world and what to consider when you need a spa vacation: Spa seeking: Spa hotels around the world (for Nanuism).

Packing

For USA Today, packing essentials: Top 10 necessities when traveling.
I was honoured to have one of my fave PR firms, Carolyn Izzo Integrated Communications (CIIC), interview me for my packing advice. Here’s the link — my stuff is on the pink squares: Our favorite women in travel share their packing tips … and other thoughtful insights.
How to pack light: an article for Men’s Journal about some of my fave clothing and gear for my beau and me to travel light.
So what’s “resort casual” anyway, and how do you pack for it when you’re going south? For USA Today: What attire is appropriate for resort casual at a tropical resort?.
Packing and photo tips for visiting Iceland: How to go on a photo tour of Iceland like a pro, for the photo site Skylum.
Pack smart for Southeast Asia, practical tips for what to bring to dress comfortably and respectfully in this predominantly Buddhist hot and humid region (for Singapore Airlines’ regional in-flight magazine, SilkWinds).
What do you mean, I can’t wear my tanktop at Angkor Wat? (for Canadian Traveller).
Tech: Do you need to travel with a laptop? I don’t think so. Working on the road without a laptop: yup, you can do it! for TooManyAdapters.com.
Packing for a safari:
- Five essentials for a safari in Namibia (published by the Namibia Tourism Board).
- What to pack for a safari in Namibia (original, with my product recommendations).
Testing out gear for travelling light: A week-in-my-life, for The Professional Hobo.
I travelled for six months with a 40 L duffel bag (and a separate carry-on). If you want to know what I brought and what I would do (and not do) differently, let me know and I’ll write it up.

Photo tips

10 beginner tips to take your photography to the next level, for Skylum.
Packing and photo tips for visiting Iceland: How to go on a photo tour of Iceland like a pro, for the photo site Skylum.
Looking for inspiration for your photos? Check out 10 women photographers whose work you should be following.

The nomadic life

Mish Slade interviewed me for her how to be a digital nomad book, “Travel While You Work”.
The lemon pie life, an interview by Lauren Crabbe’s Human Gallery on The World, Please.
Travelling long term: How I did it, my interview on TheGrownUpGapYear.com.
Working on the road without a laptop: yup, you can do it! for TooManyAdaptors.com.
A week-in-my-life, for The Professional Hobo: one of my first weeks in my new nomadic life, this one during a solo trip to Panama.
Getting onboard the luxury and boutique hotel train: What if you had said yes? (a lemons to lemon pie chapter).
How do you figure out what you want to do with your life and then make it happen? Finding your passion.
Visiting the dentist in Thailand.