For many budget travelers, hitting a credit card minimum spends to earn free flights can seem daunting. They rather stay away from them, thus missing out on some opportunities that will essentially pay for the their travels. In my opinion they are too valuable to ignore. Understanding credit card sign up bonuses is essential to…
Last August, I was able to spend a week in Turkey without paying for hotel accommodations and I flew in to Turkey without paying for airfare using airline miles. I was able to visit Turkey for two weeks rather than only one because my out-of-pocket expenses were so little while I was in Istanbul. I…
So it’s finally happening, I will be traveling through Southeast Asia starting in the end of June! Our plan is to start off in Tokyo then fly into Bangkok. From Bangkok we’ll be making a full circle through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos then head down to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. As it gets closer and…
Backpacks differ in quality, durability, functionality, size and weight so picking a pack simply because it looks good is can end up being a huge mistake. For one, a good pack is an investment and second, you don’t want to carry an uncomfortable backpack while traveling that was not designed for your body. It pays…
I heard about the Brazilian brigadeiro for the first time when I was looking up the menus of different Brazilian restaurants. Not only did the brigadeiro look scrumptious, but I found out it was an extremely simple dessert to make with simple ingredients! The dessert is a chocolate ball similar to a bonbon in some…
Istanbul is a big, crowded and busy city with lots to see. When I there in August, I always had to figure out the best way to get from one point to another (and there were a lot of choices). Istanbul has made big improvements in public transportation since the last time I was there…
Let’s face it, it rains a lot in Oregon. Even if it’s not raining during the winter months, it looks like it’s going to and that is just how it is in Oregon, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the Beaver State one bit. Last week, I was in Eugene, Oregon and on my…
If you fly, you have airline miles. You might have earned them from flying with a major airline or partner airline, from using a travel rewards credit card or by buying the miles. Frequent flyer miles are like money, you shouldn’t waste them, lose them or forget about them. But, keeping track of your airline…
I’m a gusher for luxurious 5 star hotels and I try to book stays while I’m traveling as often as possible, but only if I have enough loyalty points to do it. Once you realize that you can’t book all of your stays using reward points, the next best thing for budget traveling is staying…
I spent two weeks in Turkey while traveling in September and it was one of the most diverse countries (as far as geography) we had a chance to visit. Rather than beginning our travels in Istanbul, we met in the Denizli province, which is about an hour flight west of Istanbul. Denizli is a city…