Of all the things we had to learn with our new RV, figuring out how to safely travel with Lizzi the Travel Cat was the most stressful. After an eight-week, break-in road trip from Oklahoma to New England and back again, we learned a lot. Here’s the low-down on traveling with cats in a travel trailer (most of these tips apply to traveling with cats in a fifth wheel or popup camper too!) …

Make Sure the Tow Vehicle Is Comfortable

Because we’re traveling with a travel trailer (i.e., one that we tow, rather than drive), Lizzi travels with us in the 4Runner on travel days. Most days, she’s confined to the SUV for between two and four hours. That’s a long time for a cat to be stuck in a vehicle. So, we make sure that it’s as comfortable for her as possible. As I mentioned, I’ve written an entire post on traveling with a cat in a car because that’s worth a guide unto itself.

If you’re RV’ing with a travel trailer (meaning your cat will be with you in your tow vehicle at least some of the time), I’d highly recommend checking out that guide first, then coming back here. If you’ve already got that part of traveling with your cat sorted, carry on below …

Take It Slooow …

Cats are, of course, creatures of habit. They love the status quo: Same litter box, same bed, same food, same hoomans. So, introducing them into a completely new environment — like, say, a travel trailer — is stressful. It smells weird (to them), the layout is different than home, and EVERYTHING IS WRONG. The key is to take it slow.

Before heading out on a weeks- or months-long trip, find somewhere like a KOA or other easy, reliable campground near home for a quick overnight trip. Use it as a break-in (or “shakedown”) trip for your new travel trailer or RV. Don’t buy anything new just yet. Bring all of your cat’s usual, safe, comfortable essentials — the same litter box, their favorite toys, the typical food, etc. Don’t change a thing. Keep as much in their new environment as familiar as possible.

Introduce them to your new travel trailer, and sit with them. Pet them, speak softly to them, put on some soothing Yanni music. Reassure them that this new space is completely safe. And that everything is going to be just fine.

Thankfully, Lizzi takes to new spaces pretty quickly. So, introducing her to the Casita was surprisingly easy. Most cats, however, will probably need time to adjust. Once you feel like yours is a little more comfortable in their new digs, then it’s time to consider what new products you may need to buy to make traveling with cats in your travel trailer work for you.

Find the Right RV Cat Litter Box

Finding the right litter box for Lizzi somehow became the most challenging task about traveling in our new-to-us Casita. Cat owners with tiny travel trailers quickly realize the problem is two-fold.

First, you need a box that’s small enough to neatly tuck away somewhere in your tiny travel trailer. In our 17-foot Casita, the space is extremely limited. Because we’re keeping the rear dinette/bed combo down as a full-time bed, the total floor space is probably 30 square feet. So, our options were limited to:

• In our only storage closet: This proved unrealistic as we needed every cubic foot of that storage space. Plus, it would’ve meant Lizzi had to jump over a large (12-inch-ish), high lip to get to her box every time. The closet would also have been a trap for litter which I would’ve had to vacuum at least daily.
• In the bathroom: Also unrealistic as we didn’t want to risk cat litter getting into and clogging the RV’s shower and sensitive plumbing. Plus, frankly, there just isn’t enough room.
• Behind the forward-most captain’s chair: Because of the angle of the chair back, this wound up working great. There’s enough room behind the chair to put Lizzi’s litter box. At night, we can even slide the box out from behind the chair to give her more room to do her business.

This leads to the second and more important concern: The litter box has to be compact, yet still large enough to accommodate your kitty. If the space is too confined, it’ll stress the cat. They’ll end up not using the box at all or using it but “missing” half the time.

I should say that for travel trailer owners with average-sized cats, this may not be an issue. Most normal cats and especially kittens will have no problem using a standard litter box. Lizzi, however, is anything but “standard.” She’s a taller-than-average calico who, for whatever reason, occasionally stands in the litter box but hangs her butt over the side to do her business. Sometimes this results in pee winding up where it doesn’t belong.

Getting cat urine into the cracks and crevices and on the carpeted walls of our precious Casita literally kept me up nights. I had to find a strategy that worked.

For us, we went through three different litter boxes before finding one that worked. I can recommend all three as they’re all actually pretty good and will probably work for most cats. Unfortunately, only one worked for Lizzi.

The Best Cat Litter Box for RVs and Travel Trailers

I was this-year years old when I found out vertical-entry cat boxes were a thing. My initial reaction was, “There’s no way a cat would use that.” But, after reading reviews from tons of satisfied (and similarly surprised) cat owners who had tried one and loved it, I decided to give it a shot.

The Top-Entry or Vertical-Entry Cat Litter Box

The IRIS USA Medium Top Entry Cat Litter Box was the first one I bought. To my delight, it fit perfectly. It’s also made well and looks great — well, it looks great for a cat litter box — which made Kelsey happy. The sleek, curvy, white design blends pretty seamlessly into our travel trailer without the typical “cat box look.”

Sadly, Lizzi wasn’t having any of it. For a vertical-entry litter box to work properly, the cat needs to be able to jump on top of the lid, then down into the box. But, with the lid on, the inside of the box was way too small for her. She couldn’t even stand up in it. Which meant we had to take the lid off, which then meant she was skittish about jumping into it at all. Total fail.

That said, I’d still recommend this solution if you have an average-sized cat who is fine with using a lidded litter box. With the lid on, the sleek design hardly looks like a litter box. Plus, it’s fantastic at keeping litter in the box — which, if you own a small travel trailer (like a Casita or Scamp), you’re very familiar with having to constantly sweep or vacuum to keep your floor clean (more on that in a minute).

The High-Sided Litter Box

Try #2: Since the first IRIS litter box almost worked, but not quite, I decided to try another option from the company. This time, I went with the IRIS Shielded Litter Pan For Cats.

The white, curvy design is not quite as elegant as the first option, but it still looks better than a typical litter box. It’s also not enclosed (which Lizzi clearly hates) and the back has a higher side that, in theory, should help keep more pee in the box. Again, it also fit perfectly in the same space behind the captain’s chair.

Lizzi’s take? Nope. She would stand “backwards” in it to pee — meaning one paw on the high side with her butt toward the front — and go outside the box almost every time. Super total epic fail.

Actually, while this second option didn’t work inside the travel trailer, we decided to remove the high-backed piece and use the bottom tray as a second litter box for our tow vehicle. That way, we didn’t have to keep moving Lizzi’s one litter box between the 4Runner and Casita every time we stopped. There’s now always a litter box in each space.

I should take this aside to note that cat logic works exactly opposite of human logic. However you expect them to behave, they won’t.

The Plain Ol’ Tray-Style Litter Box

Third and final try …

Ultimately, after more hours of studying cat bathroom habits than I’d care to admit to, I learned that most cats need the extra space behind their bodies to not feel too confined in their litter box. A high-sided litter box can “scrunch” (that’s a scientific term) their tails while going to the bathroom, causing them discomfort and stress. For some, their solution is to turn around, facing their butt away from the highest side, and waste ending up outside the box.

So, in the end, the solution we decided on was a pretty standard, low-sided, tray-style model with normal proportions. I picked it up at Petsmart for less than $10. The most important component was just measuring to make sure it would fit behind the captain’s chair in our travel trailer. Lizzi’s taken to it just fine with minimal “accidents.”

If I had just done that in the very beginning without overthinking it, I probably would’ve saved myself $50 and a dozen hours of my life. But, again: cat logic.

… And Find the Right Cat Litter Too

Another thing we learned about living with our cat in a tiny travel trailer is that the RV interior can smell like cat litter very quickly. Kelsey and I aren’t down with the strong, “try-to-mask-that-odor-at-all-costs” smell of most scented kitty litters. So, we buy unscented litter to eliminate that problem.

More specifically, the small, 8.5-pound plastic jugs of Tidy Cats LightWeight Free & Clean. They’re lightweight (obviously), compact (important for anyone with limited storage in a tiny RV), and one jug contains enough litter to fill most typical cat litter boxes with a little left over.

Get Pee-Pee Protection in Place for Your RV

One product that’s helped me keep my sanity is puppy pee pads. I stumbled across these on a visit to Petsmart, and they’ve been a godsend. I pin one pad to the wall (the walls are covered in carpet in our Casita) using drapery hooks, then Gorilla Tape a second pad to the floor underneath her litter box.

She mostly — mostly — gets everything in the box now that we found the right one. But, on the rare occasions when she misses, the pee pads catch any excess. Once they get dirty, I simply toss and replace.

Scoop the Cat Box in Your RV Often

I’ve read some people go a week (or more?) without scooping their cat’s litter box. Frankly, that sounds disgusting to me. But, I don’t want to judge …

I’ll just say that, if you’re traveling in an RV or travel trailer with a cat, you’re going to want — even need — to scoop the litter box every day.

Smells accumulate fast in an RV. Particularly if you’re traveling in extreme heat or cold without the opportunity to open the windows, it can get stinky very quickly. So, for your sake — and your kitty’s! — scoop their litter box often.

Change Your Cat’s Water Often

We change Lizzi’s water often at home. But, in the Casita, we found that her water bowl collects bits of dirt and dust much faster than at home. With the three of us constantly moving around, and we humans going in and out of the trailer often, there are a lot more particulates in the air. So, we change out her water and rinse the bowl at least daily, sometimes more if it calls for it.

As an aside, it’s worth noting we only give her water from the same source we drink from. In our case, we don’t drink water that’s passed through the Casita’s plumbing (not necessary, but it’s our preference). We only drink water that’s been filtered at the spigot using a Culligan RV water filter.

Sweep Your Travel Trailer Daily

In an RV — especially in a small travel trailer — cat litter will get everywhere. Even with a vertical-entry or high-sided litter box, there’s just no way around this fact.

I got in the habit of sweeping the entire floor of our travel trailer every morning. It’s so small that, even with a tiny hand broom and dustpan, it takes less than two minutes.

… And Vacuum Too

You probably won’t need to vacuum daily. But, cat litter has a way of getting into every nook and cranny, especially in places where a broom and dustpan just can’t reach. We found our household Shark Rocket Corded Bagless Stick Vacuum to be perfect for traveling with. We’ve actually owned this model for a couple of years.

What’s great about it is that we take only the main body of it with us and leave all of the accessories and other bits at home. It’s affordable, lightweight, ultra-compact, and plenty powerful enough to clean the Casita in just a couple of minutes.

Keep a Close Watch on Your Fur Baby (or “How to Keep Cats from Escaping RV”)

Traveling and living in such a small space means our cat is always within just a few feet of the front door. If she wants to escape, it’s a quick hop or two to freedom.

Thankfully, Lizzi is perfectly happy indoors. She’s an indoor cat at home and doesn’t have much interest in straying too far from her always full food bowl and a soft, warm bed. Still, we spent the money (I think it was less than $50) to get her microchipped. It’s a small price to pay to ensure that, if she does get out, we have a good chance of finding her.

Of course, if your kitty has a knack for trying to escape, that’s a whole new worry. When we were on the road in our travel trailer, I always made sure to check where Lizzi was whenever I was going in and out of the trailer. If she was resting or asleep in a chair or on our bed (really, it’s her bed), I was confident I could safely go in and out of the trailer. But, I never just assumed where she was.

The same goes for closing the front door — I never assumed it was shut after leaving the RV. I would always push it closed, listen for the click, and push it again. Check and double-check. When you’re on the road, going in and out of the trailer at camp dozens of times a day, it’s easy to get lax about assuming the door is shut. It only takes a few seconds for your curious kitty to learn that it isn’t and make a break for it. Whenever you’re reentering your travel trailer, open the door slowly to make sure they’re not right on the other side waiting to bolt. Of course, a screen door is a big plus here.

One final tip: Keep a current photo of your cat on your phone. This shouldn’t be a problem for most cat owners who tend to take more photos of their kitties than of their kids. In the event yours ever wanders off, you can show the photo to other campers, campground owners, etc. to help you find them.

So, that’s about it. After a lot of trial and error, it seems we have a good system for traveling with a cat in our travel trailer. Probably … maybe. I know we’ll learn more as we go.

Are you an RV or travel trailer owner with a cat? What are your tips for traveling with your cat and keeping them happy, healthy, and safe along the way? Kelsey and I would love to hear your thoughts!

The post How We Travel with a Cat in Our Tiny 17′ Casita Travel Trailer appeared first on Vagabondish.

But I firmly believe that everybody should travel solo — sometimes. There’s a lot you can get out of a solo trip that just doesn’t happen when you’re not on your own. Let me give you some reasons why traveling solo can be so worthwhile.

Fit In and Immerse Yourself

If your goal is to really interact with the culture you’re visiting, then solo trips will give you a much greater chance of doing this. A single person slips into the background; you often won’t look like a tourist, and you’ll be able to stand and observe the locals without drawing much attention.

Shopkeepers and bus drivers naturally offer more to the solo traveler. I’ve even had free restaurant meals simply because I turned up alone, squeezed into a table in the corner and chatted with a friendly waiter.

Meet Other Travelers More Easily

This almost goes without saying, but it’s also very true. Just imagine that you’re in a cafe or a pub, or staying at a hostel, and you see a couple in one corner and a girl sitting by herself in the other. Who are you going to talk to? Solo travelers simply invite company by being there alone.

And once you start meeting other travelers, you get a lot of options that you probably wouldn’t have had with your traveling companion by your side. A bunch of other single travelers decide to go sightseeing together and invite you, for example, and another group are going on a canoe trip. You make your choice and have fun with new friends. Doesn’t that sound great?

Do Exactly What You Want, When You Want

And that segues neatly into my next reason: if you’re traveling solo, you are the boss and decision maker. You can get up every morning — or afternoon, if you’re so inclined — and plan your day according to your own whims and fancies. Want to take in a museum or two? Go for it. Feel more like a shopping spree at the local markets? No problem.

Sometimes I forget how many compromises you make when traveling with a friend or group. I probably wouldn’t have visited that military museum in Ho Chi Minh City if I’d been alone; I definitely would have skipped the aeronautical display in Seattle. When I travel alone, I adore the prospect of choosing exactly the cafe or restaurant I’m going to splurge in for a great lunch, where I can sit with my book and enjoy my favorite food, uninterrupted.

Avoiding the conflict that often comes with traveling with others is another bonus of the solo trip. It’s inevitable that spending virtually all your time with another person, even your beloved partner, will produce a few sparks of conflict, especially in the sometimes stressful negotiations of budget travel. But most people won’t argue with themselves.

Reigniting Your “I Can Do Anything” Spirit

Something about making all my own choices in a foreign place seemed to be giving me that “I can do anything” attitude that I sometimes forget in daily life.

I’ve had a few real moments of clarity while traveling alone that never seem to occur when I’m traveling with someone else. Standing in an art gallery in Hamburg, I vividly remember staring at an exhibition about designer apartments in New York. “I could go and live in a place like that,” I remember thinking to myself, somewhat insanely. “In fact, I can go anywhere I want.” Something about making all my own choices in a foreign place seemed to be giving me that “I can do anything” attitude that I sometimes forget in daily life.

Traveling alone and independently also does wonders for your power of self-reliance and even your self-esteem. Taking responsibility for all the tasks involved in traveling, without having someone else to talk over the possibilities with or to make the decisions for you, is a really empowering thing. It’s especially powerful if you’re navigating through a foreign country, perhaps using some knowledge of a foreign language, and managing to find your way from place to place all alone.

But Don’t Travel Alone All the Time

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend being a 100% solo traveler. There are some experiences you might really want to share with someone special, be it a partner or a friend; and being able to reminisce about a trip is one of the long-lasting benefits. There are also some destinations where, as a woman, I’d feel more comfortable traveling with someone else. And finally, if you’re always on the road alone you do run the risk of developing some slightly selfish, hermit-like tendencies.

So where possible, mix up your travel mode. Travel with friends, family, partners, groups of strangers, whatever takes your fancy: but always remember to savor the trips you have the privilege of taking alone.

The post Why Everyone Should Travel Solo … Sometimes appeared first on Vagabondish.

No, these fall into more of a gray area. Enough plausible deniability on the hotel’s part (“What? We told you there was free Wi-Fi … we just didn’t say where.”), but still plenty annoying from a traveler’s perspective.

Here are five of the worst, most deceptive tactics many hotels are using these days to mislead unsuspecting travelers.

#1: Deceptive Room Categories

Hotels use a number of empty adjectives to pretty-up their otherwise not-so-pretty rooms. These days, “Deluxe” and “Superior” are to hotel rooms what “gourmet” and “artisanal” are to lousy food: completely meaningless. Not to mention, the word “superior” is relative. It’s senseless to use it to describe an entry-level room.

“Garden” is another one. While sometimes accurate, more often than not, it’s code for “your balcony offers sweeping views of our parking lot full of dumpsters.”

But the mother of them all is “Oceanview”. Again, sometimes it’s accurate, but it’s often only technically accurate. “No, no … you can totally see the water. You just have to stand on the balcony air conditioning unit and cock your head like so …”

#2: Free (But Very Limited) Wi-Fi

(That any hotel is still charging for Wi-Fi these days is mind-boggling. It’s a disgraceful, Ryanair-style tactic. But we’ll talk about that another time …)

These days, hotels are instead touting “FREE WI-FI!” However, they never quite nail down exactly where the Wi-Fi is free. Can I actually get it, ya know, in my room? Or is it only available in the lobby? Or sometimes in the lobby? Or in the third-floor janitor’s closet? And is it a high-speed connection or can I actually hear the modem connecting a la AOL circa 1997?

I once stayed at a five-star resort in Africa where the “free” Wi-Fi was only available from one particular chair in the lobby during a one-hour window every afternoon. I’m not kidding. While not every hotel is quite that bad, it’s still a deceptive tactic and they know it.

#3: Hidden “Resort Fee” Charge

This one is particularly insidious and it’s exploded in popularity in the last few years. The gist is simple: charge guests a one-time fee for simple, often essential, amenities. Want to visit the gym, use the Wi-Fi, or drink the bottled water in your room? Yeah, that’s a $20 upcharge. Daily.

What’s worse is that it’s cropping up in hotels that are far from “resorts“. Most hotels reveal this surcharge somewhere, but it’s often intentionally buried on their website’s fine print or on one of the multiple papers you hurriedly signed at check-in. If you visit a handful of hotels each year, chances are you’ve already paid this fee at some point and not even known it.

#4: When “All-inclusive” Really Isn’t

I know it’s weird, but “all-inclusive” used to mean every last thing was included in your stay: food, booze, watersports, shows, and access to every restaurant on the property. No more. Now, almost every “all-inclusive” resort is really “mostly-inclusive” or, even worse, “kinda-inclusive”.

Resorts are now saving the best food for their a la carte (read: not included) restaurants, where the additional fees are sometimes $50 USD or more per couple, not including booze. And they would historically only charge for things like jet skiing or scuba diving. Now, even basics like kayaking and use of snorkel equipment are extra.

At an “all-inclusive” property (sorry, but that term requires quotes every time) in the Dominican Republic recently, the staff provided me with a list of what was and was not included with my stay. The “additional fee” list was almost twice as long as the inclusions.

#5: “City” Hotels That Aren’t Anywhere Near the City

This final tactic is cropping up especially in suburbs throughout the United States. It’s the “City Hotel, but Not Really” naming-scheme. I’m talking about when you book “Joe’s Goodtime Boston Beantown Resort” with dreams of walking to the city’s best bars, shops, and restaurants … only to realize that Joe evidently doesn’t own a map. Because Joe’s Boston Resort is actually 50 minutes outside the city.

While they’re not technically doing anything illegal here, this is intentionally misleading and they know it. And, while travelers should always do their research before visiting a destination, they still shouldn’t be hoodwinked into thinking they’re staying somewhere — or at least near somewhere — that they aren’t.

The Bottom Line

As with anything, the key is scrutiny. Hotels count on intentionally obscuring or misleading travelers, knowing full well that you won’t realize “Free Wi-Fi” doesn’t actually mean “Free Wi-Fi in your room” until you check-in. And, by then, it’s too late. Do your research, read plenty of reviews carefully, and always call the hotel directly with any questions.

The post The 5 Sleaziest Tricks Hotels Are Using to Screw You Over appeared first on Vagabondish.

According to a prominent study that I just made up for this post, we know travelers (want to) spend up to two-thirds of their vacations sleeping. But many can’t sleep in hotel rooms or, at the very least, have a hard time. With less than 10 minutes of first-day prep, you can save yourself hours of precious sleep.

Can’t Sleep in Hotel Rooms?

Are you constantly stricken with insomnia every time you crash at a hotel? First, start with our 6 Tips for Sleeping Well in a Foreign Place.

If that doesn’t work and you still find yourself wide awake in the wee hours checking for hidden hotel wall art or learning to bake muffins with the hotel iron, try these tips to turn your hotel room into a fortress of solitude.

Ask for an “Isolated” Room

Be sure to secure a room away from noisy things like elevators, ice machines, or heavy foot traffic. The best location is often at the end of a dead-end hallway, near the stairs.

Note that if you book your room through a third-party website (e.g. Expedia, Hotwire, etc.), you’re not likely to get the hotel’s choice rooms or have a say in where your room is on the property. In most cases, you simply get what you get.

Your best bet is to book directly with the hotel’s website and make sure you’re a member of their (often free) loyalty program. Loyal customers always get preferential treatment.

Hang the Do Not Disturb Tag

Once you make it to your hotel room, hang the Do Not Disturb tag immediately. Above all else, this is the first thing I do upon arrival. Housekeeping and others who hate letting people sleep may flat-out ignore that request, but it’s worth a try.

In some corners of the world (and in some, let’s call them “hotels of lesser repute”), hotels may simply not provide DnD tags. Which is why I travel with a generic one of my own that I’ve borrowed from previous stays.

For shorter stays of up to three days, hotel housekeeping will likely leave you alone if you hang the DnD tag. Anything longer and the front desk will call at some point to make sure you’re not dead.

Unplug the Hotel’s Alarm Clock

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve awoken at 3 a.m. because the previous guest must’ve worked nights at the cemetery and never turned off their own alarm. And housekeeping didn’t do it either.

Save yourself the hassle by unplugging the alarm clock immediately. It’s 2019 anyway — just use the alarm on your smartphone.

… and Unplug the Damn Phone

These days, I find the front desk increasingly likely to call out of the blue just to say hi and make sure everything’s ok. It’s a nice bit of customer service, but they have a knack for calling 30 minutes after check-in, just as I’m dozing for an afternoon nap. If you aren’t expecting any phone calls, unplug the phone.

Pack Some White Noise in Your Pocket

This one’s all about personal preference. Few things help me sleep like a baby like white noise: the hum of an air conditioner fan, a hard rain, the sultry voice of the Forensic Files narrator.

If you’re the same, download one of the many free “white noise” apps available for Android and iPhone. Or, if you’re the sort of hotshot who can afford to shop at Brookstone, opt for a dedicated white noise machine. The smallest ones (like this one from HoMedics) are affordable and packable.

Draw the Curtains the Right Way

Draw the curtains — both the inner and outer if there’s more than one set. But, for those of you who can’t sleep in hotel rooms, you knew that already.

The not-so-obvious pro tip is to always travel with a few paper binder clips (like these with strawberries and flowers on them). They’re small, lightweight, and practically free. And they keep you organized. But, for sleep purposes, they also close the inevitable gap between the curtains in your hotel room, blocking out all semblance of sleep-depriving sunlight.

Switch the Hotel AC/Heater Fan to “On”

Again, if you’re a light sleeper and/or enjoy white noise, you probably loathe the constant switching on/off of your hotel room’s HVAC system. To me, this is the bane of my hotel existence. It’s nails on a chalkboard.

The solution? Switch the HVAC system fan to “On”. Most systems have two fan settings: “On” or “Auto”. I switch it to “On” to make sure it’s not clicking on/off all night (as is this case in “Auto” mode).

Ear Plugs. All the Ear Plugs.

Right after my passport and a couple of nips of bourbon, the next thing that goes into my carry-on is a pair of earplugs. Seriously, I don’t understand how anyone — particularly those who can’t sleep in hotel rooms — travels without them. They’re cheap, packable, and comfortable (I recommend these).

Spray Your Bed

Some fancier hotels (Crowne Plaza comes to mind) are investing in signature scents. Partly for branding, but also because they have a measurable calming effect on hotel guests.

Find a scent that calms and relaxes you. Peppermint and other mint scents are a good place to start. Pack a small spray travel bottle of it and spritz your bed before lying down each night. It won’t work for everyone, but even a little sleep advantage is better than none.

(Full disclosure: I don’t actually use this tip because I only travel with Axe Body Spray and that doesn’t calm anyone. But, there is some science to back it up, and in the fancier hotel rooms in which I’ve stayed that do this, it seems to help.)

Still Can’t Sleep in Hotels?

If you’ve tried all of these tips, but still can’t sleep in hotel rooms? Sorry, there’s no hope for you. I’d try Ambien and a few glasses of Shiraz.

The post Can’t Sleep in Hotel Rooms? Here’s How to Turn Yours Into a Fortress of Solitude appeared first on Vagabondish.

Seconds later, another. Then … a third.

For a moment, I was captivated. In the quiet morning hours, it felt like a special light show that someone had choreographed just for me. As I was still half-asleep, it felt alien, yet calming and beautiful.

Within seconds I realized it was the mere reflection of headlights from the cars on the street below. My amazement was short-lived.

My initial reaction to this mundane event mirrors how children see the world. Everything they see, hear, taste, and experience is viewed with wide-eyed amazement, joy, and awe. They don’t completely understand it all. Partly because they can’t — their brains simply lack the capacity to comprehend it.

But, more importantly, I’m not sure they want to. Unlike adults, their amazement stems from a pure, carefree place that values the experience itself more than a grown-up need to analyze, mentally catalog, and file it all away as yet another underappreciated moment.

Consider the reasons:

• Everything is new to them
• They possess limitless curiosity + everything is a learning experience
• They live in a carefree bubble, without the worries of daily adult life (money, relationships, life and death)
• They love to create
• They don’t care what other people think
• They act with reckless abandon – doing “just because”
• Their default mode is “play”
• They live in the present

For many reasons, humans begin to outgrow these qualities around adolescence. Through experience, we see enough fireworks, laser pointers, and fluffy kitties that they become ordinary, part of the background static of daily life. Been there, done that. It’s understandable.

If every adult wandered the streets, mouth agape, awestruck at the mere sight of an airplane or the moon overhead, society would grind to a halt. Society also teaches us that childishness is for, well, children. Beyond a certain age, that playful curiosity is often no longer recognized as a virtue.

Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with dry, uninspiring books on algebra, history, etc.

Being suddenly hit years later with the ‘creative bug’ is just a wee voice telling you, ‘I’d like my crayons back, please.’

— Hugh MacLeod

But too many of us live our lives at the extremes — either as immature adults barely able to fend for ourselves or as “good,” responsible adults with an unwavering focus on our bank accounts, job security, and whether that tie is dressy enough for the company Christmas party. As adults, we often lose the ability to, as my Nana would say, “stop and tip-toe through the tulips.”

Which is why I’ve begun to appreciate that tapping into that original joy — that childlike awe — is a skill worth cultivating. I would argue that it’s critical in fact to finding true happiness.

It comes easy for frequent travelers. Witnessing Victoria Falls, the Great Wall of China, or the Eiffel Tower for the first time inspires awe in even the most hardened “adult”. (Although I know more than a few travel bloggers who hardly seem amazed by anything anymore, which only proves my point …)

The true practice then comes at home. At finding wanderlust in the ordinary, in the everyday. I say “wanderlust” because that’s what it is in the broadest sense of the word. The term has been co-opted in recent years to mean “a burning desire to travel”. But defining the word so narrowly is the antithesis of traveling and living through a child’s eyes. And we forget that the world is all around us, that wanderlust is not just embodied in an exotic, hardly pronounceable island 6,000 miles from home.

Unlike with Robert Redford though, all is not lost. We can regain some of that original curiosity, amazement, awe, and ultimately joy. Even if only a little at a time. We just need to try.

Here’s how …

Watch + Play with Children

Sit down with children. Observe them. Experience their world literally at their level. Play with them and their toys on their terms (“Now you’re the firefighter and I’M the toothbrush dragon!“) and make up some of your own. Don’t think. Just abandon any preconceived notions you might have and go with it.

Chat with Children

Like challenging a goldfish to a staring contest, you cannot out-talk a kid. They will ask and ask and ask and ask until you can’t physically answer anymore. Learn from this. Be curious. Speak with them, not as an adult or child, but as a human being. Ask them questions back and learn from their answers. Even if they’re nonsensical, simply appreciating and enjoying how a carefree mind thinks can be a helpful exercise.

Foster Your Own Curiosity

Children constantly ask “Why?” and “Why not?” Revive your own curiosity about the world by doing the same. Every hour of every day, there’s so much going on inches from your nose that you don’t know or understand. Look closer. This will help you appreciate the extraordinary in the everyday.

Learn to Play Alone

Learning to amuse and play by yourself is one of the most important skills an adult can cultivate. It can instill humility by teaching you to laugh at yourself. It can reteach you how to have fun, no matter the circumstances and no matter who might be watching.

Live Without Constraint

There’s nothing sadder than hearing an adult say, “I always wanted to do that …” Because, no matter what that was, they probably could have.

What would you do, create, or be without societal pressure or expectations? Children don’t have that constant, nagging “Nah, you can’t do that …” voice in the back of their minds. You shouldn’t either. The only thing it’s going to do is stop you from following your dreams.

Above All: Live in the Moment. Enjoy the Now.

The entire paradigm of a child can be summed up thusly: Enjoy the now. Live in the present.

It’s easier said than done of course. In a world of 24-hour news cycles, an endless need to update our Facebook statuses, and texting instead of calling, it sounds impossible.

So start by slowing down. If you’re multitasking, knock it off. Seriously: it’s a myth. If you have that much to do, take stock of your daily life and weed out the things that aren’t enriching it.

Start small: once a month, abandon all responsibilities and obligations for an entire afternoon. Shed your adult persona for the moment and be spontaneous to a fault.

“Never stop wandering, never stop wondering …”

The post Grown-Ups Are Stupid! How to Travel + See the World Like a Child appeared first on Vagabondish.

So, when we decided to take our “boss”, Lizzi, on a three-month road trip of the U.S. East Coast, people told us we were crazy. They weren’t wrong. Frankly, we had no clue how to travel with a cat in a car long distance.

Anyone who’s ever tried taking their feline for even a five-minute car ride knows the struggle. Now, imagine bringing them on a seven-hour drive. It can be … stressful. But, our current living situation left us no choice. So, we prepped and researched and did the best we could to make things as comfortable for everyone as possible.

Fast-forward to the middle of our road trip. We’ve been traveling with our calico kitty for almost two months now, and we’ve learned quite a bit about what works. Here are our favorite tips for keeping your (and your cat’s) sanity on a long-term road trip without anyone ending up in the hospital.

How to Travel with a Cat in a Car Long Distance (with a Litter Box)

Prepare for Your Road Trip with A Dress Rehearsal

Of course, the best way to see how your cat will react on a long distance car ride is to actually put them in the car and go somewhere. It’s one thing to drive them quickly to the vet and back. But, you want to see how they’ll react on a long distance road trip.

We took a few short trips near home to see how Lizzi dealt with it. Almost any cat will be stressed, especially at first. Lizzi was no different. We let her out of the carrier in the car, she paced, she panted, she cried. She wasn’t happy. But after about an hour, she began to calm down.

Now, she still paces, pants, and cries on travel days but only for a short while. Then, after about 20 minutes, she usually settles down on top of our belongings in the back seat and just chills out. Or, at least tries to chill out.

Shop the Right Cat Carrier or Cat Crate

Most cat owners rarely consider their cat’s carrier or crate. It’s not something most people use often. But, your cat will likely spend more time in and out of it on the road than ever before. Make sure it’s sized properly for your kitty.

We had a soft-sided mesh carrier which worked fine. But, we ultimately switched to this hard-sided carrier with a removable fluffy liner, and Lizzi is much happier with it. We bring it into our Airbnbs and she’ll oftentimes curl up inside of it and sleep.

Of course, depending on your cat’s temperament, you may not need a cat carrier at all. We probably don’t as Lizzi is fine being picked up, held, and carried. But, we opted to use one anyway for the added security of knowing that she won’t get spooked once we stop somewhere and run off.

Take Your Cat to the Vet

This one’s a no-brainer. Before leaving home, make a stop at your local vet. Make sure your kitty is healthy enough for travel. Shots up to date? Any obvious health signs that should be investigated before hitting the road? Do you need to load up on prescription meds to last the duration of your trip? Any special dietary needs to tend to (e.g. does she need special food that may be hard to find away from home)?

Get Your Cat Microchipped

Aside from occasional breaks on our apartment balcony, Lizzi has been an indoor cat her whole life. I’m not sure she’d last ten minutes outdoors. Either something would eat her (she’s awfully plump) or someone would steal her (she’s far too pretty). Or she’d just plain wander off and get lost.

This last reason is why we paid to have her microchipped. The service is available at most vet offices these days, and it costs around $50. But, the rice-grain-sized chip isn’t even noticeable by her or us. And it’s serious peace of mind on the off-chance she goes missing while we’re on the road.

Find Familiar Objects for Your Cat’s Road Trip

Cats are creatures of habit. Making their environment as comfortable and familiar as possible is key. We packed Lizzi’s favorite blankets so we could lay them out at Airbnbs for her to curl up on (this has the added benefit of protecting our hosts’ furniture). Anything — toys, chews, scratching posts, etc. — that already has your cat’s scent on it is a good thing.

Slow Travel: Long Days, Less Days

Cats adapt slowly to new environments. They need to get their bearings, orient themselves, and ease into feeling comfortable with the new smells, sights, and sounds around them. This is especially true when you take your cat on a long distance road trip, and their new world becomes the backseat of a car moving at highway speeds.

For our road trip, we opted for fewer travel days but each day is a bit longer. We found about six hours is Lizzi’s max in the car. Any longer and she gets very stir crazy and irritable. Moving around less also means that we’re staying in each destination a bit longer which gives her more time to acclimate to each new living space along the way.

Keep Calm and Carry … Cat Treats

You may think you know your cat. But stress can make cats behave in (even more) mysterious ways. Lizzi is pretty chill, especially by cat standards. But she hates — hates — being in her cat carrier. And in the car. And especially in her cat carrier in the car.

Before recent trips to the vet, we discovered half of an all-natural calming treat helped ease her state of a mind. We’re not keen on medicating her to the point where she’s “stoned,” but we’re less keen on her being needlessly terrified for six hours. We found those same treats help relax her for car rides. Especially during the first 1-2 hours where she’s likely to be the most stressed.

Also, if you have any issues giving your kitty medication, we highly recommend Greenies Feline Pill Pockets. Lizzi needs a pill every day to keep her hyperthyroidism in check, but we could never get her to take it. We tried crushing it up in her wet food, but then we never knew how much of the medication she was actually getting. These Pill Pockets were a game-changer!

How to Take a Roadside Lunch Break

We were positive Lizzi would have no interest in food while on the road trip. But, since we have to stop every day to give her her medication, we found it an ideal time to attempt a bit of dry food as well. We’ll typically stop half-way through our travel day to grab some lunch for ourselves. This is when we’ll pour a small serving of dry food into her familiar food dish and let her snack a bit. She rarely eats much when we stop, but something is better than nothing.

Water has been another story. She really won’t drink in the car. But, most of her daily water intake comes from eating wet food (which we give her in the morning and at night), so that doesn’t seem to be an issue.

… and a Pee Break Too

Of course, the most challenging part of long-distance road tripping with a cat is how to handle the dreaded bathroom break. Dogs are easy; the world is their bathroom. But cats need the right setting: the perfect lighting, some votive candles, Yanni music, and, of course, a litter box.

To be honest, we had no idea how we’d handle this in the beginning. We wung it for the first few weeks, and hoped for the best. We figured she doesn’t pee more than 1-2 times a day at home anyway so a few hours in the car would be a cakewalk for her.

Then an idea hit us … our clothes were packed into a single, large suitcase in the backseat. It was easy enough to stop in a shady spot at a truck stop or service plaza, then pull the entire suitcase out and leave it next to the car. In the space left by the now-removed suitcase, we put a disposable litter box and poured a bit of litter in the bottom. To our amazement, Lizzi the (now expert) Travel Cat hopped in and peed almost immediately!

Once she’s done, I wrap a plastic litter box liner around the entire litter box and stow the whole thing back in her travel tote. Then, I put the suitcase back in the backseat, and we’re on our way.

Keep It Cool

It goes without saying that you should never leave an animal in a sealed-up car, period. On travel days, one of us is always in the car with Lizzi with the air conditioner running. So she stays calm, cool, and safe.

… and Keep Your Cool

Like dogs, cats naturally soak up stress from their bosses (er … owners). If you’re wigging out and screaming in traffic, your cat will sense that and, in turn, stress out more. Maintain your composure, talk softly to them occasionally to remind them you’re there, and soothe them as best you can.

Some cats may want extra affection while traveling which is why it’s ideal to have a co-pilot, while others may want to be left alone. You just need to see what works best for your kitty.

Clean-Up Duty

One of the dirtiest parts about traveling with a cat is clean-up duty. No matter where you’re staying — at a hotel, Airbnb, or campground — you’re going to want to clean up after your cat at checkout. We packed a washable rubberized mat to place under Lizzi’s litter box. It’s a snap to pick up and shake out over the trash when we’re ready to leave. Plus, we can hose it down in the shower if it gets a little funky.

We also packed an arsenal of cleaning products including this ultra-portable, stand-up Shark Rocket vacuum and a Swiffer kit. Since we’re mainly staying in Airbnbs for this road trip, we want to be the best guests we can be. And that means leaving our accommodations better than we found them.

Settle In and Settle Down

When we get where we’re going, our routine is to bring the cat and all her accouterments (which is a shocking amount of things!) inside before doing anything else. Lizzi is so habituated to life on the road now that, once we stop and I call her to her carrier in the back seat, she climbs right in.

Once inside, we set up her water, food, and bathroom immediately so she can start settling in as quickly as possible. Then we tend to all the other things we need to do at each stop.

The Bottom Line

There are, of course, no set rules for how to travel with a cat in a car. Your mileage with these tips may vary. Dogs are more predictable, laid-back, and easy to travel with in general. Cats are temperamental, finicky creatures by nature. Some, none, or all of these tips may work for you. If you’re heading on a long-distance road trip with your cat, I hope for your sake it’s smooth sailing.

It’s all still a work-in-progress for us. As we’re gearing up for an even longer fall road trip, we’re keen to hear other travelers’ experiences. So, fellow pet owners, what are your tips for how to travel with a cat in a car? Let us know in the comments below what did and didn’t work for you!

After two short months on the road, it seems Lizzi has become the model of how to travel with a cat in a car long distance!

Packing List for Traveling with Your Cat in a Car

These are the best cat-friendly products that we relied on most during our long-distance road trip.

Petlinks Purr-FECT Paws Cat Litter Mat

A flexible, easy-to-clean rubber mat that helps reduce scattering of litter — great for Airbnb stays!

Kitty’s WonderBox Disposable Litter Box

These were probably the single best thing we bought for our road trip with Lizzi! They help control odor, they’re ultra-durable, and they don’t leak. In our experience, each one easily lasted a few weeks, so a 3-pack was good for 1-2 months of travel.

Foldable Travel Cat Carrier – Front Door Plastic Collapsible Carrier

We upgraded from her soft-sided carrier to this hard-sided one. It folds down semi-flat and it’s super easy to wipe clean inside and out. Plus, it came with a soft, comfortable pad that Lizzi loved to sleep on in the car.

Purina Tidy Cats LightWeight Instant Action Clumping Cat Litter

Lizzi’s tote of road trip essentials was surprisingly large! This ultra-light cat litter helped keep the weight of her “stuff” to a minimum. Plus, it works great!

The post We Drove Cross-Country With Our Cat (and Nobody Died) appeared first on Vagabondish.

But not everyone can shell out the ridiculous prices it costs to travel in Business or First Class. “Help me, I’m poor!”

Here are seven tips to make your Economy experience a little less miserable and — although not exactly like First Class — a whole lot better than your buddies who didn’t read this post.

#1: Book The Right Seats

Before picking your seats, check Seat Guru. You’ll find critical seat information like if you’re going to be stuck sitting next to a bassinet (a.k.a. a screaming child) or the bathroom (a.k.a. poop smells) all flight long.

If traveling with a friend, book the window and the aisle seat. More often than not, the center seat will remain empty which = more room. And even if someone swoops that seat, they will only be extra grateful to you when you ask them to switch to the window.

#2: Carry On Cocktail Kit (… and a Plastic Champagne Flute)

Just because you’re not in First Class doesn’t mean you can’t drink like you are. First Class offers top shelf liquors. So, if you’re a booze snob (I hope to be you one day by the way), head to BevMo and purchase premium mini liquor bottles to take on the plane.

If you only care about the buzz (holla!), it’s all about how you drink that drink. Pack a mini cocktail kit and a plastic champagne flute for ultimate luxury that even your Instagram won’t be able to tell you just faked.

#3: Pack Your Own Snacks

Let’s be real, Economy in-flight meals will never win Top Chef or even, say, a pre-school cooking competition. The real difference between Economy and First Class (aside from the seats which, well, there’s no solution for that) is the food.

The key here is snacking. First class offers a wide array of options available any time during the flight, so be sure to pack a variety of treats. A few of my favorite are: clementines, a cheese and crackers snack box (thank you, Starbucks), See’s Candy, nuts (to go with your cocktails obvi), dried/fresh fruit, coconut water (which you should purchase at the airport), pretzels, and a small pack of almond butter.

#4: Bring a Face Mask

Sure, you run the risk of looking like a serial killer for 30 minutes but it’s well worth the temporary embarrassment. Grab one of those sheet masks, head to the bathroom, wash your face and your hands and once you’re back at your seat, plop that baby on.

If you’re on the shy side, wait until the cabin lights are dimmed. Bonus tip: make sure it doesn’t have a strong smell, you want to avoid acting like a serial killer.

#5: Bring PJs to Change Into

On long haul flights, First Class fliers get their own personal jammies. If they get it, so should we, amirite?

Bring a change of cozy clothes to put on whenever you’re ready to hit that snooze button. Oh, and don’t forget some socks (compression socks are the best).

#6: Eye Mask, Ear Plugs, and a Neck Pillow

This one is a must. For ultimate relaxation, don’t forget a heavy duty eye mask and a pair of ear plugs to drown out your neighbor’s snores.

If you’re fancy enough to have a pair of noise-canceling headphones … well, I’m incredibly jealous of you.

#7: Bring an iPad Filled With Movies

Most airlines provide decent entertainment, even in Economy. But, if you really want to take it to the next level, download a bunch of movies on your iPad. Just make sure it’s charged before takeoff or bring a portable charging stick. Pack a ziplock full of popcorn and you, my friend, are all set.

And now I know it won’t be exactly like Upper Class, but it’ll sure make your Economy experience a whole lot more bearable. Hopefully, this makes you less likely to channel that iconic scene from Bridesmaids where you put on your biggest shades and sneak into the First Class Cabin, Mrs. Iglesias.

Remember, a flight is just that. A flight that takes you somewhere new, somewhere special, and begins your journey to discovery. So what if you have to sit in a smelly, cramped tube for several hours? At least you’ll have extra money to spend on the actual adventure now.

Safe travels!

The post 7 Ways to Fake a First Class Experience in Economy appeared first on Vagabondish.

We combed CDC Travel and other health resources to gather a list of diseases and the most common travel illnesses, and all the reasons why you want to avoid them.

The Most Common Travel Illnesses

#1: Cholera

Forgive me for feeling that this disease sounded romantic when Gabriel Garcia Marquez included it in the title of his novel Love in the Time of Cholera — it is actually pretty nasty. You might pick it up in many parts of Africa and Asia, but it can occur anywhere with poor sanitation. You don’t want cholera because you’ll end up with diarrhea, vomiting, and fever, and it has the potential to be fatal, too.

Jabs are all well and good but the usefulness of the cholera vaccine is disputed — some experts say its effectiveness is only 50%. Since you pick up the cholera bacteria from contaminated food and water, you should avoid uncooked food and unbottled water.

© Ross_Angus

#2: Tetanus

While tetanus is the kind of disease that could happen to you anywhere, the highest number of reported incidences are in places like India and countries in central Africa. Tetanus is also called lockjaw for a good reason — it affects your nervous system and makes your muscles spasm and seize up.

But the good news about tetanus is that the vaccine is perfect. As long as you have your booster every ten years. Even in the United States, five people still die every year from tetanus, so it’s worth getting the jab even if you’re not planning to travel soon.

#3: Typhoid

Don’t ask me why, but typhoid has always sounded really dark and tragic to me. What I hadn’t realized is that it’s actually caused by the salmonella bacteria, and is transmitted if you consume food or water that’s been contaminated by the feces of an infected person. Nasty. It’s most commonly contracted in India and parts of Asia, Africa, and South America.

Typhoid is a disease that might hit you suddenly, but then develops slowly — you’ll get a fever, and after a week or so you might become delirious. In the vast majority of cases, it isn’t fatal, and the vaccine is also reasonably effective.

© jurvetson

#4: Dengue Fever

Once you know that dengue fever has been nicknamed break-bone fever or bonecrusher disease, you know it’s something you want to avoid. The initial fever is made worse by a headache, muscle and joint pains along with a really unattractive rash.

Dengue fever is most commonly found in tropical areas and parts of Africa. It’s a bit scarier because it also occurs in more developed parts of the tropics, like Singapore or Taiwan. Mosquitoes spread this disease and there’s no commercial vaccine yet, so use a repellent and nets to avoid getting bitten.

#5: Hepatitis

The various incarnations of hepatitis are running there way through the alphabet, but travelers need to worry most about types A and B.

Hepatitis A is found in developing countries including India, Mexico, Latin America and parts of Africa and is a nasty infection of the liver. Symptoms include fever, nausea and jaundice for a week or up to several months, but it’s rarely fatal, and it is usually picked up from contaminated food and water or close contact with infected people.

Hep A’s big, bad brother Hepatitis B is found in similar regions, plus the Middle East and some Pacific Islands, and can lead to a whole heap of liver damage, cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. Fortunately, it’s also harder to catch, as it’s usually transmitted only via blood, shared needles and body fluids. You have to plan ahead if you’re traveling to a Hepatitis B risk area because vaccinations must start over six months before you travel. And this one can kill you.

#6: Malaria

This is one of the trickiest diseases (and one of the most common travel illnesses) to deal with while traveling abroad. Most of the medication needs to be taken before, during, and after your trip, and some of it can have unpleasant side effects. These days, malaria is found in at least a hundred countries — the Center for Disease Control has quite a handy risk map to check your destination.

Malaria Control Sign © otisarchives2

You can catch malaria from a mosquito bite, so covering up against these nasties is a must along with taking medication. Symptoms including a fever and something similar to the flu; it’s not usually fatal, but it can be. Scientists are still working on a vaccine against malaria, and that’s something that would be a big benefit to travels if they figured it out successfully.

#7: Yellow Fever

Another mosquito-borne nasty is yellow fever. It’s among the most common travel illnesses, mostly found in the tropical parts of South America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Victims usually end up with jaundice, hence “yellow” fever. But while yellow fever can also kill you, it’s easier to prevent because the vaccination is nearly always effective, and only needs to be administered a couple of weeks before you travel.

#8: HIV / AIDS

While definitely not only a travelers’ disease, HIV is becoming a serious issue for travelers in Africa and South East Asia where it’s become scarily prevalent. Yet a lot of carriers don’t realize they have the virus. As a result, many of these people will remain untreated and consequently, die of AIDS.

Fortunately, reducing your risk of contracting HIV as a traveler is mostly a matter of common sense and taking care. Avoid casual sex, use your own, high-quality condoms if you have sex with someone you meet, don’t share needles or syringes or get a tattoo or piercing. Common sense, right?

#9: Japanese Encephalitis

Those mosquitoes are responsible for all manner of unfriendly diseases and Japanese encephalitis is definitely one to avoid. It affects the central nervous system, causing severe flu-like symptoms, and it can be fatal. The vaccine is quite effective, especially if you get the recommended two doses.

And contrary to the suggestion in its name, Japanese encephalitis isn’t limited to Japan at all — it’s most common in agricultural regions of countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Nepal and Malaysia. Again, cover up against mosquitoes if you’re traveling in these areas.

#10: Meningitis

Meningitis is another common travel illness/disease that’s not exclusively the province of travelers or the third world — it can occur, rarely, in Western countries too. However, the “Meningitis Belt” is an area stretching across Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia where it’s relatively common for large outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis to occur.

Meningitis usually comes from contact with, ahem, nose or throat discharges from someone who’s infected. This time you’ll also start with a fever, but usually progress to vomiting, a stiff neck and a bad purple rash. There are vaccinations available (but not against all kinds), or antibiotics can treat it. If you have suspicion of having meningitis, it’s the sort of thing you want to check out immediately — untreated cases are often fatal.

So, there you have it: the most common travel illnesses. If you get your shots before you travel, and you’re relatively careful on the road, the worst case scenario is usually just a minor version of these nasty diseases. But remember, I’m not a doctor, so check with yours before you head off into the danger zone.

For more info on the most common travel illnesses and foreign diseases, check out:

• CDC Yellow Book 2018: Health Information for International Travel
• CDC’s Travelers’ Health Resource
• The Travel Doctor
• World Health Organization’s International Travel and Health Report

The post These Are the 10 Nastiest Travel Diseases appeared first on Vagabondish.

Given that a decade has since passed and my life is going pretty well, I think I’m qualified to say that those people who told me not to travel were dead wrong!

So in case you’re contemplating the same thing, here’s why you should ignore the advice of those who tell you that you shouldn’t go traveling now.

“But, You’ve Got a Good Job Here!”

Yes, I had a great job. That was part of the problem — I’d had the luck of “right place, right time” to work my way up to a dream job much faster than I’d imagined. There didn’t seem to be much of a “what’s next?”, other than doing the same or similar job for the next twenty or so years. But that wasn’t enough for me and guess what — ten years later, with a whole lot of amazing experiences under my belt that makes me do any job better, I’ve got another good job! Better, in fact!

Having a good job doesn’t mean you are satisfied with what’s going on in your life, although it certainly helps. But if you’ve been able to get a good job once, then chances are you’ll find another good job again.

And flipped around, just having a good job doesn’t mean it will continue to be a job you love or even that the job will continue to exist. Especially in the current changing economy, you can’t guarantee what’s going to happen.

“It’s a Bad Career Move.”

Some suggested that leaving my good career and doing “odd jobs” would look extremely bad on my resume. “What about your career?” they asked. Well, there are lots of answers to this concern.

First, there are employers who welcome international experience on your resume even if it’s not in your original field. And do you really want to work for companies who are anti-travel?

Second, your experiences overseas may well change your career path. They certainly changed mine, in a way I couldn’t have done if I’d stayed home. I got into the world of travel blogging, which led me to launch my own blogging and social media business once I returned home and had a family. If I’d stayed here and never traveled there’s no way I would have found this path, and I love it.

“You’ll Lose Your Savings.”

Some people told me I’d be crazy to spend my savings on travel. On top of that, to be away from home and not contributing to my pension fund and all that stuff. True. But not the end of the world.

As it turns out, I managed to save a lot of money while I worked in Japan (despite traveling very regularly while I was there) and sent it home as savings. When I worked in Slovakia and Germany, I made sure to live within my means. This, of course, involved a lot of budget traveling. But, hey, it’s more fun that way!

Of course, I’m not recommending you go traveling and bill all of it to your credit card when you’ve no immediate way to repay it. You have to be at least a little sensible. If you don’t have enough savings to use then look into combining travel with working abroad. For me, working in other countries still felt like traveling because I had so many new experiences every day.

“You Won’t Like Japan.”

Several people told me that living abroad and traveling wasn’t such a bad idea, but they were sure I wouldn’t like Japan. This wasn’t because they’d been there or anything. I guess they’d heard of someone who’d had a bad experience. And I don’t think it would have mattered if I’d been moving to England or Brazil or wherever, they would have said the same thing. Guess what — I adored it!

In retrospect, if these people said the same thing to me today, I’d quickly tell them that I can enjoy virtually any place in the world. And, if I decide I don’t like it, I can just move on to somewhere else.

It took me a while to learn that, once you hit the road, the next move is up to you and you’re free to do whatever you want. Don’t let these nay-sayers make you nervous about not enjoying where you’re headed. It’s up to you to decide to enjoy it.

“You Can’t Speak the Language.”

Before I moved abroad, I admit that not being able to speak the local language worried me a bit. And, I also made as good an attempt as possible to learn the local languages while I lived there because I think that’s the respectful thing to do (plus it’s a lot of fun).

But I soon learned that there are ways to communicate without speaking another language fluently, and plenty of people to help out when you need it. Language barriers should never stop you from traveling.

The Bottom Line

There are always reasons not to do something. Absconding from your “normal” life to travel is no exception.

But I’m glad that I ignored everyone who suggested I stay home. Without my six years of living abroad, I’d have an entirely different life and I firmly believe it would be a poorer one. If you get the chance, ignore the advice-givers and the nay-sayers, and just go traveling, dammit!

The post I’m Going Traveling, Dammit! (When to Ignore the Bad Advice of Others) appeared first on Vagabondish.

That’s right — travel is not always exciting.

There will be dull downtimes, and you may not always be able to read a good book, play road trip bingo, do crossword puzzles, or doodle in your journal.

That’s when you need a good repertoire of travel games to spontaneously play with your fellow travelers. Some will be popular games that you can find online and long-forgotten games from your childhood, and you might be surprised just how necessary they’ll be — and how much fun you’ll have — when you want to fill some of those inevitably empty hours on the road.

The Best Travel Games

A quick confession: I’m a bit of a game geek anyway, and an English teacher to boot, so I’ve been known to start these games even at parties. But I promise that they have all been road-tested (on a real road!), somewhere in Tunisia, Finland, Canada, or Germany or any place where I was bored and without a book.

#1: I Spy

You’ve probably all played I Spy a long time ago. But, I recommend dredging it back up from your long-term memory as I think it’s still one of the best travel games. If you can’t, it starts off like this: “I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with A,” and the other players have to guess what object you can see.

I’ve played this travel game in hostels (especially those hostel living rooms that have trinkets from all over the world gathering dust there), on train rides and in planes. Sadly, it didn’t work too well in the desert. “I spy … sand.”

How to play:

I like to limit each person to three or four guesses. Otherwise, they’ll exhaust every item in the room that starts with “B” and you’ll soon run out of objects to use. I also like the jet lag variation — play it in a dark room at night when you can’t sleep because your body’s on some other clock, and see if you can actually remember what’s in the room around you.

© Mariano Kamp

#2: Donna’s Alphabet Game

This is not the official name, but it’s the way I like to remember it after my old school friend Donna got a carload of us playing this on a stop-start motorway in southwest England. It’s simple, as long as you’re traveling on a road with signs (and even better, advertising) and these signs use our alphabet. Don’t try it in the western provinces of China, for example.

How to play:

Logically, Donna’s Alphabet Game starts with A. Be the first person to spot the letter “A” in a sign and yell out the word: “A is in motorwAy!” Continue with B and get right through to Z. It sounds easy, but there will be a few tricky letters, and if you’re playing in a non-English speaking country then pronouncing the words will be a lot of fun, too. The way we play, there’s no winner — anybody can scream out the next letter when they see it — but natural competitiveness spurs everybody on anyway.

#3: Stadt, Land, Fluss: City, Country, River

This is one of the only travel games I know with a German name because my German friends taught it to me — which is also perhaps why it strikes me as being a bit intellectual, but still a lot of fun. It’s also a highly appropriate game for travelers to play because their geographical knowledge should be a bit better than average.

How to play:

Choose three or four categories like the names of a city, country, river or lake. To be honest, I’m terrible with rivers so I always change the river category to something completely different — often food, because I like to talk about food. Take it in turns to challenge another player to think of a city, country, and river all starting with a particular letter. If your friend challenges you with “D”, for example, you can win by getting out Dubai, Denmark, and Danube in under sixty seconds — or whatever time limit you and your bored mates decide on.

Question Mark Art, Stuttgart Museum of Art © -bast-

#4: Twenty Questions

One of my favorite/best travel games, Twenty Questions, is an oldie but a goodie. You can make it topical by restricting the choice of “What am I?” to be something related to the region in which you’re traveling.

I did have a friend, though, who would choose objects like “pyramid” while traveling through Egypt or “chocolate” in Switzerland, and then we could have made it just two questions rather than twenty.

How to play:

Someone chooses an object, and everyone else asks them questions about it, but the only permitted answers are “Yes” or “No”. (Or in my rules, “irrelevant”, if I think saying yes or no will send the guessers along a completely wrong path … I like to play fair!). If you’re playing with a group, whoever guesses the item correctly can choose the next word.

#5: For RTW Trippers: Kalgoorlie, Balladonia …

I think it was my father who started this travel game when our family took a driving holiday across Australia. We were gone about two months and my sister and I — being about ten and twelve years old — needed a lot of entertainment.

How to play:

This game only works with your traveling companions, and only on long trips. It’s more of a challenge than a game, but it always works for me. Simply start with the name of the town you stayed in first. On our trans-Australia trip, it was the gold mining town of Kalgoorlie. You then try to name every other town you’ve stayed in, in chronological order. My sister and I were experts at this all those years ago, but today I can only remember the first and second stops.

There are tons of other word and guessing games you can play in those bored moments of travel, and you can adapt these games with endless variations, too. And while it might seem like just a way to kill time, playing games like these is something I really love about traveling. It’s almost as if we don’t give ourselves permission to have that kind of fun if we’re at home in our “real lives”.

What Do You Think Are the Best Travel Games?

Anyway, I’m keen to learn some new best travel games, too. So feel free to share your favorites in the comments!

The post 5 Travel Games for the Road, the Flight, and Beyond appeared first on Vagabondish.