Unsurprisingly we get a lot of questions about our travels and what life has been like for us this year. Now that we’ve been on the road for over 8 months (how’d that happen?!), I figured I’d share a little FAQ. More questions you’d like me to answer? Send ’em my way or include in the comments!
Where are you staying? Hostels?
On occasion we do the hostel route as it’s a nice way to meet people, but I’m getting too old for dorm rooms and shared bathrooms…
So mostly it’s been a mixture of hotels and AirBnBs. In Cusco and most of Europe where we’ve stayed longer, we’ve done AirBnBs in order to have a kitchen, washing machine and little break to ourselves. When we need a bit more pampering or it’s a shorter-term stay, we’ve opted for hotels.
A few AirBnBs haven’t been worked out great (or that one time where this was exactly what happened to us!), but overall we have been fortunate not to have many issues.
We’ve also done a few homestays along the way as well. That isn’t as comfortable being in someone else’s home but it’s a great way see what life as a local is really like.
Do you get bored?
Not really. Between exploring whatever city we’re in, visiting museums or going on hikes, and plotting our next moves, we keep ourselves busy. There have been times we’re ready to hit the next city or need a break from sightseeing, but it hasn’t reached the boredom level yet.
When we do need some downtime from feeling always on the go, we enjoy a night in, watching some shows on Netflix or reading. I’m right on track with my goal of reading at least 2 books a month. My favorites being The Alice Network, the Red Rising series, and Little Fires Everywhere. On Brice’s side, he has almost read every Lonely Planet book available. Thank you Kindle Unlimited!
What’s your luggage situation?
Despite Brice’s desire to only take a small backpack (like the kind you’d take to high school) which I promptly vetoed, we both have an Osprey wheeled suitcase that has to be checked, plus a backpack each. Yes, it is much larger than most round-the-world travelers take, but we have liked the flexibility and size. These bags are extra great as they are convertible into backpacks.
While we use the wheels 99% of the time, it’s been really helpful when traveling around somewhere with lots of cobblestone roads or when in Colombia where it was just a dirt road about 1/2 mile to our hostel.
Are you sick of your clothes?
Surprisingly I am not. But that’s in part because I really hate shopping and finding clothes I like that work while traveling is difficult for me. I have a few things wearing out and I’d just prefer to replace them with an identical brand-new version than find something new!
That being said, it is hard with limited space, meaning I only have one of most things. Want to wear a jean jacket with that outfit? Too bad, you’ve only got room for a rain coat. Like that running zipup with the fun patterns? Be sure it goes with everything because that’s the only one you get! Ugh.
Do you have a full itinerary planned? How do you decide where to go next?
Definitely no set itinerary! We have happened to plan our next moves about two weeks in advance. Sometimes we give ourselves a bit more time, though that seems to be rare. It’s been a good exercise for the Type A Planner personality I have!
While we have a general idea of cities we want to visit, we often book our next stops based on weather, ease of flights and if we’re looking for more adventure or more of a break. It’s sometimes a little stressful not knowing where we’ll be or constantly researching where to stay, but it is also nice having the freedom to alter plans if we really like somewhere or are ready to move on.
For instance we had originally planned to only be in London for one week but loved so much about being here and having no set plans in the future, we opted to stay another four weeks which has been so nice.
And where is next?
Next week, we’re parting ways with the UK and flying to India. We’ll be starting in Delhi for a few nights before seeing the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Red City of Jaipur. We know India will be an intense place to visit, but we’re excited to experience it for ourselves.
Then after the first week of October, it’s back to figuring out where to go!
I can relate to not liking shopping and that finding clothes for traveling is difficult, hence why I buy multiples of the items that work and end up looking liking I don’t have a diverse wardrobe!
I have a couple of questions:
1) Immunizations: Did you guys get everything done before leaving the US even if you were unsure about what to get?
2) Currency: Are you guys using ATMs, credit card, or other payment methods to fund expenses?
Good questions!
1) We got pretty much everything done including yellow fever back in the US. As we are heading to Africa in November, I opted to get some anti-malarial pills while we were in London. Since it was cheap and easy, we also got the annual flu vaccine since it’s been a year since we had our last email!
2) If we need cash, yes we just go with the ATM. Our bank doesn’t have fees and it’s much easier and cheaper than going to the Travelex or other banks at the airport. We certainly prefer credit cards though! We go with the Chase Sapphire Reserve which has great points, no FX fees and awesome travel benefits (though I remember you saying that wasn’t an option in Canada).