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Practical Wanderlust

Off-Beat Couple's Travel Blog

Travel Tips

25 Truly Terrible Travel Tips: What NOT to Do When You Travel

Last Updated:   January 21, 2019

Wear a fanny pack. Leave your smartphones at home. Shop for souvenirs at the airport. Are these the worst travel tips ever, or are you just having another cringe-worthy conversation with your mom? Guess you'll have to read this post to find out.
There is a really good chance that this post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no extra cost to you.
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As a professional full-time travel blogger, I get a lot of inquiries from my readers looking for travel tips and advice. Most of them refer to me as a “travel goddess” or “the female Rick Steves” and they typically end with something like “why don’t you have a show on the Travel Channel yet?” And to all of that I say, yes.

But I didn’t always have the words “travel expert” on my resume in large, bold, italic, underlined letters. You may not realize this, but during our year-long honeymoon, Jeremy and I actually made a LOT of silly mistakes. How naive we were! How accident-prone and clumsy! Obviously that’s all in our past and definitely not just indicative of who we truly are at our very cores.

So now that we’ve grown into mature post-honeymooners, I wanted to write a tongue-in-cheek post featuring a few of our favorite travel tips. Er, sorry: our favorite TERRIBLE travel tips. Some of these are based on our own misguided decisions, and others are inspired from beloved friends, travel companions, and family members that we’ve had the misfortune of traveling with.

Let’s all put our tongues firmly in our cheeks – yes, there you go, push that wad of gum out of the way, that’s it – and get started. And remember, dear readers, please do not try any of these at home.

Table of Contents

  • Terrible Travel Packing Tips
  • Awful Tips for Planning Your Trip
  • Bad Advice for Avoiding Theft When You Travel
  • The Worst Money-Saving Travel Tips1
  • Bad Ideas to Try During Your Trip
  • Appalling Advice for After Your Trip

Psst: looking for legitimately useful travel tips? We’ve got those, too. Here’s a few posts you can check out that we swear are ACTUALLY helpful.

  • Travel Safety Tips: How to Protect Yourself and Prevent Theft while Traveling
  • How to Plan a Trip: Practical Travel Planning Tips

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Jeremy on Playa Norte next to the sign for yoga on the beach.

Bonus packing tip: put all of your electronics into one bag. That way, when it gets stolen, the combined value of your belongings will strike enough fear into your soul to propel you forwards at the speed of light, which will help you catch the thief. And yes, we’ve put this one to the test 😉

Terrible Travel Packing Tips

1. Roll your clothes instead of folding them so you can pack 3x more than you actually need.

You’ll reduce wrinkles, feel incredibly productive, and most importantly, fit a LOT more useless stuff into your suitcase or backpack. When you roll your clothes, you can cram entire outfits that you definitely don’t need into a very small space.

If you can roll tight enough, you just might able to double your overall backpack weight AND the amount of clothes you definitely won’t wear during your trip! Go on … take that 5th pair of shoes.

2. Sneak clothes into your travel partner’s bag when they’re not looking.

Once you’ve stuffed every inch of your own suitcase or backpack, you might find yourself without a place to pack your hair straightener, makeup bag, favorite books, childhood teddy bear, Dirndl, and drone.

When your partner’s back is turned, tuck a bunch of your stuff underneath the stuff in THEIR suitcase. Hide it really good, so that they’re like “weird, I ran out of room and I haven’t even packed all of my clothes yet,” and then you can tsk tsk disapprovingly at them. This is especially satisfying if they made fun of YOU for over-packing. So hypocritical!

3. Bring travel-sized portable versions of your favorite home appliances.

When’s the last time your hotel room had a portable juicer? Exactly.  Committing to a lifestyle of health and fitness isn’t easy when you travel, but don’t let it derail your progress.

Pack this portable juicer for on-the-go detoxification, this tiny slow-cooker to make healthy single-serving meals on the go, or this portable sauna so you can get your steam on everywhere you go. 

Not currently on the health and fitness train? No worries! Pack this Easy Bake Oven – yep, like the one from your childhood – so you can make tiny travel-sized cookies and baked goods from the comfort of your hotel room!

For a full list of our favorite unnecessary travel products, click here.

READ THIS POST
What Not to Pack for Long Term Travel: 10 Things We Wish We Did & Didn't Pack

Awful Tips for Planning Your Trip

4. Bring old, barely functioning flip phones on international trips instead of your fancy, functioning smart phones.

Everyone knows that people in other countries are THIRSTY for your 5-year old iPhone, so leave it at home just to be safe. You’ll get by just fine with that Nokia phone from the 90’s. Nobody will steal it, and you’ll never be tempted to take it out on the street to look for directions, use the internet, take a photo, or other ridiculous unnecessary things that just INVITE theft.

5. Before your trip, print out all of the directions you’ll need from Google Maps or Mapquest.

I actually inherited this travel tip from my mom, who is still Mapquest’s #1 best customer.  When you arrive at the airport, you’ll know exactly how to get to your hotel thanks to the handy instructions you already printed for yourself – you’re SO organized! You’ll need to carry along a giant stack of papers every where you go, so make sure you have space in your bag for a 3-ring binder.

Another benefit of printing your directions is that when you inevitably get lost, you can easily retrace your steps. You’ll also share an authentic interaction with a local who you’ll need to ask for help. Trust me: never once will you miss your Smartphone!

6. Avoid any countries that don’t have an excellent relationship with the USA, or that has been involved in a war in the last 30 years.

It doesn’t matter if the conflict is over, the scenery is stunning, and the food is incredible – those places just aren’t SAFE. What might those people DO to an innocent US citizen like you?!

No, no, best to stick to destinations where you KNOW you’ll be welcome, like Canada, the UK, and Russia. And as of very recently, North Korea!

7. Base your travel plans on TV and movies.

Who hasn’t watched Eat, Pray Love or Under the Tuscan Sun and immediately purchased plane tickets?! I mean, we never would have fallen in love with Portland if it weren’t for Portlandia, which is an excellent and accurate guide to the city.

Traveling primarily to places you’ve seen on TV will help you know exactly what to expect – you won’t have any unrealistic expectations.

READ THIS POST
How to Plan a Trip: The Ultimate Practical Travel Planning Guide

8. Memorize a few basic phrases in the local language, but be sure to pronounce them as poorly as possible.

This both demonstrates that you’re the type of considerate traveler who bothered to crack open a phrase book, and also significantly increases the likelihood that locals will take pity on you and speak English.

9. Double book all of your travel.

Going from one city to the next? You’ll want to make ABSOLUTELY SURE you’re covered, so book multiple options. You’ll have the flexibility of deciding whether you want to fly, take a bus, or train to your next destination, or just spend the whole day argueing with the refund agent on the phone instead.

Bonus Tip: Don’t tell your spouse what you booked – the surprise will add excitement to your marriage!

10. Skip buying travel insurance. 

Travel insurance is such a RACKET! When has anyone ever needed to go to a doctor overseas, or cancel their trip for a family emergency, or had a flight delayed for over 8 hours?! Nobody, that’s who. World Nomads is probably making out like BANDITS. Save your money and spend it on something REALLY useful, like a tie-dye t-shirt with your name on it and some bandaids.

11. Schedule out every waking minute of your trip in advance.

You don’t want to waste a single second of your exciting adventure sitting around Googling “things to do in Paris,” do you?! NO! That’s for inexperienced travelers and flakes, which you are NOT.

You’ve got a schedule to keep, and absolutely nothing will deter you from following it TO THE LETTER! As a bonus, your minute-by-minute itineraries will also come in handy later as an outline for a blog post, guide book, or thesis.

Exploring the Cesky Krumlov Christmas Market in the main square.

The best tactic for avoiding theft is to camouflage yourself to match your surroundings, like when I  dressed in Christmas colors and then went to a Christmas Market. You can’t rob what you can’t see!

Bad Advice for Avoiding Theft When You Travel

12. Use a tripod to take pictures of yourself.

Everyone knows that selfie sticks are an irritating, idiotic Millennial habit, like eating avocado toast and taking out student loans. No wonder none of us can afford to buy houses. Also, you left your Smartphone safely at home, so you’ll need to bring an actual camera anyway.

To deter the thieves lurking around every corner, tie a steel cable (like this one) around your tripod and lock it to your own leg or arm, so that the thief is mildly inconvenienced and/or subject to your screams of outrage as they attempt to run off with your PERSONAL BELONGINGS.

13. If you rent a car, ask to be upgraded to the biggest, flashiest car available.

Sure, you might be a moving target for thieves and corrupt policemen, and you won’t be able to fit into any parking spots. And at some point, you may find yourself with a broken taillight stuck in a medieval castle in France … or something.

But this is your VACATION, so treat yo’self! Oooh, Cheryl from work is gonna be sooooooo jealous.

READ THIS POST
21 Travel Safety Tips: How to Protect Yourself and Prevent Theft while Traveling

14. Keep your valuables in a fanny pack.

Passports, credit cards, your flip phone, photos of your cat, and your class ring should all go in a fanny pack tied firmly around your waist. Any thieves looking to take advantage of you will have to engage in hand-to-hand combat in order to get to your stuff.

Plus, chances are that the fanny pack alone will be enough of a theft deterrent. Nobody wants to steal from someone wearing a fanny pack. Especially this one. *shudder*

15. Have the full value of your student loans printed on all of your clothes to deter thieves.

This is a clever tactic that not many people think of, but it’s HIGHLY effective. Once a would-be thief realizes that you’re walking around with $126,485 of debt from a for-profit art school hanging over your head, they’ll feel so sorry for you that they just might give YOU money.

If you can’t afford custom printed clothing or this t-shirt, just tearfully recite the number by heart to any muggers or thieves. Shouting it at their back as they run away may not get them to turn around, but they’ll probably feel REALLY guilty.

Jeremy taking photos in Yosemite National Park, California.

Here’s a money-saving tip: take all of your photos with an inexpensive Polaroid camera. You’ll have a blast collaging the photos afterwards! Good, clean, cheap fun.

The Worst Money-Saving Travel Tips1

16. Stop by a grocery store for sandwich supplies instead of eating out.

It’s always fun to see what quirky foods international grocery stores have – marmite?! What the heck is that?! – but don’t buy any of them. Instead, pick up white bread, jelly, and whatever looks like it might be peanut butter, or maybe some packages of bologna and American cheese. You’ll save a TON of money and won’t need to go out of your comfort zone to try any weird local foods!

17. Haggle with everyone about absolutely everything.

Haggling is common literally everywhere in the world except for the USA, and it’s perfectly acceptable to negotiate pricing with every taxi driver, waiter, shop owner, and hotel concierge that you meet.

Be aggressive and don’t take no for an answer! You KNOW they’re making a killing off of gullible tourists by charging them inflated prices to account for the fact that tourists have a stronger and more stable currency and can afford a higher cost of living.

It doesn’t matter if you’re comfortable paying the price they quoted in the first place because it’s still incredibly cheap compared to what you’re used to – it’s the principal of the thing! Why pay $20, which you can absolutely afford and might buy their family food for a whole month, when you can pay $2 and feel like you WON!?

18. If you’re traveling long term with a romantic partner, book hostel dorms for your entire trip.

You’ll save money and REALLY amp up the sexual tension, which you won’t be able to address for the duration of your trip. When you eventually make it back home, you’ll appreciate one another so much more! Plus, it will  be a great anecdote for parties: “we spent our first year of marriage sleeping separately in dorm rooms with 8 other people!” Ha ha ha, so quirky!

That said: if you do splurge on a private room, definitely spring for the ensuite. Sure, it’s an extra $50 a night and nobody will come to clean it for the duration of your stay, but you’ll be saving 10 whole steps to the shared bathroom down the hall. Plus, you’ll never have to interact with anyone!

READ THIS POST
25 Things We Never Asked for from Traveling the World for a Year

19. Shop for souvenirs at the airport.

This is the best place to get authentic, fairly-priced crafts made by local artists. Plus, everything will have the name of the place you visited on it, so you can proudly start conversations about your trip with everyone back at home. Especially Cheryl, who flashes around her Turks & Caicos keychain like it’s a 50 carat wedding ring.

Lia and Jeremy in hammocks sat Playa Manglares Hotel on Isla Baru, Cartagena, Colombia.

If you and your partner find yourself with two hammocks in your hotel room, you should definitely swing yourself at each other and try to kiss mid-swing. It’s fun and definitely doesn’t involve ANY face smashing!

Bad Ideas to Try During Your Trip

20. Tackle some really difficult hikes during your trip that you would never do at home.

Everyone knows that people who travel a lot are in terrific shape. Spending a few weeks or days or hours traveling will quickly transform your body into the 6-packed ab warrior that you’ve always wanted to be, and suddenly a 3-day self-guided hike through the Andes will be absolutely no problem at all. #YOLO!

21. Plan to wake up several hours before sunrise and do yoga every day.

Travel you is going to be your BEST SELF EVER! Once you smell that fresh ocean air, you’ll forget how comfortable your bed is and how you’ve never once been able to wake up before 10am unless you’re being paid for it. You’ll also suddenly develop an incredible amount of flexibility and inner peace. Ahhh, travel.

22. Expect everywhere you go to be exactly the same as it is at home.

Whether it’s shaking hands with someone you’ve just met or throwing your toilet paper into the toilet even though there are signs everywhere that explicitly tell you not to, just live your life as if you’re at home and not in a completely different country.

One thing that really helps is to stick to visiting chains that you recognize from home. My dad, for example, is an expert at ordering exactly the same drink at Starbucks no matter what state or country he’s in (4 shots of espresso and hot water in a grande cup, with a cup of ice on the side and 3 packets of Splenda. This is, sadly, not an exaggeration. That is his actual drink order. Now you all know why I’m so extra).

READ THIS POST
Our 16 Worst Travel Fails of 2016

23. To experience local flavors and foods, just visit your favorite fast food restaurants.

Did you know that you can get green tea Blizzards in Thailand? Or that McDonald’s in India serves a spicy paneer wrap? That’s right: you can experience exciting, authentic local food all in the comfort of a familiar place! Who needs street food!? Trying the Dry Pork & Seaweed Doughnut at Dunkin’ Donuts in China is fun, exciting, and will make a great story for later. Cheryl is NEVER going to believe this.

There is one glaring exception, though. Thorough, scientific research has been done, and at least 2 travel experts agree: Taco Bell tastes exactly the same everywhere in the world. Look, do we really need to tell you why we know this to be a fact? It just is. Trust us.

Lia and Jeremy laughing in Alamo Square, San Francisco, California.

Here is an example of a picture that should never see the light of social media. What are our hands even?! What is this?! Never post pictures of yourself having fun on your vacation with awkward hands. The SHAME!

Appalling Advice for After Your Trip

24. Edit the sh*t out of all of your photos before putting them on Instagram.

Who cares that you had a great time and really enjoyed yourself if you didn’t look like a celebrity the entire time? What matters isn’t what you did, it’s what other people think of what you did. So don’t put ANYTHING on social media until you’ve edited out every stretch mark, made yourself look more “tan,” tamed your flyaway hair, and whitened your teeth using the magic of Lightroom or Photoshop.

Then, write really vague photo descriptions that make it sound like you were bored the whole time, like “another day another flight #alwaystraveling.”

25. Assume your position as the foremost travel expert on anywhere that you visited, even if you were only there for a few days.

It doesn’t matter that you only visited Paris for 48 hours and didn’t venture away from what Google said were the “top 10 most visited attractions in Paris,” you are now THE resident Paris expert. Anyone you know who might be considering visiting Paris should come to YOU for advice. If you see that someone is in Paris or visited Paris on Facebook and they didn’t consult with you first, you are right to be offended.

Similiarly, if you have a blog, you are fully entitled to create a post titled something like “Paris Ultimate Guide.” No, it doesn’t need to be long, or comprehensive, or informative. What do you think this is, Lonely Planet? 500 words and 35 photos of you in front of the Eiffel Tower will do just fine.

READ THIS POST
28 Totally Ridiculous Travel Gifts (That You'll Low-Key Want)


Go on, admit it … you’re guilty of one of these. Or maybe you’re like us and guilty of the vast majority of them.

Which ones made you laugh, which ones made you question your life choices, and which ones made you think “oh my GOD, that is definitely someone I know?” Drop us a comment below!

Psst: Do you think we’re like, kinda funny, sort of? Here are some more posts you might like!

  • 25 Things We Never Asked for from Traveling the World for a Year
  • 25 Things No One Tells You About Being a Full Time Travel Blogger
  • 25 Things Nobody Tells You About Traveling While Fat
  • What Not to Pack for Long Term Travel: 10 Things We Wish We Did & Didn’t Pack
  • 28 Totally Unnecessary Travel Gifts (That You’ll Low-Key Want)

FOLLOW US!
   

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Wear a fanny pack. Leave your smartphones at home. Shop for souvenirs at the airport. Are these the worst travel tips ever, or are you just having another cringe-worthy conversation with your mom? Guess you'll have to read this post to find out.

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Funny Travel Fails `
by Lia Garcia 
23 Comments

About Lia Garcia

Hey, I'm Lia! I'm a Kentucky native living in Oakland, CA. I'm extremely practical and also entirely addicted to travel, which I'm forever trying to reconcile. If I had a patronus, it would a spreadsheet. Or a llama. Possibly a llama creating a spreadsheet. I'm married to Jeremy and I'm obsessed with him and it's super gross, unless you're us, in which case it's the best.

View all posts by Lia Garcia

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Comments

  1. atravellersfootsteps says: May 18, 2018 at 11:24 pm

    Hahaha loved reading this

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: May 19, 2018 at 9:50 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Kat says: May 18, 2018 at 11:30 pm

    These are genius! I know I’m definitely guilty of some of them, but I would never, ever abuse my husband’s trust my hiding my clothes in his bag. Nope. Not me…. ok, ok- it was only like one (seven) times. 🙂 And really, if the photos aren’t on Instagram, did you even really go???

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: May 19, 2018 at 9:50 am

      The sanctity of marriage is so much more important than having 3 extra shirt options, right?

      ….. right?

      Reply
  3. Lena says: May 18, 2018 at 11:36 pm

    Hahaha! Guilty of at least two – but I can live with that Great post, love it

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: May 19, 2018 at 9:49 am

      Wow, only 2? I literally have done all of these. All.

      Reply
  4. Lauren says: May 19, 2018 at 12:02 am

    This made me laugh so much – I love, love, LOVE the way you write. It’s like having a conversation with a hilarious friend! A few people definitely spring to mind when reading this (including myself at times!)

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: May 19, 2018 at 9:49 am

      Awwww! My goal in life is to be the hilarious friend, so this makes me so happy!

      Reply
  5. Sarah says: May 19, 2018 at 12:45 am

    I am 100% guilty of hiding belongings in my husband’s suitcase. But come on… we’re married!! They’re “our” suitcases!!

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: May 19, 2018 at 9:48 am

      I think I actually came up with the idea for this post after Jeremy caught me hiding stuff in his suitcase for the 25th time 😀

      Reply
  6. Beth Anne says: May 19, 2018 at 1:08 am

    Ha ha this made me laugh a lot. I’m very guilty of being attached to my tripod. I admit it. I have a problem

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: May 19, 2018 at 9:48 am

      Full disclosure: we’re currently looking into buying a full sized tripod 😛 they’re super handy! … Unless someone grabs the whole thing and runs off with it, of course.

      Reply
  7. Sarah says: May 19, 2018 at 1:48 am

    LOL this is so funny!! Love this!! It made me laugh so hard!

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: May 19, 2018 at 9:47 am

      Yay! That’s what I’m here for 🙂

      Reply
  8. Ferny says: May 19, 2018 at 10:04 am

    I was a flight attendant before my travel blog, so Of course I have stories. At the beginning my bag was full of everything I don’t need. Now I understand a lot more how to enjoy the trips. I love your post! So hilarious

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: May 23, 2018 at 9:27 am

      Thanks Ferny! I bet you’re full of legitimately useful travel tips 😛

      Reply
  9. Emily Frank says: June 2, 2018 at 1:23 am

    Love it! Although I have one teeny, tiny disagreement – Taco Bell in Tokyo does NOT taste like Taco Bell in America. Their “nachos” are actually knock-off DORITOS!! This sounds like it would be incredible but it was actually a bit of a sad moment for someone who really misses Tostitos. (I can admit to the shame of eating at Taco Bell in Japan only because we live in small-town China and this was our one-and-only chance to get a taste of our much-beloved pseudo-Mexican American classic in 9 months).

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: June 3, 2018 at 6:54 pm

      TBH I could totally see them pulling some Dorito nacho nonsense here in the states too 😛 we haven’t tried Taco Bell in Tokyo, but now that you’ve told us this, we’re 100% going to.

      Reply
  10. Cindy deRosier says: June 6, 2018 at 11:34 am

    HAHAHAHA! I’m totally guilty of #11… as proven by the blog post I have up today, by weird coincidence!

    Reply
  11. Isabella Jones says: July 13, 2018 at 4:36 am

    It was high time someone penned down an article that said it all about travel and I am so happy that you did. It was such a fun read. It had everything to keep me hooked till the end. Your words and the life you’ve chosen to lead is inspiring. All my blessings and love to you. Keep traveling and writing!

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: July 13, 2018 at 8:18 pm

      You’re so sweet, Isbabella! You totally made my day <3

      Reply
  12. Smith Shadow says: November 25, 2018 at 3:17 am

    Great list of tips! The most important I would have to say is Travel Medical Insurance. I’ve always said, if you can afford to travel, you can afford travel insurance. Don’t leave home without it!

    Reply
    • Lia Garcia says: March 5, 2019 at 8:15 am

      We agree entirely!

      Reply

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Lia and Jeremy are the married couple behind the Practical Wanderlust travel blog!

Meet Lia & Jeremy

A disaster-prone couple recently returned to Oakland, California from a year-long honeymoon. We share down-to-earth travel tips with a side of sass. Low key stalk us here and on social media!

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  • 12 rustic and outdoorsy things to do in the charming mountain village of June Lake, California! This Eastern Sierras getaway has some of the best fall foliage in the state, stunning scenery, skiing, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, hot springs, and more.
    12 Things to do in the Charming Mountain Town of June Lake, California
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  • Eco-Friendly Gift Guide for Travelers
    30 Eco-Friendly Gifts for Travelers: Sustainable Gift Guide
    Gift Guides
  • How to plan a Lake Tahoe winter trip on a budget, from Lake Tahoe ski resorts to what to do in Lake Tahoe other than skiing, and more!
    How to Plan an Amazing Lake Tahoe Winter Trip (on a Budget)
    Hiking & Outdoor Adventure, United States
  • Things nobody tells you about traveling in Nepal from all the places other than Mount Everest, to the food, to the spirituality of Nepal, to what's really up with squatty potties. Here's everything you may or may not need to know before you visit Nepal!
    34 Things Nobody Tells You About Traveling in Nepal
    Asia
  • [FLASHBACK] Copenhagen, 2016: 4 months into our year-long honeymoon. #ad Reeling from the disastrous end of our adventures in South America, we graciously accepted tickets home for Thanksgiving. We missed our families. We  were exhausted. And we were, for some reason, FIENDING for Cinnamon Toast Crunch. We needed a break, but we fully intended to return to South America and pick up where we left off.⁠
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Instead, we booked a cheap flight to Copenhagen. (Because there is always a cheap flight to Copenhagen, from either coast.)⁠
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2 weeks after leaving summery Santiago, Chile we disembarked into the cold 3PM twilight of Copenhagen, Denmark. Christmas Market season had just begun, and the city was decked in holiday cheer and Hygge. We slipped and slid down icy cobblestone streets with steaming mugs of gluhwein clutched in our gloved hands (logistics spoilers: we stocked up on cold-weather gear on Black Friday. Hayyy!).⁠
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Over the next week, we fell head over heels in love with Copenhagen, with its castles, its canals, its tiny mermaid statue, its Theme Park in the center of the city (the 2nd oldest in the world!), its ridiculously good coffee, its fancy open-faced sandwiches (smørbrød is the OG avo toast, don't @ me), its somewhat random self-governed anarchist commune, even the hordes of Danes on bikes whizzing past us. The culture shock revived our waning excitement for long-term travel, and we've had a deep love for Copenhagen ever since.⁠
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Although we haven't had a chance to return (except for a few connections through the airport, which is always a treat because it is the BEST airport), we're forever eyeing flights to Copenhagen, waiting for the right time to come back. And now that we've got a copy of the @MoonGuides Copenhagen & Beyond book, we've got everything we need to plan our next trip! The guide includes a detailed local's guide to Copenhagen, plus several chapters on day trips from Copenhagen, including our favorite: the fairytale castle that served as the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet.
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Is Copenhagen on your bucket list? (Ahem: IT SHOULD BE) If not, tell us about a trip that was exactly what you needed in the comments below. #travelwithmoon
  • Imagine that someone offered you an incredible opportunity. What would make you turn it down? How would you feel saying no?
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Since starting this blog and embarking on the ridiculous, amazing journey of traveling and writing for a living (forever pinching myself), a lot of incredible opportunities have come my way. Opportunities that just about anyone would (and should) jump at headfirst. (I was going to list off a few of the ones I still feel pangs of longing about, but couldn't find a way to not make it sound like a list of self-congratulatory, obnoxious bragging, so y'all get the vague version instead. Sorry! DM me if you're nosy 🧐)
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But I don't take them all. I can't.
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Here are a few reasons I've turned trips (it's usually trips) and opportunities down:
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😓 The dates overlap with precious time I'd otherwise be spending with loved ones, like Thanksgiving, or our annual friends weekend in Lake Tahoe.
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😓 The dates overlap with our wedding anniversary. This one has come up several years in a row - turns out we got married in the middle of conference season 😂
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😓 The trip is too close to a long stretch of travel, which would push me to my mental and physical limits. I have learned this lesson the hard way so many times (still learning/not listening, tbh...)
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I've had to learn how to say no with gratitude and forgiveness (the gratitude for the opportunity offered, the forgiveness is for myself for turning it down). I feel guilt and regret, of course, but I also feel proud of myself for boundary-setting, listening to my body, and prioritizing time with my loved ones - because all the opportunity in the world means nothing to me if I have nobody to celebrate it with.
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My cup is so full. I'm so full of gratitude and joy. And I'm doing my best to stay humble and grounded with the people who have cheered me along on this path.
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Have you ever turned down an opportunity that like, physically hurt to say no to?? Tell me about it in the comments!
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#alwaysthankful #gratefuleveryday #stayhumble #sanfranciscolove #findyouradventure #wandermore #travelblogging
  • There's nothing that a good hair day, some bright red lipstick, and a cold beer can't fix, amiright?? OK - maybe not, but they certainly don't HURT.⁠ Bright lipstick is my go-to confidence improving trick - AND it works even on bad hair days 💄⁠
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But can we talk about the good hair day I'm having in this photo though?! For the first time in my entire life, I've finally figured out how to have Good Hair. Until this year, I was insecure AF about my superfine, extremely thin hair. It wasn't straight and it wasn't curly - it was just like a frizzy, thin, halfhearted flyaway thing with no real shape. When I straighten it you can tell how incredibly thin my hair is - like, the end of my braid is about the width of a pencil, y'all.⁠
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And then I discovered the Curly Girl Method, and everything changed. Turns out that frizz is just a thirsty curl, and with the right combination of products & application technique (and a little bit of magic ... and some science), you can turn frizzy, wavy hair into luscious, bouncy CURLS! Now I have shiny, fabulously curly hair, and it feels like my hair finally matches my personality in a way it hasn't since it was 1/2 pink (college Lia was perfectly suited for pink hair). I no longer feel like I need to wear clip-in extensions to have a good hair day, like I used to. Sure, I now tote around a bunch of hair supplies like a silicon diffuser and a tiny blow-drier and a hair towel and like 3 back-up containers of gel, but LOOK AT MY HAIR. Look at it! It's so worth it.⁠
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I'm still learning about what my hair likes & doesn't like and I don't really understand all the science behind curly hair just yet. But if you're curious, I use lightweight DevaCurl shampoo & conditioner, plus this bright blue LA Looks sport gel that's hella cheap from CVS or Walgreens and looks like the kind of gel a middle schooler in the 90's would use to spike their hair. You'll find all kinds of information by googling the Curly Girl Method or reading "Curly Girl: The Handbook." (This post is in no way sponsored, I just really wanted an excuse to brag about my good hair day.)⁠
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Do you have go-to moves to boost your confidence?
  • "Wait, Salt Lake City has BEER?" #ad We've heard this question from pretty much everyone we told about our trip to Salt Lake City to cover their beer scene, and we're here to say: y'all. YES. 🍻While it's true that the laws surrounding beer in Utah used to be quite restrictive, they've recently changed and given way to a blossoming craft brewery scene full of innovative thinkers who are paving the way for beer in Utah!⁠
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We spent the weekend drinking our way through 11 craft breweries, exploring this stunning city ringed by mountains, and learning all about Salt Lake City's fascinating Pioneer history. In total, we tasted 32 beers (and 1 beer-tini). It was a LOT of fun, even though my body straight gave up around brewery 9 and we had to make a pit-stop at a juice place for a wheatgrass shot. (Yes, it's all in our story highlights, and yes, I realize that's one of the most Californian things I've ever done). But although I tapped out in the last stretch, Jeremy picked up the slack and we finished strong! 💪Well, you know ... as strong as you can be after spending 2 days straight tasting beer.⁠
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Now we're hard at work sorting through all the photos we took and working on a brewery guide to Salt Lake City, with a few suggestions from friends (thanks to @wayfaringviews, who has a fantastic SLC beer guide on her blog, and resident SLC blogger @culturetrekking). This marks our 2nd visit to Salt Lake City (we covered their amazing ski resorts last year) so now we're officially SLC fangirls - can't wait to come back for visit 3!⁠
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Drop us a comment and tell us about a place that surprised you the way Salt Lake City's beer scene surprised us!⁠
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Our trip was sponsored by @visitsaltlake⁠
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#visitsaltlake #saltlakecityutah #beautahful #exploreutah #travelislove #globecouples #streetartaddicted #streetartistry #craftbeerlife #beeroftheday #beertasting #seeyououtthere #couplesofig
  • 🎵Whooo is that girl I seeee, staaaaaring straight, baaaaack at me? When will my REFLECTTION SHOOWWWWW, WHOOO III AMMMMM
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🎵INSIIIIIIIIIDE!!!!🎵
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Welp now that we're all singing Mulan at the top of our lungs and I have your attention... I'm gonna talk about sustainability. (HA! Gotcha.) One of the ways Jeremy and I try to make a positive impact – along with things like carbon offsetting our flights and working towards a zero-waste household – is through conscientious consumerism. Cuz yes, y’all: we tree-hugging granola-eating flower children love shopping, too. We try to vote with our wallets and support businesses who have the same priorities as we do. Businesses who care about the world and the people in it, who are working to fight climate change, who pay their employees a fair living wage, who are aligned with our values, and who agree that Mulan is the best Disney movie of all time (DO NOT @ ME).
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So when @REI asked us to create a sponsored sustainable gift guide, we were thrilled! REI is one of our absolute favorite earth-friendly, responsible, and sustainable companies. They truly walk the talk, with a plethora of impactful business practices that prioritize everything from wilderness conservation, to making the outdoors more accessible and diverse, to developing products with sustainable materials, to reducing waste in their stores and supply chain. (#ad but also like, we genuinely love them and have been members for yearsss!) You can even filter REI’s online search results by sustainability. It’s one of their regular menu filters, like color/price/sizing. Isn’t that rad?
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The eco-friendly gift guide we created is not only full of sustainable products, but they're sold by a sustainable retailer. So you can truly feel good about treating your loved ones (ahem: or yourself) this holiday season. Or just like, whenever. Check it out in the link in our bio, but fast because the Gear Up Get Out sale ends on MONDAY along with up to 30% off!
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Who's your favorite sustainable company or retailer and why do you love them? We love discovering new ones! (Sustainability shoutout to @prana, whose outfit I'm rocking in this pic - we love them too!)
  • What's your relationship like with your body? Does someone close to you feel differently about their own body? How does that affect you?⁠
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Jeremy and I have two very different relationships with our bodies and ourselves, which can be difficult to navigate - especially when one of us feels more confident and comfortable than the other. Over the years, things have evolved and shifted, so we've done our best to be a constant source of love and stability to each other no matter what may be happening internally. But amazing and supportive loved ones can't always affect your relationship with yourself - that's a personal journey that only you and yourself are on. Y'all in that together.⁠
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What we've learned is that communication and empathy between us is key. Our relationships with ourselves are as important to foster, nurture, develop and grow as our relationship with each other. And its just as important to treat ourselves with love, kindess and support as it is with one another. On the days when one of us feels more confident than the other, we strive to lift up those positive feelings and try not to let them affect us negatively - not always the easiest thing to do, but so, so important!⁠
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Do you struggle with your relationship with yourself? Or is there somebody in your life who feels differently about themselves than you do about yourself? How do you navigate that?⁠
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Psst: Lia is rocking an organic cotton dress (with POCKETS) gifted to us by @wearpact, one of our favorite Fair Trade Certified & sustainable clothing companies! They make super comfy and affordable organic cotton clothes ethically and responsibly, and we love them.⁠
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#responsiblefashion #consciousconsumer #shopethical #plusisequal #allbodiesaregoodbodies #autumnishere #fallingforfall #sanfranciscolove #bayareablogger #effyourbeautystandards #bodypositive #globecouples #sustainabletravel #staycurious #couplesofig #travelislove #marriedtomybestfriend #lovegoals #couplestravel #seeyououtthere
  • It rained a LOT during our trip to New Orleans. But I actually didn't mind at all, because California has turned me into the kind of person who gets REALLY excited about rain. Rain in California means fire season is over and winter has begun. It's my favorite sound to listen to while falling asleep. Y'all, is there a song that's the exact opposite of "I Can't Stand the Rain?" Because that would be my song!.⁠
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I also didn't mind the rain because I was exploring a beautiful city with 2 of my best friends (@witchieriche and @cass.love.creativity) and our partners, and that's a rare luxury that overshadows any kind of discomfort. (Even though we all definitely got cranky from time to time because it is literally impossible to spend 4 days traveling and NOT get cranky at some point, and that's just facts.⁠)⁠
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To capture this photo, I dragged my beloved friend Richie and his darling, patient husband @lucasmeyerstyle to City Park to visit the NoLa Art Museum, which is called NoMa. We made fun of historic art for like 2 hours (like, we appreciated it too, but we definitely made fun of it as much as we appreciated it) and then spent another 2 hours wandering around a giant, lush statue garden in the pouring rain looking for this exact bridge (for the 'gram). We kept crossing over not-as-good bridges and being like "is this it??" but I was like NO IT HAS TO BE THE ONE WITH THE REFLECTION because I am definitely that screechy, extra AF friend.⁠
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We were all about ready to give up on our search when we stumbled by complete chance upon a Cafe Du Monde, somewhat randomly sitting in the middle of this gorgeous rainy park. And then, while enjoying 3 fluffy, powdery beignets (each) we finally found The Bridge - hidden in the trees right next to the cafe!⁠
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If that's not the most New Orleans thing you've ever heard, just wait until I tell you about the rest of our trip, because it involves everything from Voodoo Rituals to Jazz Funerals to a Pirate themed absinthe bar.⁠
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And, by the way, I am sorry I haven't yet posted my stories from that trip - I was too busy savoring the time with my beloved friend muffins. My heart is so, so full.⁠
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Do you love the rain too?
  • 'Tis the season of cheerful cold weather, eating a ton of food, and buying things. Lots of things. Oof, was that your wallet I hear whimpering?⁠
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I wanted to give y'all some tips to keep in mind when the inevitable shopping overwhelm starts creeping in later this month. Save this post for when you're about to spend more than you have in your bank account!⁠
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🎁 Don't buy things hoping they will make you happy. Things & stuff may bring you a little joy, but they won't solve all your problems. If you're feeling down, go take a walk, spend time with a loved one, play with a cute animal, or make an appointment with a counselor for a little mental health check-up. (See also: travel. We love travel a LOT, but it also will not solve all your problems. Or make you a different person. Trust us, we've tried!)⁠
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🎁 Shop local when you can. It supports your home community! See also: supporting small business owners, such as Etsy creators, your friendly local blogger (hayyy!) and that sweet old lady who sells creepy dolls and weird-smelling candles at your local craft fair. Support her, too.⁠
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🎁 Consider buying from fewer online stores to conserve packaging waste. If you can get most of your shopping done in one big order from a single store, instead of buying 1 small thing from 20 different online stores, you'll be saving bubble wrap, boxes, and the gas it takes to ship all those boxes to you. Plus, returns will be easier and require less packaging, too!⁠
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🎁 Don't feel guilty for buying stuff. I know, I sound like I'm contradicting myself here. But listen: give yourself a damn break, especially if you sometimes find it harder to spend your hard-earned money than NOT spend it. Buy a few items you truly think will bring you - or a loved one - a little joy, or make things easier. Don't feel guilty for treating yourself or those you love. Just do it responsibly. Shop mindfully, vote with your wallet, and make choices that you feel genuinely good about.⁠
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Are you planning to do some shopping this month? (We'll be stocking up on stuff for our new house!) Drop us a comment about what you're genuinely excited to buy - or your favorite tips for thoughtful consumerism!

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