Hi you! I'm Theresa, a travel blogger living in Los Angeles, CA. I have pink hair, I put bow ties on my cat, and I believe in laughing every day. I've volunteered to repair trails at the Grand Canyon, snorkeled in zero degree water in Iceland, and rode an art car with Susan Sarandon at Burning Man. I will always say yes to dessert, cat videos, and sleeping in late.
Here are my 5 tips that can help you travel more (and better):
1. Check theflightdeal dot com and secretflying dot com every day
Money is a big reason that people don’t travel as much as they’d like, but you can snag insane (and totally legit) flights on here. I certainly have—$375 roundtrip to Brazil? $400 roundtrip to Italy? Yes, please.
2. Go by the rule of 3’s
That is, at least 3 days in any given location, and no more than 3 planned activities per day. This allows you enough time to become familiar with a place and gives you the chance for exploration.
3. Connect with others online
Today, you can easily hop on the interwebz and connect with people all around the world to get their advice as you plan a trip and as you travel. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook groups, Meetup, and Couchsurfing are wonderful for this.
4. Learn the language
Even if it’s just a little bit: “Hello,” “Please,” “Thank you,” “Excuse me.” You’ll feel like an idiot, but locals appreciate it. And even if you’re not traveling anywhere foreign soon, learning a language still feels incredibly rewarding. Duolingo is a free app for this, although I’ve had the most success with Pimsleur’s Language Programs (you can probably rent the CDs from the library, like I did, or find them on Audible).
5. Remember that people are good.
Not all, unfortunately, but most are. Of course, go with your gut and be smart about it—but don’t be afraid to trust and forge beautiful human connections.
I talk travel on my blog Tremendous Times. I go cool places sometimes (currently packing for Mexico), but I’m especially passionate about helping people balance their wanderlust with the other things they love, like work, friends, and family. If this sounds like your jam, let’s connect: tremendoustimes dot com and @tremendoustimes.
Oh, and have you been to Italy? I ask because I’m going there for the first time on my honeymoon this August and am putting my tip #3 above into good use. If you have traveled there/lived there/live there currently, I’d love to hear your stories and recommendations. Message me: [email protected].
Safe travels,
Theresa Christine
Los Angeles, CA
[email protected]