Text “Paradisepack” to 33444 to learn how to enter the drawing for an awesome Tortuga Backpack or enter the contest here!
Today Jason and I team up once again to bring you a list of ways to mentally prepare for, and sustain long term travel.
From some simple tasks like smiling to harder ones like refusing to compromise your dreams, we give you guys a HUGE number of mental hacks to help you turn your long term travel dreams into reality.
We’ll be back later this week with ways to take these mental hacks & combine them with practical hacks to make any travel dream possible (on any budget)!
“What bag should I bring for a two week trip to Europe?”
When you’re planning your first trip (or your hundredth) one of the most important decisions you can make is what type of bag you’ll be bringing.
So, little surprise that it’s one of the most asked questions from EPoP readers!
This week Jason joins me to talk about the essential qualities of a backpack and how to choose the right one for you.
If backpacks aren’t your thing, don’t fret. We also discuss larger wheeled luggage and daypacks, essential for any traveler regardless of their luggage size!
UPDATE: If you want to see even more gift ideas, check out our brand new list for 2014. Of course, all the ones on this 2013 list are still highly recommended as well!
We’re only a couple weeks away from Christmas and you’re still clueless about what to get your favorite traveler.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
From close to $400 to less than $1, we’ve picked out travel gifts that fit in any budget.
And with gifts ranging from backpacks to fuzzy socks, from noise canceling headphones to scratch maps, there’s something here for everyone.
We even brought in a fashion expert for a section solely devoted to women travelers!
So start shopping, and happy holidays!
A Travel Backpack
This is the most important piece of travel gear you’ll own, and so it pays to spend some money and find yourself a good one.
Personally, I always recommend traveling with just carry-on for a few reasons.
With almost every airline charging for checked bags, it saves you money.
It saves you a ton of time. Once the plane lands, you walk off and you’re done. No waiting in line.
It saves you a lot of hassle while you’re actually traveling. Simply throw your pack on your back and go.
I’ve got two recommendations, depending on what you want.
This is the pack I’ve been traveling with for the last 2 years.
It’s lightweight, roomy, durable and comes with an super handy 15 liter day pack (that can zip on to the main pack).
Also, the backpack straps can be stowed away and hidden so they don’t get caught.
While it’s “technically” too tall for carry-on dimensions, I’ve had it on over 30 flights (including with strict airlines like Air Asia and RyanAir) and never once had a problem.
If you want a great, durable pack that you don’t have to sneak by the gate agents, the Tortuga is the pack for you.
I recently got my first Tortuga, which is produced by EPoP’er Fred Perrotta, and can attest to it’s roominess.
In fact, the Tortuga is the largest legal carry-on pack you can buy.
It’s unique design allows you to maximize the space available while still being carry-on dimensions, and it comes with tons of different pockets and compartments, perfect for keeping your stuff organized while on the road.
It’s also got a heavily padded shoulder straps and hip belt, which makes it more comfortable than most other backpacks on the market.
If you want a cheaper pair that doesn’t have all the bells and whistles but are still noise-canceling, I’ve heard good things about Monoprice’s headphones.
Work from anywhere with you Macbook Air, the world’s best travel laptop.
Really want to spoil your favorite traveler? Get him the best travel laptop available.
Does everyone NEED a computer for traveling? Probably not, but if you do, there is nothing that comes close to the slim, light, and yet powerful Macbook Air.
As someone who used to carry around a 15″ Macbook Pro, my back thanks me now!
Perfect for when you can’t sleep and want to stay up all night reading your guidebook, planning your next day’s excursion (and those around you aren’t quite as excited)!
To this day, my absolute favorite travel book of all time.
What can get better than a professor cramming a group of students in to a sleeper bus for a 6 week traveling summer course, visiting 30 states and 10 national parks, all while reading some of the greatest writers of the modern generation?
Since the course is no longer offered, take the next best thing and read the book!
For the more discerning gender, personal favorites brought to you by world traveler Heather Sherry, the mastermind behind the popular fashion blog Sartorial Stripes.
If you want a legging that will be comfortable on the lane but can also be worn out to dinner with boots or heels than these J. Crew pixie pants are the perfect choice.
I can personally attest to the versatility of these pants.
You get the best of both worlds; the feel of a leggings but the look of pants!
What better way to reminisce about where you’ve been (or show off to others) than a scratch map?
