May 7, 2016 thetravelbug.life

The Malaria Monster

I felt like once I got to South America I wasn’t the only one who wanted to do the snacking. Whether it was spiders, bed bugs, ants, fleas, the occasional bat, or MOSQUITOES, everything wanted to eat me.

The threat is real people!!!!!

Mosquitoes are the bane of every traveler’s existence. Not only do they cause those nasty, itchy welts, but they can also kill you with one little bite. Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest “animal” in the world. The Anopheles mosquito, in particular, is the most dangerous because it transmits Malaria, which kills more than one million people every single year! I found it very interesting to find out that only female mosquitoes bite people. Females need the protein in blood to help their eggs develop. The average mosquito’s lifespan is less than two months but under ideal conditions, females lay eggs about every THREE days. No wonder why she bites!

What is Malaria?

Malaria occurs as a result of a bite from an infected Anopheles mosquito, a mosquito infected with Plasmodium parasites.

Following a bite, the parasites enter the person’s bloodstream and quickly migrate to the liver, where they rapidly multiply before re-entering circulation to invade the red blood cells. There, they continue to multiply until the cells burst, releasing large numbers of parasites back into the blood. It is the sudden release of vast numbers of parasites that causes the classic high fevers associated with malaria.

Symptoms usually appear 10 days to 4 weeks after infection though some people start to feel ill as much as a year later. People tend to experience flu-like symptoms such as chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. If not promptly treated, the infection can become severe and may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death. If you have been traveling and experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention right away.

How to combat the vampires!????

1: Insect Repellent-

DEET is a traveler’s best friend even though the chemical is known to melt plastic. 30% DEET is known to repel insects for 4-6 hours. I often only sprayed it on my clothes and then used this great cream called Ultrathon Insect repellent for any skin that was showing. I would say no matter what chemical you choose, wash it off as soon as you can!

Note: Make sure you apply Ultrathon before your sunscreen.

Garlic and Lemon: You are probably laughing right now but after staying in the rainforest, I learned that the local indigenous people mix garlic and lemon and cover their bodies in it. It also makes a great salad dressing!

Permethrin: This product was developed especially for application to clothing. Permethrin bonds to clothing where it remains repellent to insects. Reports vary as to how long treated clothes remain repellent –2 weeks to 6 months (5-20 detergent washings).

How do I apply Permethrin?

-One can of Permethrin will treat several outfits – shirts, shorts, and socks.

-Spread out all of the clothes to be treated on a flat surface. Hold the can approximately 12 inches away from the clothing. Spray the clothing using sweeping motions until the clothing is moist. Pay close attention to cuffs and collars. Turn the clothes over and repeat the process. Hang up the clothes and allow them to dry thoroughly.

-Repellent properties will last longer if clothes are sealed in a resealable plastic bag until use.

-Treat mosquito nets in the same manner as above.

2: Mosquito Nets-

If you plan on sleeping outside, a mosquito net is a must! I swear just being inside of this little cocoon will make your sleep so much more peaceful. Not to mention, when you wake up in the morning you can see some of the creatures caught in the net that were trying desperately to eat you.

Most places in the rainforest will provide you with a mosquito net. It’s never a bad idea to purchase one ahead of time that is pre-treated with permethrin, but it’s also something you can pick up on your travels.

3: Long-sleeved, light colored, loose clothing and socks-

The last thing I wanted to do was wear long sleeves and pants in 90-degree weather with %100 humidity…in fact, I didn’t want to wear any clothes at all!! Alas, walking around in my birthday suit (though tempting) might have been terribly awkward since I am not on this season of Naked and Afraid and being covered makes it much more difficult for the skeeters to make you their favorite dinner guest.

Another “hot” fashion trend is sticking your pants into your socks. At first I thought I was too cool for this trend but quickly learned that my ankles are prime mosquito real estate. I quickly adopted the style and was very thankful that I did.

Lastly, dress in light colored, loose clothing because not only do skeeters see dark objects more easily than light, but they use smell and heat to find their blood meal and you are more likely to get sweatier in dark clothing.

4: Anti-malarials-

Due to growing immunity from mosquitoes, different tablets work best in different areas of the world. These are the five main anti-malarial tablets you’ll be likely to be prescribed.

Chloroquine – Start one week before travel and continue for 4 weeks after you return. Can be taken for periods exceeding 5 years. Can cause nausea and mouth ulcers.

Paludrine – Start one week before travel and continue for 4 weeks after you return. Can be taken for periods exceeding 5 years.

Mefloquine – Start 2.5 weeks before travel and continue for 4 weeks after you return. Can be taken for up to one year.

Doxycycline — Doxycycline is recommended to be used in Southeast Asia and in chloroquine-resistant areas. You should start taking the tablets (100mg a day) 2 days before you arrive and continue taking them for 4 weeks after you leave the area. Doxycycline can be taken up to 6 months and usually have very few side-effects. It can make you very prone to sunburn and it’s recommended you don’t sunbathe whilst taking these.

Malarone – Start 2 days before travel and continue for one week after your return. Can be taken for up to one year.

Hopefully this article was helpful for all your mosquito needs. And now to quote Lil John “ah skeet, skeet, skeet, God Damn!” Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

“If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t been in bed with a mosquito.” African Proverb

April 29, 2016 thetravelbug.life

Packing For World Domination

I feel like I work best under pressure. I left for my two-month trip on October 29^th 2015, so obviously I started packing the night of October 28^th, 2015! To circumvent any major freak outs and panic attacks I would avoid waiting until the night before to pack for a two-month trip in four countries and extreme weather climates at any cost. The combination of nerves and the fact that I could fit literally one-fourth of everything I planned to bring with me caused a few CAN’T SEE THROUGH THE TEARS-SNOT RUNNING INTO MY MOUTH minor breakdowns. Thank god for my little sister who helped me with the daunting task of narrowing down 4 tank-tops to 3. I am not kidding when I say that every little bit of weight and space matters. DO NOT BRING ANYTHING YOU WILL NOT USE.

Every person’s packing list is going to be a bit different. A lot of it will depend on what time of year you are going and what types of terrain you will be traversing. My boyfriend and I planned a trip that started in the Bahamas and then skyrocketed over 15,000 ft into the Peruvian Andes. That was followed by 10 days in the mosquito ridden rain forest only to be followed by more beach time. We then sprinkled in some city life and topped the whole trip off with a 5-day trek at the bottom of the world in Patagonia. Needless to say we had to plan for every type of weather. We planned for heat, snow, rain, wind, mosquitoes and every single thing I was bringing had to fit in my “perfect” itty-bitty little 45L Redwing bag.

When choosing what clothes to pack, I want to make you aware that wear and tear is a great factor. You will literally be wearing the same 5 shirts over the course of your journey and they will constantly need to be washed…how much depends on how comfortable you are with being the stinky kid. You want to make sure the items you are bringing are of good quality and will dry quickly. Jeans, for example, take a very long time to dry. Layering is also very important. The weather can change very rapidly and you want to make sure you are prepared for everything. Another thing to be cognizant about is choosing clothing that can be used for a dual purpose. For example, I bought a lot of clothing that not only I could hike in and get dirty but would also look cute if I threw on my flats and added some cheap jewelry. A website that I loved was Kate Hudson’s FABLETICS. She offers a ton of cute workout clothes at a relatively low cost that doubled well as “going out” clothing when we got to the bigger cities.

I am going to be completely honest, I wanted to be practical but I also wanted to look fucking amazing in my photographs!

I would dare to say that the most important item that I brought with me was my hiking shoes. If you like to explore and walk, you will be spending A LOT of time in these shoes. Make sure they fit and make sure they are extremely comfortable. In case you didn’t know, your hiking shoes should be about a half size to a size too big so that your toes don’t get smashed. Make sure you break them in before you go and also make sure they are waterproof. Goretex is the way to go! Inevitably you will probably lose a toe-nail or get some blisters at some point, so make sure you pack a little emergency kit.

Since my hiking shoes took up half the space in my bag, I didn’t have much room for anything else. That being said, here is a tentative packing list. Obviously traveling is very personal so use this as a guide to maybe get a few ideas of things you should bring or leave behind. I also want to remind you that I am packing for all types of terrain and weather. I was very pleased in that everything I brought, I used regularly.

What you will learn after traveling around the world only living off the items that you can carry on your back, is that material things don’t define you... your experiences define you.

Clothing:

1 fleece sweater 1 T-shirt

1 quick dry long sleeve zip up 1 white thin cotton long-sleeved

3 quick dry racer back tank tops 1 denim long-sleeved button up

2 pairs of black leggings 1 pair of black quick-dry work out pants

1 pair of jeans 1 quick-dry jumper

1 pair of jean shorts 5 pairs of regular socks

2 sports bras

2 pairs of hiking pants (that were cute enough to dress up)

10 pairs of quick-dry underwear (don’t skimp on these!)

Beach Wear:

1 sun dress 2 swimsuits

2 swimsuit cover-ups

Cold Weather:

1 pair of thermal socks 1 beanie

1 pair of mittens 1 Rain/Wind proof jacket

Shoes (I wore them all!):

Hiking Shoes (remember to get something at least water resistant)

Small black flats (comfortable and perfect for any occasion)

Sandals (make sure they are easily slipped on and off)

Water Shoes (these were perfect for the rainforest and for swimming in rivers and lakes)

Toiletries:

Glasses Contacts

Contact Solution Mascara

Blush Lip Gloss

Moisturizer Face Wash

Sunscreen (bring lots of this-so expensive in other countries!)

Sea to Summit Trek and Travel Shampoo Biodegradable Shampoo and Conditioner (think about minimizing your carbon footprint)

Sea to Summit body wash Chap stick

Toothbrush Toothpaste

Wilderness Wipes Make-up Removers

Deodorant Razors

Hair Ties Ear Plugs

Floss

Electronics:

Tablet Head phones

Phone Charger Power Outlet Adapters

Flash Light Head lamp

Extra batteries Kindle

Medicines:

Tylenol Stool softener

Pepto bismol First Aid Kit

More-skin for blisters Tums

Aloe Vera Tampons

Mosquito spray and creams!! (Permethrin for pretreating clothing, 75% deet spray, Ultrathon Insect Repellents which was a cream that we LOVED)

Dramamine (sea-sickness)

Anti-Diarrhea Antihistamine

Acetazolamide (Altitude Sickness) Ciprofloxacin (Diarrhea)

Atovoquone-Proguanil (Malaria)

Other Stuff:

Sleeping bag liner Quick dry towel

Deck of playing cards Small sewing kit

Duct Tape Binoculars

Journal with Pens Crazy Glue

An Itinerary folder that also contained extra copies of my passport and travel insurance.

Bonus Tip: I packed using travel cubes. This was a great way for me to keep things separate and pack up very quickly!

“To Move, To Breathe, To Fly, To Float,

To Gain All While You Give,

To Roam the Roads of Lands Remote,

To Travel is to Live”

Hans Christian Anderson

April 26, 2016 thetravelbug.life

The “Prick” that could save your life: VACCINATIONS

There are lots of pesky bugs out there that can make you really sick. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” Go to the CDC website to double check what vaccinations are recommended for the countries you are traveling to. Many countries require a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate in order to enter their borders.

You must remember to factor in the cost of travel vaccinations into your overall budget. Some vaccinations such as Hep A and B and Tetanus should be covered by your insurance. YAY OBAMACARE! Some of the other vaccinations can be quite pricey. I think I spent an extra $300 making sure my vaccinations were up to date, so that is definitely something that you want to consider when making your budget.

I also want to point out that a really great place to get travel vaccinations in Los Angeles and around the country is Passport Health . They got my boyfriend and I an appointment very quickly, were extremely knowledgeable, and also had the last vials of the yellow fever vaccination in the entire city.

Depending on where you’re buzzing around the world here is a list of some of the preventable illnesses you can get.

Hepatitis A: Present in all countries with poor sanitation and public hygiene.

Hepatitis B: Found in South East Asia, the Middle East, South and Western Pacific and parts of the Caribbean.

Tetanus: present WORLDWIDE!

Diphtheria: Found in most of sub-Saharan Africa, parts of South East Asia and South America.

Typhoid: Present worldwide, however it is worse where food and water may be contaminated with sewage — in Africa, Far East and South America.

Yellow Fever: Present in tropical Africa and South America. You may be required to show a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate to enter certain countries if you are traveling from an infected area.

Polio: Found in developing countries in Asia and Africa.

Japanese B Encephalitis: Occurs following the rainy season in China, regions of Nepal, northern Burma, eastern and southern states of India, northern Sri Lanka, northern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Occasional outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, southern parts of Thailand, southern Sri Lanka and all of India.

Rabies: At great risk in Asia, Africa and South America.

Tick Borne Encephalitis: Found in European Russia, Austria, Hungary, the Balkans, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Scandinavia. It can also be found in eastern parts of China.

How are these diseases transmitted?

Hepatitis A– Associated with poor hygiene and sanitation and is transmitted by infected food and drink and personal contact.

Hepatitis B- Hepatitis B is a blood borne viral infection that is spread through infected blood, contaminated needles, etc.

Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis– Diphtheria is transmitted through respiratory droplets, personal contact and contaminated clothing, bed linen etc. Tetanus spores are present in the soil worldwide and the disease is caused from contaminated wounds.

Typhoid– Associated with poor hygiene and sanitation and is transmitted by infected food and drink and by the fecal oral route.

Yellow Fever – This is a serious viral illness spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.

Polio– Poliovirus is usually spread from person to person through infected feces entering the mouth. It may also be spread by food or water containing human feces and less commonly from infected saliva.

Japanese B Encephalitis– This is a rare but serious insect borne disease that is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito.

Rabies – The risk to travelers in endemic areas is proportional to their exposure to potentially rabid animals. Travelers in tourist resorts are at very low risk.

Tick-Borne Encephalitis– This is a viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected tick and rarely from drinking unpasteurized milk.

When should I get my vaccinations and how long do they last?

Hepatitis A

A single vaccination provides immunity up to one year and is effective after two to four weeks. A booster dose is given between six and twelve months of the original and gives immunity up to ten years-effective immediately.

Hepatitis B

The vaccination is given as a course of three injections, the second 28 days after the first and the third 6 months after the second. Immunity lasts for at least five years.

Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis
Tetanus immunization is generally required before starting school. Five doses of vaccine are recommended. When over ten years has elapsed since the primary immunization course or the person is travelling to a country where tetanus is indicated, a tetanus booster should be given. This could either be in the form of a “Td vaccine” which is a 2-in-1 vaccine that protects against tetanus and diphtheria and is required every 10 years or in the form of the new “Tdap vaccine” one time. The Tdap vaccine is a 3-in-1 vaccine that comprises tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and a cellular pertussis.

Diphtheria vaccination is also one of the recommended childhood immunizations which should begin during infancy. A diphtheria booster should also be given if travel is for more than one month to a country or region where it is indicated.

Typhoid

One dose is effective after two or three weeks and immunity lasts up to three years

Yellow Fever

The vaccination must be given 10 days before leaving and is good for ten years. This is a live vaccine and it has to be given on the same day as other live vaccinations (Polio), or 3 weeks apart. Every once-in-awhile the U.S experiences a shortage of the yellow fever vaccination so you want to make sure you get this with ample time before your trip. REMINDER: Carry your certificate with you.

Polio

Polio vaccination is another one of the recommended childhood immunizations and vaccination should begin during infancy. A polio booster may also be advised for travel to certain countries if ten years has elapsed since the primary course.

Japanese B Encephalitis

The vaccination consists of two doses, the second administered 28 days after the first dose. The persistence of the immunity is unknown.

Rabies

Vaccinations against rabies is carried out in two distinct situations:

To protect those who are likely to be exposed – Pre-exposure.
To prevent establishment after exposure has taken place – Post-exposure.

The vaccines used for pre and post exposure are the same but the schedule of administration is different.

For pre-exposure three doses are given on days 0, 7 and 21 to 28 (a few days’ variation in timing is not important). A booster dose is required every two to three years depending upon risk of exposure.

Tick-Borne Encephalitis

The course comprises three doses. The first dose on day 0, the second dose one to three months later and the third dose five to twelve months after the second. It gives a 97% protection rate and lasts for three years.

The booster comprises a single dose after no more than three years. It is effective immediately and subsequent boosters should be given at three to five year intervals.

Get vaccinated.

A disease that can cause complications for a lifetime isn’t a souvenir you want to bring home.

April 15, 2016 thetravelbug.life

THE PRE-TRIP FREAK OUT! 6 Travel Tips to make your life easier.

You are leaving in less than 24 hours. You thought you were all set and ready to go and then the FREAK OUT happens. Planning for any trip is stressful, but leaving for a trip that spans a few weeks or a few months in another country can straight up cause a panic attack. I remember talking to my mom the night before I left which opened the flood gates. I then proceeded to cry in the shower, cry because I was leaving my dogs, cry because I was never going to be able to pack everything into my TINY bag, cry because I couldn’t take my favorite dress, cry because of global warming, I even cried because my boyfriend was being NICE to me (he is always nice to me by the way). I was totally panicking and there are a lot of things a person can forget when they are in a “stressed” state to say the least. That is the very reason why I want you to have this little check-off list of six travel tips to make the night before you leave a little less stressful. If you’re really a go-getter, you can do these things ahead of time!

1. Notify your bank

Let your bank know that you will be out of the country so that you can continue to use your debit and credit cards. The last thing you need is for your bank to cancel or block your card because they assume it's fraudulent activity.

You should also double check if you have a credit card such as Chase Sapphire that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees and gives you double airline points because that is AWESOME.

Make sure you take out enough cash to get you by when you first arrive. It’s nice to have cash handy to exchange at the airport so you can pay your taxi fare on the way to your hostel.

WARNING: DO NOT EXCHANGE VERY MUCH MONEY AT THE AIRPORT: YOU WILL ALWAYS GET THE WORST EXCHANGE RATE.

2. Photocopy your passport

The last thing you need is to be stuck in a foreign country with a lost or stolen passport. I actually carried three copies of my passport, sent a photo copy to my email AND had one stored on my phone. I may be a little OCD, but it’s definitely good to have copies not only if you lose your passport, but because many hostels and adventure sport companies require a copy.

I cannot tell you how much fun it is getting your passport stamped when you enter a new place! Eeek I get excited just thinking about it.

3. Make your phone travel ready

Every phone plan is different, so you must decide what capacity you want to use your phone abroad and then make sure your cell phone carrier is aware that you will be leaving the country. I decided to go “off the grid” if that is even possible these days. This worked well for me but make sure you familiarize yourself with how to turn off your data and roaming charges to avoid huge oversea bills.

I would make sure you back up any valuable information such as your pictures just in case your phone falls off the edge of a pier into the blue abyss, slowly sinking like the heart necklace in Titanic... or you have too many tequila shots and lose it at a bar.

I also wanted to let you know that there are a few great apps that can help you on the road even without a data connection. Google maps allows you to save maps off-line. I can’t tell you how valuable that was for my boyfriend and I as we were wandering around a city trying to figure out which way was east and west. Google Translate also lets you save an entire language off-line which can also prove to be very helpful...especially if you need to know how to ask for a bathroom or order a beer.

Lastly, CHARGE YOUR SHIT. Your flight is more than likely going to be extremely long so make sure your phone is not only charged, but your tablet, your fitbit, or whatever other gadgets you are bringing.

4. Cancel Bills/subscriptions

You want as much money as possible to play with on your travels so make sure you cancel subscriptions you won’t be using such as Spotify or your gym membership.

Depending on how long you will be gone, you may need to look into forwarding your mail.

If you are like me and had to pay rent and electricity bills during your travel, make sure everything is set up for automatic payments.

5. Emergency Numbers

You never know what can happen when you’re traveling and that is half the fun, but you definitely want to travel smart and that means having a list of emergency numbers readily available just in case.

I made a list of numbers for the following:

-Important family members
-My bank’s lost/stolen helpline
-The consulate of each country
-Insurance Claim Hotline
-I also liked having all the numbers/information of all the hostels I booked ahead of time. I found this very useful because wifi connection was very limited.

6. Book your first hotel/hostel stay

You are going to be exhausted from traveling and disoriented being in a new city more than likely with a language barrier. I recommend booking a hostel that is easy to get to because why not make your life easy! Before you go, double check with the hostel on the best way to get there so that you have directions ready to go the moment you land.

Now you can take a deep breath because you have handled all the important stuff. Anything you may have forgotten won’t be the end of the world. You are about to have the time of your life buzzing around the world. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT.

Actually, the best gift you could have given her

was a lifetime of adventures....

Lewis Carroll- Alice in Wonderland

March 29, 2016 thetravelbug.life

I like BIG BAGS and I cannot lie…

BUT…they are not practical for traveling around the world. The more you travel, the smaller and smaller your bag will become. You too will turn into that savvy backpacker who travels the world with ease while other travelers look on with small bag envy.

The first piece to making my traveling dreams a reality was hunting for the perfect backpack! I began my hunt like most modern-day travelers…on the internet. I read review after review on websites like:

http://thesavvybackpacker.com/travel-backpack/

http://snarkynomad.com/5-of-the-best-travel-backpacks-for-global-adventures/

I also went to many stores such as Sports Authority and REI to actually try on bags and walk around a bit. Ultimately I decided to go with the 45L Redwing. One of the main reasons that I picked this bag was because it is made for short women. I am a whopping 5'3" and wanted a bag that would fit comfortably so as to eliminate as many aches and pains as possible while traveling.

Once your search for your perfect bag commences, you will discover that there are big differences between travel backpacks and hiking backpacks. In my case, I needed a bag that would serve dual purposes because I was traveling with lots of 5-6 day hikes thrown in. I needed a bag that made my items easily accessible, but was also narrow enough to make sure the weight of the bag remained centered on my back. Also, many travel bags skimp on hip straps or a good suspension system. If you're planning on doing a lot of hiking, make sure you get a bag that still has some of these features.

Here are a few things you may want to consider when choosing that perfect bag:

Size: SIZE DOES MATTER! You will be taking planes, trains, and automobiles and will thank yourself when your bag is small enough to always fit in the travel compartments. I particularly loved that I could always carry my bag on the plane as a carry-on and believe me, people were envious. Be aware that Peruvian Airlines only allowed for an 8 kilo carry-on and my bag weighed about 10 kilos (around 22 lbs). I was able to check it for free but it's just always easier to be able to have your bag with you at all times. Weight requirements for carry-ons varies on each airline, so keep that in mind when choosing your flights.
Panel-Loading: The last thing you want to do while you're in a bind is have to literally dig through all your belongings to get to that one very important item at the bottom of your bag. I feel like it's best to avoid those top-loading cavernous bags at all cost. You will be very thankful everything is just one zipper away. Just know top-loading bags work when you're hiking because you unload everything from the top down when you get to camp. When you’re traveling and need to unpack certain things at different times, all your belongings need to be easily accessible.
Zippers: You want heavy-duty zippers that can lock. Avoid excess drawstrings and straps at all cost. Any extra straps can and will get caught especially during transit at the airport and could possibly get ripped off. I understand that zippers can sometimes break, but most of the newer bags out there are made with very heavy-duty zippers.
Weight: You are going to be carrying this thing with you everywhere! Up mountains, down mountains, in the jungle, in the rain, in the scorching heat. You need to be able to carry it at all times. We will go over a packing list later but LESS IS MORE!!!!!!!!!!! I picked the smaller bag to force myself to only pack what I needed.
Ventilation: Your back is going to get sweaty! Look for bags that have a mesh back so you can get some air flow between your back and the bag.
Compartments: If you plan on bringing lots of electronics, you will want to have a bag that has some different compartments. It's also nice to be able to put things you want to have easy access to in little front or side pockets.
Detachable day bag: My Redwing bag didn't have this feature but my boyfriend's Osprey did and it was very useful. We loved being able to lock our bags at the hostel and then have his little day bag to take our essentials with us while we were exploring. It was definitely a useful feature.

The moral of the story is the size and fit of your bag can really make your trip more enjoyable. The right bag for you may not be the right bag for your friend. I haven't found that there is one universal, amaze-balls, top of the line, one-size-fits-all bag that beats all the others. Take the time to try on different bags and read lots of reviews. At the end of a long day, you want an ice cold cerveza, not an aching back.

“Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light” Yogi Bhajan

Category Archives: Travel Resources