Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using them, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support! Jump straight to the packing list or download here: PDF | Excel I had always wanted to do some sort of backpacking trip, a la Reese Witherspoon in the movie Wild, but the idea of having to carry water purification tablets, pitch a tent, and sleep alone in the wilderness had always deterred me. So when I found out about the Camino de Santiago which has food and shelter available every few kilometers, and requires ZERO tent building, I added this to my list of goals for the year and started making plans to complete a portion of the Camino Frances (which is one of several paths of the Camino de Santiago). Of course, my first question was "How on earth do I pack for this?" Based on my research and what actually worked for me, I have compiled my complete Camino de Santiago female packing list into the following post, also available for download so you can easily edit and print to prepare for your Camino! Disclaimer: I didn’t do the entire Camino due to time constraints, but the last 1/3, from Astorga to Santiago. However, as laundry is readily available, I would have packed the same amount even if I had done the entire thing. First things first... what is the Camino de Santiago? What is the Camino de Santiago? The Camino de Santiago (the way of St. James), is a network of routes in Europe that Continue Reading
My experience with IVHQ Spain
As part of my sabbatical year, I decided I didn’t want to just sit around and eat bocadillos and drink great 2€ bottles of wine (one of the best things about Spain - not sure how I’ll ever pay for wine in the US again), but actually do something useful, like volunteering. So for 2 weeks this past August, I did just that, with a company called International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). Earlier this summer, I began to do some research and came across IVHQ. The organization is based in New Zealand but partners with local non-profit volunteer organizations around the world to help coordinate and provide volunteer placement. I wanted to stay in Spain for my first volunteering experience, so I was happy to see that they had opportunities through a local non-profit called Serve The City, in Madrid. IVHQ is a great organization for global volunteering opportunities. They are very responsive to e-mails, and provide the support and peace of mind that you need when you are about to get on a plane and travel halfway around the world. There are dozens of different types of projects that local NGOs (non-governmental organizations) need help with. The projects range from teaching English to children or adults, working on an environmental or agriculture conservation project, working with special needs individuals, helping with renovation or construction, and more. I had quickly realized while doing research that I would probably be the oldest one in the program, but I signed up Continue Reading
Summer so far and upcoming plans…
The last couple of months have been a whirlwind. After Tel Aviv in late May, I continued Spanish classes for another couple of weeks. Then, for 2 months (up until last week) I was traveling almost the entire time. It was a busy (and fun) summer, with my friends visiting from the US for 2 weeks, as well as my aunt a separate 2 weeks almost immediately after I returned from Stockholm in late July. I'm realizing it's really hard to work on a blog when you are on the road... Here's a quick summary of the places I visited: Amsterdam, Netherlands (3 times - once for my birthday in June, once for a music festival planned months in advance, and once with my aunt who really wanted to see the Anne Frank house (and I’m so glad she wanted to, it was worth the 2 hour wait)) Italy - Lake Como, Florence, Amalfi Coast (where I drove a boat for the first time and drove the precarious roads of the Amalfi Coast in a rental car with Sarah) Rome, Italy (solo trip where I went at my own pace, saw amazing ancient ruins, ate delicious food and saw how terrible the city bus system is) Spain - Ibiza, Marbella, Pamplona (where I saw how terrible bullfighting is) London, England (where I ate a proper English breakfast, jogged through Kensington Gardens and saw some questionable outfits at Wireless Festival) Copenhagen, Denmark (where I rode bikes in the rain with my friends, ate delicious food at Copenhagen Street Food, and saw the beautiful Louisiana museum) Stockholm, Continue Reading
Tel Aviv Mini Travel Guide
Tel Aviv was my first experience traveling in the Middle East and I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I found was warm weather, great food, and a ton of history. I visited in late May 2017 for 4 days and I've documented some of my experiences and favorite places to eat as a mini travel guide of sorts. It's no Lonely Planet, but we all have to start somewhere. Getting to & from the airport The Ben Gurion Airport (named for the founder and first Prime Minister of Israel) is beautiful, modern and comfortable. A taxi ride from the airport to the city center isn't cheap, about $40-50 USD. If you can figure out where you need to go and you're not in a rush, you can also take the train and a bus which costs about $6. I did this on the way back using my best friend, Google Maps. You basically need to make your way to the HaHagana Railway Station and then from there, there are trains that go directly to the airport, or buses to the city center, depending on which way you are going. At the airport, you will not receive a stamp in your passport and this is because of the issues that may arise if you try to visit certain Middle Eastern countries in the future (some countries have denied entry to those that have an Israeli stamp in their passport). Instead of a passport stamp you will receive a slip of paper that you must keep with your passport for the duration of your trip. This is standard practice at the airport as of early 2013. The agents at passport control will Continue Reading