Tips, Planning and Packing Archives • Page 2 of 3 • The Bliss Movement

9 Ways To Make A Long Flight More Enjoyable

"When you get into an airplane by yourself and take off, you find yourself in this lovely, three-dimensional world where you can go in any direction. There is no feeling any more exciting than that," - Gene Roddenberry The harsh reality of travel (for some) is that it can quite literally take days to arrive at your destination, even by plane. For those on a budget, this is even more of a reality in which you end up having to take a plane, bus, and donkey just to get from one city to another in order to save a couple dollars. Even without all of the transportat[...]

Personal Development, Self-Care, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

Are You Breathing Just a Little and Calling it a Life?

“Listen—are you breathing just a little and calling it a life?” –Mary Oliver If you live in any of the Western countries you will know all too well the typical route that a life is supposed to take. Graduate, go to college, get a job, get married, buy a house, start a family… not necessarily in that order. But what happens when the idea of all of these things that equal a “successful” life fills you with dread and makes you want to run in the opposite direction? What happens when a university degree is not going to give you what you always wanted? W[...]

Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

6 Ways To Enhance Your Airport Experience

I love airports. I mean I really, truly, love them. My longest time in an airport was ten hours but I'm certain I could spend an entire day in one and never get bored of it. Airports are a beautiful place, they're filled with some of my favorite things. Some people are departing on an exciting adventure and I am always curious as to where they're heading and why. Others are returning from a place just as mysterious with a look of mixed feelings -- happy to be home and in the presence of their loved ones, yet sad that their time away is over. Emotions run high no m[...]

Asia, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel, Vietnam

Traveller’s Diarrhea 101: What Is It, How To Prevent It, What To Do When You Get It

You’re walking through a crowded market that lines either side of a narrow street. It’s 40 degrees, hotter than the hottest day back home and vehicles, motorbikes, and humans all weave in and out of one another. And then it hits you. You start sweating, more than you already are, your stomach begins to flip and make the most animalistic noises, and you find yourself clenching your butt cheeks together. You need a bathroom, and you need it NOW. Traveler’s diarrhea (TD); a backpacker’s worst nightmare. My second time back to Southeast Asia, I was hesitant[...]

Asia, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

What Type of Transportation Should You Take?

Buses, planes, trains, oh my! These days there is every possible form of transportation available to the world traveler. Planes tend to be a popular (and necessary) choice for long, overseas flights. But once you've landed on your desired continent or country you have a few other choices jumping into the mix. Two of the most popular methods of transportation are buses and trains. Other options are boat, car, hitch-hiking, motorcycle, or simply trekking long distances, just to name a few. Now in my perfect world people would still ride horses everywhere... but si[...]

Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel, United States

City Bus Tours: Are They Worth It?

As a traveler and a travel blogger, I’ve come across a million biased opinions on what might make a person a “tourist” and what might make another person a “traveler.” Honestly, I think it’s all a load of bullshit. If we are going to start classifying “travelers” as a notch higher than “tourists” then I think the whole travel society is going in a strange direction. People are seeing the world and I think we should let people see it however they so choose. Take Hop-On, Hop-Off buses, for example. From the streets, you see these double decker b[...]

Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

Packing with Mesh Bags/Clothing Organizers, Yes or No?

Packing a backpack is an art. It takes skill and practice before you figure out how you like your stuff. As it is a backpack that you’re lugging around on your back, packing light is essential. Ditch the cardigan that has been sitting in the back of your closet for a year. Bring only the essential jewelry for a night out, maybe a nice pair of earrings. And honestly, you don’t need six pairs of shoes. Distributing the weight inside your backpack is important. A lot of people think that heavy things should be at the bottom, but that can wreak havoc on your back[...]

Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

Traveling Without A Cell Phone

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. -- Kahlil Gibran My generation has become accustomed to being constantly connected to technology. Cell phones, apps, iPod, iPhones, iEverything. This world is becoming an iWorld. Constantly connected to the rest of civilization. Everybody’s thoughts and relationship statuses at the tip of our fingers. We see our lives through the screens of our cell phones and we have immediate distraction right there in front of us whenever we are bored. We’ve become unac[...]

Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

2 Things You Need To Get In Order Before You Leave For Your Trip

Preparing for a trip can be as much work as the traveling itself. I think that there are generally two types of people. First, there are the ones who seem to always have everything figured out without even trying, who finish packing in no time at all because they just know exactly what they need. Their bags contain only the essentials. These people don’t forget things and if they do, they don’t go back for it. They just shrug it off. I sincerely wish I was one of these people. Then, there are people like me. I don’t mean to stress, I actually enjoy packing[...]

Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

Solid Shampoos and Conditioners, Do They Live Up To The Hype?

If you know me you will know that I am terrible at packing light. It’s not the clothes that cause the issue it’s all of the hair and body products. I end up thinking that all of them are absolutely crucial. As I don’t usually bring a heat tool to curl or straighten my hair, I’ve usually got two to three products for scrunching along with a hairspray and a nice smoothing serum. On top of that I’ve got my big bottles of shampoo and conditioner to lug around. I’ve even succumbed to bringing a 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner to save space which ends up leaving[...]

Asia, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel, Vietnam

10 Tips For Surviving An Overnight Bus in Asia

By the time our cab driver has arrived at the bus station, we are one of the last stragglers to board our overnight bus. We are given plastic bags and told to remove our shoes before getting on. I’m maneuvering myself through the narrow spaces between seats, passing foreigners and locals alike doing their best to get into a comfortable position in their designated bed. Instead of seats all perfectly aligned like a regular bus you would imagine, the seats are narrow and fully reclined, two layers of three rows. All I can think is that it looks like The Knight B[...]

Thailand, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

6 Questions To Ask Before Getting A Tattoo Abroad

I love tattoos. I love the stories behind them and the light in someones eye when they talk about what their tattoo means or where they got it. Can you guess what kinds of tattoos fascinate me most? You got it, travel tattoos. Whether the person got the tattoo on their travels or the tattoo is a symbol of their love of travel, they are by far the most interesting and the closest to my heart. I also love script tattoos since I connect with words more than images. It seems that every time I leave the country, the itch for a tattoo comes back and boy is that itch st[...]