What if you don’t speak the language? Does the thought of trying to order a meal or find a train in a foreign language give you the heebie jeebies? If so, you’re not alone. One friend recently wrung her hands when she told me, “I seriously failed high school Spanish. I’m pretty sure I have […]
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Tips to Avoid Bank and Credit Card Fees Abroad
Have you ever come home from a trip and cringed when you saw all those extra charges and fees on your credit card? You need a no foreign transaction fee credit card. Maybe that sweet deal you scored on an Italian leather jacket evaporated when you added in the unanticipated foreign transaction fee and subpar […]
Home Exchange 101
Whenever I mention that I exchange homes with strangers, I can count on one of two responses. Someone will either say: “I could never let a stranger sleep in my bed!” or: “That’s amazing! Where do I sign up?” I find that people are not exactly wishy washy on this topic. It either excites you […]
Riomaggiore or Bust!
A bit of backstory… Steve and I first met back in 1985 when he was my teaching assistant for a biology class I was taking at UC Santa Barbara. I was a lowly undergrad and he was working on his PhD in molecular biology. (What a catch, huh?) We connected over travel. I’d just returned […]
5 Ways to Save on Air Fare
Sometimes the biggest barrier to a trip is the cost of getting there. For years and years, I thought a flight to Europe from the U.S. west coast cost approximately $1200 to $1500. But it totally does not! If you’d like to save on airfare by half or more, here are my top five tips […]