Do you see your friends jet setting from place to place wondering how they do it? Do you see the places they stay and foods they eat and think, “there’s no way I could afford that”? I think international travel is more within reach than a lot of people realize, and with all the apps and services these days, it can be cheaper than ever!
Finding Flights
These days we are flooded with internet sites, apps, and services that can track flights for you, most are free. It’s easier than ever to monitor prices and buy at the right times. A few of the easiest options are: Google Flights (web page), Hopper (App), and Next Vacay (small fee service). Google Flights allows you to search by specific or flexible dates and lets you set price tracking for as many flights as you like. When it finds a change in price, higher or lower, it will send you a notification via email or pop up. Hopper is my favorite app to use for flight tracking. Similar to Google, you choose the dates to watch and set up tracking for each. It will also send notifications with price updates, but it goes a step further by letting you know to buy or wait, based on expectations of cheaper or more expensive prices to come. Next Vacay is the easiest for you, but it does have a small fee of $25 a year. Paying that fee means that they do all the work for you. Using this service will not allow you to choose a specific destination or dates/times, but instead they look for the cheapest flights across many international destinations. You give them the closest airport to you (they also look at others close by), and they send you deals based off that location. They send emails to let you know what cheap flights they have found, for example, Barcelona, Spain between January and February for $350, so you would need to have flexible travel dates and act fast!
I have used one of these services for all my flights in the last 4-5 years and have always found good deals. If you don’t have flexible dates, Hopper might be your best bet for tracking flights, since it does let you know if you can expect the prices to increase/decrease.
Where to Stay?
Airbnb…I can’t push this enough! I always use Airbnb when possible, as it gets you the most value in a place to stay, for the least amount of money. It’s especially beneficial when traveling with larger groups that would require multiple hotel rooms, which typically run more per night than Airbnbs do.
Where to Eat?
Ask the locals! Locals know where the good food is and always have great recommendations that steer you away from the more expensive tourist spots and introduce you deeper into the culture of the area. Walk around! Many times during my travels we have stumbled upon fantastic places just by exploring on foot: street vendors, hole in the wall local dives, great patios, etc. You just have to look!
What does it all cost?
To give you an idea of total trip cost, I am going to recap my last international trip to Bali. I travelled there earlier this year for the second time, and we stayed for 2 weeks this time. It’s a beautiful island in Indonesia, and is one of the cheapest places to travel, as long as you don’t mind a long flight! Below are the costs of the basics: flight, Airbnb, and food. Any shopping would be extra, but in a place like Bali, you can get A LOT for very little.
Flight: $40
I used points from my Chase card to pay down on my flight. Credit cards with point rewards are a HUGE help when it comes to affording travel. Before using my points, the flight was $900, which still isn’t bad for getting you across the world.
Airbnb: $300
I told you Airbnb was cheap right?? Well, in Bali they take that even further. A lovely 2-bedroom/2-bathroom villa, with full staff, will only run you around $21/night. Believe it or not, you can find even cheaper!
Food/Day: $20
With breakfast included in most villa stays on this quaint island, you will just need to take care of lunch and dinner. In Bali you can find great meals for under $5, but you can spend a little more depending on what you choose.
In total, before any extra shopping, spending or excursions, my trip was $620. That’s it! $620 takes you across the world for two weeks, comfortably. Saving just $50/month for a year could afford you this trip. I want everyone to know that they not only have the ability to travel, but the affordability. People thrift when it comes to everyday household items, so travel shouldn’t be any different! The deals are there to find and allow you to see different parts of the world, where the richness is more about culture than cost. So, where are you headed?
26+ miles over 3.5 days will land you at one of the 7 wonders of the world…Machu Picchu. Is it hard? You bet. Will it show you your strength? Absolutely. Will you learn things about yourself? Yes! And it’s totally worth it.
It’s been a little over a year since I took my trek across the Andes. I can still remember every step, but it’s funny how the mind and body allow the “bad” to fade away, leaving you with only those positive thoughts and feelings, and the accomplishment of completing something so physically straining. I should probably start with saying, altitude and I…we don’t so much get along. If you are unfamiliar with altitude and its effects, you should know it takes some acclimation, but for some of us, that acclimation never really sets in.
The Incan trail system sits high in the Andes. Its suggested you spend a few days in Cusco, an elevation of 11,000ft, to ready yourself for the trek ahead. Even at this altitude, with no physical activity, I could feel the fatigue, headaches, and loss of appetite setting in. Needless to say, all that added to my already high anxiety about the trek: did I prepare enough, could I actually DO it??
The night before the hike we met with our guide Carlos. He had done this hike more times than he could count, as he had been taking this trek multiple times a year since he was 16. He was calm and confident as he told us what to expect and covered all the gear and needs. It made me feel better, but I still hardly slept that night. Not to mention, we had to be awake ready to go around 2am. You see, it’s a 3ish hour bus ride from Cusco to the trailhead, so we had to get on the road early.
2am comes, we have packed, loaded and hit the road. Luckily, we could sleep for this drive, even though my mind was still running wild with worry. We made a few stops and picked up our Porters (they are our crew who carry the gear, set up the tents, cook, etc. – in one word, they are badass). We make it to the trailhead and it’s time, only, we got breakfast first! So as the Porters set everything up for us to eat, we got to enjoy what beauty surrounded us here at the trailhead: mountains with a beautiful river cutting through them, and it was sunny but coo, but my nerves were still not settling.
These guys can cook! Here we are, sitting next to a trailhead, and getting fantastic food from what can only be compared to a “higher end camp kitchen” set up. Color us impressed! With our bellies now full it was time to start the hike. We were told the first day is the easy day…but also the only day that you could turn back. So, once you’ve committed…you’ve committed. To hike the trail, permits are required, as well as, stamps through each gate, like passport stamps. As we passed through the first gate, it was across the bridge and up a small hill. Now, I said small hill, but remember that whole altitude issue thing?? Yeah…small hill turned straight up panic attack. I lost my breath going up and started to silently panic “oh my gosh, if I can’t do this, there’s no way I can make it the whole way!”. Thankfully, we paused here waiting for everyone to pass through the gate and chatted a bit about what the next few hours would be like. They were going to be pretty easy…phew.
Day 1: 8.7 miles
The first part of the day was very enjoyable. Nice sunny weather. Locals passing by. Carlos was telling us a lot about the history, different things we would pass, such as a plants and fruits, animals and housing. And then we were coming up to our first “test” as he said. A 10-minute climb that would decide how early we had to wake up in the morning. So basically, depending on how fast you ascended this stretch decided if you got a little less or a little more sleep the next day. So now it’s an even bigger hill and it was tough! I consider myself to be in decent hiking shape, and I had been preparing for this for months, but with my pack and the issues with altitude, every step felt heavy and like I was dragging through mud. Not to mention these Incans built very steep steps since they mostly ran across these hills. They would have stop off points, like a relay race, one person would run a few hours and then pass the information to the next person, and so on. Anyways, 10-minutes was more like 20 or 30.
After a few more hours we reached ruins of an Incan city. They sat atop a hill looking down to more ruins. Those on the hill would have been in power, had nicer things…the royalty. But to all these outliers, Machu Picchu was the Mecca. I ripped my pants here. Yep. That happened. First day. My ass was showing. A friend on the hike loaned me a shirt to tie around my waste, crisis averted! We spent a few minutes here exploring before moving on. I should mention, the Porters are miles ahead of us at this point because they are SO fast across these hills.
We continued across the mountains for a few more hours, landing at our lunch spot. By this time, I had really fell ill. I hardly ate anything for lunch, but tried to drink some water and electrolytes Carlos gave me. Eventually feeling shaky and weak, he took me to one of the local’s huts, into a little room, where I could lay down for a bit. I was hoping I could just stay there for the next 3 days, but, we had to press on. It was around 4-5 more hours, and dark, until we reached our first camp that night.
Again these Porters prepared an amazing meal, one of which I wish I could have eaten! Camp was fun. The tents were nice. We all got to hang around and chat for a little while after dinner and had some coca tea. Before bedtime, we were each given a bowl of warm water to “wash” with and get ourselves ready for bed. Bed. Ahh. I wanted sleep. It was going to be another early and LONG day. I hadn’t mentioned yet, that day two was the toughest.
Day 2: 9.9 miles
This is the day that I was dreading most. It was the longest day by far, for distance, for hours, and toughest climbs. I knew how I was already feeling, so the anxiety of actually getting through this day was high. It was also a bit chillier now. We started early morning, around 5:30am. There was a mist like fog and dew all over, which made parts of the trail a bit wet and slippery. Day two consisted of crossing up and over two mountains. The first we crossed over, Dead Woman’s Pass. Really? That’s what you decided to call it? To clarify, it’s not because woman die over this pass, but as you cross over and look back, the mountains resemble a woman lying on her back. This was pretty cool. The first pass was the highest at around 14,000ft. It was slow going as most of the day was gradual to steep climbs. At the base of the last ascent, there was an area where locals were selling drinks and snacks, and there were alpacas/llamas running all over. Even a baby one! Now that’s where I really wanted to stay! Carlos was a major help with these big climbs. He stuck with me and made sure that I was okay, one step at a time! He played Despacito about 100 times as well, helped keep it light and fun. I was the last to make it to the top, but not by much. We took in the view at 14,000ft, looking back at what we had just hiked. It was a good feeling. Now we got to descend, go down and not up. Finally! I could do this. Somehow it was totally different on my body. Down was easy, down was fun, and I felt more like I was accomplishing what we had come to do. Our lunch stop was in the valley between the two mountain passes. I actually ate!
After lunch, we refilled our water bladders, grabbed our snacks, and hit the trail again. Still half the day to go. The second pass was almost as high, but the trail was a little different. We had a few ruins to stop by along the way, and at the top of the second pass there was a beautiful lake. Had I not been moving so slowly, I probably would have had more time to stop and enjoy this peaceful serenity. I was by myself on the trail at this point, I couldn’t see anyone ahead or behind, so it was just me and nature. I was struggling, but it was okay. Just passed the lake there were some natural rock structures, very large crevices, and a place that I would normally love to explore. Again, lacking a little on time, as we needed to get to camp before too late, I had to press on. I got to the top of the rocky area and there was Carlos! He had come back to make sure I was making it alright. As I crossed over this rocky area to the opening where he was standing, the air got very cold. It was time to start descending into the jungle. At this moment we were in the clouds.
We continued our descent with a few more stops along the way, but it was getting dark quickly. A few friends and I were together at this point, traversing down these steep stairs. As we made our way down to a flatter trail area, we all saw something ahead that startled us. It was hard to make out. We are in the jungle…it could be anything. Is it a bear? Another large animal?? Okay no, it was a giant rock. We all laughed at ourselves and continued on. Carlos and another Porter came up the trail to meet us and get us safely to camp. By now it was pitch black and our head lamps weren’t quite as bright as we needed. They played music on their phones as we walked, classic 80’s of course! What seemed like a never-ending trail that day, finally came to an end. We walk up to camp with all the Porters clapping, congratulating us. Of course, they had been there for hours! Camp was set, and dinner was soon. It was around a 12-13-hour day, and it was finally done!
Day 3: 6.2 miles
I loved this day! Now that we were moving out of the clouds, I felt the weight of the altitude sickness lifting. I charged the trail that day, leading some of the way. Again, I wish we could have spent more time enjoying the beauty around, but the experience of trekking just as they did 1,000’s of years ago (with modern day equipment) gave you such an appreciation of these people and their civilization. The trail was made of huge rocks which seemed smooth from all the wear, and again it was a bit wet. We continued through the jungle and mist to another stop. There was an Incan site here known as the Town in the Clouds. It was almost so “foggy” that you couldn’t see the ruins right around you. The air felt great! Thin, but great. From here, it was all downhill, and I was definitely okay with that! The weather had warmed, and the sun was shining. The cold layers from the days before were now packed away. As much as I was okay with downhill, as steep as these steps were, you still had to move carefully and slowly. Thankful for trekking poles!
At some point I was ahead with some of the group and my appetite had really returned. We sat and snacked and waited for the others. After our break there was just another short stint to the next ruin stop. It may have been my favorite next to Machu Picchu. Intipata, Terraces of the Sun. It had a gorgeous view of the river valley below, surrounded by large mountains, some of which were snowcapped. We stayed here for quite a while since camp was a short walk away. We did a little yoga and took time for photos. We headed down to camp and passed a few alpacas along the way. This was the first day I arrived at camp when it was still daylight, and the first day we had showers available! We had a shower, but it was the coldest water ever, so my hair just had to wait. It was great getting to enjoy the warm jungle and finally sit and appreciate what natural beauty we were surrounded by. However, we had to get some rest for the earliest wakeup call of the hike. Tomorrow…was Machu Picchu.
Day 4: 2 miles
We woke before 3am so that we could be at the gate waiting for it to open. The gate opened at 5:30am and it was COLD! We all sat huddled together as the Porters brought us our breakfast. That was the best breakfast sandwich of my life. I think it was just a bun with chicken and fries on it, but we all devoured it! Before the gates opened, Carlos came by to tell us we needed to take off a layer of clothing. As we started hiking, he warned, it would warm up quickly. I couldn’t even bear the idea of losing a layer because we were already so cold, so I decided I would be fine. You know, I should probably listen to someone who has done this his whole life, because in about 20 minutes it was so toasty I had to stop and lose my coat. Okay Carlos, you win.
It was only about an hour until we reached the Sun Gate. This area of ruins sat above Machu Picchu looking down. We stood here as the sun rose over the valley, the clouds began to dissipate, and there she was, gleaming in the sunlight. What it must have been like to discover this place. What it must have been like to see her in her prime. We were here for a moment as the sun rose higher, showing more details of this wonder we were headed down to explore.
It was a little less than an hour’s walk away now, more downhill stairs. We made the trek, getting glimpses of the lost city as we descended. Just a few more steps and we had made it. 3 days before we had started this journey and clearly I was completely unsure of myself, my body, and my capabilities. I teach this a lot in my yoga classes, we prove time and again that our bodies can do a lot more than our minds think it can or will allow. Sometimes that self doubt is present, running around in your head. Trusting in yourself and your capabilities can take you further than the limitations your brain may want to set. This is what this experience taught me.
As we walked into the gates of Machu Picchu, there was such a sense of accomplishment, of pride in myself. I kept going. We all kept going. No matter the obstacle, it was attainable. This ancient civilization built this impossible city deep in the mountains, from stones that were nowhere near where this magnificent place exists. We place the borders and barriers on ourselves, to think of the progress that can be made when those don’t exist. Machu Picchu was amazing, but I feel I gained much more from our time spent as a group along those 26 miles. A big part of me would love to do this again, but I know the altitude would affect me, as it has many other places. Sometimes there are things out of our control that do put limitations on us, but never be that barrier for yourself. Know your power and strength and know what you are capable of.
Having plants in the home can create a softer and more comfortable vibe. They can brighten a space with their colors and blooms, bring in more oxygen, and add life to a space. But they can also be intimidating…Where do you start? How much water? Feeding and fertilizing? Too much or too little sun? Okay, at this point you’ve probably talked yourself out of heading over to the nearest nursery, so we will take a deep breath and breakdown the easiest ways to get started with plant ownership.
First is sun. This is the most important aspect of plant health next to water. Plants need to be chosen for the sunlight that your space has, and not solely based on their aesthetic. For instance, if I have only northern exposure windows, I should probably stay clear of adding any cactus to my collection. They need a lot of bright sun! In another post we will discuss artificial lighting, but for beginners we will keep it simple. So back to the sun…southern light is your best light, then western, then morning eastern, and lastly the northern exposure. There are many plants that can take medium to low light very easily, and thats where we will start!
A few good starter plants include Spider Plant, ZZ Plant, Sansevieria (Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue), and Pothos (Golden or Silver). All of these have very similar lighting needs and watering schedules. They can make it in low light conditions, and still thrive in more highly lit areas; however, they do not appreciate much direct sun. What I like about many of these is that they will give signs of what they need in regards to sun and water. If they get droopy, they need water…if the ends start to brown, they may need less sun. A plant parent cannot be afraid to fail and lose a plant here and there as you learn. Trial and error is a big part of growth as a plant parent, and will you will learn the most about your plants likes and needs this way.
Hopefully you are feeling more confident to make that trip to the nursery…now where do you go?? I will always recommend local spots over big box stores when it comes to plants. There is a visible difference in care and quality of the plants. If you are a Bentonville local, Matkins is a great little spot to find that perfect house plant. They have all the basics, plus lots more! Your big box stores typically have an indoor plant section all year round, but the biggest issue I’ve seen with those, is the pests on the plants which you will be bringing into your home, and possibly sharing to your other babes. Always inspect before buying!
So you know what to buy and where to go, but you will need a few more items to be successful. Every great plant parent should have:
garden gloves
few bags of indoor potting soil (good nutrients for plants living inside)
Perilite to mix in the dirt for better drainage (optional)
pots for the new guys
watering can and a spray bottle
Your new plant babes are now ready for their new home! I’m looking forward to their being more plant parents in the world, and I hope you feel a bit more ready to take the plunge. Happy planting!!!
