Super Moon

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always had a certain affinity towards the moon. This was probably helped along by the fact that Phoebe, meaning "the shining one," was the Greek goddess of the moon and therefore I always felt like I was drawn to it. The moon is magical, inspiring dreams by reminding me that anything is possible! Hence, tonight, I am sharing with you an ultra mini blog in honor of my love of the moon, sharing with you my favorite photos I captured of tonight's super moon.

It truly is the most miraculous sight! 

Hope you Enjoy!

Let's Get Packing... A Guide to Travelling with Only Carry On Luggage

 I have recently been getting lots of requests for a video blog, so I have decided to give in and what better topic to present in a video than a guide to packing only carry on luggage! Before my last month long trip to New Zealand and Japan I made this video and have decided to share it with you today!

My goal is to help you keep calm and carry on! The video will teach you how to pack for one month in two climates without checking a bag. By travelling light you not only save time but you avoid the risk of waiting in the line at lost luggage.

Most major airlines allow you to travel with:

One Piece of Carry On Luggage (Suitcase)
Mine is usually the backpack (shown top right) or a small rolling bag (on left)

One Personal Item (Backpack or Handbag)
Mine is always my DSLR camera handbag (shown top left) as it holds my camera equipment and my laptop. (shown right)

I hope you enjoy this video, complete with tips & tricks to decide what to bring & how to pack it!

If the video does not appear above click here!

Starlight

Having found myself caught in the whirlwind that we call life, I find myself dreaming of my adventures and wishing life was always a series of giggles and grins. Yet, how can we know what it means to be happy if we never experience sadness? How can we appreciate true joy if we never experience pain?

No matter how smooth the sailing, you must always be ready for that rogue wave which is sure to come. Life throws obstacles at you to see how you will endure, how you will overcome them. Everyone faces different obstacles throughout life and those who refuse to get knocked down by them come out the other side ever stronger. 

With the last slew of waves that have been crashing my way I have been using my memories from the past and my dreams for the future to pull me through. On my trip to New Zealand I traveled new distances, reached new heights, and learnt much about myself (some of which I hadn't 't even realized until now.)

Driving 1500 miles in a hire car, hiking up mountains, trekking across glaciers, swimming in geothermal waters, and walking in the footsteps of hobbits my love for our world was reborn. As is to be expected, everything did not always go as planned. Wild weather seemed to be following us no matter where we went and we often found ourselves having arrived at our destination hidden amongst clouds of swirling rain.

I had been so excited to visit Lake Pukaki & Tekapo so I could look upon "The Lonely Mountain" from "Lake Town" however, when we arrived the mountain was hidden by a wall of clouds. Disappointed to be missing out on the Hobbit filming location's "gem" we were not going to let our spirits join the gloomy skies. So, despite little hope of the skies clearing, we decided to go for a day hike to the top of Mount John.

We wandered through the town, stopping to play in front of the lake and admire the views beyond. The infamous Church of the Good Shepherd lay just off in the distance so we made our way over to it before doubling back and beginning our hike up Mount John. The Church of Good Shepherd is a beautiful little church in the heart of one of the world's most beautiful locations. Even on a cloudy day the church was radiant and one could not help but feel a sense of tranquility around it.

We left the church smiling under spots of sunshine and made our way to the Tekapo spring where we would begin our hike up Mount John. No, the hike was not long, but with our packs it was a welcome challenge, and we grew stronger with every step. Half way up, the skies decided to cool us off and the rain washed away our sweat along with our grip on the ground. As our boots slipped in the mud we trudged the rest of the way up towards the summit of Mount John.

Tekapo is located within a National Dark Sky Reserve, and the summit of Mount John boasts a world renowned observatory and a fabulous little Astro Cafe. Reaching the end of the trail soaked and somewhat winded we enjoyed a well deserved snack while waiting for the invisible sun to set. The sky was a sheer blanket of clouds and we held on to little hope that it would clear to expose a night full of stars to us but ever the optimist we decided to wait nonetheless.

Long after the sun had set we found ourselves sitting under a pitch black sky, the occasional star making an appearance but definitely nothing to write home about. As the rumbling thunder began to roll towards us and lightening began to dance in the distance, it was time to go. We began to pack up our things and suddenly the sky above us opened to reveal the Milky Way Galaxy surrounded by an infinite number of stars. They say that every cloud has a silver lining and ours was a blanket of stars!

Aroha Aotearoa

For me there is little better than an open road compelling me towards my next adventure. A world of endless possibilities lies before you but as time is not infinite you have to constantly make choices at every possible detour either to diverge from your set course to explore or continue towards your final destination. With that finite time forever in your mind only a certain number of detours are truly possible so you constantly have that niggling feeling in the back of your mind that you might have just missed something amazing as you pass on an option to turn but you are too excited about your destination to make too many detours. This feeling, this sense of adventure and exploration tantalizingly mixed with the need to make quick decisions on the go makes embracing the open road all the more exhilarating.

I can barely begin to describe the beauty of New Zealand. It is as if mother nature herself created it as her own personal playground perfecting every inch of ground from the deepest gullies to the highest peaks. The small country is a "kaleidoscape" of exotic natural worlds which converge into an ethereal land shrouded in mystery and wonder. Hugging the open road in our little 4X4 every turn brought a vision of beauty. Rain, clouds, sunshine, or the deepest darkest night it did not matter beauty danced around you.

Driving through New Zealand, exploring both the North & South islands was an adventure unlike any other. We landed in Auckland and drove down through the North Island to Wellington where we caught a ferry to the South Island before making our way down the West Coast and crossing back up towards Christchurch. It was an absolute whirlwind and the only thing we couldn't get enough of was time.

This road trip in New Zealand proved to me that that my biggest fear in life is time. Yes, time, not heights or spiders, death or snakes, simply time. We have a finite amount of time living and breathing in this universe and it is constantly running away from us. I am not scared of dying but of not living, of wasting the precious time I have. I have three great loves in my life: my family, my friends, and my world and travelling is a great way for me to stay in touch with all of them while doing something I love.

We live in a beautiful world and New Zealand is a sparkling example of its beauty. Here are some of my favorite photos taken from the road while on the most fantastic road trip I have taken thus far. Enjoy!

Cut the Stress... a Guide to Planning Your Next Vacation!

As I lie on my back under a large oak tree I take a deep breath and get lost in the rays of light shining through the dancing leaves. my trip is planned and the count down has begun leaving nothing left to do but lie back and relax!

There are two different ways in which I travel. The first and most frequent is the fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants technique where I do a little research before I go and then just ask locals for advice as I bounce around the country. Though I rarely find myself disappointed after such adventures, some trips require a little more planning.

Whenever the itch sets in and I find myself in desperate need to escape my planning brain sets in and I get to work figuring out how I can make it happen.

Step One: How long will you be traveling?
Figure out the earliest date and time you can leave and the latest date and time you need to be back. Once you have the amount of time available for your adventure the real planning can begin.

Step Two: The Budget.
This is always the hardest part. Before I commit to a location I determine how much money I am comfortable spending for my venture. Once you have calculated your budget, then you can get to work picking your location.

Step Three: Decide where you want to go!
I always decide where I want to go once I have determined how long I have and what my budget is because they will determine which destinations are eligible. If I only have a small budget and a weekend, that probably means road-trip to somewhere near by. However, If I have been saving for a while and can spare a few weeks to travel then I am more likely to go to one of my bucket list locations and try to do it right.

Location selected, Budget calculated, and Time allotted it is time to finally start planning!

First step is figuring out how you are going to get there. Are you willing to change flights multiple times if it will save you money? Can you purchase your tickets with miles? What airline has the best rates for the most convenient route? It is always good to be flexible with travel days and routes in order to get the best rate. If you are not overly concerned about having a direct flight it could save you a lot of money.

Second step is and always will be research. You obviously picked your destination for a reason but what exactly do you want to do while you are there? Trip Advisor is an invaluable tool while planning a trip as you can see what the area has to offer. Often I will see a location that appeals to me and when I read about it on trip advisor I am either dissuaded by the dissatisfied travelers before me or encouraged to dedicate more time to the location. (Be sure to read lots of reviews because different people have different tastes which will impact their opinion.) I make a list of the sights I want to see ranking them by level of importance. Once I know what is most important to me I work out what is actually feasible on my time and budget and create my itinerary from there.

Third step is logistics. How are you going to get around while you are in the country? Public transportation? Car Rental? Bicycle? You know where you want to go, so now you have to figure out the best way to get there. Do your research and see what other travelers recommend. While in Mumbai, I got around using the trains, in Cambodia I went everywhere via Tuk Tuk and for our trip to New Zealand we are renting a car. Determine what the best mode of transportation will be for your adventures and then get busy booking hotels.

Step four is Hotels. You now know what you want to see and how you need to travel around so you need to figure out where you are going to stay. I love Hotels.com because after 10 nights you get a free night. Unlike, your average rewards program you don't have to stay at the same chain of hotels. They have a wide selection of hotels, bed & breakfasts and hostel listed so you can select an option within your price range. If on the rare occasion Hotels.com can not meet my needs I use AirBnB which has great options for places to stay at a rate within your budget.

Once I have my transportation, location, and hotels figured out I try and book whatever attractions I plan on visiting. Often, booking your tickets in advance online saves money and valuable time standing in lines. (Make sure to print out your confirmations so your have a physical copy in case your digital copies are inaccessible on the day!)

Whether you are renting a car or using public transit, it is always a good idea to take the time to study a map and print a few out for use while you are there. Tom Toms and Garmins are great but there is nothing like a good old fashioned map to help you get around an unfamiliar place.

Travelling out of the country? Don't forget to check what visas (if any) are required. It is also a good idea to read up on the local laws and get a few key phrases under your belt. For more tip and tricks of being a good tourist... check out my Guide to Being a Good Tourist!

The Amazing Race

It was an average Thursday, and I was sitting listening to my professor lecture on the outbreak of World War I. In that moment the last thing I ever had expected was that I would be spending my weekend flying to Vienna to buy a cake and be back in class on Monday morning.

My professor, notorious for giving the most challenging exams with the fewest high marks, had a reputation as a fun but incredibly intense professor. Going into the class you knew that there was little to no extra credit available, you had to work hard for your marks and if you faltered even slightly so would your GPA. Hence, when he decided to make the bold statement that if any student in our class went to Vienna, the capital of the former Austro-Hungrarian empire, for the weekend and could prove it to him they would get an automatic A on the final. Hands instantly shot up and several students began to ask him the seriousness & parameters of this offer. The moment I heard him say he was deadly serious, the cogs in my mind which had been barely turning began to race wildly. This was it, this was the break I had been hoping for, all I had to do was make it to Vienna and back without missing any classes.

The minute class was dismissed I rushed outside and called my mum to hatch out a plan. The best way to get to Vienna and back by Monday morning was to fly via London Heathrow and luckily for me the flights were wide open.

My flight was scheduled to leave Houston on Friday evening so as soon as I got out of class at 11:00 in the morning on Friday I drove straight to Houston to catch the first flight to London Heathrow. Having landed at Heathrow early Saturday morning I caught one of the first flights to Vienna and landed with 6 hours to burn before my flight was due to leave that night.

I had arranged for an old family friend to meet me at the airport and give me a whirlwind tour of the beautiful historical city. I had decided that I would bring my professor a Sacher Torte so the first stop on our route was the Hotel Sacher. The Sacher Torte is a famous chocolate cake with a thin apricot glaze and rich chocolate icing. Arguably the most famous cake in the world, the recipe was created in the early 1800's and is still a well kept secret of the hotel in which it was created.

My friend dropped me off at the front entrance to the hotel and I rushed around the corner to the entrance of Cafe Sacher to buy my cake. The cakes were beautifully packaged in little wooden boxes wrapped in paper and I actually bought four in the end so I would have one for my professor, one for my parents, one for myself and one for the friend driving me. Cakes carefully packed away, I was back in the car in the blink of an eye and we drove through Vienna snapping pictures of the various monuments out of my window.

Vienna was swarming with people and driving through the city we were often caught behind tourists being driven along in horse and carriage. The history in Vienna is so rich you can feel it.  Looking upon the various statues of Franz Josef I along with the historic buildings, the magnitude of importance the city holds is strikingly apparent. The heir to the throne of this nation, Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in Sarajevo. A man was shot, and this one shot sparked a war which resulted in over 37 million casualties. A nation strife with one of the worst wars the world had ever seen, it is hard to imagine how many of these stunning historic monuments survived, and yet here they are standing strong, a true credit to the strength of the Austrian population.

We made it back to the airport just in time, and I left this beautiful city desperate to have experienced it more. With no doubt in my mind that I would one day return with a decent amount of time allotted to experience the city, I boarded my flight back to London where I would leave the next morning to head back to Houston, so I could drive back to Austin in time for class Monday morning.

Back on campus, armed with a bag stuffed with a Sacher Torte, boarding cards, receipts, and pictures, I found my self shaking as I walked towards my professor's office. Arriving outside his door I steadied my breath and knocked on the door. It was still the beginning of the semester, and my professor, who clearly did not know my name, invited me in, totally oblivious as to why I was there baring a bundle of stuff. I could feel my facing flush bright red as I told him I had just arrived back from Vienna and had brought him a cake. He had been looking at some papers on his desk and he slowly lifted his eyes to meet mine and said, "Excuse me?"

"Well you said in class that if anyone went to Vienna for the weekend and could prove it they would get an automatic A on the final." I responded.  

This man, my professor, whom I had never known to be at a loss for words was literally speechless. He just stared at me quizzically and finally said, "What's your name again." 

"Phoebe, uh, Phoebe Cooper" I told him nervously.  

"Right, sorry Phoebe, and you just went to Vienna this past weekend?" 

"Yes, well you said you were serious, so I brought you a Sacher Torte and some photos of some of the monuments I saw." I responded as I passed him the bag of goodies. "I placed my boarding cards and some receipts in here for you as well."

 My professor took the bag and flipped through some of the photos before placing them all down on his desk. Looking up at me with a smile on his face totally at a loss for words he said, "Thank you, I" and just stood there for what felt like an eternity in silence. By this point I was bright red and holding my hands behind my back to try to mask how much I was shaking. Heart pounding in my chest so loudly I felt he must be able to hear it I stood looking at him waiting for his response.

"I can't technically give you an automatic A on the final," he finally stated, "it is against regulations. I know what I said but I didn't expect, anyway, don't worry, I will definitely see you get credit for this, I just need a few days to think about it."

 Now I was the one who was speechless.

"Thank you for the cake Phoebe, let's discuss this further after class tomorrow."  

Finally finding my voice, I replied, "I understand, sounds good to me, see you tomorrow professor." 

Walking out of the door I finally found my breath and walking away the mix of nerves and adrenaline that had been rushing through my body slowly began to mellow. I swiftly called my mum and told her all about it. Extra credit or not, it had been the most fabulous adventure and I was so thrilled I had the means to accomplish it. My professor, never forgot my name, and his class quickly became one of my favorites. In the end, although I did get some extra credit points for my trip I didn't need them after all as I became so enamored by the material that I aced the class anyway.

Going on Holiday? Don't Break the Bank!

I was recently asked how I am able to afford all of my travels and who I travel with when I go. My first ever blog post, Addicted to Travel, tells why I travel and the basis for how I travel but travelling is not cheap (even when your mum works for an airline.) This is why my travel addiction has made me a fabulous bargain hunter, a penny pincher, and a logistics guru.

I would like to start by pointing out that most of my posts are from trips I have taken over the past few years. I am not bouncing around the world at the moment. Several of my blogs were written on the day they occurred but many are pulled from past experiences. In the last 5 years alone I took 26 international trips and spent over 300 days outside of the US. This averages 5 international trips a year plus numerous domestic adventures to keep me sated in between. 

I work hard while I am at home to save money for my next adventure. My mum works for an airline so most of my travels are on a standby basis which definitely helps to keep the cost down (though I do buy a lot of my tickets). However, travelling isn’t all free once you pay for your airfare. You have to figure out transportation, accommodation, entertainment, sustenance and it all adds up very quickly! Therefore I hope you find this guide to not breaking the bank for a holiday useful.

1. Buy the Expensive Tickets with Miles!

The key is buying the cheapest route out there. However, when the cost of the flights are significantly higher than you had expected, consider buying your tickets with miles! Miles are gold, (I mention this in my Guide to Happy Air Travel, and it really is true!) any good credit cards offers that include air miles I go for. Many credit card companies will offer you 40,000 miles for signing up. Use the card to meet the minimum requirement for something you would have bought anyway on a different card, pay it off and after a year you can cancel the card and keep the miles. (Just be careful you don't end up in debt because of the card!)

2. Thou Shalt Not Travel on a Weekend! 

This is basic supply & demand. Everyone wants to travel on the weekends, and few people travel on weekdays resulting in the cost of travel skyrocketing every weekend. If you are able to plan your trip so you leave and return on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or even a Thursday. This will not only cut your travel cost but could bring down the price of the hotels as well! (If you are travelling on weekdays stay at a hotel targeted at tourists and if you are travelling at the weekend stay at a hotel targeted towards business travelers to save the most money.)

3. Be on the Polar Side of Peak Season

Queue for Sugarloaf Mountain

Do your research and find out what are the peak tourism times for your desired destination. Then, do yourself a favor and be sure to book your holiday either during the off season or at the very least at the very beginning or end of their peak season. This will dramatically lower the cost of airfare, hotels, rental cars, and in some cases even entry fees to tourist attractions.

4. Be Open to Different Routes

Occasionally, I have found it to be significantly less expensive to take a bus or train to a different city to catch a flight. These days you can find tickets for $20-$60 for a bus ride across a continent. Flights expensive out of London? Take a bus to Amsterdam or Paris and catch a flight from there. San Francisco fully booked? Fly into San Jose and take the trains in to San Fran.

5. Be Flexible with When You Travel

In our incredibly busy lives it can be hard to be flexible with our travel days, but if you can find the flexibility it can be incredibly beneficial to your wallet. Get a general idea of when you want to take your trip, and look for the least expensive flights out and back close to that time. Doing so can easily save you enough money to cover the cost of your food or maybe even your rental car or hotel for the trip.

6. If At All Possible, Stay with Friends or Family.

I am sure this goes without saying, but go somewhere with people you know! I am fortunate in that I used to compete internationally for my athletics and therefore I know people in various places around the world. Just don’t be shy, a long lost cousin, an old friend from high school, reach out to them. It doesn’t hurt to ask and even if it is just for one night, that is money saved and hopefully a good time had with a piece of your past.

7. Pick Your Hotel Based on the Guest Rating Not the Number of Stars.

It is so easy to get caught up in wanting to stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel that you don’t even look at hotels without stars. I have stayed in countless boutique hotels with fabulous reviews on trip advisor that were incredibly inexpensive because they weren’t part of a chain that had been officially rated. There are some charming Bed & Breakfasts and Hostels with great rates and fabulous reviews that you may otherwise never find if you don’t shop around and do your research.  

8. Don't Eat Out Every Meal.

Yes, you are travelling which usually means lots of eating out but even if you don’t have access to a kitchen go to a market and buy some fresh fruit or tasty fixings for a yummy sandwich. You will save a ton of money while ending up just as full on a meal that was probably better for you in the long run anyway.

9. Buy What the Locals Buy. 

Sometimes when I travel, I catch myself being naughty and contemplating spending that little bit extra for some comfort food from home. Every little bit adds up and spending the extra $3 here and there on food you are familiar with not only takes away from your cultural experience in the country, but adds up quickly to a large sum of money wasted.

10. Take Advantage of Public Transportation 

If you don’t want to rent a car or can’t find one at a good rate, then don’t be afraid to make use of the public modes of transportation. It not only adds to the excitement of the adventure but it enables you to experience more of the culture, see more of the country, and save tons of money. 

11. Be aware of your surroundings

The last thing you need is to have saved loads of money with your thrifty travel skills and then get pick-pocketed on the bus or have your purse taken by someone hopping off the subway. Be aware of your surroundings! Likelihood is that you look like a tourist and that instantly makes you a target.

 

12. Travel with a Companion

I am definitely one for recruiting a co-pilot for my adventures. Most of my trips were escapes with friends, fabulous father-daughter getaways, adventures with a significant other or mother-daughter trips. When you travel with someone, you not only have a welcome compadre but you are able to split the cost of hotel rooms and rental cars or taxis saving you both a considerable amount of money.

My love of travel is an expensive addiction and I hope these tips help you as much as they help me. There are just under 200 countries in the world and I want to see every one of them. Well aware of the sheer magnitude of this dream not just due to political controversies but logistically & financially as well, I do not expect to be able to accomplish this. However, I do not doubt that I will get pretty darned close!