Travel Planning Resources
Accommodations
I use Booking.com regularly to search for and book accommodations. I’ve used various booking engines and I prefer Booking.com for its comprehensive coverage, ease of booking and flexible cancellation policy. Booking.com is almost always an integral part of my travel planning.
Flights
When it comes to finding flights and comparing prices, I head straight to Skyscanner.
Car Hire
Find and compare prices for car hire at locations around the world with Rentalcars Connect. I use them often and really like the fact that you can easily compare prices of 900+ car hire companies around the world on a single platform. In addition, it’s easy to manage my booking and make any changes/cancellations.
Tours, Tickets to Attractions & Activities
If there’s a tour I’m particularly interested in or a specific attraction I’d like to visit, I often book this in advance to avoid disappointment or long queues. GetYourGuide offers tens of thousands of tours around the world, including fast-track access to the biggest attractions. It’s also super easy to cancel a booking if something comes up. Find your tours on GetYourGuide.
Preferred Airline
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is my preferred airline to fly with. From its hub at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, KLM and its partners fly to hundreds of destinations around the world, and offer convenient regional and intercontinental connections. Search for flights.
Visas
Before you travel, check the validity of your passport (the general rule is that it should have a validity of at least six months). Find out if visas are required for the countries you’re visiting. If you require a visa, one service I’ve used before is iVisa.com. You can easily check for the visa requirements and apply online for a visa.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a must in my book. I have a pretty comprehensive travel insurance which is valid year-round and automatically renews. I’ve added various temporary options to my insurance plan on various occasions, such as during my round-the-world trip and for trips with sports/adventure activities like winter sports and sky-diving. World Nomads offers a broad range of plans for short and longer term travel for all types of travellers.
Data roaming
To stay connected when I travel, I utilise Truely a nifty, easy-to-use eSIM solution. Truely connects users to the best network and rates in every country. Through its Switchless™ technology, the complexities of global data connectivity is eliminated, creating a solution that’s seamless, affordable, and accessible for every traveller.
Solo travel deals
Are you a fan of solo travel? If you are, I recommend subscribing to Tracey’s List, a monthly, specially curated list of top solo travel deals.
Essential Travel Accessories & Tools
Sleeping Well
I often have trouble sleeping well on a plane, especially when I fly in Economy Class. That changed when I discovered the J Pillow. This soft but sturdy pillow provides great support for my neck and keeps my chin from tipping over when I fall asleep. Read my J Pillow review.
Headphones
Another accessory that helps me to sleep well on a plane is a set of Bose Noise-cancelling headphones (combined with my J Pillow and an eye mask). These excellent headphones provide unrivalled audio quality for the inflight entertainment system and cancels out noise when I want to sleep. They fit comfortably around my ears and they’re easy to carry in my hand luggage.
Languages
Another Google app I use often is Translate. I especially like the camera function which automatically translates text on menus, letters, etc.. directly on your phone screen. Simply turn on the camera function, point your phone at the text and the translation appears on your screen!
Back-up your photos and videos
I back-up my photos and videos as soon as they’re created to avoid losing them if anything should happen to my mobile phone or camera. There are various cloud storage options and one of them I use is Dropbox. If you haven’t yet signed up for Dropbox, sign up here and receive a 500MB bonus.
Send and receive money cheaply
Send and receive money quickly and cheaply using Wise. I use it often to send or receive money from family or friends. Wise currency exchange rates are fair (mid-market with no mark-ups) and their transfer fees are very low. Furthermore, the transactions are processed just as quickly, if not faster, as other more costly channels.
