Resources and Helpful pages

I created this resource page so that you always have somewhere to come to for all of your Travel needs, I’ll add to it as I go. I recommend bookmarking it for your reference and convenience. Enjoy! (If you have any questions please email me)

Disclosure:  Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase.  I have experience with all of these companies, and I recommend them because I have found them to be helpful and useful resources, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something.  Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals. ( But of course purchasing them through these links would be greatly appreciated).

Flights:

Webjet & Flight Centre 

Once I have decided om going on a holiday, I just onto 1 if not both of these websites, these 2 companies are my favorite when looking for upcoming flights. They both pick up on a lot of airlines and they give you plenty of options. Flight centre has the ability to narrow down your search such as looking for flights with only 1 stop or looking for the cheapest flight or quickest flight.

 Skyscanner 

My next stop is Skyscanner to triple check that I’m able to get the best deal. My favourite thing about Skyscanner is you have the ability to choose an entire country (eg: China or France etc).It also lets you search within a full month or the whole year so you are able to find the cheapest flights.

Flights.com

Flights.com offers a number of flights at extremely affordable rates. With airfare offered to hundreds of destinations and deals on hotels and cars, it makes planning your trip as easy as 1, 2, 3. They even offer No Booking Fees on Single-Carrier Flights saving you even more money.

Accommodation:

Booking.com

Booking.com is my second choice for finding hotels, I usually compare what I have found on Wotif. They have a great selection of hotels & motels. Booking.com gives you the options to “book now, pay later” and they have free cancellation on most hotels, the other great thing about booking.com is they have no booking fees!

Agoda

Agoda is Asia’s largest and most popular accommodation booking site. They specialize in hotels in Asia and therefore can provided (at times) better deals. They also offer “book now and pay later” deals.

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is an online community of travellers and people who are interested in “Hospitality exchange”, meaning members can “surf” on couches by staying as a guest at a host’s home. Couchsurfing is great to be able to stay somewhere for free, it is also a great way to find locals who are willing to spend time with you and show you their city or meet people with similar interests.

 Airbnb 

Airbnb is said to be the biggest directory of Unique accommodations, homes, apartments, and rentals units in 190 countries worldwide. Usually better quality but cheaper than a hotel in the same neighborhood.

 HostelWorld 

HostelWorld offers deals and rates for hostels, guesthouses, b&b’s and times boutique hotels! HostelWorld is an easy one stop shop for Backpacking Hostels around the world.

Balearic Homes

We find the best properties across the Balearic Islands which have had excellent customer reviews, great locations and offer value for money. The have also included the best hotels in Ibiza on their blog – check it out!

Hostelz

Hostels are a great option if you’re looking to save money and also want to meet other travellers. And if you’re looking for a hostel, this site combines information from all the various hostel booking options, so it’s the only site you need to find the best deal available on any hostel.

Other travel related websites:

Red Balloon 

Red Balloon is an Australia based “experience voucher” website, they offer vouchers for all types of experiences from a romantic dinner or hot air ballooning to a high speed adventure in a race car.

Viator 

Viator is the world’s leading resource for researching, finding and booking the best travel experiences and tours worldwide. They offer handpicked tours at the best prices, you can read reviews and see pictures taken by people who have taken the tours previously and making a booking is very easy.

RailEurope

RailEurope was really helpful when I was looking to travel through Europe via Rail. Via the website you can plan routes, check times and buy your tickets. They also have suggested routes and other helps information.

Natural Disaster Guide – Natural disasters. They’re a part of life and yet we’re so incredibly unprepared for them when they do come along. The effects of a natural disaster can be truly shocking, hitting fast and leaving behind a trail of epic destruction.

Learn Languages Online – Preply is an online educational technology platform which pairs students with private tutors, either locally in-person or remotely via Skype.

Travel insurance

Travel with Jane – Safer travel for women

Travel with Jane believe Australian women deserve a travel insurance product that puts them first. They’re going all out to offer cover and advice that inspires women to go their own way, safely. From an extensive content library on safety and insurance tips, to our always-on social support, we’re giving you more than just a policy. We’re building a real travel community filled with travel-loving Aussie women.

Covermore Insurance

Covermore is an Australia based company, offering reasonable priced travel insurance. You can choose between 2 types of cover and the price is dependant on your excess, They offer 24/7 support and assistance.

Travel extras

Lonely planet Guide Books

Lonely Planet is and always will be the “go to” for travel guides, you can choose from large travel guide books or all pocket books. They guide books go through different regions of the country you are travelling through, each section touches on food, shopping, where to stay and what to do.

Nurofen

There are dozens of reasons to keep a handy pack of painkillers, like ibuprofen, in your hand-luggage as part of your travel essentials. Whether you’re suffering a headache on an eight hour flight with a kicking toddler sitting behind you, battling back pain after a long hike, or facing a terribly-timed cold or flu on the morning you want to hit the beach (never mind, the odd hangover too!), it’s good to have a fast-acting, reliable painkiller like Nurofen on hand. You might also save yourself hunting for painkillers in foreign language, which can be a total disaster if it goes awry!

Guide to Travelling with a Medical Condition

Whenever travelling abroad, insurance is vital. Otherwise, how would you be protected in the event of an accident or emergency situation? From needing hospital treatment abroad to requiring an emergency evacuation, insurance is in place to cover these costs. Follow this guide to learn everything you need to know about travelling with a medical condition.

OZCodes.com.au

OZCodes is one of the best places to find latest deals, offers and promotions on top-brand products across Australia. Select your Category and Budget and OzCodes find you the best deals!

My Equipment/Travel tech

Kindle Paperwhite

For years I have lugged around several books when travelling because its something to do on a plan or a nice way to relax at the beach, not only were my books were destroyed by the end of my travels, they would also add extra unnecessary weight to my bag (and back!). So I decided to go digital! I have recently upgraded from the Kindle 2 to the Kindle Paperlight and the difference is significant. The Kindle Paperwhite is a lot lighter and a lot smarter than my previous model, it also has an inbuilt light which makes reading in the dark easier, but don’t worry it still has the “Kindle screen” which makes reader in the sun very easy, there Is no glare. I also purchased a case to ensure it was protected in my bag.

TYLT 5K+ & 10K Battery Packs

Whenever I’m travelling I always seem to chew through my iPhone battery, whether it is taking photos, checking emails or posting on social media and no matter how much I “try” to reduce how much of my battery I go through I still seem to have a flat battery within hours of the start of my tours (or days out). So TYLT products are fantastic! The 5K+ http://www.tylt.com/energi-5k-plus/ allows me to rapidly charge up to 3 devices simultaneously (3 phones) via USB port with embedded Lightning and micro-USB cables, it is a slim-line, light design, it has a 5,200mAh internal battery. The 10K http://www.tylt.com/energi-10k/ allows me to rapidly charge up to 3 devices simultaneously (2 phones and a tablet) via 3 USB ports, it has a 10,400 mAh internal battery.

Belkin Travel Surge Protector

This travel surge protector is also a universal converter with 2 power plugs! Belkin has provided every an attachment for the USA, UK, Europe, Asian countries, Australia (all of the major power plug adaptors).

LG UltraPC Laptop

My laptop is my life and throughout my life I have been through a few laptops, Acer’s HP’s Dell’s, LG and so far I have found my LG laptop to my the most reliable. Acer was my least favourite brand as I had several problems with several of the Acer laptops and spend months sending them back and forth getting “fixed”.

Seagate 1TB External Hard Drive

An External hard drive is a MUST have when travelling because if your laptop is lost, stolen or breaks down you will end up loosing all of your precious photos, stories and other important documents.

Canon 500D Camera

My Canon was my first ever DSLR camera, it has worked out really well for me, given I’m not a “professional photographer”, its easy to easy and with a bit more practice and instruction I’m sure ill get better (and so can you!).

iPhone 5S & Protective case

I don’t leave the house without my iPhone 5S, once in a new country we purchase a local SIM cards with a data plan. I also have a Lifeproof case which protects against water, shocks and dust, all of which you will experience while travelling. My phone is often used as my camera when I don’t have room to bring my Canon along.

Photo Editing

Photoshop is fantastic for editing photos, it is very simple to use and you can set up easy actions to edit bulk pictures, you are however required to purchase a copy of Photoshop, otherwise you might be able to get one of the very old versions for free on the Adobe website. Pic Monkey is also very good for editing images however this can only be done one at a time, Pic Monkey is great for making “pinable” images for Pinterest.

Blogging

Travel Blog Success (TBS)

TBS was the first Travel Blog course I did, I learnt a lot, it’s fantastic for setting up a blog. They also have a great tech team, I have had a few issues with my site as well as not knowing how to set up a few things such as google analysis etc and they have been fantastic in helping me out, they are reasonably priced too!

MatadorU

I have never been a “writer” or much of a reader so writing a blog doesn’t come naturally to me. I did some research around courses that can provide some skills in writing and found MatadorU’s Travel Writing course. I have been a little slack and haven’t completed much of it however I’m grateful it is a “work at your own pace” course and have learnt a lot so far.

Bluehost Web Hosting

Picking the right hosting company can be a nightmare, Bluehost was recommended to me TBS and I haven’t had too many issues, my site goes down very rarely. I had heard some horror stories about other hosting companies and I’m grateful that I haven’t had too many issues.

StudioPress

StudioPress have some of my favourite themes, time after time I go back to them as their themes are always very clean and easy to read and customize. I have had the Streamline Theme as I currently have the Lifestyle Pro Child theme.

Ditch your Desk

Ditch your desk is the “passion project” of Will Hatton of The Broke Backpacker and Aaron Radcliffe of Uptomized. Their mission is to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools, tactics and know-how needed to grow an online venture into a successful business that can support a life of freedom. I can attest to Will’s wicked skills!

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