Category Archives: Travel
Do you have what you think is a kick-ass recipe that’s easy to make when traveling? We want to know about it.
We’re looking for the kinds of dishes we can make in hostel kitchens or in apartment rentals as we travel, from ingredients we can find (relatively easily) in markets around the world, and using the tools we’ve come to expect in what’s billed as (but isn’t really) a “fully-equipped” kitchen. This is stuff that’s simple enough to make on the road, and also something that’s so delicious you actually like to cook it at home, too.
Do you think you’ve got just the recipe we’re looking for? Let us know! Leave a comment on this post with your recipe – if we like yours, we may feature it on BootsnAll!
There’s your challenge, travelers – get cooking!
photo by Piers Brown
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Packing can be a particularly stressful experience, considering the number of things you have to take into consideration: How long will your stay be? What kind of weather can you expect at your destination? What will you be doing when you get there? And you might wonder, with all this already on your plate, why should fashion of all things be any real consideration?
As a girl who prides herself on an up to date sense of style, I offer this question in return: Why do function and fashion have to be mutually exclusive? For example, a girl studying abroad in France clearly needs to consider both fashion and function!
In this quick guide, I offer tips on how to pack for both, so you can be prepared for the ups and downs of travel as well as the ins and outs of fashion trends!
1) Remember to pack lightly
As a number of other travel guides will tell you, arguably the most important tenet to packing well is packing lightly. Over packing weighs you down and is incredibly impractical. It’s a rather common misconception, but you don’t need to take along your entire wardrobe to look stylish abroad!
2) Bring a few of these suggested essentials
How long will you be staying? Over packing is always a mistake, but depending on the length of the trip you’ll need to adjust your quantity of clothing accordingly. For example, if you are planning a six month trip to volunteer in South Africa, I’d recommend bringing more than just one backpack. If you still have extra room, please take me with you! Here’s how I’d describe the necessity of my go to items:
- A pack of tank tops: These are perfect for layering under your shirts and blouses or for wearing by themselves in warm weather.
- A pack of white, v-neck t-shirts: The simplicity of these tops make them perfect for everyday.
- A white button up blouse: For a more put together look.
- A few pairs of comfortable, well-fitting jeans: A good pair of jeans is perfect in all kinds of weather and for all kinds of activities. Bootcut or skinny jeans would probably be the more fashion-forward options.
- A couple of different colored cardigans: Layering with cardigans adds both visual interest as well as color in your otherwise neutral outfit.
- A classic jacket: I personally love a well-tailored blazer, but a leather jacket or military jacket will do just as well. The point is that, as your choice piece of outerwear, it should be relatively warm. A classic cut and neutral color would be much easier to style.
- A dress or two: I suggest at least two dresses: one for casual, everyday wear and another for evening wear. For the former, pick a dress with a fun pattern or classy cut, keeping in mind the season. And as for the the latter, you can’t go wrong with your favorite little black dress!
3) The key is in the accessories
Layering and accessorizing not only adds interest to an outfit, but packing a few beautiful scarves is much more practical than forcing 5 other dresses into your suitcase. You can mix and match outer layers with inner layers, – scarves with necklaces to create new, simple, and classy ensembles for every day of your visit. Equally important, remember to work in elements which reflect local fashion trends. For example, a friend of mine recently decided to volunteer in Peru. She came back with some amazing pieces purchased from small vendors in Peru. This is also a great way to support the local economy. Here are a few suggested accessories:
- Patterned scarves: I cannot stress these items enough! Scarves are not only colorful and come in a number ofdifferent materials and textures, you can wear them in so many different ways.
- A few classic pieces of jewelry: Jewelry is light and so easy to pack. Pick a few fun pieces that represent your sense of style.
- A stylish, neutral colored purse: This is a must have for every woman on the go. My default bag of choice is a leather shoulder bag that I picked up at an Italian flea market, but you can have some fun with this. Pick a tote, asatchel, or your classic handbag.
4) A word on shoes
All you need in the shoe department really, are two pairs:
- Walking shoes: I would recommend flat, comfortable shoes for walking. I always bring a pair of black oxfords because of their chic look, but sneakers, slip ons, and loafers would do just as well.
- Classy shoes: These are your pair for a night out. I’d suggest a pair of flats, or if you can handle it, even a pair of pumps.
5) What about the weather?
You can also pack additional accessories if you’ll be traveling in a specific climate.
For warm weather, take along:
- A pair of face-flattering sunglasses
- A bathing suit
- A pair of sandals or flipflops
And to beat the cold, pack:
- A beanie
- A warm, knit scarf
- Thermal underwear
- A thick, hooded jacket
Follow this guide and you’ll not only be ready to take on the world, but also look good doing it!
Eunice Gopez is a former Go Overseas intern and graduating senior at UC Berkeley. She loves writing, travel, and naturally, writing about travel.
Photo credits: Â we-make-money-not-art, Al Jazeera English
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Happy New Year! We hope your 2011 was full of meaningful connections, working and playing with passion, embracing change and learning about yourself and the world. And we hope the coming year bring you even more amazing indie travel experiences.
This week, we’re kicking off the new year with a week dedicated to planning. We’ll suggest some great travel resolutions to inspire you to get out and go, and help you cope when you’re in between planning trips.
We’re also kicking off a new weekly event, called the Indie Travel Challenge, that will last for all of 2012! If you enjoyed participating in or reading the responses to our 30 Days of Indie Travel project, you’ll love what we have in store for you this year.
Rather than doing a prompt every day, we’ll post a prompt, question, or challenge (are you up for it?) every week for all of 2012! Similarly to the 30 Days of Indie Travel, we’ll ask you to respond to the prompt on your own blog, and link back to BootsnAll so we can find and highlight the best submissions.
For the very first week, we’re talking resolutions!
Many of us use the New Year as a time to make resolutions that we think will improve our lives. We plan to eat better, spend less, call our parents regularly, travel more.  But rarely do we achieve these goals, because they’re too vague. We don’t have a plan on how to achieve them and so we forget about them by February.
This year, let’s not just resolve to “travel more” let’s resolve to have amazing indie travel experiences. Resolve to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Resolve to walk on a glacier in Patagonia. Resolve to eat your weight in cheese in Provence. Resolve to dance the tango in Buenos Aires. Resolve to seek out experiences that immerse you into a new culture, challenge your beliefs, push your comfort zone, delight your senses, and make memories that will last a lifetime.
So we’re issuing a challenge: share with us your indie travel list – part resolutions, part bucket list, the list should help you focus your travel plans so you can take concrete steps to achieve your travel goals this year (and beyond). Put together your list of experiences you want to have this year and link it back to our list of travel resolutions to keep (you can also add a link here, or share it on twitter with the hashtag #indie2012 so we can share it with the community).  At the end of the month, we’ll use your ideas in a mega-list of amazing experiences to inspire travelers from around the world!
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When traveling, you’re essentially living with nothing but the items in your bag, so it’s understandable why some travelers obsess over having just the right gear. From waterproof, windproof, stainproof, zip-off, mosquito-repellent, quick-drying clothes to the latest high-tech gadgets, they’re always in search of the next things that can make their trip easier and their pack lighter.
And then there are the travelers on the other end of the spectrum  - those who set off with the same clothes they’d wear at home, with nothing but their trusty iPod, phone, and guidebook to weigh them down. And of course, there are a whole lot of variations in between.
Whether you are a gear junky or only invest in the bare minimum, there’s no doubt a few simple items you could add to your next trip that would make it easier, better, cheaper, or lighter. This week on BootsnAll, we’re all about the travel gear, from high-tech gadgets to simple tips to help you save time, space and energy on your trip.
First up, we turn a critical eye on some cool gadgets that make big promises to help you travel better, and see if you really need the products for your travel style. Then we’ll learn about the art of the extreme road trip and what you need to do to prepare. We’ll check out some great apps for round the world travelers, and get some great tips for women travelers.
But first, read more about travel gear:Â
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This year’s Meet, Plan, Go event may be over, but we’re continuing our monthly indie travel meetups here in Portland! November’s meetup is at Bunk Bar (corner of SE Water & Taylor) and starts at 6:30-ish.
We had an awesome time at the Meet, Plan, Go at Ace Hotel last week, so whether you attended and want to chat with all the new PDX travelers you met or didn’t get to attend but still ♥ travel… join us!
And as always, if you have a meetup location idea for next month, do share.
6:30pm-whenever-ish, Tuesday, November 15, 2011
@ Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water Ave
www.bootsnall.com
Please RSVP on our Facebook page so we can stake out a spot for you! We’re also starting a Portland travel meetup newsletter to keep you up-to-date on the latest travel meetups and events happening in PDX. Sign up below:
Happy Travels!
–The BootsnAll Portland Crew: Sean, Chris, Dave, Jessica, & Olivia
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