SMALL-TOWN GIRLS, MIDNIGHT TRAINS

— travel inspiration for small budgets and big dreams —

travel inspiration for small budgets and big dreams

Don’t Borrow Money Just to Travel

…and other advice you may not want to hear but should. ♣ ♠ As happy as it makes me when someone says I’ve inspired them to pursue their travel dreams, I also have one great fear: that what I say, or do, or write, will inadvertently push someone to travel — to Just Do It — even though […]

Trust Your Instincts When You Travel

Or how a stringy-haired stranger by the Tiber caused me to do some probably silly things. ♥ ♠ The Tiber’s riverbanks, bathed in the light and warmth of Rome’s winter sun, didn’t seem like the sort of place one was likely to have an unwanted adventure. On the contrary, it looked impossibly inviting and peaceful, […]

How I Got A “Free” Side Trip to Paris

♥ ♥ If you’re a frequent traveler, you might already know this Paris layover scheduling trick. If not, read on. ♥ ♥ Last February I went on a 10-day trip to Italy and stayed there practically the entire time. I was lucky to have gotten a good price on my flights: just $558 total for […]

9 Ways to Hack a Hong Kong Layover

♥ ♥ There are many good reasons why one might be spending a couple of hours at Hong Kong International Airport. In my case, a Hong Kong layover was in the cards even before my actual destination had been decided. International flights are almost always cheaper from Hong Kong than from the Philippines, so when […]

How to Tell If A Tour is Good Value or Not

We break down an $850 11-day tour of France, Switzerland, and Italy — its real costs, pros and cons — and discuss the questions you have to ask before signing up for any tour. * Yesterday, a friend asked me to take a look at a tour he was considering going on later this year. I’m hardly […]