2017 has proven to be the year of adventure for us at #DoTheDaniel. From Halifax to Vancouver, San Francisco to Maine, and so many more beautiful destinations. The world is an amazing place to explore, but getting ready for travel isn’t always easy. Before every trip I typically make a list of tips I use to stay organized leading up to and while I travel. With an exciting trip to Paris to look forward to with Julio for our anniversary, these tips can help keep me in check!
It has been ten years since I was last in Europe. I found some of my old photos that I took on a digital camera in 2007. Don’t judge my hair and style, it was a different time!
So when I sat down to think about what we should do for our wedding anniversary on December 3, it only made sense to visit the most romantic city in the world. Unfortunately I lost my Dad very suddenly last year right before our first wedding anniversary, so this year I wanted to do something big. Now that our tickets are purchased and we are looking into accommodations, I compiled a list of my top 5 to do’s to get ready to leave.
1. Making sure that we make arrangements for Canela
As much as I would love to bring her to Paris with us, it’s important to make sure that she is taken care of by someone we trust. So, well in advance, we will ask Julio’s brother or Catherine to stay with her. They enjoy spending time with her and it is less stressful on her to stay in her own home. Remember that your pets are family and you wouldn’t want them to be stressed out while you see the world, would you? Having a house-sitter is always a good idea when traveling for long periods of time. Especially as bloggers, our life is on display – so having someone check our mail and show activity in the space is key! I never want to assume the worst, but break-ins can and do happen. A house-sitter makes me feel more at ease.
2. Make sure you are able to stay connected while traveling
Having the most reliable phone and service is essential when travelling! I enjoy sharing our adventures around the world with you all, and the ability to check in with Catherine while we travel. From past experiences I’ve also realized the value of being able to navigate and research on my phone in key moments. Sometimes you’ll experience language barriers or get lost while exploring – having answers at my fingertips eases my mind. This is why we recently added Julio onto my Rogers Share Everything plan – it allows us to keep track of our shared data and worry less about roaming fees with Roam Like Home. Important things to remember when using your phone abroad: Is Wifi available? Nearing my data limit, should I top up? Watching videos on my phone? Turn on Stream Saver! It’ll let me watch more stuff. Keeping these things in mind will keep my billing in check! No surprises, no distractions, and affordable access to Google translate if the need arises.
3. Bringing a journal to remember the moments we share from around the world
I am someone who needs to write down my thoughts to feel grounded. I love sharing photos and videos from around the world, but there is something so romantic about writing things down in a journal as well. Sometimes when I need inspiration, I look through my phone to see the photos we have taken. I pick up the journals I have filled over the years. And I look back fondly on the memories we have created together. Doing this is easier than ever these days and just takes a few moments of your time to plan and execute properly.
One of my friends also suggested that I could buy a drone so that I have a collection of videos that I can go through every time I feel like I’m missing a place. He told me about some good quality drones on sites like drdrone.ca and other similar ones, but I haven’t checked them yet.
4. Doing my research on currency and exchange
Have you ever traveled down south or to an exotic location thinking that you’d be able to take out money when you land, only to find that you can’t? I know that I’ve faced this. Our very first trip to Mexico together, I lost my American money when we landed in the shuffle of finding our way. Sidebar, travel wallets are a must when traveling. BUT the harder part was finding an ATM in the area of Mexico we were staying that took my debit card. I had to stress about moving money onto my credit card, to then take money off of my credit card (something I don’t recommend doing because of the cash advance charges) to get through the week. This experience made me realize just how big the cryptocurrency industry could be in the future, there would be no need for different currencies, for example, if I watched the der Boom von Dogecoin happen, then I might have realized cryptocurrency is here to stay and I could have used crypto during my vacation to pay for what I needed to. It really caused a lot of stress and could have been avoided with a bit of research on my end before I left. That is why now I always check to see what currency I need, if they accept my credit or debit card, and what banks I can use as a Canadian. In fact, I do so much research now, I’ve even started looking at working with a forex broker uk and trading currencies! I have a better understanding of how currencies work and trading is something I can do from anywhere, so even when on vacation I can still make an income.
Knowledge is power when it comes to travel, and being prepared with a few helpful tips such as these has helped me to travel more confidently, feel more secure, and be able to actually unwind when I need it most. I know that I am excited for Paris and all the travel that is coming my way in 2018 alongside the team, and being prepared has never been easier now that I know the importance of preparation and having the right mindset. One of these tips is to set a budget and convert the currency so you will know how much it will cost in that country. You will have to account for accommodation, food, travel and any extra cash for activities while you are there. My friend actually went to Athens in Greece recently and she explained all the planning she did before she went. For example she arranged all her tours such as Athens tours by Greeking.me, one of the many companies that have these awesome trips around the city. I really took this on board because I think with the money barrier, you need to make sure you know exactly how much you are going to spend to make sure you don’t run out of money when you are there! It is so easy to do this wherever you go as there is so much to do and you want to do it all! Take it from me, I know!
For more behind the scenes of this and other amazing brands we are working with around the world, make sure to follow along with the #DoTheDaniel Instagram account. We would love to have you join on our adventures!
Don’t forget to sign up for the DoTheDaniel.com Newsletter
Photos: All social media accounts listed above, Rogers, Huawei Canada & Daniel Reyes
Cheers!
Mobile photos will be taken with my NEW Huawei P10 Plus
*Please note that this is a sponsored post – our disclosure can be found at all times by clicking here.