Author: thebucketlistchecklist

Traveling during COVID can be stressful. But if you are are cautious, do your research and take the necessary precautions, you can explore the world while keeping yourself and others safe.

Planning a Trip: When you’re planning your trip, there are a few things you should research beforehand:

• Travel restrictions and key information regarding COVID, which can be found on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website
• COVID testing information and policies of the country you are visiting; this can usually be found on the country’s main website
• Airline cancellation policies

Traveling: When you’re traveling during COVID, the following items are essential to bring:

• Mask
• Hand sanitizer
• Clorox wipes (to wipe down your plane seat)
• COVID test results if you’re traveling somewhere that requires a negative test result. I would recommend bringing a printed copy

During these times, I would highly recommend purchasing travel insurance. Make sure that the insurance you purchase covers losses due to COVID. I purchased insurance through World Nomads; more information on their COVID insurance is below.

• Cancellations due to fear of travel are not covered. However, our plan does not exclude losses associated with pandemic or epidemic conditions; meaning that if you, your traveling companion or family member were to become sick (after you purchase the plan) as a result of COVID-19, you could still receive benefits for losses covered by the plan. Learn more here www.worldnomads.com/travel-insurance/coronavirus.

Taking off on any international trip is overwhelming. In addition to having all the correct documentation and packing all your favorite outfits, missing the smallest of things such as a wall converter can add unnecessary stress to an already stressful travel day. Below I’ve listed the 8 essentials you should pack for any international trip, to help minimize the stress.

1. Neck Pillow: whether you’re flying first class or coach, any plane ride longer than 4 hours is painful for your neck. And face it, the plane pillows are almost as bad as the food, not to mention unsanitary. I read a study recently that said the pillows on planes are only cleaned about once a week. Gross.
   • My favorite kind of neck pillow is the inflatable U-Shaped Neck Pillow by Cocoon, that lets out air when you twist a button. This way when the pressure in the plane changes and your pillow gets really hard, you can adjust it without actually having to take it off your neck. A variety of retailers sell this pillow for $25.
2. Portable Phone Charger: the data roaming and constant checking of Google Maps while traveling can drain your battery in just a few hours. To avoid being stuck in a country without a phone where you don’t speak the local language, get a portable phone charger.
   • My favorite portable charger is by Mophie. I recommend a charger in the Integrated Series, as the charging cord is built inside of the battery pack so you don’t have to bring a power cable with you. There are 2 adaptors so the charger works with both Apple and Android. The charger is thin and light so it’s not a pain to carry around. The Powerstation Plus Mini has a price tag of $59.95 and on one charge, charges my iPhone X to full battery 3 times.
3. Space Saver Bags: the hardest part of packing is fitting all of your favorite things into your suitcase. Space saver bags compress your clothing into small bags that are easy to carry and even easier to pack.
   • My favorite space saver bags are by Eagle Creek. I can fit ~12 shirts or ~6 pants in one medium sized compression cube. A set of one medium bag and one small bag costs $40. On my recent 40 day trip to Asia, I fit all the clothes I needed (and all the clothes I didn’t wear) into 2 medium cubes and 2 small cubes.
4. Noise Cancelling Headphones: the worst part of flying is when you sit down in your seat, get comfortable, and then right behind you a baby starts screaming, which lasts for the next 2 hours. With noise cancelling headphones, everything goes quiet except for what you’re listening to.
   • My favorite noise cancelling headphones are by Bose. They are expensive ($249.95), but I take them on every single trip and they make flying so much more relaxing. When I have my headphones in, I can’t hear the person next to me talking, the kid behind me crying or the excessive PA announcements that wake me up when I’m sleeping. These headphones fit very comfortably in your ear, are rechargeable and last 16 hours on a full charge.
5. Copies of Your Passport: whenever I travel, I always carry 2 copies of my passport. I put one copy in my backpack or purse and the other copy in my suitcase. This way in case I lose my passport, I have a copy of the information page which makes it easier to get a new passport when you go to the embassy.
6. US Dollars: the US Dollar is the most accepted currency in the world. This means that any currency exchange you go to will be able to exchange US Dollars for the local currency. Some countries, such as Cambodia and Zimbabwe, even accept US Dollars in addition to their local currency. When traveling, I always carry an extra $50-$100 with me.
7. Clorox Wipes: flying is a great way to test your immune system. Being surround by people from around the world, using public bathrooms, and sitting in seats that have been sat in by several people before you that day, you are immersing yourself in the perfect environment for bacteria. CNN posted an article citing the results of an experiment that tested various places in the airport and on the plane for bacteria. Turns out that the tray table on your seat is the dirtiest place you encounter while traveling. Since I read that, I always carry a travel sized bag of Clorox Wipes to clean my tray table, head rest and arm rests before getting comfortable.
8. Snacks: plane food is the worst part of flying (for me). You’re trapped in a small space for hours only to get served a subpar meal guaranteed to be served with several things you don’t like. And while Delta serves Magnum bars part way through international flights, it’s not enough to hold you over on those 10+ hour travel days. If you’re picky like I am, my go to is to get an order of chicken tenders before flying. If you don’t mind plane food, I still recommend grabbing some protein bars ( Cliff Bars and Zone bars are my favorite) in case you get hangry during your 50 minute layover.

Summer 2016: the utopian summer that stole my heart. Instead of stressing over some dream sophomore internship (which really don’t even exist), I decided to pack my bags and head to Cape Town, South Africa to spend 8 weeks with iXperience.

iXperience is a program that originated in Cape Town (now expanded to Lisbon and Berlin), where students from around the world come to take a 4-week class of their choice. The class is then followed by a 4-week internship which allows you to apply what you learned in class to the real world. It’s the perfect intersection of an intensive educational program (without the pressure of grades and exams), an international internship and unparalleled excursions and activities.

During my time in Cape Town, I studied Wall Street Finance which led to an internship at Riscura: an investment decision support company. I was in the office anywhere from 6-8 hours per day, and each day I was assigned a task that was an integral part of what my team was working on. Whether I was running Comparable Company Analyses or doing economic research, I learned a vast amount of different aspect of finance that I still use today.

While I wasn’t in class or at work, I was living the adventurer’s dream. I went sky diving, shark cage diving, surfing, hiking, abseiling, (witnessed) bungee jumping and went on a wildlife safari. I was challenging my fears on a daily basis, which pushed me outside of my comfort zone and created everlasting memories.

8-weeks flew by in the blind of an eye. It was hard coming home from a summer where I felt like I escaped reality, but the truth behind it was that I was experiencing reality. I was experiencing the reality of learning things I was interested in, the reality of working at a company that gave me tangible and impactful work and the reality of being surrounded by the most incredible people, who have now become lifelong friends. It was truly an exhilarating summer that cannot be replicated.

For more information visit: http://ixperience.co.za/

Click the link below for a short PowerPoint presentation on traveling. The PowerPoint includes tips on:

• How to make an itinerary
• Understanding health and safety
• Best websites to use when booking flights
• Best websites to use when booking accommodations
• Best websites to use when looking for things to do
• Calculating daily costs
• Cell phone plans abroad
• Overall travel reminders

LINK: Traveling 101

“Hostel” can seem like a scary word for someone who’s never stayed in one. Many misconceptions have risen from the cheap and efficient accommodation option. From my experience staying in over 10 different hostels, has led me to this list of MYTHS and FACTS.

MYTHS:

1. You always have a share a room in a hostel: FALSE. Hostels, while most commonly known for being a room full of bunk beds, often times have the option to reserve a single room. While it may be more expensive, I have found that it is still cheaper than nearby hotels. Furthermore, not all hostels have a bunk bed format, some have single beds on the floor.
2. All the rooms are co-ed: FALSE. Most hostels have the option to reserve a bed in a co-ed room or in an all-male / all-female room.
3. Hostels are dirty: FALSE. Hostels have a regular cleaning service, just like hotels. Anywhere you stay, you run the risk of it being “dirty.” So before you book a hostel or a hotel, read the reviews!
4. Hostels aren’t safe: FALSE. One of the biggest concerns around hostels is theft. To ease this concern, hostels provide personal storage space with locks, so when you leave you don’t need to worry about your belongings.

FACTS:

1. You meet people from all over the world: TRUE. Hostels are known for housing individuals on solo trips. Each and every person you room with has a unique story as to where they came from and why they are visiting. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people!
2. Hostels are usually a cheaper accommodation option: TRUE. Hotels are great for people who are looking to travel on a budget. They are often cheaper than hotels and AirBnb’s and can offer just as good of an experience.
3. Hostels are for people of all ages: TRUE. Many people think that hostels are just for young people and that all hostels are party hostels. In reality, I’ve stayed in hostels with people of all ages, ranging from 14-58, and most hostels are very strict about music and alcohol in the rooms. The term “Youth Hostel” is a bit misleading.

Next time you’re traveling, I recommend staying at a hostel. I have found Hostelworld to be the best website to book a hostel. Read the reviews and filter hostels by your needs, and you’re sure to have a great experience. Step outside of your comfort zone and try a hostel next time you’re traveling!