Stories from the road
Five years full-time. Forty-something countries. These are the things worth writing down.
The backpacking packing list: from someone who packed 22 kilos first time and learned the hard way
The backpacking packing list that actually works. with the why behind every item, what changes by region, things you won't think to pack but absolutely need, and the gear mistakes that ruin trips.
Mika Soren · Read story → 
The best flight price tracker apps in 2026 (I've used all of them, here's the honest ranking)
The best flight price tracker apps compared honestly: Google Flights, Hopper, Skyscanner, Kayak, and more. Which ones actually predict prices, which ones just track them, and which ones have nudged me into buying tickets I shouldn't have.
The best travel apps: the ones actually on my phone after 6 years on the road
The best travel apps that are genuinely worth having. Navigation, translation, flights, transport, banking, safety, and communication. With specific notes on what works where and what's overhyped.
The best trip planner apps: and the point where planning becomes procrastination
The best trip planner apps for building itineraries, organizing bookings, and mapping out routes. Plus the honest case for planning less than you think you need to.
How to plan a cross country road trip: the approach that actually works
Cross country road trip planning from someone who's driven across multiple continents. Route building, budgeting, timing, what to book ahead, and what to leave open.
The digital nomad lifestyle: what it's actually like after 3 years of living it
An honest look at the digital nomad lifestyle from someone who's been doing it full-time since 2019. The freedom, the loneliness, the finances, the routines, and whether it's as good as it looks.
The digital nomad packing list: what to bring when your bag is your home
A digital nomad packing list built from 5+ years of full-time travel. The tech setup, the clothes system, the things you actually need, and the things to leave behind.
First time flying tips: everything I wish someone had told me before I got on a plane
First time flying tips that cover everything: check-in, security, boarding, what happens on the plane, arrivals, and the customs process. Written for people who haven't done this before and want to actually know what's coming.
Flying with a newborn: what nobody tells you until you're already on the plane
Flying with a newborn is survivable and even fine with the right prep. The feeding strategy, the gear you actually need, when to fly, and the things that will make the other passengers silently grateful.
How to avoid jet lag: the things that actually work (and the things that are travel placebo)
How to avoid jet lag based on real long-haul experience. The science, the practical fixes, and the myths that will not save you from arriving in Tokyo feeling like a bag of wet laundry.
How to become a digital nomad: what it actually takes (and what most articles won't tell you)
How to become a digital nomad from someone who's been doing it since 2019. The remote work, the finances, the visa reality, the loneliness, and the parts that are genuinely as good as they look.
How to find cheap flights: what actually works in 2026 (from someone who lives on planes)
How to find cheap flights using the tools and strategies that actually move the needle. Timing, flexibility, routing tricks, and the myths that will waste your time.
How to get airport lounge access: the cheapest ways in, and whether it's actually worth it
How to get airport lounge access without a business class ticket or a Platinum card. The credit card routes, day passes, Priority Pass, and the airports where it matters most.
How to travel on a budget: what actually works and what budget travel influencers don't mention
How to travel on a budget without making yourself miserable. The real savings (flights, accommodation, food, connectivity), the false economies, and what cheap travel actually looks like in 2026.
How to use your phone abroad without getting a bill that makes you rethink your life choices
How to use your phone abroad without roaming charges destroying your bank account. The real difference between roaming, local SIMs, and eSIMs, plus what to set up before you land and what changes by country.
The international travel checklist: what to do 6 weeks out, 2 weeks out, the day before, and at the airport
The international travel checklist organized by timeline. Visas, vaccinations, insurance, packing, connectivity, customs rules. Everything you need to do and when to do it so nothing falls through the gap.
Travel tips for international travel: 27 things I wish I'd known before my first trip abroad
The best travel tips for international travel, gathered from 7 years and 40+ countries. Documents, money, health, culture, tech, and the stuff nobody puts in the guidebooks.
One bag travel: how I went from 23kg check-ins to a single 10L backpack (and why I'll never go back)
One bag travel: the philosophy, the system, the packing list, and the specific gear that makes it work. How to travel indefinitely out of carry-on luggage only.
The travel abroad packing list: what to actually bring (from someone who has packed wrong in 40 countries)
A practical travel abroad packing list built from years of international trips. What survives every climate, what to leave home, and the things that will save you in ways you didn't expect.
The road trip checklist: everything you actually need (and the stuff you'll definitely forget)
A road trip checklist built from thousands of kilometres of actual driving. Documents, emergency kit, snacks, entertainment, and the things nobody thinks to pack until they need them.
The road trip packing list: what I wish I'd had on the side of a Portuguese highway at 9pm
The road trip packing list that goes beyond the obvious. car kit essentials, what changes for international vs domestic trips, how to handle data and navigation in different countries, and the stuff you won't think to pack until you're stranded at 10pm.
Solo female travel tips: what actually keeps you safe (and what's just fear someone planted in your head)
Solo female travel tips from someone who's traveled alone across 40+ countries. The real safety considerations, the fear that's overblown, how connectivity changes the risk calculus, and what changes country to country.
Solo travel tips: what 6 years of traveling alone taught me (the good, the terrifying, and the bits nobody posts)
Solo travel tips from someone who's done it in 40+ countries. The safety stuff, the loneliness nobody admits to, how to meet people, and why solo travel is genuinely the best thing I've ever done for myself.
Things to do on a long flight: a realistic list for people who can't sleep on planes
Things to do on a long flight that will actually get you through it. The entertainment, the productivity experiments, the weird coping mechanisms, and the things that make a 14-hour flight feel slightly less like purgatory.
Tips for flying with anxiety: from someone who gripped the armrest for eight hours straight
Tips for flying with anxiety that actually help. What turbulence physically is, why the fear of flying is so common, and the combination of practical and psychological strategies that made long-haul flying manageable for me.
Tips for traveling internationally: the practical list I wish I'd had before my first trip abroad
Tips for traveling internationally that cover documents, money, connectivity, cultural preparation, and the things that only matter when you're already outside your home country and can't Google them.
The toiletries packing list I finally stopped ignoring (and why 100ml changed everything)
What to actually pack in your travel toiletries bag, what to skip, what you can't buy abroad, what you definitely can, and the country-specific stuff nobody mentions until you're standing in a pharmacy in Japan unable to find deodorant.
Travel guide vs winging it: I've done both, here's my honest verdict
The travel guide debate: are they worth reading, or have apps and forums made them obsolete? Plus the honest case for winging it, and the specific situations where each approach actually works.
Travel photography tips: how to take photos that actually look like what you saw
Travel photography tips from someone who spent years taking bad photos before figuring out why. Light, composition, gear, phone shooting, and the mindset shift that makes the biggest difference.
Is it safe to travel? An honest answer from someone who does it constantly
Is it safe to travel internationally? A realistic, non-alarmist look at actual travel risk, how to assess it properly, and the practical steps that genuinely make a difference.
The ultimate packing list: what seven years of overpacking finally taught me
A real packing list built through embarrassing trial and error. with the why behind every item, what changes depending on where you're going, and the things nobody thinks to mention until it's too late.
What can you bring on a plane: the actual rules, the confusing grey areas, and the things that will get you pulled aside
What can you bring on a plane in carry-on and checked luggage. The liquid rules, electronics, medications, food, sharp objects, and the things that are technically allowed but will make your life difficult.
What to bring on a road trip: the list I've refined over 40,000km of driving
What to bring on a road trip, based on actual experience. Documents, safety kit, comfort items, tech, snacks, and the things that don't make any packing list but genuinely matter.
What to pack in a carry-on (so you're not that person repacking at the gate)
A proper carry-on guide covering the actual rules, what fits and how, which airlines are brutal about size limits, and what changes when you're packing carry-on for a cold destination versus a beach trip.
Working from cafes abroad: the honest guide (wifi speeds, power outlets, and judgy baristas)
Working from cafes abroad is a core part of the digital nomad lifestyle. Here's how to find the right ones, manage wifi reliability, handle the etiquette, and actually get work done.
I watched the sun rise over Angkor Wat and completely forgot to take a photo for about three minutes
Siem Reap's temple complex, Phnom Penh's difficult history, Kampot's easy pace. Cambodia is a bigger country than the ruins suggest, and a more complicated one.
Four days in Dubai: the cynical traveller's guide to not being as cynical as you planned
I went to Dubai fully prepared to be underwhelmed. The desert, the souks, the world's tallest building at sunset, and what's actually worth your time in a city that built itself in forty years.
Bali is a cliche and I'm obsessed with it anyway: what no one tells you before you go
Three trips to Bali and counting. Canggu, Uluwatu, the rice terraces, the temple traffic, the best nasi campur I've ever eaten. Here's the honest version.
Taiwan quietly became my favourite country in Asia and I'm here to make that everyone's problem
Taipei night markets, Jiufen in the rain, beef noodle soup arguments, Taroko Gorge, and why Taiwan is the trip you don't see coming.
Vietnam will ruin you for other countries: a guide for people who don't know what they're about to walk into
Hanoi's chaos, Hoi An's lanterns, a bowl of pho at 6am in the rain, Ha Long Bay from a junk boat. Two weeks in Vietnam and I've been planning a return trip since the bus back to the airport.
Best eSIM for Africa and the Middle East: What I've Learned Across 7 Countries
From Dubai's lightning-fast 5G to Kenya's safari coverage, I've tested eSIM providers across 7 countries in Africa and the Middle East. Here's what actually works.
Best eSIM for the Americas: From Manhattan to Patagonia (and Everything Between)
I've tested eSIM providers across 8 countries in North and South America. Here's what works in the US and Canada, what to expect in Latin America, and which providers I actually trust.
Best eSIM for Asia: What Actually Works Across 11 Countries (From Tokyo to Kathmandu)
I've tested eSIM providers across 11 Asian countries from Japan to Nepal. Here's what works, what doesn't, and why this continent is the most varied eSIM experience you'll have.
Best eSIM for Europe: My Picks After 19 Countries and Way Too Many Espressos
I've tested eSIM providers across 19 European countries since 2020. Here's what actually works, what doesn't, and which providers I trust for every region from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean.
Best eSIM for Oceania: Australia and New Zealand Tested (Yes, Even the Outback)
I've tested eSIM providers across Australia and New Zealand. Here's what works in Sydney and Auckland, what to expect in the outback, and which providers deliver the best coverage down under.
eSIM vs Physical SIM vs International Roaming: Which One Actually Makes Sense?
I've used all three options across 47 countries. Here's an honest comparison of eSIMs, physical SIM cards, and international roaming: costs, convenience, and when each one wins.
How to Set Up an eSIM on iPhone and Android: The Actually Helpful Guide
Step-by-step instructions for installing a travel eSIM on iPhone and Android, with the troubleshooting tips I've figured out after 30+ installations across 47 countries.
The Complete Guide to Travel eSIMs: Everything I Learned After 47 Countries
I've used eSIMs across six continents and 47 countries since 2019. Here's everything I know about how they work, when they're worth it, and how to avoid the mistakes I made.
I rented a scooter in Bali and aged ten years: Indonesia beyond the Instagram version
A month split between Ubud, Canggu, Yogyakarta, and the Gili Islands. The rice terraces were real. The traffic was realer. Here's what I actually learned.
A giraffe licked my hand in Nairobi and I haven't been the same since: Kenya from the city to the bush to the coast
Three weeks across Kenya: Nairobi's food scene and creative chaos, the Maasai Mara at dawn, Diani Beach doing its thing, and the matatu ride that took years off my life.
I got lost in Fes for three hours and it was the best part of my trip: Morocco without a plan
Marrakech, Fes, the Sahara, and a coastal town where the wind never stops. What actually happens when you show up to Morocco with a backpack and no itinerary.
I climbed to 4,130 metres in Nepal and cried over a plate of dal bhat
Three weeks in Nepal: Kathmandu's beautiful chaos, Pokhara's impossible lake views, the Annapurna trek that nearly broke me, and more momos than any reasonable person should consume.
A leopard fell asleep ten metres from our jeep in the Serengeti and I forgot how to breathe
Three weeks in Tanzania: the Serengeti safari that ruined nature documentaries forever, Ngorongoro Crater's absurd concentration of wildlife, Zanzibar's Stone Town labyrinth, and the night sky that made me feel appropriately small.
Tunisia is the North Africa trip I haven't taken yet (and my Moroccan travel brain won't shut up about it)
I've done Morocco. I haven't done Tunisia. But friends who've been keep telling me I'm making a mistake, and the Star Wars filming locations alone might be enough to get me on a plane.
I haven't been to Ukraine yet and I think about it constantly: Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and why it's on my list
A country I haven't visited but can't stop researching. What friends have told me about Kyiv's golden domes, Lviv's coffee obsession, and Odesa's particular brand of humour.
Argentina is a country that takes itself very seriously, which is why you should too: Buenos Aires and Patagonia
Two weeks in Buenos Aires (the most European city in South America, and I mean that as both description and mild criticism), a week in Patagonia that was every bit as extraordinary as advertised, and the steak question answered.
Going home to Australia as a traveler: what I notice now that I didn't before
I grew up in Melbourne, left in 2019, and go back once a year. Returning to Australia as a full-time traveler is a strange experience that's changed how I see both the country and everywhere else.
Vienna is not what I expected and that's the whole compliment: coffehouses, Klimt, and a train to Salzburg
Vienna for ten days in November, Salzburg for a long weekend, and the specific quality of Austrian cafés that I've been trying to replicate ever since. Austria is its own thing.
Belgium is small and extremely good at several things: Brussels, Bruges, and the beer situation
Brussels for five days (the EU city that's also an actual city), Bruges for a weekend (genuinely as beautiful as advertised, less crowded in winter), and the beer. Primarily the beer.
Brazil is several countries at once: Rio, Salvador, and the Amazon I almost didn't do
Two weeks in Rio (not enough), four days in Salvador that became eight, and a river journey into the Amazon that I was talked into and will recommend forever. Brazil is very large and very specific.
Canada is very large and I have seen approximately 4% of it: Vancouver, Québec, and the Rockies
Vancouver for three weeks as a base, a week in Québec City in winter (by accident), and the most spectacular drive I've done through Banff and Jasper. Canada is not what you think it is.
Chile is longer than you think: Santiago, the Atacama, and Torres del Paine at the end of the world
Santiago for five days (better than I expected), the Atacama Desert in the north where the night sky broke something in my brain, and the Patagonian parks at the bottom. Chile from top to bottom.
China requires more preparation than most places and delivers more than most places: Beijing, Xi'an, and the thing about the internet
Beijing for a week (the Forbidden City, the hutongs, the Great Wall in a snow flurry), Xi'an for three days, and the practical reality of traveling in China as a foreigner in 2023. It's complicated and worth it.
Colombia surprised me and then kept surprising me: Medellín, Cartagena, and the coffee region
Three weeks in Colombia: Medellín's transformation, Cartagena's heat and colour, and the Zona Cafetera where the best coffee I've had came from a farm I almost drove past.
Prague is real and overrun: how to find the city behind the tourist trail
Ten days in Prague including five in neighbourhoods most visitors don't reach, a day trip to Český Krumlov, and the specific experience of a city that rewards patience. Czech Republic beyond the stag party district.
Copenhagen converted me from a sceptic: hygge is real, the food is extraordinary, and the cycling is non-negotiable
Five days in Copenhagen that I extended to eight. The New Nordic food movement at prices ranging from very expensive to affordable, the harbour swimming in June, and why the cycling culture changed how I think about cities.
What three trips to France taught me about actually eating well there
Paris, Lyon, and a farmhouse in Provence that I'm still not over. The restaurants, the markets, the mistakes, and the one rule that changed everything.
Germany is not what I expected: Berlin, Munich, and the parts the travel guides underwrite
Berlin for a month, Munich for Oktoberfest (then again without Oktoberfest), a solo drive through the Rhineland wine country. Germany kept surprising me in the best directions.
Greece beyond the postcard: Athens, the Peloponnese, and islands that aren't Santorini
Athens for a week (not just a day trip to the Acropolis), a slow drive through the Peloponnese, and the islands nobody mentions that are better than the ones everyone goes to.
Hong Kong is a city I can't fully explain: the density, the food, the mountains in the middle of it
Four days in Hong Kong that felt like a week (it's that dense with experience), the Peak at dawn, the restaurants in Sham Shui Po, and the hiking trails that shouldn't exist this close to skyscrapers. An unusual city.
Budapest is one of the most underrated cities in Europe and I don't understand why: the baths, the ruin bars, and the Danube at night
A week in Budapest that I planned as a short stop and extended twice. The thermal bath culture, the ruin bars of the Jewish Quarter, and the city from the Buda hills at sunset. Budapest keeps giving.
India takes everything you think you know about travel and rearranges it: Rajasthan, Varanasi, and Kerala
Three weeks in Rajasthan, three days in Varanasi (the most intense place I've been on earth), and a slow week in Kerala doing absolutely nothing well. India at the right pace.
Italy at the right pace: Rome, Naples, and a week in Sicily I can't stop recommending
Rome three times, Naples for the pizza (and then more pizza), and a slow drive through Sicily that ruined everywhere else. What I actually learned about eating and moving through Italy.
Three weeks in Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and the food that ruined me for everywhere else
I went to Japan for three weeks and came back unable to eat mediocre food anywhere. A guide to the places, the meals, and the things nobody warned me about.
Malaysia is the best eating country in Southeast Asia and I'll defend this: Penang, KL, and the Cameron Highlands
Kuala Lumpur for a week, Penang for ten days (I was supposed to stay four), and the Cameron Highlands as the cool respite I didn't know I needed. Malaysia is criminally underrated.
Mexico City changed the way I think about cities: CDMX, Oaxaca, and the Yucatán
Six weeks in Mexico City (I was supposed to stay two), a week in Oaxaca, and a drive through the Yucatán. The country that's been sitting next to the tourist trail all along.
The Netherlands is not Amsterdam: what I found when I stopped treating it like a day trip
Amsterdam for a week (done properly), Utrecht and Delft as day trips that became two-day stays, and cycling through the countryside between them. The Netherlands at the right pace is excellent.
New Zealand in a campervan: the South Island, the Milford Sound road, and why I'm not objective about this country
Two weeks in the South Island in a campervan that smelled like previous occupants. The Milford Sound drive, the Queenstown question, and the thing about New Zealand light that I can't stop trying to describe.
Norway is expensive and worth every krone: Bergen, the fjords, and the Lofoten Islands by road
Bergen as a base for the fjords, a ferry through Sognefjord, and a week driving the Lofoten Islands archipelago in the Arctic. Norway costs what it costs. Plan accordingly.
Peru at altitude: Cusco, the Inca Trail, and the Sacred Valley I didn't want to leave
Three weeks in Peru: the altitude sickness that humbled me in Cusco, the Inca Trail that was harder and more beautiful than advertised, and a week in the Sacred Valley that extended to ten days without my noticing.
The Philippines is 7,641 islands and I've been to four: Palawan, Siargao, Cebu, and Manila in transit
El Nido and the Bacuit Archipelago, Siargao for the surf and the quieter beaches, Cebu as a base for Malapascua, and Manila for longer than the transit advice suggests. The Philippines keeps changing your plans.
Poland is the country I didn't know I needed: Kraków, Warsaw, and the days that got heavy
A week in Kraków (the most underrated city in Central Europe), two days in Warsaw (more complex than a day trip allows), and the visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau that I can't write about easily. Poland asks things of you.
Portugal at the right pace: Lisbon, Porto, and a week in the Alentejo I didn't plan
Lisbon for ten days, Porto for a long weekend, and the Alentejo wine region that appeared between them when I missed a train. Portugal keeps being better than expected.
Romania is the country that surprised me most in Europe: Bucharest, Transylvania, and a bus through the Carpathians I didn't plan to take
Bucharest for four days (far better than its reputation), a week through Transylvania by bus and train, and the discovery that Romania is one of the last places in Europe that still feels genuinely unfinished and alive.
Saudi Arabia opened to tourism and I went to see what was there: AlUla, Riyadh, and the desert I didn't expect
Saudi Arabia issued tourist visas in 2019. I went in 2023. AlUla and the Nabataean tombs, Riyadh's old and new city in the same afternoon, and the Empty Quarter on the horizon. A country in visible transformation.
Singapore as a base: why I keep coming back to the city-state that shouldn't work as well as it does
Three separate stays in Singapore across two years. The hawker centres, the unexpected green, and what it actually feels like to use the city as a hub for Southeast Asia.
South Africa in a rental car: Cape Town, the Garden Route, and the Winelands I stayed too long in
Cape Town for ten days (I ran out of things to do around day six and started repeating my favourites), a drive along the Garden Route to Tsitsikamma, and five days in Stellenbosch that accidentally became eight. South Africa is better by car.
South Korea at full speed: Seoul, Busan, and the train between them
Seoul for two weeks, Busan for five days, a temple stay in the mountains, and the fish market at 5am. Korea moves fast. Keep up.
Barcelona, Madrid, and a month in Andalusia: what I actually learned about Spain
Two trips to Barcelona, one accidental week in Madrid, and thirty days working remotely from a village outside Málaga. Here's the Spain nobody puts in the brochure.
Sweden in both seasons: Stockholm in summer and Kiruna in winter, which is genuinely a different country
Stockholm for a week in June when the sun barely sets, Gothenburg for a few days, and a trip to the Swedish Arctic in January for the Northern Lights and the darkness that isn't actually dark. Sweden surprises.
Switzerland is expensive in a way that is almost impressive and worth it anyway: Zürich, the Bernese Oberland, and trains that run exactly on time
Zürich for four days (better than the financial centre reputation suggests), a week in the Bernese Oberland hiking the Jungfrau region, and the train journey from Geneva to Zermatt that I keep recommending. Switzerland delivers on the landscape promise.
Thailand keeps surprising me: Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and the north nobody told me about
A month in Chiang Mai working remotely, a week in Bangkok, and the hill towns above Pai that I'd still be in if my visa allowed. What I know about Thailand now that I didn't before.
Turkey made me feel like an idiot for waiting so long: Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the Aegean coast
Istanbul for ten days, Cappadocia at dawn, and a week driving the Aegean coast from Bodrum to Ölüdeniz. The country that surprised me most in all of Europe and Asia.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi: I went with low expectations and that was the right preparation
Four days in Dubai (including the building I didn't expect to be moved by), two days in Abu Dhabi, and the specific quality of a place that has decided to be something completely different from what was there before.
The UK keeps confusing me in a way I've come to enjoy: London, Edinburgh, and the bits between
London twice, Edinburgh once (not enough), a week in the Cotswolds, and a train journey through the Scottish Highlands that I think about more than I should. What I actually know about traveling the UK.
The United States is not one place: what I learned from six cities and a road trip through the southwest
New York twice, a road trip from LA to Santa Fe, two weeks in New Orleans, and a week in Portland that extended itself. The USA is bigger and stranger and better than the version in everyone's head.