Hey guys!

Today, I want to address one of the more common questions that I come across. I’ve personally been asked this question by a lot of friends. Join me as I share some of the tips that I swear by about packing light.

One backpack is all you need

No, really. If there was anything you need, you can pack it all in one backpack. When I travel I try to keep everything as minimalist as possible. The reason why I get to do this is because there are more and more places (like hostels) have washing areas. That way, those that stay there have the option to wash clothes as they go.

This lets travelers allot more space in their backpack for other things.

List everything down first

When you’re facing the task of packing for a trip, it would be important to write down what you think you need. Here’s what I add: I do one list for clothes alone. This will help you narrow down your choices as you go along. Chances are you’re going to end up packing half of what’s on that list. When you’re happy with the clothes, it’ll be time to make a list for the other things like chargers or gadgets.

Bring only two pairs of footwear

Personally, I bring what I wear on the way there and flip-flops for indoors. That’s it. It may not seem good in terms of completing outfits but it’s certain great in terms of practicality. The ladies can really learn from this. If you choose your footwear just right, you can even just go with one pair of footwear.

Keep a large zip lock bag handy

This will really come in handy if you have wet clothes. Putting them in the bag will keep the rest of your bag’s contents clean. You can even make use of smaller zip lock bags for things that have liquids in them. This is really handy if you prefer to bring your own packets of shampoo or soap (you don’t really need them unless you’re camping).

There you go guys. You’re welcome!

 

Do you have a camcorder or camera and feel like an amateur filmmaker?

To give a more professional touch to your holiday movies or entertainment recordings, you need to move up a gear with accessories that will increase your possibilities tenfold. Ready… action!

The bag: transport your equipment safely.

Unless you film your daily life at home, you may have to take your camcorder with you to capture scenes in different places. For safe and convenient transport – to avoid shocks – and to keep your hands free, the camcorder bag is the first essential accessory. Choose a model that fits your size and has enough compartments to hold all other accessories.

Drone: for impressive images

As you will have probably noticed, the images filmed from heaven are becoming more democratic. Wow-wow effect guaranteed! With a quadcopter, you can add another dimension to your montages, with stunning aerial views. There are drones with an integrated camera. The best drone avec camera 2017 has to be the DJI Mavic Pro!

Battery/charger pair: for extended battery life

Do you want to film for a long time, so that you don’t miss anything of your good times? You risk that your camcorder will display the anxious message “no more battery”… To avoid this problem, always have an extra charger and battery for your camcorder!

Stabilizer: for sharp images

It is difficult, even for an expert, not to tremble when recording a scene or to take a picture. The stabilizer makes your work easier by correcting small shake and motion blur to get sharper images.

Sun visor: to protect you from the weather

For camcorders or cameras, the sun visor has several uses. It allows you to avoid the rays of light on your images first (this is its primary mission). The sun visor also protects your device from rain (beautiful rain), shocks, fingerprints, and dust. At night, the sun visor minimizes the impact of stray lights (lamps, etc.).

ND filters: to play with ambient light

The ND filter is a must for videographers and photographers who want to play with the amount of light entering their camera. There are different models to choose from, depending on your needs and requirements.

If you follow the news at all, you must have already heard the terms carbon footprint or carbon footprint several times. Globally, the carbon footprint consists in calculating the CO2 emissions caused by an individual in his everyday life. In short, each of our actions has an impact on the environment.

As you know, travelling is a polluting activity. Transportation is responsible for about 30% of CO2 emissions in the world. With the car, the plane is the most polluting means of transportation. So how to compensate the carbon footprint of your travels? Let’s see some tips to reduce our impact on the environment!

How to measure your carbon footprint?

To start with, if you want to estimate the impact of your lifestyle and your travels on the environment, I advise you to use this tool to calculate your carbon footprint: click here. You might be surprised!

Carbon footprint: how to improve it while traveling?
We are not going to make demagogy: if we don’t want to pollute at all, we stay at home. I am not going to get into debates about global warming or to lecture you. The purpose of this article is to give tips to people who want to offset, as much as possible, the environmental impact of their travels. 🌎

Trying out “Slow Travel

Slow Travel, the greener way of traveling that we often hear about, is a solution to improve your carbon footprint. However, it is not suitable for everyone. As its name suggests, slow travel (or slow tourism) consists in traveling more slowly. 

In concrete terms, slow travelers take the time to immerse themselves in the culture of the country, use little or no polluting public transport, consume locally and reduce activities. This mode of travel requires more time compared to a classic tourist tour. Therefore, it is not necessarily adapted to salaried people or to those who cannot afford to travel for a long period of time.

Adapt your mode of transportation for short trips

As far as possible, avoid taking the plane (or the car if you are alone) when traveling short distances. Instead, use public transportation such as trains, buses, or carpooling.

Adopt ecological gestures on a daily basis

Changing some of your habits to reduce your carbon footprint is one of the easiest things you can do! Here is a list of basic actions to take on a daily basis:

Reduce your water and electricity consumption.

Sort and reduce your waste by buying food in bulk, for example.
Do not drink mineral water in plastic bottles. Many alternatives exist to drink tap water without danger, including sparkling water!
Consume locally and give preference to seasonal fruits/vegetables.
Do not leave your waste in nature, including cigarette butts. This is the basic rule of thumb, but for some people it is necessary to remember it.
Put a “STOP PUB” sticker on your mailbox.
Replace liquid shower gels and shampoos by solid products…
You will find 100 eco-friendly gestures to apply on a daily basis on this blog.

Have a forest named after you

How’s that for classy? We have a forest named after Lovers of the World, consisting of 50 trees that are located in Kenya, Haiti, and Cameroon! So on Treedom, you can also create your own forest. There is also a tool to calculate how much CO2 your trees have captured. It’s great!

Plant trees to offset your carbon footprint!

In order to compensate for the ecological footprint of your travels, Treedom suggests you plant trees! How does it work? It’s really simple.

First, you choose the tree you want to adopt. A farmer will then plant it on his land and take care of it. Your tree will be photographed and geolocated so that you can follow its evolution! In addition to being ecological, I find this concept adorable… 

Not only are you helping to make the planet greener as your tree will absorb CO2 and protect biodiversity, but you will also be making life better for farmers who can use your tree for food or as a source of income.

Tip 1: Focus on free activities and attractions

There is not necessarily a need to spend a lot to enjoy your holiday. Everywhere, in town or in the countryside, it is possible to enrich your days with free activities: hikes in the wild, or walks in towns or parks, free museums…

Tip 2: Work while traveling

If you have time on the spot and you don’t mind rolling up your sleeves, it should be considered. More and more travelers are deciding to work 3 or 4 hours a day to enjoy free accommodation.

Tip 3: Wait until the last minute

If you don’t care where you go on your next holiday, it may be interesting to wait for the last minute before booking for your travel. Some sites and tour operators offer holidays at -50% or even -70% for the most flexible travelers.

Tip 4: Travel as a group

Generally speaking, it is more challenging to travel low-cost solo than with several people. Moving with 2, 3 or even 4 people allows you to share expenses with everyone. And this concerns both the rental of accommodation and the location of a car and fuel.

Tip 5: Cook your own meals

The food budget can represent a significant expense when traveling. Instead of eating out in restaurants in the morning, at noon and in the evening, take accommodation with a kitchen (studio, youth hostel…) and prepare your own meals. A great way to live as a local and to pay less for your cheaper vacation.

Tip 6: Travel by night

If during your holiday you have to make one or more long trips by bus or train, you should prefer to make this trip at night. Not only are night tickets often cheaper, but they also save you one night’s accommodation.

Tip 7: Choose a low-cost destination

This may seem obvious to many, as it is the basis of low-cost travel. Choose a country where life is cheaper than in Europe. In India, Vietnam, and Nicaragua, the cost of living is 2 to 4 times lower than in Western Europe, a must to save money every day.

Tip 8: Negotiate and look for bargains

Negotiation is part of the culture of many countries around the world. To save money on holidays, negotiate on everything that can be: your hotel room, your souvenir purchases, your transport, your food. It may be a surprise to see how well this works in most cases.

Tip 9: Find alternative accommodation

Housing often weighs heavily on a holiday budget. To save money, why not sleep in a tent or even go to bed? In either case, it provides a more immersive and authentic travel experience.

Tip 10: Live like the locals

In many countries, “tourist prices” are applied when travelers wish to continue to eat and/or travel as Europeans. And yet, by having lunch in small local restaurants and using public transport like the locals, you will save a lot of money.