Saturday, July 31, 2021

Here's Exactly what to Bring with You

Welcome back Love,

So now we've picked a spot, but what's next? Figuring out what the heck to bring!

I know the usual issues:

How can I pack light without sacrificing variety?

How much can/should I buy on the road?

How can I go low maintenance and still look good?

I've got you covered. After traveling to every continent on earth (except for Antarctica but it's on my list!), I've figured out what to pack and how to do carry on only whenever possible. Here are my top reads on the subject:

The only packing list you'll ever need for everywhere in the world.
And how I did it carry on only
All of the gear I use and love after 5 years of traveling - what's tried and true, including my tech gear and cameras!

There you have my best money and sanity-saving tips for traveling light, looking great on the road, and taking what's appropriate along with you.

In tomorrow's email, we'll talk about how to have an authentic and exciting trip, full of "wow" moments.

See you then!

- Kristin

Friday, July 30, 2021

I Got My Peaches Out in Georgia

I took my sweet time relaxing in South Carolina's Lowcountry at Montage Palmetto Bluff followed by a couple of days in Savannah, Georgia. It's my first time in this region, and I'm blown away by how lush and naturally beautiful it all is.

SO MUCH GREENERY + ALL THE SPANISH MOSS!

My goodness, it looks like I'm stepping into a dream.

I'm now wrapping up in Charleston, and I can't get enough of that Southern hospitality...or the food. You may have to roll me out of here. ;)

I can't wait to share all the tips I have and everything I've done! I can confidently say that this is now one of my favorite destinations in the US.

P.S. Did you see this reel that went semi-viral? It's all about how I was able to fly Emirates First Class for FREE!

Want more tips on how to travel for free and earn flights with travel rewards credit cards? Click here!

Itineraries and Guides for Everywhere I've Been

What up Love,

You've probably heard it said before: "Do you want to be a traveler, or a tourist?"

Groan, right?

Naturally, we all want to be the super authentic traveler who has unique experiences and maximizes every moment of our trip. We want to be able to tell stories that make people say, "wow!"

I figured out pretty early on in my travels that there are a few key ways to get those authentic and unique experiences, and it's actually pretty simple:

Leave room for serendipity in your itinerary.

You can say YES more, you can be open, and you can be the chief architect of your adventure.

Here are some tips that I find really help me to have incredible and unique adventures:

Stay somewhere social that allows you to meet others so that you can join bigger groups of travelers, like a hostel (or if that's not your scene, join meetup.com, couchsurf, or attend couchsurfing.org events)
Talk to travelers who you resonate with and ask them where you should go next. They know SO MUCH BETTER than the guidebooks do because their information is as current as possible
Smile and make it a point to be approachable, friendly, and kind to everyone and you'll be shocked at how many doors open
Have a clear understanding of what the other people you travel with are comfortable with. Do they like spontaneity? Will they be open to testing their comfort zones? That's often where the magic happens.

Embrace the possibility of leaving some parts of your trip unplanned.

That said, you will probably at least want a blueprint of where to go and what to see, and for that, I've ogt you covered!

Here are the plug and play Itineraries

And

Country Guides to Everywhere I've Been

Have fun exploring!

Stay tuned because tomorrow we're talking about how to document your trip and how to get your lingering questions answered, particularly if you're interested in photography.

- Kristin

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Lights, Camera, Action!

Become a Movie Star

Have you ever wanted to relive your favorite movie scene, right where it was filmed?

Good news, you can! Many of our trips visit destinations featured in your favorite flicks.

If you're ready to call "lights, camera, action" on your own cinematic masterpiece, then check out these trips below.

Ireland

For all of our RomCom fans out there, there are a few movies that come to mind when we think of Ireland.

First, there's the ultimate tear-jerker of P.S. I Love You. Or, for a more uplifting movie where you won't go through as many packs of tissues, there's Leap Year with Amy Adams!

Yosemite National Park

Where are our Trekkies at? In Star Trek V, The Final Frontier Captain Kirk decides to take a casual climb up El Capitan in Yosemite National Park during the crew's shore leave.

Some other films shot in Yosemite are Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Caine Mutiny, Maverick, and Order of the Eagle.

Costa Rica

Did you know that some of Spy Kids 2 was filmed in Manuel Antonio National Park and near Arenal volcano?!

You can check out both of these locations on our Costa Rica Extended trip...though we can't guarantee that Antonio Banderas will be there to reprise his role for you. Sorry.

Spain

Hey Game of Thrones fans! The Gardens of Real Alcazar in Seville were used to film the Water Gardens of Dorne. On our trip, you'll also have the option to visit the Roman city of Italica just outside of Seville where some additional footage was shot.

Iceland

GoT fans, we're not done with you yet! In Iceland, you can hit even more Game of Thrones locations including Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach and Skogafoss.

Not into Game of Thrones? How about escaping the monotonous and becoming a modern day hero like Ben Stiller's character in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

View All Trips

Trips on Sale!

August 7-15 Costa Rica Extended: Limited Seats $1,395 ($300 OFF!)
September 2-6 Iceland: Limited Seats $1,495 ($300 OFF!)
September 4-10 Ireland: Limited Seats $1,495 ($300 OFF!)
September 13-18 Machu Picchu & Peru: Limited Seats $1,095 ($300 OFF!)
September 18-26 Costa Rica Extended: Limited Seats $1,395 ($300 OFF!)
September 30-October 3 Smoky Mountains: Limited Seats $795 ($300 OFF!)

*Pricing & availability subject to change.

PS. One male seat opened up on our September 18-26 Greece trip!

New Social Channels: TikTok & Snapchat

Under30Experiences 411 W. Monroe #32 Austin, Texas 78704 United States 1 (888) 839-2086

Here's How To Save Money & Prolong Your Trip

Hey Love,

Let's talk about how budgeting should work into your trip.

The main consideration for your travel budget should be what you can live without (like privacy, A/C, fancy restaurants, taxis, etc.) and the amount of time you have to spend traveling.

Which places are cheap?

What suits my individual needs and desires?

How can I find a way to make my trip longer by choosing wisely?

I was able to travel on as little as $30 per day in much of Southeast Asia, thanks to my frugal travel style and desire to prioritize a longer trip over a more comfortable one. In contrast, most of my trips in Europe are on the affordable luxury end and are closer to $60/day. Be honest with yourself about your needs and pick a place accordingly. Here are cost breakdowns with tips on how to save in each place:

What it costs to travel anywhere in the world

It's possible to spend way less on the road than you do at home, as long as you're able to budget effectively and live within those constraints. The linked posts above should help you to plan a lot more easily.

Next, we'll talk about how to have more 'wow' travel experiences while laying out a blueprint for making it an easier and more carefree trip.

See you tomorrow!

-Kristin

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Here's how to easily plan your adventure

Welcome back Love,

What's the single most helpful thing I could provide to help you travel sooner? Serious question, feel free to reply and let me know.

For me, the first step is actually picking a place to go. Let's be real, traveling to someplace you've never been before can be a little daunting, because you don't know what you don't know. I mean obviously, right?

That's also the very thing that makes traveling so exhilarating and addictive. You get to experience new things and come home with some, "wow" stories.

So how do you figure out where to go?

Picking randomly by throwing darts at a map is great for people who have hand-eye coordination. I don't, so usually I pick a place to go based on factors like, what kind of weather do I want? What cultures interest me? How much time do I have (that dictates how far I want to fly and how much ground I want to try to cover), and quite importantly, how's the food?

Here's the best post the blog to help you in this planning stage of your trip:

How to plan your travels in 19 easy steps

I also love scrolling through Instagram looking for inspiration, particularly since photography is such a big passion of mine. Here's my account if you'd like some inspiration from my past travels.

Are you a solo female traveler? You might also enjoy the BMTM Solo Female Traveler Connect Facebook Group!
Next we'll talk about how to afford your destination of choice.

See you tomorrow!

Hugs,

Kristin

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Welcome to Be My Travel Muse! (Important Action Required)

Welcome love,

*To make sure that you receive my emails, drag this email to your inbox if it ended up in Spam or promotions. You can also add me as a contact to be double sure*

Hey there, I'm Kristin, waving hello at the photographer pretending like it's you on the other side of the computer screen. My acting needs work, but when it comes to traveling in amazing and adventurous ways, I know my stuff! I've been traveling around the world solo since September 2012, putting together helpful guides ever since with the intention of helping more people to get out there and have their dream trips. It's what floats my boat.

2-4 times per month, you'll get insider tips and my firsthand experiences around the world, as well as being the first to know when I announce new tours, release new tips only available to subscribers, and as my personal thank you for being here, we'll kick things off with a seven-day DREAM TRIP PLANNER via email, which will make planning easier than it's ever been, promise.

To send you the planner most relevant to your needs, please select the one out of the following that best describes you:

Great! That was easy. Now over the next week I'll send you my best tips via email to help you conquer your biggest obstacles and get seven steps closer to leaving on your dream trip!

For another way to connect, check out my YouTube as well!

I'll help you get into the travel mindset and to let go of what might be holding you back from buying that plane ticket, whether you're just starting out or are a super experienced traveler in need of some tips and inspiration. You're welcome to reply to any of these emails at any point if you'd like clarification, more info, have a question I haven't adequately answered, or just want to say hi!

Look out for tomorrow's email for tips on how to get started. Get excited, fellow traveler! I'm so happy that you're here.

Hugs,
Kristin

Saturday, July 24, 2021

Welcome to the U30X Community!

Welcome to the Community!

Hey there, my name is Matt Wilson & I'm the Co-Founder of Under30Experiences.

I'd like to personally welcome you to our thriving travel community full of awesome people like yourself.

Limited Time Offer

We want you to experience the power of travel and get to know U30X for yourself.

For the next 48 hours only, get $50 off any trip--even our Last Minute Deals!

Use coupon code: X1KLU9Y

View All Trips

Last Minute Deals

Why Solo Travel with U30X?

Traveling alone leads to improved confidence, independence, and self-discovery. Although Under30Experiences hooks you up with a detailed itinerary, local guide, and a kick-ass group of travelers, taking the first step to leave the country alone is a HUGE accomplishment!

Take a look at what we handle and book your first solo trip with confidence!

Reviews

Our reviews on Facebook and Yelp speak for themselves! You can also contact us if you have any specific questions.

Connect with Us

Visualize the experience and interact with us! You can find photos and videos from our trips on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

And finally, I'd be honored if you read my book The Millennial Travel Guidebook: Escape More, Spend Less, & Make Travel a Priority in Your Life an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Travel Tips, Solo Travel, and Budget Travel.

Adventure awaits!

-Matt Wilson
Co-founder of Under30Experiences