lizzyarttravel

[lizzyarttravel]

Travel Fashion

While traveling, clothes are more important than some may think. It isn't just about wearing the cutest outfits; it's about understanding the environment and dressing accordingly. These travel fashion tips can save people time, money, and

1. Dress like the locals

Scammers and pickpockets are known to target people who look like tourists. A way to combat this is to research the area and dress like the locals. They also tend to target Americans, and it is easy for them to spot one based on the way that they dress. Bright athletic clothes, baseball caps, sneakers, and large graphic T-shirts are usually a big giveaway that someone is American, so try to avoid wearing those abroad. Can you spot the American in the photo above?

 2. Pack a Capsule Wardrobe

When I am traveling, I like to pack as light as possible. I usually pack a capsule wardrobe, which is a small selection of clothes that can be mixed and matched to create different outfits. This allows me to have a variety of outfits without bulk. When creating my wardrobe, I try to avoid using clothing with patterns or large designs and logos. These make me more noticeable, and it looks like I wore the same outfit every day of my trip.

 3. Dress for the Weather

When my mom and I went to Canada, we observed the weather online for the weeks leading up to our visit. It was the summer, so the temperature was in the 80’s for the most part. Naturally, we decided to pack for summer weather, bringing shorts and tank tops for our trip. Before we left for the airport, my grandpa warned us that Canada's weather is unpredictable and that we should bring some warm clothes. We figured it wasn’t a big deal, so we just packed a warm jacket just in case. When we arrived, it was indeed roughly 80 degrees. However, overnight a freak snowstorm happened, and the temperature dropped to 20 degrees. So, I explored Canada in 20-degree weather wearing tank tops and shorts. Everyone else was bundled in layers of clothing, and they looked at me like I was crazy. I’ve learned my lesson to do more research on the weather of the places that I’m going to.

Here is a picture of me attempting to build a tiny snowman in Canada wearing my weather appropriate attire.

[lizzyarttravel]

Camino de Santiago Packing List

Traveling the Camino de Santiago requires light but efficient packing. For two months I lived out of the supplies that I could carry in my backpack. There was a lot of trial and error creating this packing list. When I first began my journey, I started with a completely different list, but in the end, these were the items that I carried with me.

Clothes:

Three shirts

Bike shorts

Hiking zip-off pants

Light jogger

Poncho

Jacket

Three bras

Five underwear’s

Three pairs of thick, long socks (Preferably merino wool)

sunglasses

Hiking boots (I got mine from Ross for $12 but they lasted me the whole way)

Hat

Buff/gaiter

Rubber slippers (For showering)

Hiking sandals

 Toiletries:

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Floss

Shampoo bar (Lush or Viori Beauty are the ones I recommend)

Conditioner (I bought these in small increments when needed)

Soap bar

Containers for shampoo & soap bar

Washcloth

Fast-drying microfiber travel towel

Sunscreen

Hand sanitizer

Toilet drops

Deodorant

Antibacterial wipes

Toilet paper

Kleenex

Tweezers

Sewing kit (For mending clothes and treating blisters)

Safety pins (For hanging wet clothes off the backpack to dry)

First aid kit

Medication: anti-diarrhea, Tylenol, Voltaren

Coconut oil

Fingernail clippers

Q-tips

Feminine products

Brush

 Electronics

Phone

Phone Charger

Headlamp

Travel plug adapter

Earbuds

 Miscellaneous

Backpack

Small packable backpack (Used for exploring the town and carrying clothes and toiletries into showers)

Backpack cover (To protect against the rain)

Water bottle

D clips

Sleep sack (To prevent getting bit by bedbugs)

Clothespins (People tend to have the same type of clothes and people have taken other’s clothes by mistake. So, I marked my clothespins with decorative duct tape to distinguish it from the others.)

Eating utensils

ID

Passport

Debit/credit cards

Medical card

Cash (Carry in small amounts to buy from vendors, Credit cards are not widely accepted)

Snacks

Headlamp

Knife

Whistle

Locks

Camino Book

Map (I recommend a terrain map. I was given one at the start of my journey, but it would be good to have one printed out just in case)

Ziploc bags

Duct tape

Walking sticks (I put Hawaiian print scrunchies on mines to distinguish them from others walking sticks)

Tape (I taped my feet when walking to reduce friction and avoid blisters)

S-hook (For hanging a daypack on the shower doors. I used my daypack to carry my toiletries and clothes into the shower)

Camino credentials (These are given at the start of the Camino)

Travel pillow

Pen

Journal (most used it to journal their trip, I used it to stuff my shoes when it got wet so it could soak up the water and dry)

Sink plug (Used to plug sink to wash clothes)

Ear Plugs

Rosary

Rock from home (To place at the Cruz de Hierro. I used a shell instead)

The most important thing to bring is an open mind and a positive attitude. The Camino de Santiago can be a difficult pilgrimage. I had days where I walked up to 30 miles a day. On top of that, I was carrying all my supplies with me. There were times where I felt like I was losing hope, and I wondered why I decided to do it. Despite all of this, I kept a positive outlook, and the rewards greatly outweighed the challenges. The journey was tough, but once it was over, I wanted to do it all over again.

[lizzyarttravel]

My Favorite Food From Abroad

My Favorite Foods From Abroad

1. Haggis

Haggis is a Scottish dish made of sheep heart, liver, stomach, and lungs. I was on a farm in Scotland when I first tried it, and although it may seem unappetizing to some, I found it delicious. It was so good that I wanted to bring some home for others to try. I bought some canned haggis from a shop and brought it home with me. It wasn’t until I was at home that I found out that haggis is banned in the United States.

2. Croque Monsieur

I love cheese. So when I found out France had an elevated grilled cheese sandwich, I had to try it. Croque monsieur is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a cheese crust on top of the bread. The cheese that they use is gruyère, which is unfortunately relatively expensive in the United States. I thought regular grilled cheese was good, but this blew it out of the park.

3. Bravas

This delicious snack originates from Spain. It is made from fried cubed potatoes that are drizzled with a spicy sauce. When I was traveling in Spain, I would order these whenever I saw it on the menu. They are so addicting that they take potatoes to a whole new level.

4. Bocadillos

These are a staple for anyone who walks the Camino de Santiago. It is nothing more than a sandwich, but for the weary traveler, they are a meal filled with carbs and protein to get them through their journey. Bocadillos are made by placing meat or cheese in between a baguette or a bread similar to a baguette. Some of my favorite fillings are chorizo, ham, manchego cheese, and pork fillets.

[lizzyarttravel]

Paris Scams

Paris is a beautiful city, however, it is also home to many scammers and pickpockets that prey on tourists. I have unfortunately experienced these firsthand but was lucky enough to be aware of it so I never got scammed. Hopefully, by sharing these tips, others can be aware of it as well.

1. Sacré-Cœur Bracelets

A common scam in Sacré-Cœur is the string around the wrist. Scammers are known for stopping visitors on the steps leading up to the top of Sacré-Cœur and tying a string on their wrist. After they do, they will claim that it was a bracelet and expect money for their service. A way to avoid this scam is to use the funicular to get to the top of Sacré-Cœur. This funicular is a quick and easy way to ascent to the top.

2. False Activism

While I was walking in the Tuileries Garden, I was approached by a group of people asking for my help to sign a petition. The group was wearing organization shirts and appeared to be legitimate. I am usually always down to sign a petition for change but as they were talking to me, I noticed that another member of their team was peering into the bag that I was carrying. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this was a scam. Luckily the bag that they were peering into was an empty shopping bag, so I didn’t lose out on anything.

 3. Aggressive Vendors

While I was walking near the Eiffel Tower, I saw many people selling little Eiffel tower trinkets. I am a person that respects the hustle and they were giving a great sales pitch. The prices were decent and so I gave it a go. However, once they realized that I was showing interest in buying their items, they got aggressive. I was instantly turned off by this and politely declined their offers and walked away. All would have been fine except they started following me as I walked getting more and more aggressive with their sales pitch. They only backed down when I assertively told them that I wasn't interested in their items.

 4. Pickpockets

Paris is one of the worst places in the world for pickpocketing. They have elaborate systems of pickpocketing, one of which is roadside shows. There is usually a performer that pulls in and distracts an audience while the rest of their team pickpockets said audience. I luckily didn’t have too much experience with pickpockets (that I know of). I think that I was able to get away pickpocket free because of the bag that I was using. When I travel my preferred bag is a Travelon. These bags have extra security measures embedded in their design. They have extra clips, zippers, RFID blockers, and slash-resistant wires in the bag straps. These bags are much harder to steal from than a standard bag which is why they are marketed as anti-theft.

[lizzyarttravel]

Adventure Is Out There

I’ve been traveling essentially since I was born. Starting from when I was an infant and throughout my childhood, my mom would take me on trips around the world. She wanted me to be able to experience different cultures and see that there’s more to the world than what the small island that we lived on had to offer.

Coming from a plantation town, she never had the experience of traveling growing up but she wanted to make sure that I did. Our lives were centered around learning new things. In our spare time, we would watch documentaries and read books on historical material. Hearing stories about these faraway places excited me, so whenever I got the opportunity to travel I was ecstatic. No longer was I just viewing these magical places from a book or TV, I was there experiencing it first hand. 

I fell in love with the food, architecture, language, but most importantly, the people. It seemed like everywhere I went I was greeted with a smile. Everyone was so welcoming and warm and although we were far away, it always felt like home. It was always so surprising how open people were to me about their lives. They told me about their great adventures and crazy stories. It was then that I realized that I loved hearing about these adventures and wanted to share my experience with others.