i know exactly what sub i’m in, and i am fully prepared for the roast i’m about to receive. But for my trip to Norway this upcoming November, i'm officially retiring my 20L setup. i am checking a giant box on wheels.

I spent the last three years playing the extreme minimalist game. rolling merino wool into microscopic tubes. Doing sink laundry at midnight, trying to find a working dryer in a damp Airbnb while my socks hung over a lukewarm radiator. Emptying my entire dopp kit at airport security like i'm defusing a bomb. For a while, it felt like a fun, competitive sport.

But i’m staring down a 12-day itinerary from Oslo up to Tromsø. We are talking serious temperature swings, heavy winter layers, hiking boots, and sleet. I did a test pack last weekend with my usual pack and it was just miserable. The emotional tax of trying to Tetris a parka, two thick mid-layers, and heavy pants into a carry-on is genuinely stressing me out before the trip even starts. Plus, my family is coming on this one (and i actually want to buy a heavy ceramic mug or a thick sweater as a souvenir without doing the math on how many L's of capacity its going to cost me).

i realized i was forcing a travel philosophy onto a trip where it just doesn't belong. When the itinerary changes from a solo 3-day summer city break to a 2-week winter haul, 'packing light' actually starts to ruin the experience.

So I caved. I went looking for the exact opposite of my backpack. I ended up ordering this massive 28-inch level8 roller ,honestly any giant box on wheels would do at this point. It's basically a rolling storage closet. It doesn't even open like a normal split suitcase, the bottom is just one huge deep bucket. I can literally just dump my bulky boots and heavy jackets straight in without having to sit on the lid to zip it shut. No tight rolling, no compression cubes bursting at the seams. Just throwing my stuff in and being done with it.

Waiting 15 minutes at the baggage carousel is a trade-off i am finally willing to make if it means I dont have to hand-wash underwear in a freezing bathroom on a Tuesday night.

Feel free to tell me how I could have easily survived the Arctic Circle with a 28L pack and two pairs of convertible pants. I am weak, and I accept my fate.

hi everyone :)

i take families to south all the time. Skoura, Ouarzazate, Draa valley, this area

one stop I always include now is small POTTERY WORKSHOP in Ouled Arbia, near Skoura. the family there is doing pottery since 4 generations. very old tradition ...

when I bring families, the kids they sit with the potter and they make something with there hands. small bowl, small pot, whatever. they use the wheel, they touch the clay, the whole thing. around 1h30 maybe

I see so many kids who are tired from the car, and then they do this and they dont want to leave lol

price is around 500 DIRHAM per person I think, not expensive for what it is

one thing, ask them before if the piece is ready same day or not. sometimes need more time for the fire. just check when you book

honestly this is the stop families talk about after. not the kasbahs, not the desert photos. the little clay thing there kid made himself

if you plan trip to south Morocco and you have kids, put this in you itinerary. YOU WONT REGRET :)

Next year, my husband and I would like to take a 3-week vacation. Something he's never done, maybe in his entire life. All previous vacays have been 2 weeks, max.

We might end up doing a road trip in the UK -- but my question has to do with pacing.

We're a high energy family and always go-go-go on vacations. This time, though, it's just the two of us, and we might like to take things very slowly. I hear of people who go and stay in one little village for a few days -- how does that not become boring?

I honestly don't know what "slow travel" looks like or how to plan that type of a trip.

I'd welcome planning ideas, stories from your own slow travels, to help me envision what this might look like for us. :)

Had this rental for a month. 2 days after return they sent me a claim. I drove in rural Kentucky and there were lot of bugs so there were smudges. Car wash didn’t remove them. I had to manually remove them but some very minor ones remained.

I didn’t take pictures and videos when I returned the car because I was getting late for my next flight. But now I got the claim message this morning, the damages look like some smudges that didn’t fully clean but also look bigger. They have billed me 2000$ and when I spoke to them they are sticking to their claims.

Insurance is saying they can’t help me until I give the information to SIXT and they file claim. Credit card company also said that they can’t stop SIXT from making charges.

What are my options. Losing my marbles here

but if you're already booked to fly, here are some tips i'd give a friend - also, this isn't elitist advice; i've been to every single indian state on a single budget, i've lived the math - it's that $50 a day here buys you a very specific version of india and it's usually the version that confirms every fear you arrived with:

1. do not skimp on where you sleep
if you have to push almost your whole daily budget into one thing make it this one
travel is cheap here food is cheap here. your room is the thing that decides about 80% of how you feel about the entire trip. sleep badly in a bad room and by day four india feels like it's coming at you. sleep well and the exact same day is an adventure

2. if it has to be a hostel go with one of the startups
zostel, gostops, the hosteller
these are chains run like actual companies. standardised ops across the country, they're obsessive about user feedback, and the staff will go properly out of their way for you

3. save money on food without compromising safety & hygiene
every indian city and town has these family dining places and once you know the tell you'll see them everywhere
look for a crowd that keeps moving. look for three generations at one table. grandparents, parents, small kids
food will be fresh hot and hygienic and you'll walk out full for under $4 including something cold

4. golden rule for when you feel unsafe/ afraid/ overwhelmed
same tell. three generations moving together
indians are travelling their own country in record numbers now, so you will never be short of families at any tourist spot
if something is wrong just go stand near one and say so. someone is following you, you're lost, you've lost something, you can't read a sign, someone is overcharging you
they will take it on. and mostly they won't let you leave until it's sorted. this isn't a clever hack i'm handing you it's just how it works here - indians are insanely community driven

5. don't be scared of indians
it's a numbers game. even if 1% of indians are dishonest that's about 15 million people. which sounds terrifying until you notice they're almost entirely packed into a few hundred metres around the big tourist sites
walk twenty minutes out of that and it's just normal people going about their day who are quite pleased to see you
shopkeepers here will sometimes flat out refuse your money - they think it's like asking a guest for money (dutch friends i know i know XD)
be careful yes. paranoid no.
-----

i have plenty more where these came from

but the honest number one is still the first line. save for two more months and come do it in comfort. india doesn't reward being broke in it. it rewards being present in it and you can't be present when you're doing maths on every rupee

Hi everyone, I’m 24, and was just laid off. It was a huge surprise but I have been working a lot of hours and need to decompress, at least for a couple weeks before I start looking for work. I’ve been to Cancun, playa del Carmen mex, and San Juan PR. I’ve had a great time at all these places, but I’d like new suggestions, ideally beach towns, or larger cities where I can explore and meet plenty of people my age (I’m also thinking CDMX or Buenos Aires. The climate needs to be warm, but doesn’t need to be a beach city. Please let me know your recommendations. (Preferably in the Americas because I live in the US, but I’m open to eastern countries too)

If you had a week in Morocco how would you plan your trip? My boyfriend and I will be there from Nov 21-28. Are base will be in Marrakesh. We are thinking about doing a 3 day Sahara dessert tour, is it worth it? I also have an interest in taking a day trip to Essaouira and would like to visit Setti Fatma as well.

Additional activities we are thinking of doing:

Hot air balloon, Hammam, Horseback riding in Essaouira.

Is there any attractions you would avoid? Any that are a must see? I recognize that we only have a week and a lot of these places are far from each other so I want to make sure I'm planning accordingly and that the logistics make sense. Also open to anything not mentioned!

I’m Planning a solo road trip through Slovenia and Croatia in September and wanted to get some advice, I feel like I might have stuffed a bunch of things into a short window

Will start at Ljubljana, will spend a couple of days there first. Then pick up a rental car and drive down to Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle on the way to Bled. Spend three nights around Bled, with a day trip to Lake Bohinj in between.

From Bled go down to Rovinj, spend three nights there, including a day trip down to Pula for the Roman amphitheater there. Then head back through Motovun, and then drive back to Ljubljana.

Any advice would be great

Going on a 3hr flight with our 18mo old down the US East Coast. Getting to airport and waiting at airport, add 2 more hr, getting off plane and renting a car, another hour and 30 more min to get to destination, so we are talking about a 7-7 hr travel time.

They nap at noon for 2 hours. Flights are at 6am, 730am, 4pm, 6pm. Not sure which is best, but can't see us doing morning flights, would require getting up at like 5am to make the 730. Didn't want to take the 6pm as it the last flight so if something is wrong with that one, nothing is left.

But am more worried about the flight itself, trying to minimize crying, keeping them occupied, worried about them falling asleep if we take the 4pm and then not sleeping at night.

Anyone have advice for flying with 18mo old to keep them calm for 3 hours.

I’m trying to plan a trip to Australia for my senior trip, and I have a few questions. I want to visit some hidden gems, if there are locals willing to give those up. that includes things like beaches, parks, restaurant, hotels, etc. I really want to find some cool shells even though I know I probably can’t take them out of the country, I just love looking. any advice/ suggestions you have, please share!!

I am looking to travel to Japan for two weeks next year around March/April, and I know that there are airline credit cards, as well as other travel focused cards, that let you earn miles and give a ton of bonus miles if you spend a certain amount in the first few months.

I am having trouble figuring out what the best direction to go for one of those cards is, and if it’s possible that any of those airline cards have bonuses that would even pay entirely for the tickets.

Does anyone have any experience with this and have any advice on what my best course of action may be?

My friends and I want to go on a trip in early October, preferably 1.5-2 weeks. My friends seem to be very set on wanting to go to Guatemala, but I’m somewhat concerned about safety. We’re in our twenties, white women who have traveled in the past including recently backpacking from Bangkok Thailand through Malaysia to Singapore.

Since I’m unsure if Guatemala is an appropriate destination for us; I’ve given a list of other destinations to which they agreed to consider South Korea or Indonesia as well.

They are very determined that Guatemala is super safe and the best destination for us, but mentioned that if I really don’t feel comfortable with it we could go with a different location.

Am I overthinking the safety of us in Guatemala?

So currently I just purchased a Ninja Oven because I study overseas and its impossible to get there..you're prob thinking wtf but its just a tool that makes my life easier.

Anyway but due to the restrictions, I cant just ship it in the box as is and getting to fit in a duffle bag is harder unless I take it out of the box

Without the box just the Styrofoam where looking at D:19.5 W 18.5 and H 17

Without the box and Styrofoam : 16.5" x 15.8" x 13.5

Im looking for advice to see how we can get it safely without breaking

So currently I just purchased a Ninja Oven because I study overseas and its impossible to get there..you're prob thinking wtf but its just a tool that makes my life easier.

Anyway but due to the restrictions, I cant just ship it in the box as is and getting to fit in a duffle bag is harder unless I take it out of the box

Without the box just the Styrofoam where looking at D:19.5 W 18.5 and H 17

Without the box and Styrofoam : 16.5" x 15.8" x 13.5

Im looking for advice to see how we can get it safely without breaking

To anyone hitchhiking, I have some advice.

Do not stand beside the road with a sign or your thumb out. The better way is to travel to the edge of the city and find a gas station on the side of the road going in the direction you want and then asking people as they fill up. Never took me more than 15 minutes to find a ride like this.

Anyone else have any hitchhiking tips?

Im moving from ontario to alberta, and i have never taken a flight before. Im wondering what the best course of action is for moving all of my things? i have a desktop pc, specifically one built in a lian li o11 mini air (for what its worth), some clothes, and a rather large graphics tablet. Would i be able to fit it all as carry on luggage? Would it be smarter to just ship my pc to my destination seperately? I was thinking another option would be to disassemble my pc, pack all the components into anti static bags that i could fit as carry on luggage, and ship JUST the case to reduce any risk of damage from shipping mishandling. Any tips, or advice otherwise?

Day trip to Muskoka, best hikes with great lookouts and scenery? I have a list before but tell me which to add/remove and if they're all possible in one day.

Hardy Lake

Torrance Barrens

Arrowhead

Huckleberry Rock

Lions Lookout

Walkers Point

Eagles Nest on McCrae

High Falls

Which of these, or replace them with others, are best for a one day trip? And if you think two days is best, then do you have recommendations for where to stay for one night?

I want to take a short vacation from NYC area to an affordable Central American country. I was looking at Guatemala or Nicaragua or somewhere else. I have 5 days and about $1000 to spend.

Two Mid-Twenties young professionals located in Minnesota. Looking to go somewhere with my girlfriend for a 2.5 weeks in which we can Hike, Try a bunch of good food , and then spend a few days lying on a beach before coming back to work. Would be open to catching a couple of short flights/busses or cars if needed to get around an area once we get down there.

Anybody have any recommendations? Also want to make sure they would be safe for us.

Thanks so much!

May I ask whether Vietnam Airlines allows passengers to travel if the gender indicated in the booking is incorrect (example: indicated "Male" but I am "Female"), particularly when the ticket was purchased through a third-party platform (i.e., Agoda)?

The third-party is charging me around 72 USD when I researched that Vietnam Airlines only charge minimal amount of 50,000 VND or roughly 2USD?

I guess it really depends on the place but I personally find that I do. I look for sports teams, hiking trails, fishing, bars, etc. Of course I'm open to new things but it makes it easy for me to get into a routine and there's already a built in familiarity.

Hello guys,

On a 10 day trip, first time in europe. What do you prefer ?

1. Visit 3 countries meaning 3 days in paris, 3 days in barcelone and 3 days in lisbone, flying between them

2. Visit only spain for now : barcelone, madrid, malaga, sevilla, granada.. using trains between them

Thank you

Hi! We are a couple in our early 30s heading to Peru next year April / May and just need some advice on whether you think this itinerary is good and basically is paracas worth it for an unwind at the end of the trip? Also what are some good companies for the short Inca trail?

Thoughts on a day trip to colca canyon and rainbow mountain? Is it doable or will it just be too rushed? Love to hear everyone’s thoughts!

Day 1: Thu 22 Apr — Depart UK
• Day 2: Fri 23 Apr — Arrive Lima
• Day 3: Sat 24 Apr — Fly Arequipa
• Day 4: Sun 25 Apr — Arequipa city day
• Day 5: Mon 26 Apr — Colca Canyon
• Day 6: Tue 27 Apr — Fly Cusco
• Day 7: Wed 28 Apr — Sacred Valley
• Day 8: Thu 29 Apr — Inca Trail day 1
• Day 9: Fri 30 Apr — Machu Picchu
• Day 10: Sat 1 May — Cusco
• Day 11: Sun 2 May — Cusco/rainbow mountain?
• Day 12: Mon 3 May — fly to Lima and travel to paracas
• Day 13: Tue 4 May — Paracas reserve
• Day 14: Wed 5 May Ballestas Islands and go back to Lima
• Day 15: Thu 6 May — Lima
• Day 16: Fri 7 May — Fly home

I have a 22 hour layover at Changi Airport in Singapore, and I’m wondering whether it’s worth the hassle and expense of getting a Singapore visa to explore the city, or if I should just stay in the transit area for the entire 22 hours.

Unfortunately, I’m not eligible for the Visa-Free Transit Facility (VFTF), so I would have to apply for a regular Singapore visa.

I’m travelling on a budget, so I’m trying to figure out whether getting the visa and exploring Singapore would be worth the additional cost, or if I’d be better off just staying at the airport.

What would you recommend?