where are you going?

What is the number one thing travelers tend to stress over? What to pack! Each gadget and gizmo claims to make life on the road easier, but what truly is helpful to keep you calm, focus and having a lot of fun? We’ve compiled our list of perfect gifts to give your loved ones who are jet-setters all over the world that are useful, beautiful and should be included in everyone’s suitcase. Scroll below to enter the GIVEAWAY hosted by Pure Wander and Learning Patience, open to UK and US residents. Prizes include Brookstone Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Lomography Camera Marrakesh Edition and iTunes gift cards. Winners announced just in time for the holidays!   Osprey Ozone 36 Convertible Carry-On Bag It’s a never ending battle with airlines to make sure your carry-on luggage is up to standards. Too many times I’ve had to pay a fee for a too-big bag when I’m trying to avoid checking one. It was well worth investing in the Ozone 36, which fits all EU standard carry-on require...

Whether you’ve been together for as long as you can remember or you’re new at this couples game, there’s nothing like a romantic weekend away to either reinvigorate your relationship or get to know each other better. The Planning Firstly, are you planning the trip together or is this a surprise for your partner? Obviously, if you’re planning together you need to discuss what you want and where you’re going to go. Done correctly, the planning can be great fun, so keep it light and calm and try not to let any squabbling over location or itinerary stop you from enjoying your time. If you’re planning a surprise, you can have a lot of fun but it’s important to think about your partner and what they’ll want. One person’s idea of romance might be the classic trip to Paris or Rome whilst another might yearn for a weekend at a festival, rally or museum. If you’re planning to surprise your partner with a trip, make sure it’s something that sets their heart beating. However, don’t try so har...

Okay, let’s be honest here. We’ve heard the screams or semi-pleasant whispers of, “less is more,” and I KNOW that you probably claim to believe it, to the hilt, every day of your life. EXCEPT for when it’s time to pack for a series of semi-short trips smooshed into a big, long trip. This applies particularly when you know you will be staying in a foreign place for more than a couple of months– you want little mementos of home: a photo,  some jewelry, 3 cameras and their accessories (in my case), 17 mismatched sparkly and/or poppin’ 80’s inspired dresses that you may or may not wear… you get my point. In my case, during travel, I chose roughly 6 outfits to wear throughout the trip minus special occasions, for which I kept my most extreme items of clothing on call. See? Don’t be fooled: your clothing is not the only thing that describes “you”– more often than not simply wearing various pieces of light (lb wise)...

Vermont is getting ready for its annual gala event, and of course, you’re invited! The landscape is so stunning, so vibrant, that I have to make a point to watch the road and only the road when I’m out and about. It just seems impossible to go about daily life when the natural world is putting on a display that just begs to be photographed. The solution to this beautiful distraction? A little southern Vermont weekend getaway, fall-foliage style! If you have two or three days to explore this fall, why not head up to southern Vermont? It’s just a few hours from Boston and New York City – a perfect long-weekend retreat for families, couples, and canines. This southern Vermont getaway will give you the perfect opportunity to drive beautiful back roads, explore quaint New England villages, and even do a little camping. Here are the highlights of a three-day trip through the mountains and villages of southern Vermont. Planning to explore beyond Southern Vermont? Chec...

Grand Canyon National Park turns 101 this year, and what better way to celebrate this iconic landscape than to embark on a Grand Canyon camping trip? Last year, we spent our spring break exploring the Grand Canyon from Desert View Campground, and we loved every minute of our adventure. We’d love to share our experience with you, as well as a few tips for visiting the south rim of the Grand Canyon with your family. It’s a must-visit destination, as I’m sure you’ve heard, but the grand views are only part of the adventure. Here are some of the coolest things about camping in the Grand Canyon, and why, despite its popularity, you still need to visit. Camping is the Best Way to Get to Know Grand Canyon National Park Sunrise at Moran Point Those specks are my kiddos taking in the view just beyond the Desert View Watchtower  Grand Canyon National Park is consistently rated as one of the best national parks in the US  and is one of those places that ...