RTW How To

Photo of the Day – Sail Rock, Similan Islands

Posted by Jenny+ on May 2, 2014 | 0 comments

Just a 2-hour speedboat ride from the crowded beaches of Phuket, Thailand, the Similan Islands are a world famous dive spot in the Andaman Sea. While the Similans are better known for their surrounding underwater wonders, they are visually stunning themselves due to the giant granite boulder formations that shelter each island. The boulders were carved into their curious shapes over millions of years by seas and wind, some as large as houses. One of the most famous of those boulders is the symbol of the Similans, Sail Rock on Island No. 8 (also called Sailing Boat Rock). The trail to the top requires squeezing through the crevices of haphazardly strewn giant boulders and scaling a few wooden ladders but the view is more than enough reward for the effort.  On my visit to the Similan Islands on RTW #8, their tranquility was a welcome relief from the Chinese New Year crowds in nearby Phuket.

How to Travel Around the World with Just a Carry-On: A Girl’s Guide to Traveling Light

Posted by Jenny+ on Jan 5, 2014 | 4 comments

As I am busily packing away for Round-the-World #9 (just 48 hours to go!), this seemed like the perfect opportunity to answer a question I get all the time – especially from you ladies out there – “How do you travel for so long and to so many different places with just a carry-on?”

I admit, it’s challenging. But, there’s a lot to be said for not having to heave a mammoth bag up a flight of stairs in a Paris train station or hold your breath while hoping your bag will appear on the carousel at midnight in Pago Pago. Traveling light is worth the extra time and effort you put into the packing process.

So today, in an effort to help the globetrotting women of the world learn how to travel carry on (and thus travel lighter and happier), I offer up an excerpt from one of my favorite chapters in The Grown-Up’s Guide to Globetrotting:

Chapter 15: Lean, Mean & Chic: The Art of Carry-On Packing

How to Travel Around the World Without Quitting Your Job

Posted by Jenny+ on Dec 24, 2013 | 2 comments

Yes, you CAN make 2014 the year you finally start tackling your Bucket List with the trip of a lifetime around the world. Who goes around the world? Career-minded professionals just like you, that’s who! Because Round-the-World (RTW) travel isn’t just affordable, it’s the single most efficient way to see the world and you don’t have to quit your job to do it.

But if you’re thinking, “planning a trip around the world sounds complicated, won’t I need a travel agent?” The answer is no! With the multitude of travel booking sites available today, all you need is internet access and this step-by-step guide to plan the Bucket-List-shredding trip of your dreams…

Around the World in 30 Extraordinary Travel Experiences

Posted by Jenny+ on Nov 16, 2013 | 4 comments

People often ask me, “Hey Jenny, what are your favorite places around the world?” And I definitely do have a short list of favorites. But to me, travel is about so much more than just places on the map. It’s about experiences. Extraordinary travel experiences. It’s about people and cultures; animals and nature. And getting a unique view of the world whether on land, underwater or in the air. I’ve never had a “Bucket List,” per se, but after 8 trips around the world I’ve been fortunate enough to experience dozens of brilliant moments in faraway places (and even a few close to home), many that I didn’t even realize were on my wish list until after the fact. 

Since this website is all about carving 30 days out of your life to take the trip of your dreams, I decided to share 30 of my most personally memorable travel experiences from around the world. I adored them all, so I couldn’t possibly rank them in order of favorites. Instead, I’ve presented them (for your convenience) just like my RTW trips – beginning in the US and traveling in an eastward direction around the world.

Simple Disclaimer: “Extraordinary” obviously means different things to different people so I will stress that this is simply a list of destinations and travel moments that have been personally meaningful to me. It is, of course, by no means intended as the top 30 places to go or things to do. But I do hope that you’ll find at least one new travel adventure on my list to add to your own.

So grab your passport, here we go…

How to Get a Same-Day Myanmar Visa in Bangkok

Posted by Jenny+ on Aug 4, 2013 | 0 comments

While planning my trip to Myanmar as part of my summer Himalayan adventure, I ran out of time to apply for the visa in the US prior to departure. What to do? Well, as it turns out, it’s pretty easy to visit the embassy and get a same-day Myanmar visa in Bangkok. And luckily, I had a brief stay in Bangkok planned prior to my arrival. Here’s my experience with the Myanmar visa process at the Bangkok embassy:

The embassy is located just a short walk from the Surasak BTS Skytrain station. When you exit the station, use Exit #3 and walk about 3 blocks along the road keeping the Skytrain tracks on your right. The embassy is just a bit down a street to your left and opens at 9:00am each morning (except Thai and Myanmar holidays). I arrived at 8:20am since I’d heard there were often long lines. There was a short line already and I was the 8th person to get in line. By the time the doors opened at 9am there were at least 40 people in line.

Meet Money Magazine’s Miles Maven!

Posted by Jenny+ on Jun 13, 2013 | 0 comments

For the past few years I’ve made it my mission to get the word out about the wonders of Round-the-World travel and show people just how easy and affordable it is to take the trip of their dreams. This week it looks like I just might be making some headway! Last month I did interviews with Consumer Reports and Money Magazine and both stories came out this week. I’m especially proud of the Money Magazine feature which hit newsstands yesterday and profiled four “Super Travelers” and our strategies for planning those big trips and saving money on travel. Not only did Money dub me the “Miles Maven” (love that!) but thanks to them I also now have a superhero alter-ego…ha!