A quick to finding the best banks and credit/debit cards for travelers.
- Great exchange rates.
- Useful features/services for traveling.
Local SIM cards – buying & recharging
Everything you need to know about dealing with local SIM cards.
Purchasing a local SIM card is absolutely key as it’s way cheaper, more reliable, and also doesn’t spam your home number. But I’ll cover the usual methods of purchasing and recharging…as it’s not always as common sense as you think.
Using mobile phone eSIM feature to have multiple SIM cards while traveling
One of the best things I ever discovered for travelers.
It’s amazing how many people don’t know this is possible. It’ll change your life!
Mexico City (CDMX) – quick travel guide
My favorite city in Mexico. Big city charms mixed with warm pleasant Mexican vibes.
Big, beautiful, eclectic, amazing restaurants, partying, multiple neighborhoods to live and explore. What made me stay in CDMX over 3-4 months was this super comfortable vibe. You’re not on vacation…you’re home!
There’s tons of things to do, people to see, lovely spots to chill at when you’re not living the epic party life like you would in other cities in Mexico. Let’s go over all the gems I found.
DuoLingo vs Babel – which language app is better
Can’t choose which one is a better language-learning option for you?
The question is interesting to me because when I researched, it seemed everyone liked Babel more. But when I actually tried the apps, I loved DuoLingo soooooo much better. I’ve used DuoLingo consistently for over a year now whereas Babel was annoying and I quit within the first 5 minutes.
Ultimately, I think it comes down to one main distinction.
Spanish & Portuguese – similarity cheatsheet
Quick tips to help you learn one from the other.
Writing by an American who isn’t an expert at either. (So proceed with caution.)
Portland – quick travel guide
Portland was and still is one America’s most (authentically) hipster, hip, trendy, coolest towns to live in.
It has the authentic Portland quirky weird vibe, beautiful pacific northwest landscapes and trees (which actually looks like real nature vs California’s desert landscape and beaches), beautiful craftsman homes in giant forest ambiance, and a vibe that feels very authentically white-American rather than the typical hispanic immigrant culture you’ll find in America’s other big cities.
For many years since 2010, it was one of the fastest growing cities and taking in the millennial exodus from burned-out overpriced cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. The original Portlanders were all “F**K YOU, CALIFORNIANS! GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND DON’T CALIFORNICATE OUR BELOVED PORTLAND!”
And rightly so…because all the outsiders were bringing in their money, buying up property, raising property values and rent beyond what local Portlanders could pay, clogging up streets with traffic, and just ruining the organic hippie ambiance.
Let’s find out why I (and everyone) think Portland is so cool.
Oaxaca City – quick travel guide
Colorful charmy vibrant cultural city in inland Mexico. (One of my top 3 favorite cities in Mexico.)
Amazing culture, food, visually beautiful, haven for artists (and street murals), and off-the-path hipsters…great for a fast tourist visit or to live for a long time. I absolutely loved this place. Can’t say enough. Come here and see a very authentic lively Mexico that isn’t burned out by tourists and cliche marketing.
Los Angeles – quick travel guide
Get real LA travel tips from a true (and proud) Los Angeles native.
I’m from here, I lived here for most of my life and in many different neighborhoods. Will happily give you the most biased (and unbiased) breakdown as best as I can. The kind of info you can only get from a true LA native.
This info is absolutely necessary because I consider Los Angeles to be the absolute most difficult tourist city in the world. You may think it’s fun, you might even come here and find fun things. But most of you won’t, as most people complain it’s not pretty, not fun, and too much driving, or impossible to get in there. It’s all true.
But indeed, many people do live here happily and for a reason…because they KNOW how to visit and get around LA. So let me teach you how to explore it properly (and not like a fucken tourist).
Cancun – quick travel guide
Why go here? There’s like 30 other better cities to visit in Mexico. If you’re here, I assume you’re first-time Mexico tourist who doesn’t know any better. But ok…let’s make the most of your cliche time in Cancun. *pinches nose*
Madrid – quick travel guide
Madrid is Spain’s main big inland city…full of fun neighborhoods, night life, and walkable streets.
What Madrid lacks in Barcelona’s beaches and unique architecture, it makes up for with its chiller less-touristy vibe and bigger party scene. Madrid is comfortable to live, party, work, or base-jump from. Great neighborhoods to choose from, big parks and squares everywhere…easy to walk and metro around. It’s unfortunate that many people won’t ever discover this as backpackers are usually told to skip Madrid and not venture past Barcelona.
There’s a saying that some people are Barcelona people, and others are Madrid people. I felt myself to be a Madrid person easily the first time I visited both. Madrid can be a 3-5 day stay to feel like you saw everything.
Buenos Aires – quick travel guide
Vibrant LATAM big city with a mix of Latin, European, and [some] Asian & African cultural influences.
Buenos Aires is incredible. Popular favorite city by those who like a high-energy fast-pace city…like New York or Paris, BA is LATAM’s equivalent. One of the biggest mega-cities in the world. Used to be much cheaper due to the crazy inflation, and still cheap-ish (for outsiders). But I agree with what many people say now, which is “MANNNNN, BUENOS AIRES IS EXPENSIVE!”, especially when compared to what it was just some years ago (before Milei was elected).
Every vibe is here…posh, hipster, etc. So many things to do, so many neighborhoods to hangout in. In Latin America, it always feels like I have a ton of friends in town when I pop in Mexico City or Buenos Aires.
You could probably experience most things within 5 days and move on to something else. It’s always worth making more time as it probably took you a long travel time to reach BA from wherever else you were. From BA, you can easily cross the water into Uruguay for a few days as well.
Istanbul – quick travel guide
Super fun and exotic city with a wide mix of many cultures (European, Asian, Arabic, probably other stuff too).
Istanbul and Turkish people/culture are such a trip. For me being an American with lots of experience in Western Europe and South America, Turkey was really exotic, energetic, fiery fiesty. The Istanbul vibe is something right in between a big cold metropolitan city like New York or Paris but with the feistiness of South Americans. Again, they are not outwardly warm and friendly but are feisty.
Maybe you expected a hyper-Muslim culture here and there is but it’s only part of Turkey like this where people are super religious and women all covered up in traditional headwear. Most Turkish (especially the new generation) curse, drink, party in clubs, and engage in all kinds of obnoxious “Western debauchery” like you would find anywhere else. Long story short, Istanbul is as much a party place as any other. Don’t be afraid that you’re stuck in some overly religious prison ground.
There’s enough craziness here to last you a solid month of fun but you could see the main points in 3 days. I definitely recommend 4-7 days so you can relax and not feel like you’re always stuck in an anxious taxi. The pace of life here seems fast and crazy so try to find time to slow down. If you have more time, there’s a handful other worthwhile cities in Turkey to visit as well.
Isla Mujeres – quick travel guide
Beautiful island off the east side of Mexico with beautiful beaches, views, and private piers. Way more fun and instagram-able than boring Cozumel, more developed infrastructure than Holbox. If you’re in the Quintana Roo area, Isla Mujeres is a can’t-miss destination. It has the perfect mix of hippy-Tulum zen vibes and party town Playa (Del Carmen) vibes. There’s something for everyone. And lucky for you, it’s easy to explore since it’s small and everything’s quickly accessible.
Cartel extortion racket for businesses in Mexico
Want to run a business in Mexico? Make sure you keep this in mind!
It doesn’t matter how safe the neighborhood is. Your business can be approached at any time by a cartel member and they demand payment or else they’ll threaten yours or your customer’s lives. They are absolutely serious and also quite clever.
Finding safe neighborhoods in foreign countries
There are many tactics to finding safe places to stay when travelling. Some more obvious than others. 
Backpack vs Rolling luggage
Which is better? A big travel backpack or the traditional rolling suitcase?
It depends on your personal preference, strength, and traveling lifestyle. I personally prefer rolling luggage.
Mexico – quick travel guide
Fun colorful country with nice people, easy tourism and adventures to explore, and with extremely diverse terrain.
Mexico is still a vastly underrated place because most people THINK they know Mexico. When in fact most people only know beach Mexico…but there is also jungle Mexico, mountain Mexico, island Mexico, and city Mexico.
I’ve explored mostly everything from Mexico City to Playa Del Carmen, a few other cities. See the list below. I came to Mexico thinking I’d only be there a month but ended up staying for 8, often returning to the same places multiple times. Basically…I felt like I was living there.
Most tourists come for a weekend or weeklong beach getaway. Most backpackers come for a month. But really, you could easily spend 3-6 months in Mexico and still not see everything everything. Mexico is an absolutely huge country which so much diversity in landscapes, terrain, culture, food, and activities.
Water-damaged iPhone repair guide
I swear this happens to everyone at some point in Mexico.
And me being not-special, it happened to my ass too. Here are tips to deal with it intelligently!