TRAVEL RESOURCES

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

KEY LINKS

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FLIGHTS

I religiously use my Avios points to fly for very cheap, only paying taxes on the majority of flights I take. I usually save up my points to fly business class long haul, and whilst this does require an element of organisation and flexibility, it’s easier than you would think!

I have a whole section on my blog on how you can learn to maximise the points you collect and how to use them to fly for cheap:

If there are no reward flights available for my dates and destination, or for routes that British Airways and their partners don’t cover, my first port of call is checking Skyscanner‘s comparison tool across airlines.

ACCOMMODATION

I tend to book most of my accommodation through Booking.com. The more you book with them the more perks you get through their Genius programme, including free breakfasts and free room upgrades.

I will also check Hotels.com for comparative prices and offers, and if I’m booking a hostel I will compare prices and offers with the Hostelworld app, which tends to have better prices than the desktop site.

For European city breaks I often opt to stay in an Air BnB to keep costs down as a solo traveller whilst still enjoying some privacy.

NAVIGATION

For city breaks I swear by CityMapper – it’s the only app I use for looking up routings to get around my own city, and it’s by far my favourite for elsewhere if they cover my destination. If CityMapper isn’t available, I use Google Maps to navigate, and ensure to download the offline maps so I can still find my way around when I don’t have signal. Maps.me is another good app for this.

ESIMS

Whilst I’m a big believer that it is usually better to get a SIM card or eSim sorted locally on arrival of a new country, especially when travelling long term, eSIMs do have their place.

They are the easiest option and very convenient for holidays, though if you are backpacking or travelling somewhere for a longer amount of time, you will save a lot of money sourcing a physical sim or eSIM locally on arrival.

That said, eSIMs are invaluable when crossing borders overland; many overland travel days are long and it can be hours before you are able to buy a sim locally. As a solo female traveller regional eSIMs that work across borders ensure I have access to the internet and stay connected for safety whilst travelling between countries.

My go to eSIM companies are Airalo and Mobi Matter. It’s worth checking both as often Mobi Matter can be cheaper on certain sims. If you opt for Airalo, shop using code CHARLI4330 for £2.50 off of your first purchase.

CAREER BREAK RESOURCES

If you’re considering taking a career break, the following blog posts are a great place to start.