by ninaeliseh | Apr 19, 2016 | Adventures, Belize, Blog, Central America, Europe, France, Germany, life, Lifestyle, Personal Development, Switzerland, Travel Tips, US Travels
Back in the fall, I attended a local speed networking event for Entrepreneurs. While there, I met Nate, founder of Oyster World Radio & Travel Education. Oyster world Radio is an awesome podcast that interviews travelers about their experiences – whether it be an amazing adventure or someone who quit their job to travel, Oyster has found a fun way to teach culture around the globe.
While chatting, Nate asked me to be on his show to talk about my solo travels around the world. We recorded a podcast over the phone last year, and it finally launched this week! It turned out amazing – I talked about my trips, fears, and how traveling has changed me.
If you are at all on the fence about traveling, just getting into it, or already an avid traveler, this podcast is perfect to put on while driving to work or hanging out around the house (I listen to it while getting ready in the morning or driving to work!). It gives you a look into the minds & decision-making of people who travel – it’s really, really awesome… You will want to drop everything and plan a trip now!
You can find it on iTunes or Stitcher! If you listen, let me know what you think!
by ninaeliseh | Sep 11, 2015 | Adventures, Blog, Europe, life, Lifestyle, Travel Tips
**UPDATE 9/23! since returning from my trip, I have added notes in Bold/italic below about anything I would have or would not have packed.
Since booking my trip back in June, I haven’t given much thought to packing until the past week. Insert: frantic last-minute purchases on amazon prime. Since I am only taking 1 backpack, there is some serious consolidating happening. Which, surprisingly, hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be. I already knew i wouldn’t be taking any hair appliances, and I’m perfectly fine with walking around in leggings the entire trip. So, I did a lot of research and made a list of what I needed to bring, including a few non-negotiable must-haves. Below is a list of everything I have packed – it seems like a lot, but it’s just a bunch of small things that all add up to fitting perfectly in 1 bag. Also – I am bringing a second bag for souvenirs & crap that won’t fit into my backpack (my books!).
BackPack
Packing Cubes – You definitely need these for organization while traveling!
Top cube: Toiletries Middle cube: Bathing suit/socks/underwear Bottom cube: Clothes
Toiletries (travel size):
sunscreen – barely used this, would only bring if I went somewhere warmer!
shampoo & conditioner
body wash
hairspray
toothbrush & toothpaste
floss
hairbrush + hair ties/bobby pins
deodorant
razor
band aids
Clothes: **Planning on doing laundry at the hostels as needed!
8 pairs of socks
15 pairs of underwear – could have brought less, since I did laundry during my trip
2 bras
2 scarves – these have secret pockets in them to carry my passport/valuables in! I had these made on etsy in black and grey – I could have honestly done without these – it wasn’t super cold, and I felt safe with just my cross body bag
1 pair of shorts – never wore, it was way too cold!
4 pairs of black leggings
3 t-shirts
3 tanks (1 white, 1 black, 1 casual)
3 workout outfits **Planning on running around the cities/impromptu yoga classes! – wore 1 workout outfit when I went for a run, and shorts when i did laundry. could have survived with packing only 1-2 outfits
1 bathingsuit – never wore this, but glad I brought it just in case
2 long sleeved shirts + 1 pair of fleece-lined leggings for when I am in the mountains!
1 long-sleeved chambray button up shirt
1 sweater – for the plane ride & cold nights – i completely underestimated how cold it was going to be when I was over there! i probably would have brought a second sweater that was thicker for when I was in the mountains!
1 rain jacket – it’s supposed to rain 2-3 days I am there! – one of my best packing choices, it rained a LOT!
1 pajama outfit
Secret Scarf with Hidden Passport!
Shoes: – perfect amount of shoes to bring, no complaints!
flip flops
toms
tennis shoes
Misc:
workout arm band – used this when I went for a run
charcoal tablets (for food poisoning/stomach issues)
peppermint oil (headaches/sinuses) – i used this + lemon everyday!
contacts + glasses
sunglasses – used everyday!
adapter plugs – for Germany & for Switzerland
camera – only used a few times, mainly used my phone for pictures!
locks – for my bag zippers + storing my bag at the hostels – honestly didn’t really need, I felt pretty safe the entire time!
Eurorail train tickets
Day bag for exploring + money belt for under my clothes – could have done without the money belt, day bag = best item brought on the trip! used it everywhere I went, and had no issues with pick pocketing
mini duct tape (who knows what type of emergency I’ll have ;))
Also brought an extra bag for souveniers – so glad I did! 10+ lbs of chocolate, a huge 1 liter beer stein + misc things collected – all needed to be carried back and would never have fit in my suitcase!
Plane Necessities:
passport (duh!)
pictures/copies of ID/passport on phone/email
headphones – lifesaver!
aleve
baby wipes – lifesaver!
electrolyte packets
protein bars – lifesavers!
sleep medicine
hand sanitizer
aquaphor – my lips were chapped the entire trip, so glad i brought this!
tissues – i wish i had brought more, as i used these for small spills and my runny nose!
carabiner/flashlight/whistle all-in-one – only used once while in the hostel, but still good to have.
phone charger
backup phone charger – one of the top items used while traveling. SUCH a lifesaver! My phone battery drained quickly from using maps
mini notebook for travel notes – used this until I lost my pen ;/
books **planning on leaving these on the plane for the next person once I am finished – less weight to carry! – honestly wish I had only brought 1 book, if any. I didn’t really have time to read them, and it was hard to lug them around
gum/mints
Jet Lag medicine for the flight back – so far this stuff is magic! I didn’t sleep for 24 hours straight while traveling back to the states, and i got about 8-9 hours of sleep when I got home. Feeling a little groggy, but I was able to work and get stuff done the next day perfectly fine.
Below are a few of the apps I downloaded on my phone – are there any others that I absolutely need to have?
Apps:
Hostelworld – this has all my booking information for where I am staying **Used this a few times for directions
TripIt – I have my entire trip planned out on here – Every confirmation email I got (flights, hostels, events, etc) – I forwarded to Trip it, and it automatically created my schedule. I then went in and added details as needed. You can also send a link to friends/family so they know where you will be (in case you ever go missing ;)). **Only used this a few times
City Maps 2go – I downloaded maps for the cities I will be in to navigate my way around, no internet required – if you are traveling, you MUST download this app! I used it everywhere I went – it points you in the right direction and is totally accurate.
Rail Planner – i was able to look up all of the times trains were leaving and create a list fo every train/transfer needed. If I miss my train, I can check for other times with no issue, as I don’t have to be online to look! — used this a ton to double check my train schedules!
Gate Guru – I use this for all of my plane travels! It has information on every single thing to do at each airport by gate, with maps. It is awesome for layovers & for finding out about any flight changes!
Google Docs – my travel spreadsheet with all info was on google docs – I accessed this a LOT
And that’s it! Everything fit in my bag, and I am ready to go. Has anyone ever traveled to Europe with just 1 backpack? Am I missing any essential items? I am planning on buying a SIM card as soon as I land in Switzerland. Anyone have experience/tips for this? **bought my sim card at the post office as soon as I landed in Geneva
by ninaeliseh | May 14, 2015 | Adventures, Blog, fitness, Health & Fitness, Travel Tips, Yoga
Hi all! With my trip quickly approaching, I have been packing and planning like a madwoman. I decided to check in 1 small bag + bring 1 carry on, trying to keep my packing as light as possible. One of the worst things about traveling is having to minimize the crap that you bring, but also good practice for learning to survive on a few essential items.
With that being said, I created a list of items that any yogi needs while traveling – whether it be for a trip to the arctic or while sitting on a sunny beach in the Caribbean 🙂 
Lavender & Peppermint Oil
- Lavender oil is like the swiss army knife of nature. It helps with sunburns, bug bites, cuts, anything skin related, sleep problems… etc. It is my go-to for relaxing, especially for long flights & helping to fall asleep in new places.
- Peppermint oil is a stomach lifesaver – nausea, indigestion, stomach aches… And not only that, I use this for headaches & my sinuses (have you ever tried smelling peppermint with a stuffy nose? Opens up those airways within seconds!)l. I carry this in my purse at all times – my friends always end up using it when they aren’t feeling well!
Protein Bars & Snacks I am the worlds worst eater – I snack. A LOT. Because of my snacking “problem,” I have tried pretty much every single on-the-go food ever to be created by man. Since my schedule is usually packed from 6 in the morning until 11 at night every day, I always need to have something on hand when I am on the go. You can find any snack with protein, chocolate, or peanut butter in it stashed away in my car, my purse, or my desk at work at all times! A few of my favorite snacks are RX Bars, Kind Strong! Bars, Picky Bars (amazing for post-workout), and chocolate cacao nibs from trader joes.
Electrolyte Drink Mix When I travel, I find its hard to drink a lot of water. Not just because I forget, but also because who doesn’t like to get the occasional airport drink?! It’s easy to get dehydrated – airport travel fatigue is no joke! I’ve tried Nuun Tablets in the past, but my all-time favorite is Mestrength Electrolyte Drink Mix. It doesn’t have any extra ingredients in it + uses stevia as a sweetener. It also has creatine in it, which is amazing for drinking pre- and post-workout. I am banking on these to keep me hydrated doing 2 Yoga classes a day in the Belize heat!
Baby Wipes These are essential for ANY traveler – the perfect all-purpose body cleaner for those on the go! I use these to clean my face, wipe down my body (hello – no access to a shower while traveling all day=uncomfortably sitting in your own sweat/grime/dirt), cleaning hands, unexpected spills… total lifesaver. Any brand will work – I normally just grab some from my local CVS or meijer. Aquaphor I first found out about aquaphor when I got my first tattoo. Fast forward 9 years, 2 more tattoos, dry skin, and some seriously chapped lips and I am still using this stuff. All you need is a tiny travel-sized bottle – it lasts forever! I carry one with me at all times.
Yoga Mat* Every Yogi needs a mat to bring with them on their travels! Unfortunately, most mats are super bulky and difficult to carry around. Insert: Yoga mat created specifically for the traveling Yogi! B Yoga has designed the PERFECT mat to travel with… It’s super thin, non-slip, and light enough to carry around without being too heavy. I am planning on taking this on the plane with me so that I can do some pop-up yoga in the airports 🙂
There are a lot more things I pack, but these items are what I take with me on my carry-on. What does everyone else take as a travel essential? I’d love to hear what you take on your trips!
*B Yoga provided me with a travellers mat to use while traveling to my teacher training in Belize.
by ninaeliseh | Jul 11, 2014 | Blog, Health & Fitness, Travel Tips
Since I am traveling, I decided to make a “Cheat Sheet” for the most needed essential oils when traveling. I don’t want to bring a ton, as I will only be gone a week, but I also wanted a cheat sheet to take with me so I know what my go-to oil is when traveling. I have only included the few oils that I feel will come in handy when traveling. However, I am open to taking another oil or 2 if anyone recommends more! I will be in Costa Rica, near the jungle, with lots of sun. Because of those factors, I have chosen the below oils.
Lavender – The “Swiss Army Knife of oils”
Anxiety, Sun burn, calming, helps with sleep, insect bites/bee stings, bruising, stress, poison ivy, Typhoid Fever, fights infection, relaxes muscles, headaches
Peppermint
Sunburn, alertness, ANY type of stomach issue, headaches, sinuses, congestion, bruises, bug bites… also great to apply as a “finisher” after applying other oils, as peppermint drives deep into the skin
Digestzen
Solely bringing this for food poisoning & digestive issues! Oregano is also good.
Onguard
Supports immune system & protects from bacterial infections, colds, overall sickness
Melaluca
Cuts, Scrapes, Infections, Sun burn… any type of skin issue
Deep Blue
Any type of muscle pain or ache, restless legs, bruises, headaches, burns (mainly using for inflammation/sore knee)
Other oils to consider taking when traveling for specific symptoms:
Anxiety (flying, traveling)
Onset of any sickness/immune system
Stomach issues – pepperment, digestzen
Frankincense – overall healing, coughing, bug bites, stress, immune system, arthritis
Other items to consider when traveling:
Earl grey tea – for sunburns!!!
baby wipes – for all those times you can’t get a shower in or have immediate access to clean water
Sunscreen
Bug spray
coconut oil – great for hair, moisturizing, mixing with your oils, etc.
This is just a basic list – I could probably expand, but I will only be gone for a week. I will update after my trip as well as when I go on my longer trips. Does anyone else have recommendations on essentials to bring while traveling? Any other travel tips?
