Resources For Travellers
Are you booking for your trip, but are unsure of what companies to go with? In my years of travelling, I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with companies that didn’t quite live up to expectations. Therefore I have compiled a list of my favourite companies to book with. These companies are the ones I have found to either live up to or exceeded expectations time and time again.
Every company listed here is one that I not only fully believe in but one that I wholeheartedly recommend. It’s hard to go wrong with these as they constantly have the best deals. I wouldn’t recommend something that I don’t use personally. So if you’re looking to book a trip then try the companies I swear by.
Disclosure: Please note that many of the links below are affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. This commission goes to creating more content, website maintenance, and giving back to the places we visit and the world we live on. I only ever recommend products and companies I personally use and believe in.
Tattoo Related Resources
Finding A Tattoo Artist
Tattoodo is one of the OG apps for finding a tattoo artist. They have come a long way from where they started and boasts one of our favourite features. Upon opening the app, they have a map that shows all the shops, or artists depending on your search parameters, that they are aware of within the searched area.
Tattoodo is a great place to start your search for your next tattoo artist.
Inckd. Tattoo is one of the newer kids on the block when it comes to apps for finding a tattoo artist. Yet, it is quickly becoming one of the best. It’s constantly growing and offers searches based on a variety of aspects, including styles of art.
We have been loving the versatility that Inckd. Tattoo has and we expect great things in the future. Plus, if you like purple you’ll love their aesthetic.
Instagram is the OG app for finding tattoo artists. Almost every artist and shop worth their salt has an Instagram account that displays their work.
Instagram is also quite often the preferred method of communication for a lot of artists. Therefore, if you find an artist in a different place, contacting them on Instagram may be your best option.
However, there isn’t a very efficient way to search for artists on Instagram. Therefore, it is quite often better to search elsewhere first.
Travel Related Recources
Accomodation Resources
HostelWorld is our absolute favourite booking platform for accommodations. Not only is it very easy to use, but it also has the largest selection when it comes to hostels. Hostelworld’s pricing on hostels is normally better than any of the competitors. Yet the edge it holds over the competition is that it is the only booking site that focuses primarily on hostels.
Agoda was our go-to booking service while we were in Asia. When it comes to Asia they are the king. Boasting the largest selection of options in that region of the world, Agoda will continue to be our first stop when booking in Asia. In recent years they have expanded fairly well into the west as well making a good place to do price comparisons.
Booking.com has been a big name in accommodations for as long as we can remember. It is our first stop when we need to look at price comparisons in an area. That being said they can sometimes have some really great deals on places to stay. So at the very least, it’s worth checking out.
Airbnb has changed a lot since it, and we, started. It is no longer our first or second choice for finding accommodations. However, finding cheap accommodations in both usual and unusual areas can still be super useful. However, it tends to be the last or second last place we check these days.
Flight Resources
Skyscanner is our first stop when it comes to searching for cheap flights. It is the search engine we use more than any other when it comes to booking flights. It searches the small booking sites that no other company does to bring you the best deals. It also has a little calendar that shows which days are the cheapest.
Secret Flying is a free website and app that sends you direct information about certain types of cheap flights.
These updates are usually centered around error fares and the odd cheap flight that is time sensitive. Making the app’s push notifications super handy.
Going is the recent rebranding for Scott’s Cheap Flights. They offer both a free and subscription option. These will notify you of any really cheap flights at the airports that you choose. Some of which are absolutely unbelievable.
They also send some amazing tips in the emails that they send out. These alone are worth signing up for!
The only really unfortunate thing about Going is that it is currently only available to Americans. However, Scott, the founder, wrote a great book that can help everyone.
Hopefully, that will change sometime soon with the rebranding.
AirHelp has been a must-buy for us when taking cheap flights. You never know when your flight might be delayed by several hours or even get cancelled. For a small sum, you have guaranteed help towards your claims if one of these things happens. An added level of security beyond your travel insurance that is so worth getting and AirHelp provides that and more.
Transportation Resources
Rome2Rio is the Skyscanner of overland travel. You put in where you are going from and to, and it will give you a list of options. Those options can range from the bus to trains or flights to some combination of these.
Rome2Rio is a great tool for finding cheap transport and an amazing tool to compare prices to other sites.
Eurail is our go-to company when it comes to long term overland travel throughout the European Union. Their options for train tickets around the EU are phenomenal. They give the user the availability to pick what days they want to travel and, during those chosen days, hop on and off as many trains as they like.
Although we prefer not to spend countless hours on a bus, it is still sometimes necessary. Anytime that it is, we check first to see if Flixbus is an option.
Not only does Flixbus usually have one of the best price points, it has one of the best ratios of “bang for your buck”.
The only real downside is being stuck on a bus for hours at a time.
Travel Insurance Resources
World Nomads is the first company most people think of when they think “travel insurance” and for good reason. Their coverage is top-notch. For the longest time, World Nomads was the only travel insurance we would buy. As the world of travel expands, so has the travel insurance space. They aren’t the only kid on the block anymore.
However, depending on the coverage needed they are still one of the best options when it comes to travel insurance.
N26 is a European online bank that is just made for travellers. The best part? The thorough travel insurance included with your account. It even covers rental vehicles! We love having the N26 travel insurance.
If all else fails, we know we can rely on them.
SafetyWing is the new kid on the block. They came about pretty recently, but have some of the absolute lowest prices when it comes to travel insurance. Going as low as 10 dollars a week for everything, including Covid-19 insurance!
So far, everything we have seen from SafetyWing we absolutely love. It is something we have been using. However, we have not yet had to make a claim. Therefore, we cannot speak to that. Things may change if that process is not up to snuff.
Resources For The Gear We Use
Tropicfeel is a company made by travellers, for travellers. All of their wares are made to maximize the travel experience in various ways. Tropicfeel boasts an impressive quality with how much of their catalogue is made of recycled plastic. After all, even though their main focus is the traveller, a close second is sustainability and being in a carbon deficit.
Since getting Tropicfeel shoes, amongst other items, there is just no way we would go back.
GoPro is the one of the best camera brands around. It is build for those high action moments where you might be scared you would ruin your expensive camera.
The way their high level of durability pairs with their phenomenal video quality is just exceptional. If you can only have one camera, other than your phone, GoPro has one of the best bangs for your buck.
Whether it’s the straw or one of the water bottles, LifeStraw is an absolute must for a backpacker. Their filters make finding safe drinking water almost anywhere in the world a super easy process. Unfortunately, it won’t turn sand into water. Therefore, deserts are still going to be an issue.
Tour Resources
Get Your Guide is kinda like the Skyscanner of tours. However, you can see how various people rated each tour they went on. With hundreds, if not thousands, of tours to choose from, Get Your Guide is a great place to start.
Flarent is the best tour agency we found during our time in Split, Croatia. Not only were the prices some of the best in the area, but the tour guides were super friendly and great at what they do.
Flarent gives you everything you could want from a singular tour company. Therefore, it will be our company of choice during future Croatia trips.
Other Resources
Online Security Resources
NordVPN is the best VPN that we have ever encountered. While living in China, it was the only VPN that ended up being reliable to get past the Great Firewall of China.
Even when you’re not in a place like China or Russia, where a VPN is necessary, it’s still a great thing to have. NordVPN will keep your internet browsing safe and secure.
Nord also has one of the highest levels of security available to civilians. This is great since online security is essential!
When it comes to online security, passwords are a huge thing. Most people will have one or two passwords for everything. NordPass allows you to safely store all of your passwords hidden in one program. When new passwords are made, they will recommend a very strong option. Whether you choose it or not, it offers to save your information immediately.
Nord focuses on your safety and security online.
NordLocker is Google Drive, but significantly more secure. If you are looking for a secure place to put to store your files, then NordLocker is our choice.