Hmong Woman
The Hmong people of northern Vietnam

Why You Should Always Negotiate

If you've traveled in a developing country, you've probably been in a situation where you need to negotiate a price. Actually, you've probably been in this situation hundreds of times. Whether it's a taxi ride or a souvenir, in many places in the world it is perfectly normal to negotiate for a price. Many tourists and travelers have trouble with this concept. Depending on where you are, it might only cost a few bucks at the most. But to that local shopkeeper or taxi driver, it's a lot of money. Why not just give them that little extra that they are asking for? What's the harm? They need the money, and they are supporting their families, right?

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Halong Bay
Halong Bay, Vietnam

The Packing List: What To Pack?

Going on a long term trip, for multiple months, or even a year? When we planned our first multi-month adventure, our friends and family kept asking us "how do you pack for a trip like that?" Our answer: "Well... uh... I have no idea!" Now that we've done it a few times, we know how to answer that question. And we're not the only ones. We've assembled some of the best packing list items and advice from people who have actually survived their trips.

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Desert Trek
Along the shore of the Red Sea in Sinai, Egypt

Our Ultimate Guide: How To Plan A Trip Around The World

In 2009, we spent 11 months traveling through Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. We want you to learn from our experience, so we put together a trip planning guide: How To Plan A Trip Around The World. We cover everything from budgeting to packing, route planning to insurance, safety to vaccinations, and visas to round-the-world plane tickets. Combining our first hand experience with tips and resources from other travelers, we leave no stone unturned.

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Suzy Guese: Redheaded Travel Blogger

Suzy Guese, travel writer extraordinaire, has spent the summer living in Italy. While soaking in the Italian lifestyle, she’s also been taking a number of shorter trips around Europe and writing about her experiences at suzyguese.com. She writes one of our favorite travel blogs, so check it out. Suzy claims that she has a red-headed temperament, and brings a young, fresh perspective to the European locations she’s been visiting.

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