A Travelers Guide to Their Home Away From Home

Where do I stay? Is a huge question asked when planning a trip.  Truth is, there are many answers to this question. It all depends on where you stay, how much you want to spend, and what you are expecting from your home away from home. Choosing where to stay all depends on what you want and what your plans are for your trip. 

For this blog post there are two main places to stay that I will be giving my tips and opinion on. Airbnb and hotels. I'm pretty sure we all know what hotels are, they are usually big buildings with many rooms that you can book for however many days you'd like. Many other people stay in hotels in separate rooms. Sometimes hotels offer breakfast. Hotels also offer customer service right outside your door. On the other hand there is a website called Airbnb. Airbnb is a website that allows home owners to rent their home or a room in their home for a price. Airbnb definitely feels more like home and it can be less expensive.  It's all up to you. 

LEAST EXPENSIVE The least expensive would be to first see if you have any acquaintances in the area you are traveling to, that way you may be able to stay somewhere at no charge. If that may not be the case you will have to rely on finding an affordable yet reliable place to stay. This will mean it may not be the most luxurious. If you plan staying out all day and it's only you and maybe one other person traveling, it could be smart to use airbnb to rent out a room for when you are away. Being that the owner is still going to be in the house, make sure to read reviews to make sure it's a reliable fit. Another option is to get a group of people to travel. You can all rent a house and split the cost which will bring the price down for each person significantly! The more people the cheaper.

Affordable! The other options depend solely on what you'd specifically like. I assume you aren't reading this blog post because you're willing to spend on a luxurious 5 star resort. 

My tips are to understand what you want. Then from there you can find your perfect home away from home.

A Travelers Guide to Flights

Flights may just be one of my favorite parts of a trip. The anticipation of getting to your dream destination. New experiences are to come. Looking out the window of a plane and seeing the clouds thinking about the new adventure you are about to embark on. This is the first step outside of your comfort zone!

Of course this is not the case for many people. Flights themselves are looked upon as nerve wrecking when they really shouldn't be! I remember one of my first trips where my family and I took a flight to Dominican Republic. I was so afraid of the 1 in a million possibilities, that it took over my thoughts the whole plane ride! It's very different to be in a position where you are in the middle of the sky above the clouds, you definitely aren't experiencing that all the time as you are, for example, being in a car where you are aware and are familiar with your surroundings but understanding cars are more of a risk than planes is important is key to getting through that, for 13 year old me at least! I plan to make a blog post about this topic in the future where I explain why we feel that nervousness during flights and how to overcome it so keep an eye out for that!

Now to what's most terrifying about flights, SPENDING MONEY! 
Airfares represent one of the biggest aspects of a trip’s cost. It is very important to know what steps to take as well as tips in order to find yourself the most affordable yet reliable flight. Most of the time it is inevitable for a flight to be a big expense especially if you are going out of the country. Budgeting is key when planning a trip away! 

WHEN? Choosing when to book a flight is a question only you can answer. You can either have a tight schedule or a flexible schedule. The more flexible your schedule is the easier it is to find the most affordable flight, unless you're lucky. Airlines will always bring up the prices during holidays and breaks but that still doesn't mean you can't find a good deal! Another factor are weekends. Ultimately it's ideal to fly during weekday and on a off season.

WHERE? Where to look is a huge question and truth is, look everywhere! There are countless of websites to find flights. My favorite is Momondo. Momondo compares their prices to other websites and tells you which days will be cheaper than others. Be open to connect flights and mix and matching airlines in order to fly affordably. Tip: Always make sure the website you are using is reliable and you read reviews. You DO NOT want to put any of your personal information or give money to a company that is not legit!

TIPS! Many people are unaware of the countless discounts airlines or websites offers! There are such things as student discounts, senior discounts, and even infant discounts. You can also use points and miles with airline rewards programs.

Play around with flight websites! That is the key to finding the perfect flights. Educate yourself on the best airlines for your personal self. You may be okay with an airline that is known to not have the most comfortable seats. Prices can also be lower if you're in the middle seat which is known not to be the most comfortable. It really is YOUR personal preference.

Welcome!

Introduction Hi everyone! My name is Soleil Pina, I am a student in College working towards a bachelors degree in Business. I would describe myself as an ambitious person with a positive outlook on life. I love to travel, make new connections, and explore different cultures. I created this blog to share my advice and experience with all things travel! I have visited many states as well as many countries such as New York, California, Florida, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and many more. Throughout my travels I've had to learn the hard way by not being educated on my travel planning decisions. I've spent too much money and too little money while planning a trip. This blog will help you learn from my mistakes in order to get the most out of your vacation! 

ExpectationsThere are two main factors when planning a trip. Where to stay and how to get there. In this blog post we will be focusing on flights as those are one of the most pricey yet a lot of the time can be the only way to get to your travel destination. It's very important to view your trip as a home away from home therefore is it key to put lots of effort beforehand. You wouldn't buy the first home you see! Well same goes for flights and where you stay. 

As said previously, expect to put a good amount of effort towards your web searching skills in order to plan the most affordable yet fulfilling vacation of your dreams. But with these tips and tricks I will show you how to make it fun and less complicated as you'd imagine it be!

I hope am hoping to influence as many people as I can to travel, explore the world, and experience new cultures! 

This is a photo taken of me in Marina Del Rey, California

This is a photo taken of me in Laguna Beach, California

This is a photo taken of me at the El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico