International Travel On a Budget

Something I almost, almost mentioned in my this post was that I was nervous to share about our trip to Kenya. I worried people would wonder how the heck we're taking a trip across the world on a budget. 

The truth is, we robbed a bank. 

Kidding. :) (Let the record show we did not rob a bank, just in case any police officers are reading, yep!). 

The real truth is, sometimes I read blogs and am convinced these people must have trusts funds. The trips, the clothes, the home decor. How are they doing it? I wonder.

So! If you're like me and were wondering if we have a trust fund, let me tell you: we don't. We aren't fundraising, either. And we aren't getting a discount to blog about it, although that would be awesome. (But, Emirates, if you're reading: yes, we'd be honored to fly first class with you to somewhere exotic. And yes, we'd love to meet Jennifer Anniston, too.)

Bearing that in mind, here are a few things that made international travel possible on our budget. I hope these tips will help you, too:

1. There is a huge difference between a mission trip and a volunteer trip.

The first time I went to Africa, I raised almost $5k, which covered every aspect of the trip. It was totally worth it. But! What I learned is that there is a big difference going on a solo volunteer trip vs. a mission trip with a group.

Mission trips are more expensive because you are going with an organization and part of your cost is to pay for supplies for projects. And then, while you're there, you don't have to worry about anything. 

Volunteer trips, on the other hand, can be significantly more affordable. Before we committed to going with DIG, we were looking in to a lot of options, including WWOOFING, HelpX and WorkAway. Between these three sites, there are thousands of opportunities to volunteer abroad. Oftentimes lodging and food are free in exchange for your work! We were minutes away from booking a trip to Tanzania to volunteer for $5/day in an orphanage. But, you have to be willing to do the work if you're not going with an organized group. Which brings me to...

2. Be willing to put in the legwork. 

While I love taking trips, I am not a big fan of planning trips. I get overwhelmed by the details. But, when it comes to international travel, if you're willing to plan ahead, you can save a lot of money. We started saving for this trip last spring, long before we knew where we'd be going.

While "impromptu jet setting" sounds a lot sexier than planning for months and months, the time allowed us to compare prices, finding affordable options and figure out where we wanted to splurge vs. save.  It also allowed us to ask for things like a Coolibar UPF Shirt and BeautyCounter sunscreen for Christmas. Which means, fewer things to buy! 

3. Plan ahead for flights.

By last March, we had saved $2,200 for flights. And then, we started stalking them.  If you want to fly a specific airline, you can set up price alerts for many of them or use HitList, a fare app. However, I highly recommend using  the Google Flights "Track Prices" option. While we wanted to fly Delta (#ATLproud!), we found two Turkish Airlines for $750 each, which was half of what Delta's were. We'd assumed flights would be at least $1,000 and couldn't believe our eyes when we purchased them. If we hadn't planned ahead, we wouldn't have been able to save that much money.

4. Bring your own breakfast or lunch.

I'm pretty sure half of our packs will be filled with Rise Bars, Justin's Peanut Butter Squeeze Packs and Mamma Chia Bars. It won't be the most exciting breakfast, but will save us a good chunk of change and will be a good emergency option if there is a meal we can't eat. 

5. Pick one indulgence

Since most of our trip will be spent working, we knew we wanted to treat ourselves to a safari at the end. I sound like a broken record, but, yet again, we planned ahead for this. We set aside specific money for it and decided to make it our Christmas gifts to one another. 

Also, the safari company we're using has a volunteer rate, which is incredible and saved us a lot of money. It's always worth asking because many safaris are willing to work with volunteers. 

What are your hacks for traveling abroad? I'd love to hear how you save! 

Our Honeymoon: Paros & Antiparos

Accommodations:
St. Andrea

Activities:
Rent ATVs and tour the island
Snorkel on Santa Maria
Explore Naoussa
Visit Antiparos

Restaurants
Open Garden
Taverna Glafkos
Beach House

When we left Santorini, Chris and I both found ourselves wishing we had more time there. As we boarded the ship to Paros, we felt sad to watch the island and all its magic disappear into the abyss. 

However, this feeling didn't last long. We quickly learned that Santorini is amazing, but Paros is OUR JAM. It's more rural, less populated and, at its core, still primarily a fishing island. Santorini is touristy and caters to the vacationer. Paros is slow, simpler and stole our hearts within minutes as we ventured in to the wide, open farmland. 

Where We Stayed

We stayed at St. Andrea, which we highly, highly recommend.

Oh, St. Andrea! We dream of this place. This is not a resort for those who love ornate details. It's all about clean, white lines and simple, elegant details. It's what my dreams are made of! The pool, the food, the coffee, ah! It was perfection. The service was incredible, too. 

We loved where it sat on the island. We walked into Naoussa for coffee and breakfast in the morning if we didn't want to eat at the resort, which was the perfect distance. It was an easy cab ride at night, as well.

The vibe of the island is so very relaxed - the cab drivers encouraged us not to pay and to "just give them money later." Chris and I laughed at the thought of trying this in Chicago or Atlanta: hey! could we pay you some other day? Chris was so caught off guard by their relaxed demeanor that he bought the driver ice cream the first night. Needless to say, she was a little confused :) 

What We Did

After doing so many activities in Santorini, we intended to lounge by the pool in Paros. But then! We discovered it has just as much to do (if not more). We spent about 20 minutes by the pool the first morning and then I looked at Chris and said: wanna go explore? And he said yep! And threw his book down. 

Rent ATVs and tour the island

The first day, we rented ATVs to explore the island. We had the good fortune to end up with one that only went 24 mph. This was good because I was mostly completely terrified of it. It was the perfect way to see the wide open, rural island, which is too large to try to cover on foot.

Spend a day on Santa Maria

We loved Perivolas & Kamari, but they had nothing on Santa Maria. The soft sand, bright, teal water and mountain views were unlike anything we'd ever seen.  We rented two chairs for the day, which was $10 :) We also rented snorkel gear so we could explore under water. It was bath-water clear!

We had drinks and snacks by the ocean and dreamed of buying a house on Paros. Someday, someday :) 

Explore Naoussa

Naoussa is a tiny fishing village lined with whitewashed houses and bright flowers. The white, stone streets wind around and around, creating a maze of restaurants and shops. We loved every bit of it. It is worth saving some time to explore. 

Go to Antiparos

Antiparos is an island off of Paros that sits less than a mile away. It could, easily, be a post of its own. It was my favorite day of the trip! It's a $5 ferry ride from Paros to Antiparos and takes only a few minutes. You can bring a car or ATV on the boat, or rent one upon arriving to Antiparos. 

It's a superrrsmall island that, our waitress told us, until a few years ago, was basically still like Robinson Crusoe. Much of the island still does not have electricity. 

We ate at the Beach House, which is also an inn. We absolutely would stay here again if we could. It was so beautiful.

We swam in a cove, rented SUPs and laid by the water. We drove an ATV all over the island and wrote down the phone numbers for the houses for sale - just in case, you know!? We went to Captain Pipinos, where they hang fish from the ocean along the docks, preparing them to be cooked. 

Where We Ate

Open Garden

Because Naoussa winds around like a maze, we initially didn't realize we could eat dinner next to the sea. We ate at Open Garden the first night, which is in the heart of the city - enclosed between other restaurants. We sat outside on the little deck, drinking white wine and eating lemon honey chicken. 

Taverna Glafkos

The second night, we turned a corner and stumbled upon a whole row of restaurants that overlooked the water. We tried out Taverna Glafkos and then we loved it so much we went back the next night! We ate grilled cheese, which is not to be confused with a grilled cheese sandwich. They took a block of white cheese, cooked it straight on the grill and served it with figs and honey. I still dream of it, y'all. 

The Beach House

The best thing I ate the entire trip was the tuna burger at the Beach House. It came straight from the ocean and I still think about how amazingly fresh it was. I've tried to recreate it since returning, but it can't be done. They served it with ginger and fresh veggies. Pure magic!

After Paros & Antiparos, we took a boat over to Athens, where we spent a whirlwind 24 hours before flying back to Atlanta. 

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If you like this post, you might like this one, too: Our Honeymoon in Santorini

Our Honeymoon: Santorini

Accommodations:
Mill Houses (Firostefani)

Activities:
Hike to Oia
Swim in Amoudi Bay
Sunset in Oia
Kamari & Pervilos Beaches
Wine tasting
Sunset Cruise
Watch a sunrise

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Six weeks before our wedding, Chris and I cancelled our honeymoon to Tulum, Mexico, because of Zika. We don't have plans for a baby in the immediate future, but knew we'd regret it if one of us got sick and we had to delay starting a family down the road. 

On a sunny, March day, we sat on the couch with my brother, Duke, and brother-in-law, Ryan, and began researching, four laptops & coffees in tow. Well, where do you want to go, Whit? Chris asked me as he scrolled through Lonely Planet.  

Without taking a breath, I asked him: Do you want to go to Greece? We'd tossed it around before booking the trip Tulum, but had both agreed we wanted a shorter flight post wedding, knowing we'd be exhausted. But, wanting warm weather + no Zika meant we either had to stay in the US or go far, far away. 

Within the hour, we'd booked two roundtrip tickets to Athens. I kept saying, oh my gosh, we're actually going to Greece! The quick shift in plans leaving me in a state of shock. 

We flew into Athens (which Delta now flies direct from Atlanta, badaboom!) and immediately boarded a puddle jumper to Santorini. 

Our stay at The Mill Houses included airport transfers, which most island hotels do. As we drove from the airport, it felt like we just kept going up and up and up into the blue. We went higher and higher, leaving the ocean behind us as we climbed into the sky. 

Our driver parked and led us across a busy, cobblestone road. We climbed what felt like hundreds of stairs, winding around corner after corner and then, suddenly, everything opened up to the brightest, white buildings that lined the brilliant blue horizon, every vista overlooking the ocean.

I remember feeling almost overwhelmed with so much blue and white everywhere. The beauty was so abundant; my brain couldn't process it. 

Before we left, I worried all of the pictures of Santorini would get our hopes up too high - edited to be brighter and bluer than they really could be. It was just the opposite. I was reminded that man-made photos can only capture God-made beauty so well. Some things are only meant to be experienced in real time - to be breathed in deeply and to allow our eyes to rest easily upon them. Santorini is one of those places. 

We spent five nights in Santorini and five in Paros. When we left Santorini, we both felt like we could have stayed another week and still barely have scratched the surface of all the island has to do. The entire place feels like magic. Everything is beautiful and clean, the locals are crazy accommodating and the lifestyle is just as relaxing. Not to mention the food! And coffee! Most days, we found ourselves drinking a carafe of hot coffee in the morning by the pool, then capping off the afternoon with an iced frappe (instant coffee + milk).  It was pure bliss. 

Below are a few things we did + notes about our lodging.

Where We Stayed: Mill Houses, Firostefani 

We stayed at Mill Houses, in Firostefani, which we could not recommend more.

{view from the hotel}

Firostefani sits between Fira and Imerovigli. Many people recommended stayed on the tip of the island, in Oia. While we LOVED Oia, we actually preferred staying in Firostefani. It's quieter and less crowded. I am easily overwhelmed by a lot of stimulation, so I loved being able to experience Oia, but have a little bit more breathing room with our accommodations. 

At Mill Houses, each room is its own little cave house, with a mini kitchen, table, balcony and loft (if you wanted four to sleep instead of two). The service was incredible and, each morning, they set up breakfast for you wherever you ask. Some mornings we ate on our patio by the pool, other mornings we sat on the edge of the hotel, overlooking the bright blue ocean. It is dreamy.   

What we did:

Hike to Oia.

Many, many people told us to hike from Fira to Oia. Almost everyone we met suggested it. What I learned is: 10,000 customers can't be wrong. It was easily the most beautiful hike I've ever done.

It is hard to believe this is not hyperbole, but, with each turn, we were even more amazed by the views. We expected, at some point, to think: oh, that's nice. It never happened. Every single time our heads exploded at the bright blue, the sleek, white buildings. 

The entire trek is ~6.2 miles and you don't need a map. Just keep winding along the Caldera and follow the trail of people. (Get details on it here: Hike to Oia)

Swim in Amoudi Bay.

Once you get to the tip of Oia, you can descend to the bottom of the cliff, where you'll pass tons of donkeys carrying tourists back up to the top (kind of sad to see).

You will pass through little fishing restaurants, which, if we hadn't just eaten before doing so, we would have absolutely stopped. They are quaint and happy, with row boats tied to their docks and big fish hanging over the sea, ready to be cooked. 

Once you get to Amoudi Bay, you can swim in the Aegean Sea. Since it was only May, the water was crazy cold. It was easily the saltiest water I've ever swum in; we reveled at the way we floated easily. If you swim away from the shore out toward the little island, Agios Nikolaos, you'll find an old, white chapel. It is breathtaking and worth every bit of the cold swim. 

Watch a sunset in Oia.

On behalf of the rest of Santorini, I'd like to set one thing straight: a sunset anywhere on the island is absolutely stunning. You can't go wrong with the cliff views as the sun drops behind the ocean anywhere you go. But! A sunset in Oia is an event. It felt like everyone on the island migrated to the tip of Santorini to see it. People climbed on roofs (of other people's homes, hotels, restaurants), sat on high, high ledges and crammed shoulder-to-shoulder the streets to watch.

Chris and I took a bottle of wine and sat on a ledge as we oo-ed and ah-ed. If you're going to attend, be sure to arrive about an hour early to get a spot. 

Kamari and Perivolos Beaches.

If you've grown up going to the Pandhandle in the US, you're  accustomed to soft, white beaches. Imagine the exact opposite in Kamari and Perivolos. The sand is black, made of big, hard rocks. The beach is lined with tavernas and shops.

We drank coffee by the ocean, while talking about all of the people in our lives we wanted to force to go to Greece because they'd love it so much. We bought a beach blanket, climbed on the big rocks and walked along the shore. You could easily stay at one of the beaches all day - enjoying drinks and nightlife. We did both beaches in one afternoon and found ourselves yearning for a little more time to explore each one. 

Wine Tasting

There are a bajillion wines tours in Santorini. We weren't quite sure about doing one - I'm not a huge wine connoisseur (it makes me so sleepy!) and we thought it had potential to be a little cheesy. First of all, the cheese was the best part (was that joke cheesy?). Second of all, we were wrong. The apps, the wine, the  views, the sunset! Totally worth it. Santorini produces its own white wine that is super light and wonderful (and, somehow, didn't make me tired). Chris is an exclusive red-wine guy and he even loved it. 

Sunset Cruise

Again, we weren't sure if this would be romantic or touristy. We loved that we got to see Santorini from a different vantage point and cover a lot of ground quickly - they showed us the red and white beaches and we got to swim in a hot spring, which was amazing.

I would say, if it's in the budget, we both would suggest a private cruise. It was lovely, but we both thought it would have been a good splurge item. 

Watch a Sunrise

The sunset gets all the hype in Santorini. But the sunrise is worth a look.

Chris and I have a tradition that, on our last day of vacation somewhere, we get up to watch the sunrise. It's sort of painful when the alarm goes off but is always, always worth it. Santorini is asleep until at least 8 a.m. When we got up at 5:30 to watch the sunrise, it felt like we had the entire island to ourselves. The white streets were empty as we listened to roosters crow all across the island. We both felt like we'd snuck something by the other vacationers - how are we the only ones out here? We kept asking. 

What we wish we'd known:

You don't have to plan ahead on activities: There are wine tours, sunset cruises and donkeys a-plenty. Being the planner he is, Chris booked everything ahead of time. We learned that this is not the Santorini way. We could have shown up without a plan for any of it and they would have quickly accommodated.

There is no hummus: Am I the only one that didn't know this? Hummus is Mediterranean, not Greek. I learned it the hard way when I ordered it and was promptly told otherwise. So, if you want hummus, go to Turkey. And then eat your hummus with some turkey :) and crackers!

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If you like this post, you might like this one, too: Our honeymoon in Paros & Antirparos, Greece

Muffy's Sweet 60th

I thrive off of routine - off sameness and checklists and a consistent rhythm. It keeps me calm and gives me a perceived (though often false) sense of control. But sometimes? All I need is to break free from my routine. To stop checking things off and to just be. To let go of control and to give up the grind. 

And that's exactly what last week looked like for my family.

My dad planned a 60th birthday trip for my mom, so all of my siblings + their babies headed down to Rosemary Beach to celebrate her.

I was fortunate enough that the trip fell between my old and new jobs, so I was able to completely unplug and focus on this beautiful family of mine.

Our days consisted of coffee by the pool in the morning, followed by family runs, poolside workouts, Nuke 'Em, ocean swims, bocce ball and, of course, afternoon iced coffee. We talked, we read, we laughed, we ate a lot.

  

Our nights consisted of dinners grilled by my dad, relaxation and early, early bedtimes. 

Ever since we were little, my parents talked about creating a bunk bed room for us to sleep in together, because we always wound up in one another's rooms growing up anyway. This house made our dreams come true, with two bunk rooms - one for the adults and one for the kiddos.

Every night when our 9:30 bedtime rolled around (not kidding), it was so fun to cruise up to the same room. 

We were lucky enough to celebrate both my mom's, as well as Duke and Ryan's birthdays while we were there.

We wanted to shower my mom with extra love on her 60th and, as part of it, we brought Chinese lanterns. We thought we could each make a wish for her year ahead as we let them go. 

But, even the best laid plans can go awry. And ours did just that.  

As soon as the first set of lanterns took flight, they bee-lined for the trees surrounding the pool. One lantern made it into the abyss, while the others got caught in the height of the branches. Instead of saying wishes for her year, we were hosing the trees down while praying we didn't light the entire community ablaze. 

Duke and I hosed the trees down, while Ryan climbed up in one and shook a lantern out.

I wish we could have sent off well wishes for my mom, but the memory of us all scrambling and getting ready to stop, drop and roll is a way better memory.

The entire week reminded me how good it feels to slow down and that the checklists aren't what give us worth. It reminded me that our relationships and the way we love and connect with one another are the most important thing. And it reminded me that the vacation life sure is the good life. :)

I hope you had a wonderful week!