Travel Resources
exploring the world. one step at a time.
Planning a Trip? Let Our Travel Resources Help.
Planning a trip isn’t easy, it takes a lot of research and time. And not every day on the Camino, the hike or the holiday works out as you expect and equally, sometimes an unplanned day becomes an unexpected joy.
When we travel I do loads of research; indeed I really enjoy that aspect of our travel. However, this is not for everyone so if you are looking for your own adventure let us help you. Here I’ve listed some of the tools that we use when planning our trips.
Travel Aids
Travel Neck Pillow
I struggle to sleep on long haul flights but on our last trip to Singapore I used this neck pillow. I love it so much I even take it on long car journeys; and Gerry loves it so much he bought one too. It looks bulky but trust me, it’s soooo comfortable!
Universal Adaptor
I love this universal power adapter. It covers over 150 countries and is suitable for use with low-wattage or dual voltage devices. It comes with 4 USB outlets and is ideal for travelling.
Before purchase do ensure it will meet your power needs!
My Favourite Hiking Trousers
I’ve worn Craghoppers Kiwi Pro Stretch since my first Camino. They are easy to wear, they come in different leg length, I love the stretch with them and they wash well.
Tours
VIATOR : this is another great website for discovering local sights. Just because we travel independently, it doesn’t mean we don’t book tours to make the most of our visit. Indeed, arriving at a new location and booking a tour is way more cost effective than booking a package holiday. Take a look at their website and discover the huge array of fabulous excursions available.
GURUWALK : I love GuruWalk. If time allows we always try to book a Guru Walk when we arrive in a new destination. Walking tours don’t have to be strenuous, most are pretty gentle with plenty of pauses. If there is a requirement for a level of fitness they will tell you. Book yourself a tour, you’ll see the sights and learn about the city, we even pick up great restaurant and shopping tips.
Useful Transport Links
The Train Line : If you’re travelling around Europe this site if fabulous and I use it all the time to book tickets. the app is really intuitive, and saves your details to make repeat booking easy.
Camino Planning Tools
When I start planning any Camino walk there are a few websites and planning tools that I use
GRONZE : this site might be in Spanish but don’t let that deter you. It’s a huge resource that covers most Camino trails. It will show routes, stages, maps, elevations, accommodation and services. Use your browser to translate because this is a great resource.
GODESALCO : This is another great tool. I use it to assist with planning distances. First choose the route, then choose the start and end points, then you can plan the daily stages.
MUNDICAMINO : Another website in Spanish but it includes great information about some of the lesser known routes. Use your browser to translate because the information within this site can be useful.
WISE PILGRIM : I love these apps. Michael lives in Santiago and regularly updates the guides. I have his Camino apps and his guide books and I’m a happy pilgrim.
John Brierley Pilgrim Guides : John Brierley’s guides are considered the definitive guide to the Camino. I use these books in conjunction with my Wise app and I find both work very well together.
Road to Santiago : I have this book on my kindle app. No matter how many times I walk the Camino Frances I always find something new. It’s another huge resource for the history buffs amongst you.
Money
REVOLUT : If you travel then I cannot recommend a Revolut card enough. We don’t use this as our main bank account but for travel it’s fabulous. You can buy any local currency and use your Revolut card in any local ATM for local cash. You can create a virtual payment card for one-off online purchases (a brilliant safety measure). You can use your Revolut card as you would any other bank card for purchases. The app is excellent and puts you in control. Take a look at REVOLUT… it really is excellent for travel. Revolut is free and you always get Bank Rate for your money exchange but if you pay extra for the Premium Card you get pretty good international insurance cover included too.
WISE : Another great travel account; it was previously known as Transferwise. You can also use this as a local card for cash and payment and transactions. There are sometimes small charges and they also offer accounts for business.
Home Swaps and Sits
We use house sitters. We have a cat and we like for her to stay at home and we need to know that she’s being looked after. Also we like to know that someone is in our house when we’re away. We have used many different sites with varied success but the one we love and recommend is Trusted House Sitters.
We have been swapping homes for over twenty years. When the children were small we swapped with families and these days we tend to swap with retired couples. We use two websites HOMELINK and PEOPLE LIKE US.
