Shereen Rayle's Blog

Can you believe Spring Break is right around the corner? This year is going by very fast, but also at a snail's pace. It's weird how that happens. Before you know it, the kids will be out of school and either driving you crazy, because "I'm booooorrreed" or you'll be on a trip and everyone is excited. 

Spring Break has always called for a road trip in my family. It may be because we didn't have that much money, so we opted for the least expensive option, where we could pack a cooler and a bag and...

Packing is probably a lot of people's least exciting part of travel. I know plenty of people who straight-up say they hate packing, which is funny, because I love packing and hate unpacking. You can't just not pack for a trip, unless you have someone who will do it for you. Believe me, if I could figure out how to make a living from packing strangers' suitcases, I would totally do it. For now, I have to settle for telling people how to do it instead.

There are a lot of ways to become adept at pac...

I hear from a lot of people that they always check a bag and they're always shocked when they find out I rarely check a bag. If I do, it's only on my way home from a trip and nothing I've purchased there gets checked. Why? Because if my clothes go missing, that's one thing, but if things I just bought go missing, I'm going to be really upset.

When I ask why people don't just do carry-on, I get a lot of responses, but here are some of the most popular reasons they decide that they'd rather check a...

When I first started blogging, I used to do a Live and Learn segment, where I would tell you about things I learned on vacation, so you wouldn't make the same mistake, or at least try not to. I started just incorporating my lessons learned into my regular writing, but realized it might be fun to bring it back, not only because it helps me remember what went wrong and how we dealt with it, but also makes it clear that we are always learning from travel, even if we don't think we are.

What's someth...

Thailand has a reputation for being affordable. That doesn’t mean that a trip to Thailand is going to be inexpensive, but you can make it more budget-friendly while still having a fantastic time. With a little strategy, you can stretch your budget while still enjoying comfort, culture, and a few well-earned luxuries along the way. Whether you’re planning a two-week escape or a longer stay, living your best life in Thailand is all about balance.

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Master the Accommodation Combo...

Travel can get us out of our comfort zone, teach us about ourselves, and allow us to learn new cultures. I want to broaden my horizons and meet new people and that's why I make plans with strangers and make friends while on vacation.

Okay, so they aren't entirely strangers, but they are people I've never met before. When I plan trips, I want to go where locals go. I want them recommendations for their favorite places. I use Facebook groups and pages I'm a part of to reach out to people in destina...

Your travel budget encompasses a lot of things, but adding a new travel wardrobe for each trip shouldn't be one of them. Do I purchase new things when I go on a trip? Of course I do, but most of the time it's a new pair of walking shoes, because my old ones have worn out. When I do buy new clothes, I rewear them over multiple trips, and sometimes they are still in rotation years later. 

Now, you may have seen me post about your "travel nightmare" on Instagram, which features a top I have brought ...

I'm a person who firmly believes that Valentine's Day can be any day and you shouldn't have to pay twice as much for dinner, flowers, candy, or a hotel room to show that you love someone. In fact, if you spend less money taking me on a trip and making memories than you would taking a weekend getaway over the holiday, I think you're smart. If you looking to add a little more romance to your next getaway, I've rounded up all of my daily Valentine travel posts I made each day on Facebook.

February 1...

I've been working hard behind the scenes to give you folks things that can help you travel better and more affordably. While I can't lower the cost of airfare or make destinations cheaper, I can give you a place to organize all your plans and give you tips on how to save and when to book and what to pack. I created an easy-to-follow travel planner for you that has everything you need to make the most of your trips. 

Use this to organize your dream trips, your current trips, and make notes on past...

Black History Month always feels like a great time to remind people that they can travel so well because of inventions from Black professionals across the globe. Almost everything we do to plan and execute our travel is due to a Black inventor or trailblazer. America tends to whitewash so much of our history, that these amazing people don't get any credit for their contributions. I'm here to remedy that for just a few of the things we use for travel and at home. 

I'm especially thankful for autom...