The Journal
Adventures, Guides & Stories
Real guides from real trips — destination breakdowns, packing lists and honest stories from Barbados to Patagonia.
Latest
trip-planning
Do You Need Travel Insurance? What I Actually Use
After hiking to Torres del Paine, driving Iceland's Ring Road, and travelling remote parts of South America and Scotland with a toddler, here's my honest take on travel insurance and what I actually use.
gear-guides
Ergobaby Omni 360 Review: The Carrier That's Been on Three Continents
From a 9-month-old's first flight to hiking to the base of the Torres del Paine towers at 3.5 years old — here's an honest review of the Ergobaby Omni 360 after three and a half years of real use.
gear-guides
MSR Hubba Hubba 2 Tent Review: The Best Tent Purchase I've Made
A proper rectangular footprint, storage at both ends, and light enough to carry and pitch solo — here's an honest review of the MSR Hubba Hubba 2 after real use across multiple continents.
toddler-travel
Best Destinations for Toddler Travel
From calm Caribbean beaches to a three-week Patagonia expedition, here's an honest ranking of the best destinations for adventurous toddler travel — and what makes each one work.
barbados
Best Time to Visit Barbados: A Month-by-Month Guide
Barbados is warm year-round, but the month you choose changes the crowds, the prices and even the vibe of your trip. A local's honest month-by-month breakdown of when to visit.
trip-planning
Edinburgh Travel Guide: What to Do in Scotland's Capital
Edinburgh is the perfect bookend to a Scotland road trip — a compact, walkable city with a castle on a volcanic rock, closes that hide centuries of history, and some of the best pub food in the UK.
hiking-camping
El Chaltén: Argentina's Hiking Capital
El Chaltén exists purely because of the hiking — trails leading straight out from the main street to Fitz Roy views that genuinely stop you mid-sentence. Here's why it deserves more than a passing stop.
trip-planning
Patagonia Budget Breakdown: What Three Weeks Actually Cost
Patagonia has a reputation for being expensive, but three weeks across Chile and Argentina with a toddler cost us far less than people assume. Here's the full, honest breakdown.
barbados
Barbados 7-Day Itinerary: The Perfect Week
A full week in Barbados done properly — beaches, the self-drive island tour, rum culture, local food and enough downtime to actually relax. Day by day, from someone who lives here.
barbados
The Best Beaches in Barbados
Every beach in Barbados is free and public by law — but they are not all the same. Here is the honest breakdown of the best ones, from calm west coast swimming to wild east coast drama.
road-trips
Driving in New Zealand: Everything You Need to Know
Left-hand drive, one-lane bridges, deceptively long distances between towns — here is everything you need to know before you get behind the wheel in New Zealand.
road-trips
New Zealand Freedom Camping Guide
Freedom camping is one of the best ways to see New Zealand — and one of the most misunderstood by first-time visitors. Here is what it actually means, where it is legal, and how to do it properly.