Known for traveling in style without breaking the bank, Lindsay Myers has visited over 40 countries which includes Bali, Venezuela, Dubai, Jamaica, Italy, and Tokyo, to name a few.
Lindsay focuses on having a local experience to capture the richness of the place and culture. Lindsay shares some of her tips for making any trip feel luxurious and her insight on how travel can open doors in your own life.
When traveling to any specific place, what are you looking to gain in the experience?
Lindsay Myers: When I am traveling, I’m aiming to have that full-local experience. I want to know what a local would do on their day off. I want to experience where they are going and eat at places that are authentic to the location. Culturally, we get so much more out of a place when we aren’t just doing the touristy things.
How has travel changed the trajectory of your own life?
Lindsay Myers: Well, the question for me is more about how hasn’t travel changed my life. Travel shifted my life in my early 20’s. It was like I woke up to a new world on my very first trip abroad to Florence, Italy. It was a moment I will never forget. After that, every step I made in life was around getting to explore the world. The travel bug got me, and there was no turning back. I was ready to take on the world, one passport stamp at a time.
Has travel changed you personally?
Lindsay Myers: Of course, none of us know who we are when we are young. I wasn’t lost, but I didn’t exactly know who I was either. Traveling is and was the greatest education of my life. To experience other cultures and people made more of an impact on me than my days in the classroom. It is a different kind of education, but for me, it was the greatest gift.
I grew up exploring. After each adventure, I was a stronger, smarter, more grounded person. I was taking in the culture, the people, and the life that traveling was giving me. It was making me a better me.
What is one travel experience that you felt was a disaster? What lessons did you learn from it that is now part of your routine?
Lindsay Myers: Wow, where to start. I have more than one, but that is the point of life. We aren’t perfect. We are going to make mistakes. It’s what we learn and what we take away from it that matters.
I was 25 years old in Thailand. My friend and I were having too much fun and didn’t take note of our Visa exit date. When we got to immigration to leave, they quickly pulled us into an office with no windows and scolded us. There is no fear like being pulled off to a room in an airport. They kept us for a few hours to make sure we know the severity of our actions. And, boy did we feel it.
We were very intimidated and learned that lesson. We were eventually let go, but that is something you can’t mess around with. Visa’s and exit dates are printed on your passports. Make sure you are aware when you are traveling abroad.
What are your Top 3 tips for those looking to travel on a budget?
ONE: Stop trying to copy others’ vacation experiences. With social media, we can keep tabs on everyone’s adventures. But let it be theirs, and find your own. Chances are if the trip is all over social media, then it is going to be expensive. Touristy means pricey.
TWO: Use many search tools to find the best deals. When I look for flights, I cross-reference many before I make a decision. I like websites like Google Flights and Skyscanner because they allow me to search all of the world at the same time. You can check which months have the cheapest locations and days. And, this way, you can even find places that were not your original idea.
THREE: Think outside the box when you are creating your experiences. Instead of booking the all-inclusive or the cruise, have a more authentic approach. You can still book very cool experiences at each location but on your own.
I love Airbnb Experiences. I booked an experience in Galway, Ireland, where we went out and learned how to pick, shuck, and eat oysters. A local oyster farmer guided us. It was such an amazing day, and it was very affordable.
What is one trip that was memorable for you? How has it changed your perspective on life?
Lindsay Myers: All of my trips have a huge takeaway. But I will never forget one of my first trips. We landed in Fiji, and I was just blown away. It was not what I was expecting, but it was so beautiful. When you think of Fiji, you think of honeymoons, endless perfect beaches, and a paradise from the movies.
We were not expecting anything fancy because we were staying in local villages with the locals. We were sleeping on the ground with rice bags as our pillows and using the restroom in outhouses.
This is not what people think of, but it was so much more for me. That was the second I decided that I wouldn’t put expectations on places or preconceived ideas of what they are. The adventure is exploring it for yourself. That trip changed me. After that experience, I indeed saw how different we all can live.
What are some of your travel must-haves?
- Vitamins (You have to stay healthy on the road)
- Travel Espresso Maker (Gotta get my coffee!)
- Turkish Towel (This is sometimes my pillow, my blanket, and towel)
- Bluetooth Speaker (I always have music or a podcast playing at all times)
- Camera/Phone (To capture every moment)
Travel Destinations
Lindsay Myers: Some of the places I have traveled to Ireland, Scotland; Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Bali, Dubai, Tokyo, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Costa Rica, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.
Stay Social with Lindsay Myers
Instagram @getlostwithlindsay
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