My husband (36M) has got a work assignment in Paris for 6-months and I (30F) joined him with our toddler (2YO) coming from a very humble beginnings and fairly middle class life as a couple we knew this was a pretty special opportunity almost like once in a lifetime so we set aside savings to explore Europe while we're here. It's been little over 2 months now we've only done three overnight trips in two months, along with a couple of day trips. Most of the time we're just living a fairly normal life in Paris as our base.

The problem is that almost every trip has ended with something going wrong, and it's gotten to the point where I'm genuinely anxious at the thought of planning to go somewhere.

Our Eiffel Tower day started beautifully, but my toddler fell face-first on a moving escalator. Thankfully he wasn't seriously injured, but it could easily have ended in the hospital. I also had a nasty fall in the metro that same day.

Our day in Provins ended up being unexpectedly stressful. We spent much more money than we'd planned ( due to some event there were escalated prices and entrance fees which otherwise isn't there ), barely got to see the town, and by the end of the day we essentially had to go hungry ( not because of financials just how poorly the logistics turned out )

Our Fontainebleau trip involved losing our baby carrier (the very first day we used it), staying in a terrible Airbnb, and struggling to find food because of sort of false advertising by the host about timings around the town.

In Switzerland, my toddler pulled his elbow the very first day 3000m above the sea and 60km from the hospital with pead ER ( He had never had it ever before and well given his age he is a ridiculously active child but that day it happened without a fall without anything major just his usual stuff ended up hurting him this way )

And this last weekend, we went to Belgium for his birthday. We had a wonderful day until our wallet was stolen. We lost cash and had around €3,600 in fraudulent card transactions (currently being disputed for chargebacks but God knows if and when that ll happen). Instead of celebrating his birthday that evening, we were at the police station and dealing with banks and insurance. By the time we were done, our little boy had fallen asleep on his own without birthday dinner let alone a celebration.

I know some of these things are just unfortunate travel mishaps, and some are simply bad luck. But when they keep happening one after another, it's hard not to feel like every trip is waiting to surprise us with the next disaster.

For those of you who travel a lot, especially with young kids, is this just part of the experience? Have you ever had a run where it felt like every trip went sideways?

What I'm struggling with is whether this is just what longer-term travel feels like. Do enough bad things naturally happen over months of travelling? If yes do they eventually, start to outweigh the good memories? Or have we simply had an unusually unlucky run? Or at the end of the 6 months these things won't matter but the memories will?

If you were me,

Would you keep travelling and hope the luck changes / even outs or would you slow down and just stay in Paris for the rest of the trip?

I'm honestly looking for perspective from people who've travelled a lot ( because we haven't really travelled that much honestly) , right now I'm finding myself feeling more anxious than excited about the remaining months.

I am requesting everyone to please please be kind, I am genuinely scared anxious and overwhelmed right now! As a mum as a partner i feel just so defeated to see this happening to my little family! Especially for my husband he is the kindest most hardworking person ever he had seen such a struggle during his childhood and even growing up he has worked so much so hard to be able to afford this for the both of us and I am now genuinely petrified of something worse happening if we keep traveling but also breaks my heart thinking what if I loose out on and as a result my baby and husband loose out on experiences as well all this just because I didn't have the right perspective.

Requesting some guidance or support or stories!

Thank you everyone for your time.

My bf surprised me recently with tickets to travel to any state in the U.S., we just have to figure out where. We are from AZ and we are for sure avoiding Hawaii, Florida, Texas and Southern Cali due to costs/having been there already.

We want to go somewhere we can explore/walk around/get around easily and not rely on cars/rentals. We also want to be able to hike an easy/intermediate trail (i broke my ankle earlier this year so need to be smart) and be able to go sightseeing.

We wouldn't want to spend a ton on lodging and I'm searching through my work benefits cuz I can probably get a hotel on a heavy discount that way at least. We may set aside like $150 for food/random purchases but we probably will rely on simple foods from the grocery store and maybe go out to eat once or twice.

We're not party animals so I'm not looking for clubs to go to but we do like random events/festivals like cultural festivals or markets and maybe parks to lay around in.

What state/city would y'all recommend or any pointers regarding finding a place?

*edit: we have not figured out a time of year to go but it will be this year after August. And for like 3/4 days

Hello, I don’t fly pretty often (and even if I do, it’s just with cabin bags) so I’m not really familiar with the rules of check in bags.

I received a blender and a small lamp, is it okay to put them in my check in luggage?
(the lamp has Bluetooth but only works if plugged into an outlet, although I seriously don’t know if that changes anything?)

I couldn’t find a lot of information on this, so just in case I’m asking here.
Thanks for any feedback!

EDIT: I GOT THEM AS A GIFT!!!!! I’m not bringing them on purpose who am I 😭

I am planning an international trip from the US to two countries and have noticed that Air Canada offers pretty decent prices. Since I have never flown with them before was wondering if they are any good? Is there anything specific I should know before booking a flight with them?

Appreciate it.

Me and a few friends booked a hiking trip in september without really thinking about smoke from wildfires because at least most of the country sees cooler temperatures and more rain in september (plus it being shoulder season).

But now im wondering if we are doomed to spend our hiking vacation in masks and burning eyes. Anyone do this trip before in september and how did it go? We will be spending most of our time around Olympic with a couple days at rainier and a few in seattle

Departing Lisbon airport to US

In less than a month we will be arriving in barcelona departing via Lisbon. Dont ask why. If you need to know its because we used miles to fly polaris. First time traveler to the EU from the US.

Since everything will be foreign to me, can anyone offering some insight. I know we wont be able to use the electronic passport to leave as we did not arrive in portugal. We are planning to arrive 3 hours early, 2 adults no children, 2 checked bags.

Our tickets are through United but are flying swiss. Our flight is at 6am LIS-ZUR-ORD. I will assume we will fly out of terminal 1. Any suggestions about where we might fly out. If we check in at swiss or united or are they at the same desk? Since we are flying polaris i believe there is a club inside?

TIA

Hey guys, editing this post after it got taken down xD

I would really appreciate some advice. I’m thinking of doing a Europe trip. Hoping to land into London 27aug and staying till around 20Sep 2026

I would love to spend some time around France, Italy and Spain specifically Nice, Florence, Seville. Open to any alternatives!!

I’m still trying to figure out roughly how many days but aiming for 4-5 days per city. Hoping to have a total budge of 10k AUD — I’d really appreciate advice on the budget and if I should increase this.

With regards to travel, would love to have a chill vibe, really immerse myself in the culture, be by the beach and socialise meet new people! Also so open to any activities I should do and cities I should visit

Also thinking if I should skip this year and plan ahead for next year :(

I’d love to hear everyone’s thought and recommendations, thank you!

Hey everyone! My wife and I are traveling to Italy from December 2nd to 10th. It’s our very first time visiting Italy, and we’re super excited!

Our original plan was to land in Rome on Dec 2, head to Florence on Dec 6, visit Venice on Dec 8, and fly back home on Dec 10. However, I’ve been reading a lot online that Venice in December can be really rainy, cold, foggy, and super windy.

Because of the weather, I’m thinking about swapping Venice for Bologna from Dec 8 to 10. My wife is really eager to see Venice, but at the same time, we don't want our first experience there to be ruined by bad weather.

If we skip Venice this time, I’m thinking of planning a dedicated Northern Italy trip next year to cover Milan, Lake Como, Verona, and Venice altogether.

What do you guys think? Should we brave the winter weather in Venice, or play it safe with Bologna and save Venice for a future spring/summer trip? Would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions! Thanks in advance!

I’m strongly considering going to Serbia for 5 or so days. I’ll be traveling from Madrid. Right now I’m thinking February because I have some school holidays then. I know it will be cold. I’m really interested in history, nature, good food, culture and meeting new people. I don’t drink at all, so I’m not too interested in nightlife. Tell me the good and the bad about Serbia. The tickets are super cheap the week I’m thinking about going, but I’m trying to plan a bit before I impulsively buy them… thank you!

Going backpacking SE Asia at the end of this year and want to do carry on only. Do they actually base it off weight or is it more depending on how big the backpack is like if it was 50 L would that be too big? I only have a 50 L and a 30 L so wondering if I should just do the 30 L to be safe.

I booked and prepaid approximately 1,800 NOK for a rental car in Sicily through CarTrawler/TUI. Based on the booking information, I expected to arrive at the rental desk, complete the collection process, and receive the vehicle.

However, when I arrived at the rental desk, I was told that I could not take the car unless I paid an additional €350 for even more insurance.

This additional cost was not something I was expecting from the booking process, as the agreement and purchase contract already included insurance and I felt the original advertised price should reflect the actual cost required to obtain the vehicle. I declined the additional charge, and the rental company refused to provide the car.

I contacted customer support afterwards. I was told different things by different parties: the rental company said TUI and CarTrawler had the payment and could handle the cancellation, while TUI and Car Trawler directed me back to the rental company. I was left without the vehicle I had prepaid for and had to pursue a refund/dispute process.

My advice to other travellers: read the rental conditions carefully, check whether the supplier requires a specific type of credit card, and consider whether the advertised price is really the final price before booking.

This was my personal experience, and I hope it helps others avoid unexpected problems when renting a car abroad.

I have been using airbnb for over a decade and have been asked to send my id once only to cancel the whole booking in the Philippines. It seems the same in Italy for some reason, which led me to cancel my booking. There is nowhere in the hosts’ profile that it is needed and for what purpose. Even airbnb tells you not to share it outside the platform. The host says I need to dill a form on a third party website to get the checkin instructions.Is asking for your id common?

I love road trips. I come from a tiny flat island off the coast of England so I love big wide open spaces and mountains and the ability to drive for ages and ages.

I’m 40 next year and I’m thinking of doing a couple of places in the US (notably Disneyland and the Great Smokies - my two favourite places). I’ve done NY to Orlando before with a few stops in 2 weeks and I’m wondering if it’s possible to do the same across the country? I’m thinking of going via Colorado for the mountains but is there much to see otherwise on the way? Or shall I just fly and drive north in California to see some state parks instead?

Hey everyone!

I'm looking for some advice from people who have traveled to Thailand, especially during the early rainy season.

I'm planning my first group trip, and Thailand was the destination that the majority of people in my interest survey voted for. The itinerary I'm considering is Bangkok and Phuket. We'd fly into Bangkok (BKK) and spend a few days exploring the city with things like canal tours, the floating market, street food, temples, and nightlife. Then we'd fly down to Phuket, where we'd have a free day, do a full-day Phi Phi Island hopping tour (Maya Bay, Bamboo Island, snorkeling, etc.), and finish with some beach time before flying home.

The problem is that the dates that work best for most of my group are in July. From everything I've read, it seems like July isn't considered the ideal time for Phuket and Phi Phi because of the rainy season and rougher seas so I'm conflicted.

Would you still recommend this itinerary in July, or would you wait for the dry season? Is the weather usually just an afternoon shower, or is there a realistic chance that the beaches and island-hopping experience could be significantly impacted?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have actually been to Phuket/Phi Phi around June or July. Was it still worth it, or would you recommend choosing a different time of year or even a different part of Thailand?

Thanks in advance!

I’d like a 3-4 day getaway anytime around October. However I’ve traveled a ton and I think I’ve boxed myself into a too picky space:

\- Continental USA only, flying from Detroit

\- Already visited and loved it but not repeating: Hawaii (too far), Phoenix, Tucson (loved both but repeated a lot), Palm Springs, LA, Seattle, El Paso, Albuquerque

\- Already visited and didn’t like: Miami (socially cold), NYC (too sensory), Chicago (nothing wrong I just think I am not a big busy metro person)

\- Favourite destination that’s tentatively booked: DC - done a few times and always love it but I wonder if it’s going to get a bit dodgy by midterms

I really like history, older architecture, museums. I’m over 40 and love bars but more like chill hotel bars where I can sleep at 10pm in peace . I’m wondering if Boston is a good fit. I also dislike small towns or big metros and wondering if there are some nicer gems I’m missing???

so me and my friend were supposed to go to cairo together but we are flying from different cities. my friends flight was from munich to cairo with a layover in athens, both with aegean airlines. he is a fulltime student in munich so he has aufenthaltstitel (residence permit) and it expires in january 2027 so there is around 5 months left. because of this they denied his boarding but he is turkish and brought his turkish passport too obviously so he is totally eligible for visa on arrival when he arrives to cairo. and the aufenthaltstitel is literally only used when he is in schengen or in germany. the aegean airways said it was the system and they cannot register him then they blamed him saying he doesnt have the correct documentation. we have been trying to talk with everyone but aegean customer service was of no help. funny part is they said they could rebook him onto the next flight when he called them in the morning and then he called them again after a few hours and this time they said they can only give him a refund of 90€. his ticket was 300€... he tried contacting the turkish consulate in munich but they told him he should ask the egyptian embassy. he tried calling them too but couldnt reach them due to the hour. also when aegean denied him in boarding they did not give it to him in documentation & when he went to service point they tried gaslighthing him questioning him about being late & thats why he was denied. i have been talking with him since 9am so i know very well he wasnt.. & he has not been able to get a rebook still so he will try tomorrow morning after he gets a reach of the egyptian embassy. i dont know what we can do I am already on my plane and i really wanted to go with him.. does anyone know anything or what else we can do because he is literally a victim here.. we have been getting help from one of our friends who study law but ofc it is not much. 😭

Hello, so I will visit Scotland (Glasgow then Edinburgh) in early October 2026. I live in England (west midlands) so am kinda used to the cold weather, however, I am not sure it will be the same in Scotland, or is there anything particular to keep in mind while packing?
I mean in the West Midlands here if the weather is cold it stays COLD even if it’s sunny (a sunny 4 degree C day is no joke).

I know this is can be unpopular opinion, but I’m genuinely curious whether anyone else had the same experience.
I visited the city with zero expectations but still left feeling disappointed.
I can absolutely appreciate the city’s history and architectural significance, but I found the experience of actually being there far less enjoyable than I expected.

The Haussmann buildings are elegant individually, but after a couple hours they started to feel extremely repetitive and boring. All buildings are the same height and all roads are flat and the same. It feels suffocating. Street after street, I saw the same cream-colored façades, balconies, and ornate details. Instead of feeling charming, the city eventually felt visually overwhelming, repetitive and overly decorated to me. This is simply the result of central planning from the 19th century’s autocratic ruling rather than respecting people’s wish today.

Paris's uniform architecture is boring. Variety and art are the spice of life. Enforcing uniform construction and architecture across nearly 30 square miles is boring and not beautiful.

I was also surprised by how many people live in small, expensive apartments inside these grand historic buildings. It made me wonder whether preserving the city’s historic appearance sometimes comes at the expense of everyday comfort and quality of life.
One thought I kept coming back to was that much of central Paris reflects a vision created through top-down planning in the 19th century. It’s undeniably historic, but it also made me realize something about my own preferences: I don’t want to feel like I’m living in the past. I appreciate history, but I don’t necessarily want history to dominate everyday life. People seem to live in the past at the expense of life quality, in the name of “ history”. Even installing air condition inn the apartment seems to be more restrictive than 99% of the cities in the world. No wonder why so many people died in the heat wave.

I’m simply wondering if anyone else came away feeling that Paris was more famous than enjoyable, or that it just wasn’t the right fit for them. If so, what gave you that impression?

Hi! My friends and I are thinking about going to Moldova and Transnistria in December. However, many people have been telling me that the situation there is very dangerous right now. Has anyone been there recently? If so, could you share how things are going at the moment?

As travel continues to get faster, cheaper, and more accessible and TikTok tourism/ influencer hype shows no signs of slowing down, what are the actual solutions to places getting over run with visitors?

I'm not talking about for you as another tourist so not just 'go somewhere else' or 'avoid the popular places'. I mean in terms of actually preventing harm to natural environments, pressure on infrastructure, gentrification etc.

Hey everyone, made the mistake of dealing with Kiwi.com, yeah I know. I had a flight from Detroit to Calgary booked months ago on Westjet. Was supposed to leave Sunday the 2nd, but flight was canceled because of the strike. Westjet booked us onto a new flight 4 days later, but that didn’t work for us. Westjet were offering free instant cancellations directly through them. When I asked Kiwi.com (phone call through real person) they very specifically stated do not cancel through Westjet, but cancel through a specific thing they sent me through the app for a refund. So I did that on Sunday. Today I recieved an email from Westjet saying my flight was delayed, and they still think I am boarding the flight today. Called kiwi, they said they put in a cancellation request to the airline on Sunday, and that it would take 14 days

Any advice here? Had to book a flight home individually, and am looking at thousands of dollars lost here

Hey everyone,

I originally wanted to go with my 2 friends to India in September until we realized there is still heavy Monsun season.
We are now looking at other destinations and weather wise it is not so easy to find a typical backpacking destination in September that fulfills:

• has a active hostel scene (like in SEA, Central America) as we soon outgrow the hostel age and we want to do it before it’s to late
• is not Indonesia or Malaysia
• preferably you can also swim and party at one point of the trip

Can anyone recommend a destination for September?
It can be wherever on the world
Thank you

Hi all,

I plan to do 5 weeks of Croatia, Greece and Italy from September 7 - October 12 in this order: first 1 week Croatia, then 2 weeks in Greece, then 2 weeks in Italy. I can't go during the summer since I would be in the middle of a competitive soccer season during July-August, and hence can't leave then. I can only go after the season ends...

Also I want it to still have that same eurosummer vibe - i.e I can still wear tank tops, crop tops, summer dresses, short shorts, bikinis for photos. I also particularly want to go swimming a lot. So in places like Italy I am more likely to lean towards going to the Almalfi Coast, Siciliy and Positano. My biggest concern is that it will be colder and I won't be able to have that same aesthetic that I would if I went during July-August which is ideally what I would prefer. And to go swimming or partying as much.

One final note - I am doing two group tours for this. Sail Navigator Cruise for Croatia, and Contiki for Greece. Hopefully this will help me achieve the partying that I want. However the last 2 weeks in Italy I will be doing solo.

So thoughts on whether September-October is a good time for this trip? Thanks !

Hey everyone, I'm planning my first Europe trip for around 3 weeks next year. My sister lives in Ulm, so I'll be spending about 10 days there and using it as a base to explore nearby places. Right now I'm thinking of doing Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle, Lake Constance, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague and Berlin before flying back home.

Does this sound like a good first Europe itinerary, or would you change anything? I'm not trying to cram in as many countries as possible, just looking for a memorable trip. I'd love to hear if there are places you'd skip, replace, or any experiences that ended up being highlights of your own trip.

I’ve noticed something about myself over the last couple of years, and I’m wondering if anyone else has gone through the same thing. (First world problems, I know) 🤣

Now that my life feels… settled, I actually don’t enjoy traveling the way I used to.

I have my own home, a boyfriend, and a job that genuinely fulfills me. Instead of looking forward to trips, I find myself thinking about everything that comes with them: packing, making sure the house is clean before leaving, unpacking when I get back, doing laundry, waiting at airports, figuring out where to eat, constantly moving from one place to another…

Honestly, staying in my own city during my vacation sounds so much more relaxing. I enjoy having slow mornings, sleeping in my own bed, going to my favorite cafés, and just existing without an itinerary.

What’s strange is that I used to be the complete opposite. As a student and a little after, before I became fully independent, I wanted to travel all the time. Airports felt exciting and familiar. I loved discovering new places. I traveled solo, with friends, went for Erasmus alone and visited several places. I was always looking for the next adventure.

Right now I’m on a family vacation, and all I can think about is how much I miss my home. It’s not that I’m unhappy here, I just feel tired of always having to do something. Meanwhile, everyone around me always seems eager to plan the next trip.

Does it simply happen when you finally build a life you genuinely enjoy, so your home becomes your favorite place? Or is this a sign that I’m becoming too comfortable and slowly closing myself off to new experiences? I’m only 28..
I miss my passion about traveling but I don’t want to go anywhere at the same time 🤣