There are over 300 KitKat flavors with many being sold only in Japan. No, we didn’t even come close to having them all, but we had as many as our budget and bellies would allow! These are the KitKat bars we tried ranked from least favorite to absolutely unforgettable!

The first thing you’ll probably do after finding a hotel at a good price is check the guest reviews for any issues. Knowing how to properly vet a hotel using guest reviews on Google Maps is something I’ve learned from long term travel. Having now lived in hotels, hostels, and assorted Airbnb homes for over a year and a half, these are the things I look for within guest reviews to decide if I’ll make a reservation or not.

Non-refundable rooms are usually a fantastic way to save money on travel costs. However, a major risk is that you can’t get your money back. Right? WRONG! The correct phrase is, you can’t always get your money back. Most non-refundable room policies actually allow some flexibility to get some or all of your money back. Here’s how cancelling non-refundable rooms works on four of the largest reservations platforms and how to possibly get some money back.

Travel plans can change no matter how well you plan. Changing hotel reservations will always be annoying but it doesn’t have to be as stressful as it sounds. Or as pricey. With a little know-how you can keep costs down even on more expensive days. These are two of my favorite ways to save money on hotel reservations, but let’s first focus on the biggest headache for travel planers: weekends.

Booking a fully refundable or non-refundable hotel room makes a huge difference in travel costs. Let’s debunk some myths about them. No, non-refundable rooms aren’t always cheaper. Shockingly yes, sometimes you can get your money back on non-refundable rooms! These are the things I consider most to save money before selecting a refundable versus non-refundable room.

I wish I could eat everything in this blog post all over again, but these top five plus one drink favorites are the ones I want back the most. Not only do they taste fantastic, most are also fairly uncommon around the US. While I really liked Korean food before visiting South Korea, I loved it by the time I had to leave.

Most countries won’t let you pay in cash dollars, but you may be asked if you’d like to pay in dollars when using a credit card. This brings up the common question for new travelers: Do I pay in dollars or in the local currency using a credit card when traveling abroad? Real short answer: Use the local currency. Here’s why!

Traveling to Santiago kicked off our three month journey around South America. Our upfront excitement quickly soured after a series of unexpected first impressions. It was a rough start, but once we got past that surface level impressions, the real Santiago impressed us. That started with the food, because from street food to 50 Best fine dining, Santiago offers something for every price range.

Searching for the best restaurants in any city can lead to an overwhelming number of lists and articles. Which one do you trust?! I want to take a few top restaurant choices from popular sites like Yelp or Tripadvisor, and then suggest a comparable local’s choice. My goal is to translate those mainstream tourist lists into restaurants a local may choose instead. A city I called home for a decade comes first - San Antonio.

How do you prioritize travel back to a destination you loved when you still have other places you dream about visiting? Choosing to return to a destination you love means sacrificing the possibility of finding another. It’s a tough reality that’s not often considered but one we face regularly as long term travelers.