The most intimidating part about travel seems to be the damage the flight costs can do to your wallet. Spending a large chunk of money at once can be scary… it’s honestly the most difficult part for me as well, and this is why I’ve done an extensive amount of research to find every aspect of buying a plane ticket that can cut the cost.
Cheap Flights
Google Flights
The first thing I do to get an idea for what flight costs will be is to go to Google flights. Here, you can find some really good deals, but I use it a lot because it allows you to look at which dates have the best deals in an easy calendar view.
The cheapest dates will be outlined in green, something as simple as leaving a day before you planned can save you hundreds of dollars sometimes, this is great platform to view that.
Another great way to use Google flights is to put in a location and choose flexible dates, it will then provide you with the cheapest dates to go to your location. You can also not choose a location either and they will show you the cheapest dates for all locations.
Once I’ve found the place and dates I want, I then plug that information into a number of other sites to find the best possible flight deal. Sky Scanner is one of my favorites!
Of course you will pay way less for a flight that is 40 hours compared to one that is 20 hours. But this provides you with those options, you can get some amazing deals for dealing with a longer flight.
This flight search engine has become my favorite, though it is not most well known. This is where I plan to buy my upcoming trip tickets from, as it has the cheapest deal for the same flight!
I just recently subscribed to Pomelo and I am already obsessed! Pomelo sends you flight deals to your email, deals you would probably be completely unaware of otherwise.
These deals normally only last a day or two and usually have specific dates, but are incredible deals!
There is a free subscription, but it is completely worth it to pay less than $40 for the premium membership. Within a day I was getting emails like from San Francisco to Singapore, from Singapore to Hong Kong and back to San Fran for $415!!!
Some other subscriptions similar to this that I have found are
Some of the best advice for cheap travel is to honestly be very flexible as to where you are going and when. This is another reason I love the Pomelo subscription, there may be an insane deal for a totally different place and date than you expected, but you can save hundreds of dollars and have an amazing spontaneous adventure! 🙂
Another topic that comes into play when it comes to being flexible is which airport you decide to take off and return to.
For me, I am at equal distance between Seattle and Portland, so I always make sure to check costs from departure of both places and even as far as San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Sometimes Los Angeles can have a way better deal that’s $300+ less expensive a ticket. So if you book a ticket from Seattle to L. A for $100 or so, you still save a total of $200 a ticket.
And lastly, if your feeling gutsy. You can score some outrageous tickets but going to an airport and wait listing yourself for a flight. Which basically means if they have an extra seat by the time everyone is on the plane. You can get that ticket for extra cheap!
As you can see, getting a good flight deal goes far beyond searching your dates on some random place on the internet and expect it to be the best deal. You can save yourself hundreds by following these tips! 🙂
Brookings, Oregon is one of my favorite locations in the PNW, for simple reasons such as the beauty and the both Oregon and California coastal feel. Brookings is on the beautiful southern Oregon coast, just thirty minutes from The Redwood Forest in California.
The main attraction here is the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, which is several stops right before you enter into the city off of the famous highway 101. It is a total of 12 miles along the Oregon coast trail and all views can be accessed through simply walking the trail. If you have planned this out beforehand, this would be a gorgeous hike.
These stops are full of incredible views of natural arches and bright blue ocean waters. Some of my favorites are the Natural Bridges, where you can hike on top of the arched rocks themselves, Arch Rock Point, Spruce Island Viewpoints and Cape Forrelo Loop. There is a total of ten hikes and viewpoints. If your doing any of these trails from right off the freeway, the hikes are short, magnificent and not difficult at all.
About a year ago, I started thinking about my life in a completely different way; to notice the positive things in life and realize that they overcame the negative. I chose to be grateful for all the little things instead of complaining about all the small things that weren’t going my way.
At first, this wasn’t entirely easy to switch my mindset overnight, it took practice just like any other thing. But turning my mindset around was the best decision I’ve ever made and it has allowed me to see so much clearer and with such gratefulness.
One thing that I started doing when I first decided to think of life differently, still sticks with me to this day and I would love to share it with you all. 🙂
Wholesome Culture
I began practicing meditation in my every day life, it didn’t matter how much time I had before work, whether it was two minutes or thirty minutes, it was better than not practicing at all.
Sit yourself down in a quiet space, where you will not be interrupted. I like to surround myself with crystals, candles and incense (though it is not necessary) and meditated for a few minutes to begin to slow your mind. Afterwards, keep your eyes closed and name all the things that you are grateful for.
Don’t overthink this part, you will soon start to realize that you are grateful for so much, that the list is endless, this is the point. I found myself saying I was grateful for my cup of coffee and just another day to be alive and healthy. Other things I say is that I am grateful for my job and to live in a home, to have loving friends, family and animals.
Name these things until the feeling of positivity starts to sink in, when naming things to be grateful for doesn’t seem like a chore anymore, but rather something joyous.
After this, state the qualities of yourself and of the day that you want, but stating them in a way of how your day is already played out to be.
Sometimes I’ll say, “May I carry positivity throughout my day, may I attract all the good things in life. May I spread light to others. I am strong, confident and positive.”
Affirmation Cards
Sometimes I would go on for longer, sometimes it would be shorter, but try to switch up what you say so that it stays genuine and does not become a routine and lose it’s meaning.
Depending of the time you have set out, you can also send light out to others. You can call it praying for others, but I believe that when you send your light out to others, your light burns even brighter. Send your light out to those you wish to that day, knowing that it will find it’s way back to you.
Afterwards, meditate and leave your thoughts behind you, clear your mind to begin your day. Once you feel at peace, reach your arms up high, gather up the energy within your powerful aura you just created and bring your hands together in Namaste.
Sage +Crystal Cleansing Kit
Practice this regularly and if you will think of your life with much more positivity than you had previously. I sometimes would do this twice a day, it drug me out of a situation where I felt a disconnect with the world and myself and was very unhappy. Therefore, this practice is sacred to me.
So many times, I’ve heard of people wanting to travel outside of the U. S, before exploring the wonders of this very country. I was once that person, but I have discovered that there is so much beauty so close to our homes.
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and never realized that it is a prized area to live until I chose to explore it. Here are my favorite places I would recommend to anyone wanting to explore the outdoors of the PNW.
Washington:
Olympic National Park:
The Olympic National Park is a broad place to mention, but every waterfall and every trail at this park is unlike any other in Washington state. There are waterfalls every 10 miles or less (my favorite is Rocky Brook Falls), it is full of temperate rainforests and located so close to the beautiful salt waters of Washington.
Vance Creek Bridge:
This 422 feet long famous railroad hovers 347 feet over Vance Creek and is located right outside the Olympic National Forest. It is the second highest railway in the U. S. Directions to this cannot be found on Google maps, possibly because it is considered trespassing on land owned by a logging company and there are many ways they have tried to keep hikers out, like signs, knocked down trees and gates.
The bridge is in Shelton, you’ll take NF-1700 for a while before turning onto NF-23, where it is right off to the right. You’ll see lots of knocked down trees and a gate near the entrance. Many of the articles I read made it seem like it was dangerous to go and you could be arrested, but I did not run into any cops, any logging trucks or security of any sort. The hike is about a mile long, but not difficult and well worth it! The bridge is spectacular, surrounded by trees and covered in art by the last rebel hikers. It’s an adrenaline rush to walk on this massive abandoned railroad, surrounded by trees. The beginning portion of the bridge has been taken down, though you can still reach the wooden part of the bridge if your brave enough! I recommend anyone to see this bridge before it is totally demolished.
Lower Lewis Falls:
Unfortunately, I am yet to see this amazing waterfall, but it is next on my to-do list. It is a wide, gorgeous waterfall located in the south/east portion of Mt. Rainier National Forest.
Palouse Falls:
This waterfall is one of Washington’s largest. Located in Lacrosse, in west eastern, WA. You can get a stunning view of the enormous waterfall before taking the hike down towards the waterfall that can be difficult at times and has many alternate routes. You’ll see another waterfall before reaching an overlook of Palouse. There is a small trail down to the bottom of the falls, leading into a small lake as well.
Rattlesnake Ridge:
This is a wondrous two hike located in North Bend. It starts off at Rattlesnake lake and you hike to the top of a wide ledge, where you can see the bright blue lake from above. It is quiet the site!
Cape Flattery:
Another natural wonder I have yet to see, but will be soon! Cape flattery has to be one, if not the most beautiful, cape in Washington state. This cape is located on the very top of the state, on the western edge.
Oregon:
Cape Kiwanda:
I shall admit, the entire route down 101 south through Oregon is absolutely stunning and a must-do summer trip! There is a route right outside of Tillamook, called Three Capes Scenic Route. Unfortunately, I had missed the turn to this route and missed the other two capes, but Cape Kiwanda is quiet possibly Oregon’s most beautiful cape.
It is located in Pacific City, it starts off as a popular beach and you walk up the sandy hills to stand on the cape. There are many signs and gates that tell you that beyond this gate is dangerous, but it is important to keep in mind that Oregon’s Beach Bill states that the people may still roam wherever the please, as the beaches belong to the people.
Tamolich Blue Pool:
This is one of my favorite locations in the PNW! The tamolich blue pool used to be a waterfall, but after a volcanic eruption, the waterfall was covered with lava rock. The water now seems from the bottom of the rocks and slows the water down enough to create a clear, still pool that is the most brilliant blue you’ll ever see. It is spectacular!
The blue pool is located off of the Mckenzie Highway and was a little difficult to find, as there are no signs off the highway. You’ll turn on NF-730, which leads to the trailhead, it is a two mile hike and not difficult. You can walk all around the water and there are several places to cliff jump into the frigid water, though you can also walk around to get right into the water.
Crater Lake:
This magnificent location shares a special place in my heart. Crater lake is in central Oregon and is one the top places to see the in the Pacific Northwest. This lake lies in the Cascade Range, it used to be a volcano named Mount Mazama. This volcano had a massive eruption that caused the mountain to implode on itself, forming a giant crater that filled with rain and snowfall. It is also a magnificent blue and surrounded by gorgeous mountains.
I recommend coming to this place in the early morning. We showed up around 7am, when the water was still and there were some clouds in the sky. The reflection of the mountains and the sky coming off of the lake was like pure magic, it took a few moments of staring to really understand where the water started. It was absolutely stunning, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. You can hike many trails at Crater Lake National Park and drive around the entire crater.
There is one area that you can hike a mile down to cliff jump into 2000 feet deep beautiful water, called Cleetwood Cove and it is an absolute must!
Toketee Falls:
This waterfall is not far from Crater Lake, when leaving the north entrance, it is off highway 138. The hike is about 1.5 miles and not very difficult. There is a viewpoint that allows you to see the waterfall, but viewpoints are never quiet good enough… So there is a rope next to the main viewpoint area and a sign telling you not to go down to the waterfall, but many have done it anyways. The rope is absolutely necessary, as it is very steep getting down to the falls, but well worth it. The water is the perfect place to swim, but very cold!
Proxy Falls:
One of my favorite Oregon waterfalls! It is about 226 feet tall and flows beautifully, close to the rock wall. The hike is almost two miles and not difficult.
Samuel Boardman Scenic Corridor:
This is several different pull offs off 101 south in Brookings, OR. Each pull off is so gorgeous, full of capes and natural arches that you can hike to. It coordinates with the gorgeous Oregon coast trail.
Painted Hills:
An absolutely magical place, where the desert hills are decorated in vivid color, in central/eastern Oregon. It is an absolute must see and should be a wonder of the world!
California:
Redwood Forest:
This forest is located in many places in northwest California; the tallest trees on Earth, reaching over 300 feet tall! All the forest areas are full of wonder and are a must see right next to the coast! Some trees were at least ten feet in width!
McArthur Burney Falls:
This waterfall is one of Earth’s ten wonders of the world and located in northern California near Burney, CA. It spans 250 feet wide with numerous falls, surrounded by luscious forest.
MossBrae Falls:
Another stunning waterfall with a wide span, this waterfall trickles against a rock wall, covered in bright green moss. It is a very unique waterfall and I love the way that it flows! It’s located in Dunsmuir, CA.
Lassen Volcanic National Park:
This park is covered in colorful desert and also bright blue waters, which makes a gorgeous combination. Full of clear, blue lakes, waterfalls and mountains.
Many people do not consider southern California as the Pacific Northwest, but if it were, I would mention Yosemite National Park and Joshua Tree Park. Both unique and stunning locations.
It is difficult not to mention even more places within the PNW, but the area is covered in natural wonders.
I view the world much different than most, and for some it may not make sense, but a different view upon the world has made me the happiest I’ve ever been.
One of my favorite quotes by Buddha is, “stress is an illusion of the mind.” I’ve always loved this quote, but it’s taken me a while to truly interpret it’s meaning and I live my life by it ever since.
What are your worries? Money, bills, work? Drama, perceptions? All of which has been built in the world around you, all of which doesn’t need to mean anything to you.
I’ve stressed over all the things I mentioned above, until I realized that my mind deserved something better to pay attention to, and I realized that it wasn’t at all what I had been taught was important.
We all hear so much about the importance of getting a good job to make good money so you can have a nice house, nice car and nice things; so you can have good credit… so you can be successful.
But I’ve realized that I would never be successful if I was unhappy and that happiness is indeed life’s success. That’s all life should ever be, that’s all we should ever want.
We don’t all need a career at 23 and buy our own home at 30 so we can work and live there the rest of our lives. For some, this may make them happy and that’s great! But some are the happiest they’ve ever been being a freelancer, traveling around with no money in their car.
There should be no judgement upon individuality. No one’s life is meant to be the same and no one can tell you what matters and what doesn’t. This is exactly why we stress without real reason.
We create a life revolved around what we’re told is important even though it truly is not what is important to ourselves.
If there’s anything I’ve learned along my recent experiences, it’s that I am happiest with the least amount of money, without knowing what’s coming next or how I’ll make money next. In the beginning, I stressed a little when we ran low on money, but it began to mean less and less to me, and I began to stress less as well… and things always seemed to just work out.
“Stress is an illusion of the mind,” it doesn’t do nothing good for your mentality. This beautiful life means much more than your next pay check and the universe will play out the same. Do not let the modern world tell you what is worth your trouble, and then there will be no more of it.
I guess you could say that living in a small home can really challenge a relationship. There’s not much room for any personal space or personal time, nor much space to hide your living habits. To some people, these circumstances can seem intimidating, we considered it a new opportunity for growth.
At first I thought such a little space of living wouldn’t require too much cleaning, but three animals along with all our belongings has required us to come together with creative ways to keep things tidy.
Every obstacle is a new challenge for us to solve together, how to keep certain things away so Forrest wont chew them up, places to put the cat food so Forrest wont eat it, making sure the animals have plenty of fresh air while were gone, how to hide things that we don’t want to see, like garbage, recycling, laundry.
We still find ourselves getting rid of things we don’t need and our ability to condense is a lot stronger than before. We both share a dedication to our living and to make sure that we are happy in it.
Our views have changed about personal space and personal time, we hardly have any personal belongings, we share everything together. This lifestyle, this home and our relationship has become our greatest commitment.
There is an entirely new feeling that comes along with living with someone in a small space, you feel incredibly close at all times, everything feels so much more intimate and you begin to be even more involved in one another’s thoughts and lives. This a feeling I will never give up.
Smaller spaces has not created bigger arguments, it has allowed us to grow even closer. Before we left on this journey, I can say that any arguments were truly due to the impatience and dissatisfaction with how we were living, and I think that many couples feel this.
We had a different set of priorities, like money, rent, bills, work with an endless cycle of not going out and doing what really made us happy and never speaking about what really mattered to us.
But I have never been happier than I have, being set free in these smaller spaces and making our big dreams happen together. I realize that a new lifestyle has made me continue to see the man of my dreams while we speak of genuine conversations and see the beauty of the world together.
Everyone has different methods to find they’re own peace. But if you are ready to experiment deeper methods, there are many different herbs, meditations and crystals that are spiritually believed to elevate peaceful vibrations. I use these methods regularly to keep myself at a peaceful, spiritual level and I would love to share some with you.
There are many actions that can promote tranquility, for me, setting a peaceful aura and writing is calming. Meditation is always the most effective in my humble opinion, but whether your reading, writing, meditating or anything in between, the entire atmosphere around you can effective the vibrations of the mind, therefore your aura is very important.
I personally love to turn all my lights off and fill my home with candles, scents and crystals that can better promote calm. Here are some that I recommend:
Herbs:
Dried Herbs + Flowers
Frankincense: An ancient scent known to promote peace and calm and relieve stress and anxiety.
Valerian: An herb strongly known for it’s relaxing effects and even counteracts anxiety.
Gardenia: Believed to attract good spirits and induce peaceful vibrations.
St. Johns Wort: A well known, calming herb, also used to treat anxiety.
Bergamot: Fights anxiety, stress and depression.
Chamomile: A calming herb, I would recommend maybe drinking a cup of chamomile while in your peaceful atmosphere.
Jasmine: Another scent, yet also an herb used in teas, both methods are aura cleansing and calming.
Lavendar: Known to promote purification, calm and to clear negative energies. Can be drank as well, or used as a scent.
Crystals:
Sage + Crystal Cleanse Kit
Ocean Jasper: Eases depression, lifts the spirit of blockages. Known to energize the solar plexus as well as ease stress and exhaustion.
I’d be lying if I told you that the travelling lifestyle is all, as my stepmother called it, “hippie flowers and butterflies.” We have our worries just like anyone else, our worries are simply much different, consisting of where we will sleep tonight, the cheapest option for gas and finding the right directions.
After driving about 30 minutes in the wrong direction, we had to turn around and retrack our path. For any of you who do not know, we do not have a phone plan, we rely entirely on maps, which normally is not an issue, but yesterday it was.
We found ourselves very frustrated with the waste of precious time and gas money. It was difficult to stay positive throughout the situation, until we began to realize that everything happens for a reason, we just needed to wait for what that reason was.
When we reached McKenzie Highway, the sun began to set and we kept our eyes out for a place to camp for the night. We found ourselves parked in an empty lot off the side of the highway, right next to McKenzie River. We may have paid at least $40 a night to camp in a place like this anywhere else.
We took a moment to settle down, knowing that though we may not have reached Tilliwiger Hot Springs that day, we met our own personal nook of wilderness to slow down for a bit from all the driving and directions that we would not have experienced otherwise.
The lesson we took away from this was that we may reach situations that go wrong in the future, a wrong turn, a wrong decision; but to keep in mind that everything is meant to happen for a reason, even if it appears as a mistake.
Right next to this crystal blue river was an amazing way to wake up the next morning and continue on to 126 towards Tilliwiger Hot Springs and Tamolich Falls.
As we finally head off away from family and into our own atmosphere of life, to attract good luck is never a bad thing.
We have made some critical decisions within the last couple days, such as leaving our truck behind and relying upon our own feet, bicycles, buses and Uber to spare us the money spent on gas to tow the weight as well as on ground, we believe this will allow us to think more creatively as to how to best get where we need to be. We also have made a difficult decision to travel just to two of us (my boyfriend, our animals and I). As uneasy as this choice was, I know that we all shall grow into our own people and I wish my friend the best.
A call for good luck and good fortune is most needed now, and this is how I will do so if you’d like to join:
Crystals:
–Tigers eye (for good luck and will-power)
–Citrine (for good fortune, success and creativity)
–Selenite (to ground and charge your energies)
–Clear Quartz (to amplify your intentions and deflect negative energies)
All crystals are optional, if you don’t have some, don’t worry!
Incence:
–Lavender (for good luck)
–Sage (for cleansing your aura)
–St. John’s Wort (for strength and happiness)
Find a peaceful space to set your incents and crystals and to sit comfortably.
Sit in the most comfortable position to meditate and do so for a few minutes. Once you find your zen, set your intentions on your future and how you see your goals playing out. Envision this future of bliss and success as if it’s happening already.
After you find contentment in that moment, begin to out loud thank the universe or whichever God you worship for every thing in your life that you are thankful for, no matter how small.
Some things I say are simply another day to breathe, the food I’ve had, the water, the coffee. This helps you to recognize and be thankful for the things that go overlooked.
Find a moment of still peace in your meditation after this. After doing so, say out loud the characteristics you want in your future as well as what you believe you carry now. Some things I saw are, “I am humble, I am confident, I am successful, I have great will power… ect.”
Find a moment of peace within your meditation once more and keep it for as long as you please, finishing off your meditation with a clear mind and the high vibrations of good luck around you.
Bow you head in Namaste.
It may be weird at first to say things aloud during meditation, but the power of affirmations and the law of attraction is a powerful manifestation that everyone should learn the tricks to. Trust in the universe to provide you with good luck in your future and keep your intentions within you with good faith.
Via quantum physics, everything is already within you. Abundance, money, wealth andjoy are something we are all constantly seeking in this world and I want to remind you that these things are not outside of you.
I created this mini course to allow you to tune into your very unique energy of abundance. To vibrate at the energetic frequency of wealth. To heal your relationship with money and understand how your own subconscious mind can be blocking you from manifesting it
We will transform your money mindset, recreate your vibration, elevate your wealth consciousness and have a whole lot of fun along the way! Because once you tune into your abundant energy… it is addicting!
The entire universe is conspiring to give you everything you want.
There is an energy within us that is difficult to be proven or explained, it has been attempted to be solved by Einstein but he never came to a mathematical conclusion and it is still a concept of study today. So I guess it takes a leap upon faith to acknowledge this energy.
If you look into the description of energy, one thing that it states is that no matter the distance; energy remains connected, it remains one. It is this energy that connects us to this planet and everything in it, and also the universe.
This is a mind-blowing belief if you have never been introduced to it before, but there are many ways to harness this energy and connection. A good way to start is learning how to use the energy of the moon and its phases to your advantage and to better connect with yourself.
Each phase of the moon has a different spiritual meaning, in fact it is believed that they can affect who you are as a person, based on what moon phase you were born under. (I can describe this further in another post.)
Here is a small guide as to how to harness the energy the energy from the moon and use it in your everyday life.
New Moon: A new moon is the best time to set new intentions for yourself. It is the best time to release any negativity, bad habits or anything at all that you wish to let go of. It’s a good practice to maybe write it down, but make sure that you think about these things intentionally and set new intentions as well and use the following moon phases to guide you.
Waxing Crescent Moon: This moon phase is showing you that you are well on your journey, in this phase, remember to start consciously thinking about your new intentions and how you will achieve them. As the moon moves forward, so shall you.
First Quarter Moon: A half moon is to remind you to push forward, to start taking action. You may be facing obstacles at this point, but remember to think positively and don’t waver.
Waxing Gibbous Moon: This moon is to have you observe your successes, look upon this with positivity and refine your actions.
Full Moon: A full moon is meant to have your subconscious feelings come forward. On a full moon, you may be better at doing things you love to do, or more tuned to learn new things. Harness the full moon’s energy with a ritual or with simple meditation, I like to look at this phase as allowing me to realize what my next intentions should be, when I am at my highest self.
Waning Gibbous Moon: It is best, during this phase, to look inward and be truly grateful for what you have accomplished and also think about the new intentions the full moon may have inspired you to set.
Third Quarter Moon: This moon representation means forgiveness, to me, I see this as forgiving ourselves for maybe not accomplishing what we had wishes, for a new cycle is beginning soon.
Waning Crescent Moon: This is the cycle of rest and stillness, also another time that should be full of meditation, preparing for the New Moon.
We do much more than just exist in this universe, we are connected with it. We all have energy within us, with a purpose. The moon is the closest thing we see that connects us to this incredible, universal energy. It is all this incredible magic that we need to learn the trick to.
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