Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you. You must travel it by yourself. It is not far. It is within reach. Perhaps you have been on it since you were born and did not know. Perhaps it is everywhere – on water and land. -Walt Whitman
As many of you know, when we left the USA in 2013, we sold all of our belongings, packed one carry-on bag each, and set out to see what the world had to teach us. Over the years, we have grown to trust a handful of brands that we go back to time and time. We have so few possessions that what we invest in needs to stand up to our lifestyle.
Everything in this blog represents a brand we trust because we have experienced its performance time and time again from sea to shining sea! If you have questions about any specific products, message us and we can answer them! We hope to grow this list slowly as we continue to travel and we hope you will check back and see what is new from time to time.
Bluffworks
These are not just travel clothes, they power our lifestyle. Bluffworks has an amazing story and an incredible team of people behind its brand. They now have a stylish women’s line that is full of ease and grace! We love the Gramercy Suit for men which is fully machine washable. The Threshold Tees are the best we have tried and the Meridian Dress shirts go from hiking to dinner without showing any wear and tear. Whether for yourself or someone else, Bluffworks clothing is the perfect gift!
REI
To say we bought the right carry-ons to hold all of our worldly goods is an understatement. Our Osprey Meridian Wheeled Carry-Ons have been everywhere, dragged over cobblestones, planes, trains, and automobiles. The daypacks that accompany the carry-ons have been used for school bags in Tuscany and hiking the Great Walks of New Zealand. We have taken them skiing in Italy and bushwhacking in Indonesia. We are astounded by the performance of this luggage that has truly enabled us to engage in so many varied activities with ease. Our travel first aid kit, technical layers, rain gear, and travel base layers are all from REI. They have amazing gifts under $50 happening right now!
Anatomie
My Anatomie Skyler Pants were the first pair of travel pants I ever purchased. It felt like a big purchase until 2.5 years later, after traversing 20 countries, 3 continents, and 2 hemispheres, with 3 kids, the pants were still going strong. They are so lightweight and stylish that I wore them hiking in Australia by day and then to the Sydney Opera House by night. Anatomie has a men’s line now as well and they are always on the cutting edge of not just style but travel fabric performance!
Amazon
It is no surprise that Amazon has everything but what we truly value about Amazon is its partnership with public libraries and Kindle. We have checked ebooks out from our hometown library on Bainbridge Island from every corner of the globe. It is incredible to have Kindles and be able to access any books we need for school, work, or entertainment through Amazon. It is one of the greatest gifts one can give.
Beyond The States
One of the reasons we applied for dual citizenship many years ago was so the kids would have the opportunity to go to university in Europe or the USA. We have spent the past few years maximizing the wealth of resources available at Beyond the States. It is an incredible platform to learn about University options in Europe both at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. BTS offers many services from inspiration to the details of how to apply and when. More importantly, BTS is a community to support parents and students interested in the myriad of opportunities to study overseas!
Trusted Housesitters
More than half of our time wandering the globe has been spent house-sitting. From a vineyard in Provence to an organic farm in New Zealand, we have lived like locals all over the globe because of our Housesitters membership. Whether you go to the other side of the earth, or just down the street, the experience will shift how you view the world. Trusted Housesitters also offers gift subscriptions for that adventuresome person in your life!
Lululemon
Perhaps the most road-tested items in our life are our active wear and Lululemon sets the gold standard. This photo was taken 9 years ago and I still have all of the items I am wearing and they still look new! As teenagers now, the kids also love their Lululemon. Typically we have to choose function over fashion when it comes to working out but not with Lululemon. It is the right combination of both and that is why we keep going back for more, but not too often as the items wear like iron!
Cabi Debra
Debra is my Cabi stylist and she is the reason I have been able to live out of one carry-on bag for 10 years. She has sent me clothes in two hemispheres and 5 countries. Their seasonal collections have fresh new looks but also cornerstone pieces that work throughout the year. I also love that Cabi has The Heart of Cabi Foundation dedicated to empowering women in need around the world. Debra is the master capsule wardrobe builder whether you are a minimalist or a collector of beautiful things.
CapitalOne
Our favorite travel rewards card is the Capital One Venture. I worked for CapitalOne for nearly 10 years as a leadership development manager and I love the company, and I am grateful for all I learned working for them during big growth years! The Venture Series offers a card for many different levels of adventure seekers and the rewards are so easy to apply!
Other Niche Brands
If you love the mountains as much as we do, Nitro and LI Clothing is a must! If you are heading to Portugal in the coming year, contact Antony at Rental Retreats to find the perfect vacation rental with personal service that is simply the best there is! We have written extensively about Eurocamp and we highly recommend their many sites around Europe for the ultimate Glamping experience! And finally, to give the gift of Livology, click here to buy our fillable travel mindfulness journal or give the gift of travel consulting this
season!
The Walt Whitman quotes is one of our favorites because it is a reminder that we are all on our own unique journeys whether we travel or not. What we hope is to share with you what works for us and learn from you what works for you so that we all may go on our own way better for having crossed one another’s path.
Some of the links above are affiliate partnerships where we receive a small percentage from your purchase for recommending the products and companies we believe are tried and true. Others are simply pure love!
