The Ultimate Carry On Backpack

     More and more I do research, the smaller I want to make my travel bags. In the beginning, I was looking at 55 liter bags, which now seems ridiculous. As one that tends to travel in a duffle bag, I realized it's completely possible to pack in a backpack for any trip, especially a summer one. I thought I would share some of my favorite options for travel backpacks.

     I would like to note that all of these open up like a suitcase, my main requirement for a bag.

Burton Traverse Backpack

Comes in various colors and designs, this 35L bag is my favorite for versatility and cuteness level. Currently, these are on amazon starting at $67. I opted for the dots. I also chose this bag for the waist strap, chest strap, laptop pocket, and straps on the bottom of the back for extra storage. Also Burton has a lifetime warrenty, which really convinced me to buy it. 

Cabin Max Edinburgh Carry On Backpack

A similar bag for about $50 on amazon is the Cabin Max Edinburgh Carry on. This bag doesn't seem to be quite as big as the Burton though. 

Cabin Max Metz Backpack

I almost bought this on Amazon. The paper planes really had it for me. I loved those cute little guys. When I checked the reviews some raved about the bags, while others tend to show the damage they endured. Beware that some of the color options are smaller, which is shown in the reviews.

Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack

This bag was my second choice next to the Burton. It's about $160 on Amazon, depending on the color you choose. Like my adorable bag I chose, it opens like a suitcase with straps to help compress where needed. This bag also has 5 more liters than the Burton Traverse.

These are my tip picks for Carry On Luggage. My next post will discuss "personal item" (think laptop bag or purse) that many airline allow you to also carry with your carry on. It's the bag that is suppose to be shoved under the seat.

Accommodation: Everywhere - Couchsurfing

On Eurotrip.com there was a forum where someone suggested couchesurfing.org for free places to stay. It's a community based program. 

It's not as slick as some sites, and built into threads you start and read. To start, go onto the site and type, or select a city. It'll lead you to micro forum with topics to choose by other members. 

From some reviews I've heard this is a great way to meet people. Sounds like some hosts like to hang out with you, and give you tours and such. 

Personally, I'd rather use airbnb, and pay someone. For the ultra budget kids, this is a great option though! You won't always be guaranteed a place, or be able to rely on all the people on the sight. Of course, that could be part of the whole adventure, right?

Let me know what you think in the comments! Let us know what experiences you've had.

Destination: Italy - Cinque Terre

This was one of the first place that I fell in love with when I was researching places to go visit in Europe. when I came across a picture on Pinterest I knew I had to see the pastel buildings along the cliffs for myself. This area's name stand for by "the five lands" and is located on the northwest Italy.

• There really isn't a way to drive into this area and is all blocked off from traffic. The best way to get in is it take a train or walk. There are trains from La Spezia or Genova. You can travel to the different cities by walking or local trains. 
• For Accommodations I found some nice options on WikiTravel. Of course I also love airbnb as an option as well! It looks like you can find a room for about €50 - €100. 

Our main plan is to just relax over here & enjoy the beaches. Plus, really stoked on some food. Even though it's mostly fish, I think I will be able to find something scrumptious to eat (like a vegetable pie!) We will definitely have to squeeze in some hikes in there as well. Originally I thought maybe 3 day to check it out, but more I read, the more I want to extend my time there! There's a chance we may have to extend it to 4-5 days. 

Saving Money: Ascending Per Week

It's still early in the year, and a great time to try this out to help save enough money. January is "worth" $10 if you need to play catch up. 

Click to enlarge

Again, I stumbled upon this on (big surprise) Pinterest. The lovely blogger stuckathomemom.com came up with a rather easy way to save up over $1,000! Just follow the picture, and slowly you'll be adding more and more each week.

I can imagine this might be a bit harder around Christmas ($200 for that month) but just budget it in! I will be doing this along with my normal part I'm putting to the side for Europe. Keeping my fingers crossed for a plentiful tax return.

Accomodations: Everywhere - AirBnB

some fun infographs about airbnb!

When I came across this site, I thought many of my "where the hell do we stay" questions have been asked. Obvious there are other more official options if you want a hotel or hostel, but if you want something more intimate I suggest airbnb. 

First off, you're helping out individuals when you rent a space from them. That's a nice thought, right? On top of that this is where real life people live everyday. In theory, these homes will feel nice and homey. And as a bonus, if you have a chance of getting a host who can recommend places to visit and eat. 

Caleb and I are planning on doing a combination of all types of places to stay. There will be hostel stops to keep our budget low, and perhaps a hotel or bed & breakfast for a breather. With Airbnb it makes it so much easier for us to plan some of those bed & breakfast alternatives. 

Airbnb allows you to create wishlists as well. My Europe & Local Listings are pretty stockpiled with places that look way to fun to pass up. But that's not all, there are multiple options for unique stays under "Airbnb picks." Some of these include, trains, treehouses, repurposed homes, and even private islands! 

Let it become your new addiction as it did mine. As there are many special, luxury options, there are also beautiful and rather functional options for us who want to save a few bucks. 

Well, Hello there!

Well, where do you start with a blog like this? I guess introducing myself, and telling you what the whole point of this is.

This is my husband Caleb & myself. You can call me Bre. We want to travel oh so bad! Like, way way bad. Like..it's almost crazy. Or normal for most people in their mid 20's. This blog is planned to document what we go through to plan our trip. Oh, you want to know what this trip is?

Backpacking through Western Europe.

I've seen the movies, I get some of your "pssshh". First off, I understand this is the typical trip most people make when they adventure out of America. It's like the whole "find thy self", becoming a free spirit, and living with the minimum kind of feel good travel. Really, we just wanna visit Europe on the cheaper side. The other half is because you may have taken the movie Hostel to heart. 

This blog will highlights some of the research and resources I've used/discovered planning this trip. Hopefully I'll be able to send some tips your way. And hopefully, it will actually document the trip itself. 

And you ask why I called it Buffalos Roam? Early on in our relationship Buffalo & Buffalo Gal were some pet names we gave each other. They are actually even engraved in our wedding bands!

I hope that gives you a general jist of what's going on here. And I hope you join me in the fun of planning!