Just Gone Wandering

11/25/2025

I recently (well, in April) visited Portland and flew into Portland International Airport; obviously I had to get to the city somehow and, being the cheapskate traveler I am, thought I’d better look up my options so I wouldn’t be stuck with something expensive when I got there. To my happy surprise, Portland is one of those cities that has excellent public transportation to and from the airport!

Linked in the comments is a guide for getting from PDX to Portland proper, for anyone else looking for info on how to do it before you arrive. And because I’m traveling on a budget, I found the CHEAPEST way to do it! (Besides bicycling.)

10/12/2025

Graceland Cemetery opened in 1860 and is known as the “Cemetery of Architects.” I visited as part of a free tour offered by my hostel, but you can definitely go on your own if you prefer a self-guided tour. The whole place is open to the public, and there’s audio guides and maps available.

This post is an overview of the cemetery, focusing on interesting things to see and what I saw on my own visit! https://justgonewandering.com/graceland-cemetery-chicago/

United States Exploring Graceland Cemetery, Chicago ByAnastasia Finch Updated onSeptember 21, 2025 Graceland Cemetery opened in 1860 and is known as the “Cemetery of Architects.” I visited as part of a free tour offered by my hostel, but you can definitely go on your own if you prefer a self-gui...

10/05/2025

How I Saved Thousands This Year on Travel (Newsletter) -- In 2024 from January to June, I spent about $8,000 USD total, of which about $3,280 was on accommodations. This was mostly in Asia, where accommodation is typically lower than in Europe and the US.

So far in 2025, I’ve only spent about $2,800 USD total, of which a mere $463 was on accommodations. And I’ve been traveling in the UK and the US this whole time!

https://justgonewandering.com/saved-money-on-travel-petsitting/

09/28/2025

I recently stayed for three nights at a hostel in London called Palmer’s Lodge Swiss Cottage. This post is an overview of what it was like to stay there, plus info and advice for anybody else thinking of staying at this hostel.

https://justgonewandering.com/palmers-lodge-swiss-cottage-london-hostel-review/

09/21/2025

Why fly from Brunei into Malaysian Borneo when you can take a 9 hour bus ride instead? 😜

It’s significantly cheaper than a flight, the bus is (fairly) comfortable, you get to collect at least two pages of stamps in your passport, there’s pretty good views out the window, and it’s an adventure! Overland travel always makes for way better travel stories than air travel, IMO, and it’s a great way to see a country from close-up.

Here’s my experience taking the bus from Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. This is a popular route in Borneo, but there’s not a lot of info about it online. I’ll talk about how to buy tickets, where to go to get the bus in BSB, the trip itself, and what happens when you get to the other end.

https://justgonewandering.com/bsb-brunei-to-kota-kinabalu-by-bus/

Brunei | Malaysia | Transportation & Transit From BSB Brunei to Kota Kinabalu By Bus ByAnastasia Finch Updated onAugust 4, 2025 Why fly from Brunei into Malaysian Borneo when you can take a 9 hour bus ride instead? 😜 It’s significantly cheaper than a flight, the bus is (fairly) comfortable, you...

06/14/2025

Late last year I stayed for a month in a coliving house in England! Coliving houses are shared accommodations specifically aimed for people who are traveling AND working (aka digital nomads); this post is a write-up of the pros and cons of staying in a coliving house, for those interested in learning more about what it's like staying in a coliving house, check out my newest post:

At the end of last year I spent a month living in a coliving house in the United Kingdom. While I've previously stayed at dozens of hostels all around the

06/12/2025

One question that pops up a lot in travel groups is "how much money does it cost to travel full-time?" Unfortunately, it's one of those things that's personal to every person, so there's no one answer...but there IS a way to figure out how much YOU need for YOUR trip.

This is a popular question with wannabe nomads, and unfortunately it's also the kind of question that can't be easily answered.

06/01/2025

I saw a few videos on TikTok from backpackers using Vietnam's sleeper buses-- and most of them seemed confused about the experience (and/or they got scammed in some way). I used overnight buses a LOT during my first visit to Vietnam, and so I thought it'd be helpful to write a guide for people who haven't done it before and aren't sure what it's like. Let me know what you think!

Vietnam's one of the countries famous for its overnight buses (aka sleeper buses), and for good reason! They're reasonably priced, go basically everywhere,

01/27/2025

Capsule hotels are one of those things that really divides travelers. Some people think they look like claustrophobic space pods and some think they're great budget-saving options for traveling in Japan.

Really, they're both! I stayed in several capsule hotels during my visits to Japan and I enjoyed the experience, especially the nicer ones that provide great amenities and super clean shared spaces. It's true that if you're nervous about small spaces then capsule hotels probably aren't for you, but if you don't mind sleeping in a "pod" then I recommend giving it a try.

Learn all about capsule hotels here:

Experience Japan’s quirky capsule hotels—affordable pods with privacy, shared amenities, and a convenient spot for budget-friendly solo trips.

01/25/2025

Da Nang, Vietnam is a very popular stop for digital nomads and slowmads, for good reason! It's affordable, there's lots of fun events to go to, there's tons of travelers to meet and the locals are super friendly.

I recently lived in Da Nang for 3 months and I've put together a budget breakdown for what I spent during one of those months. Click through to see the whole post:

This past fall I stayed 3 months in Da Nang, Vietnam as a digital nomad/full-time traveler. Everyone always wants to know budgets and how much people spent on

12/23/2024

Traveling full-time requires thoughtful tech choices. Do you bring a tablet, laptop AND an ebook reader, or do you pare down to just the basics like a phone and a portable keyboard? How many different charging cables do you need? Do you REALLY need that portable router, or can you get by with just the hotel wifi?

My tech guide for full-time travelers has you covered on what to bring and what to leave. Read it here: https://justgonewandering.com/tech-guide-for-full-time-travelers/

🌟What’s your must-have piece of tech for traveling?

While it's easy to take every gadget imaginable with you on vacation, when planning for full-time travel you're going to have to think things through a bit

12/20/2024

Do you know where to find the best tours for your next trip? Whether you’re using platforms like GetYourGuide and Viator or exploring local operators, there are plenty of ways to discover unique experiences. Always read reviews to make sure a tour is right for you!

For more tips on booking tours, check out my full guide here: https://justgonewandering.com/where-to-book-tours/

🌟Do you prefer planning tours ahead of time or finding options once you’ve arrived? Honestly, I've found it different WIDELY by region. Like, in most of Southeast Asia you can find better deals once you're in the country, but in some other places like the US or Europe it's often cheaper to book online. What's been your experience?

After a few years of full-time travel, I've come to appreciate the value of a good tour. Whether it's navigating the vibrant markets of Jakarta with a local