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Image from YouGov 1. Make copies of your passport Passports are easily the most important thing to have with you during your international travels, and losing it would be detrimental. So my suggestion is that you make sure to know where it is at all times. If for some reason it does get lost, having a copy can make a big difference and give you access to all the information in your passport. Image from MAP Communications 2. Let your bank know This may be common knowledge, but it wasn’t to me and this mistake was not a fun one to make. It’s important to call your bank and let them know that you will be leaving the country so they can put a notice on your card. If they see lots of transactions going through in a different country, or even state, it’ll be viewed as suspicious activity. I didn’t know about this and so during my first week here in France, everything went fine, but then out of the blue it declined again and again so I knew something was wrong. I called and they explained to me that I should’ve called before leaving but it was easy for them to get my card up and running again! So don’t worry if you forget because you can do it while you’re on the trip but it’s better to be proactive and do it in advance. Image from Next Vacay 3. Do your research I know some people just like to fly by the seat of their pants and be spontaneous, but you will always be able to see more if you do your research. Even if you don’t schedule everything, it’s still good to know what there is to do in the city or area you’re traveling to. When you schedule everything it does make it easier to maximize your time because you can map your stops out so you don’t go to one side of a city for something and then have to go to another side for something and then be back in the middle for another thing. Image from Oxford Learning 4. Learn the basic phrases of the local language Okay, maybe this isn’t necessary but it can be very useful, especially if you’re going somewhere outside of a big city where not as many people may speak English. Knowing a few phrases can really help you get by and communicate during your travels. Not only is knowing how to say a few things helpful, but it also shows respect and appreciation for the country you're visiting.

Image from Contiki I hadn’t really heard of astrotourism until this year, and my first thought was “Oh so are people going to start being tourists in space now?”. No that’s not what astrotourism means at all, and thankfully, because I was worried. Astrotourism is a form of tourism based on nature, specifically focused on viewing stars, planets, and other celestial bodies in the physical universe. It’s predicted to become the next big travel trend and sounds pretty cool right? Let’s dive in a little deeper. Image from RMS What do you do on astrotourism excursions? As I mentioned before, astrotourism revolves around the concept of viewing celestial bodies or events. It could include astrophotography, looking through a telescope, observing constellations, etc. Typically groups will travel together to remote locations where the effects of light pollution are absent or minimal. This allows for the best view possible, as long as the skies are clear of clouds. Image from Forbes Where do you go to participate? There are many locations across the globe where you can escape light pollution, however, some areas are more popular than others. Here is a list of some of the best destinations for astrotourism in Utah, and here’s another list of the best places for astrotourism throughout the United States. You can also participate in astrotourism all over the globe, in places such as: Dubrovnik, Croatia Riviera Maya, Mexico Norway Rome, Italy Los Cabos, Mexico Image from The Australian Who should you go with? So now that you know what astrotourism is and where you can go to experience it, the final question is: Who do you bring with you? The answer is simple: anyone who would be able to appreciate the wonders of the sky with you. Dragging along a friend, sibling, or spouse who would complain the whole time is a bad idea. And from what I’ve collected about astrotourism, I would also not recommend taking kids under the age of 13. Astrotourism can take a lot of patience, whether that’s waiting for the clouds to pass, a comment to fly by, or your turn to look through a telescope. So maybe you just want to go alone and find a group trip online. No matter what you choose, it’s sure to be a memorable trip!

Protein-Packed Snacks Whether it is a protein bar, jerky stick, or trail mix, make sure you have a snack with healthy protein and fats in your bag. This will keep you fuller for longer! I often find myself unsatisfied with carbs, but these jerky sticks are my absolute favorite and easy to pack! Powdered Electrolytes Staying hydrated is essential in my book, and it probably should be in everyone’s. That’s why I love to bring electrolytes on the plane. They help me feel good while up in the air for so long! My favorites are from Aday. Aquaphor I don’t know about you but my skin always feels so dry on planes! So it’s important for me to remember to bring aquaphor. I use it for my lips and hands when they are feeling extra dry. One time I had a runny nose on a flight and had to blow my nose a lot. The tissues rubbing against my skin made it sore and the aquaphor helped so much! Neck Pillow Ok, I know a lot of us probably bring a neck pillow on planes but are you bringing one with the seat straps? I hope so because these pillows are perfect for falling asleep and waking up without a sore neck. The straps attach to the back of the plane seat which will keep your head upright while you sleep. It’s super easy to attach and so worth it! Minty Gum After having travel days lasting 24+ hours I definitely feel a little gross, even on the 5-hour travel days. Sometimes I don’t have access to a sink or water to brush my teeth and my mouth tastes terrible, having a minty gum with me at all times helps eliminate this problem. Wireless Plug-In Connector If you’re like me and don’t like getting tangled up in wires on a flight you need this connector! It makes it so you can connect Bluetooth headphones to the airplane screen in front of you. Headphones and a Playlist Music hits different on a plane, at least it does for me, so I cannot live without my headphones. Make sure you bring some, wireless or not, especially because the ones they had out on the planes don’t work very well and often fall out of your ears. Also, make sure to download a few of your favorite playlists before you leave. The wifi on flights is either expensive or not very good, so don’t make the same mistake I have, and remember to have a playlist ready to go offline.

Going to Nice but only for a day? These are the top things I would suggest doing in this charming city. Morning: Visit the Cours Saleya Markets One of my favorite things about Nice is the markets! There’s at least one every single day (excluding holidays), awesome right? I would recommend starting off your morning by going to the markets for some souvenir shopping (any day) and breakfast (as long as it’s not a Monday which is reserved for antique markets only). You can get a homemade pastry, freshly squeezed juice, fruit, flatbreads, or even the traditional nice food Socca (chickpea pancake)! I would also advise you to get some olives or olive oil to bring home, the flavor is phenomenal. And don’t forget to get some flowers to bring back to where you are staying! The biggest location for markets is the Cours Saleya in Old Town Nice. The schedule is as follows: Flower Market  – Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 6.00-17.30.  Wednesday and Saturday 6.30-18.30.  Sunday 6.30-13.30.  Closed Mondays. Fruit and Vegetable Market – every day from 6.00-1:30. Closed Mondays. Antiques/Flea Market – 7:00-2:00 – every Monday Evening Market – 6:00-12:00 am – June through September Mid-Day: Go to a perfume-making class at Marionard After you drop off your goods from the market at your hotel or Airbnb, I would suggest you go to Marionrd to learn about perfume and even make your own! The French Riviera is home to a town called Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, so they know their stuff here. This has to be booked in advance, so if this is a last-minute trip I would instead recommend shopping in Old Town and grabbing lunch at a bakery. Evening: Take a sunset stroll along the Promenade De Anglais Walking along the Promenade des Anglais has such a magical feeling, the sky lights up into magical colors, waves crash beside you, and the hills glow a warm green. I would recommend going about an hour before sunset so you can take the elevator up to the waterfall and lookout spot. The elevator is located at the east end of the Promenade des Anglais and is completely free. You won’t want to miss the view of the coast from the top! Night: Get dinner at Le Safari and grab a dessert afterward Le Safari is a lively restaurant in Old Town Nice they serve many traditional foods from nice such as the Nicoise Salad, a favorite of mine. When I was there I also tried the salmon and it was cooked to perfection. The food, environment, and service were amazing and it’s a great way to end a fun day in Nice. Then go grab a treat like some gelato from Amorino!

When I walked into Le Colimaçon for the first time I instantly knew this place was special. The raw stone walls and the worn wooden beams had a captivating character to them. It’s a small space, making for a very cozy feel. As I followed the waitress up the spiral staircase to the second floor I looked across the room to the most magical Parisian table (Pictured above). It was everything you would imagine about a nice brunch in Paris where you could feel a slight breeze on your face and peek your head out the window and watch people walk by on the street below. Aside from how memorable the feeling of the place was, here are three other reasons you should pay Le Colimaçon a visit next time you’re in Paris. The Ownership Le Colimaçon is locally owned and operated. Nicolas Thiery and Didier Jourdan are the owners and together have decades almost half a century of cuisine experience, from what I understand, they are both French natives. They also try to get their ingredients from nearby farms and vendors, on the menu it even listed the farm from which my duck was sourced. The Atmosphere As I previously mentioned, the atmosphere of this place was absolutely stunning in such a subtle and inviting way. Tucked away on a small street in the 4th arrondissement and rich with history, the building itself dates back to 1732, and the restaurant was opened there in 1993. The location itself is highly accessible and within walking distance from many popular sites such as the Sainte-Chapelle. The Food Last but not least, the biggest reason for visiting Le Colimaçonis is, of course, the food. They strive for the freshest ingredients, and you can absolutely taste their attention to quality. Aside from the delicious taste of the food, the presentation was stunning. The food was colorful and carefully placed to create a beautiful display. Which almost looked as good as it tasted. When I was there I visited with my family and we ordered the duck breast (magret de canard), rabbit leg (cuisse de lapin), duck confit (confit de canard), and a seasonal salad they offered. Being the curious foodie that I am, I had a taste of each dish and was blown away by how good everything was. Prices for the entrees ranged from €22-38.

Hi! I’m Avery and welcome to my blog “Where Avery Goes”. I’m thrilled that you’re here and can’t wait to see what adventures this blog inspires for you. I’ll be giving you all a run down of my travels from the very beginning stages of planning and packing, to experiencing life-changing and eye-opening journeys all over the world. Although travel has many incredible elements, my favorite thing about travel is the broad worldview it fosters and expands. This is my why for traveling. Our world is overflowing with awe-inspiring sights, cultures, and people. It’s important to me to involve myself in as many of these as possible. With that being said, let's get into what you can look out for on this blog! Destinations Well, I mean, it is a travel blog so we’re going to get into the actual destinations! Every time I go somewhere new my mind is blown yet again, the planet’s diversity is phenomenal. And if that’s not enough, I then get to go and actually make memories in those places, it makes for a lot of “pinch me” moments. So here’s the deal, under the “destinations” tab in the menu bar, I’ll create a section for each place I travel. That way, all the blog posts written about any given destination will be grouped together for easy travel planning. You’ll find posts such as “My Favorite Place for Crepes in Paris”, under the “Paris” section, to “What to Wear when Visiting The Matterhorn” under the “Switzerland” section. Travel Tips & Tricks Honestly, travel can be over-glamourized, leaving you wondering if it was such a good idea to come all this way just to miss a boat and wander around in a hot, crowded museum. Let’s face the facts: travel isn't all fun and games all the time. On the bright side however, there’s a lot you can do to avoid not-so-good situations. My goal in the tips and tricks section is to help you know what small actions to take to make big differences in the quality of your trip. But no matter what, something unexpected will inevitably come up on your trip, so my first word of advice would be to throw expectations out the window. Going into your adventure just excited to be there and see what happens will be your best bet. Food Finds Now here’s the truth: I love food, and that means finding the best places to eat. So you can expect a good deal of food content around here. Food is one of my favorite mediums to experience the local culture, and there is absolutely no gatekeeping here. I won’t let you miss out on some of the best hidden gems around. Let your hours of restaurant review reading be put to rest, I’ve got your back. Oh you’re going to Italy? Well, you have to try this rigatoni. Looking for the best magret de canard (duck breast) in Paris? Look no further, this will do the trick. Takeaways At the end of the day, your traveling really comes down to the feelings you felt and the memories you made. In the “takeaways” section of this blog, I’ll give a general overview of each trip I go on, it will be a little bit different from other blog posts. Instead of keeping the post focused on one topic or giving little details about everything, I’ll talk about how the place made me feel and what I think the most unique or special part of the destination is. I hope this section gives you a chance to hear about the overall vibes of a place you want to visit. As a disclaimer though, these are my thoughts and experiences. A place could be totally different for you, but that’s the beauty of it all isn’t it? We all have distinct feelings and views in everything we do and thank goodness for that. Conclusion No matter where you go or who you go with, being in a new place is bound to offer unforgettable moments you’ll cherish forever. I’m here to help with the pursuit of these moments as much as I can. Happy travels, -Avery