Epic Roadtrip of Indeterminate Length (mom and 2 kiddos and a camper van)

I left the house with the plan to take the kids (the boys are 2 and 4 years old) to see several of my friends up North, then across NY to Niagara falls, down to my mils farm in Ohio,  and then across the Northern US to South Dakota to see more family.  It ultimately got cut down to one week due to my sciatic pain, I got an MRI and need surgery, but I learned a lot and enjoyed the trip so much that I cant wait to heal from my surgery so we can do it again! My confidence in solo adventuring with the boys has shot to the sky, at least once I heal 😅 

Day 1 we drove from DC to Fleetwood, PA, visited our friends Angela and her kids  Kieran, Ian, and Jin at the Ironwood train festival! We got to ride some mini trains, climb inside tiny steam engines, and check out huge model train sets. The boys had a blast, the weather was gorgeous, and we had a little picnic in the grass by the van while the younger boys played with the magnet tiles and cars. 

We camped in the van at a Harvest Host/Boondocks Welcome site in Pennsylvania that was a private driveway and right behind their house was a huge playground and sports complexes! The boys loved it, we played for several hours before dinner and bedtime. 

Day 2 started out great, we were up early and hit the road before 8, drove for a couple of hours, went to a cute playground when jasper had a meltdown, he played in the sand and made a friend, and collected plastic water bottle caps. Asher found a cool spiral pole to spin down. Then we got back in the car and our last 3 hours of driving lasted 6 hours so that was roughhhhhhh. We were like 40 miles away when I was like ILL TURN THIS CAR AROUND 🙃🙃🙃 But we survived and we made it to Aloras house! So excited to be here, she has been one of my best friends for like 20 years, whenever I need an attitude adjustment I call her and she radiates sunshine and goodness and its contagious. Chris is a good friend too, and finally meeting Lucy and grown up Fiona has been such a treat. I'm so glad we get to be here <3 

The kids favorite part was kids night at the BBQ restaurant! Asher got his face painted as Leonardo! 

Thursday we went to visit my friend Kim from my masters program, she had stayed with us a couple years ago and we were so excited to get to stay with her as well. Her sister in law brought her kids over, theyre almost exactly the same ages as asher and jasper. Asher and Kylie were instant besties with the *SAME* feral sweetheart energy. We went to their house saturday and the kids ran around for like 6 hoyrs, passed out at 530pm and slept for 12 hours straight including me transferring them to their beds 🤣

Sunday we drove home. I had planned on spending the night at another Harvest Host but it was rainy and gross and we made really good time getting across the bridges to NY and NJ so we decided to just finish the drive in one day, stopped just once at an indoor playground right before Maryland, and made it home at 630pm, just in time for baths and bedtime. 

The whole trip was honestly great, I cant wait to take them out again when I'm all better.

GPSMyCity self-guided walking tours app

If you are interested in self-guided and therefore free exploring options, I absolutely love GPSMyCity, so many popular cities have pre-made walking routes loaded with a description of each attraction, and you can also see attractions nearby on your route. You can start anywhere on the map, too. Plus theyre downloadable if you dont have or dont want to use international data. We especially loved it on our europe cruise, because the “old town” in every city is usually fairly compact and dense with fascinating architecture. Plus we could download all the maps and articles for the city we planned to visit and read up in advance while on the boat without paying exorbitant wifi fees. 

We used it in Southampton, England, we took a taxi from the port to the Titanic museum, followed the GPSMyCity route through a beautiful park, to the mall and the 

Blog revival

Its been a lot of years since I used this blog, I've had two kids and bought a camper van and lived several more places with even more on the horizon. 

Rather than starting a new one, I'm just going to revive this one and I'm going to stop trying to post perfect all encompassing articles about every trip. You're going to get stories, reflections, and travel tips. 

The first thing I really want to cover is our big cruise from Brazil to Norway in April of 2026. And I also want to talk about my road trip with the boys in May of 2026. I've been housebound for several months, my road trip got cut short due to horrible sciatic pain, so I have had lots of time to think about traveling instead of actually doing it. Surgery is in a few weeks and then I'll haves everal more weeks of recovery. 

I'm probably going to post text mostly, and add photos later if I ever remember. This is going to be an effort for consistent posting, not perfect posting. Wish me luck! 

Heather A-Bear (and a Backpack) .

Minimalist Packing: 2 weeks in South Korea

So I'm going to South Korea on monday! I'll be spending 2 weeks. My husband is already there, so I already have a place to stay and someone with a clue of how to survive lol. I'm trying to travel SUPER light because who wants to take the subway with luggage. I'm proud of this arrangement but always looking for more suggestions!

Wardrobe:

Travel day: 

Black jean leggings

Blue t shirt,

Comfiest running shoes

Warm socks

Light hoodie

Also sunglasses, watch, and neck pillow.

Everything else:

3 more tops that cover my shoulders, considered modest in S.K.

(Update mid-trip: my t-shirts were totally not loose enough. Big flowy tops that come down to the elbows at least are pretty much where it's at here)

2 tanks (Update mid-trip: lol I'm not wearing these out of the house)

Cotton elephant pants

Cotton shorts (Update mid trip: these had holes at both my back pockets before I wore them out the first day! ugh)

Quick dry shorts

5 more underwear

Extra(wireless, convertible) bra

Extra pair of socks

Blue slip ons (I hear Seoul is pretty dirty and closed-toed shoes are recommended)

(Update midtrip: I forgot to mention I had every intention of buying at least one dress and replacing my purse while I'm traveling on this trip, I've bought 2 dresses, the fact that I'll be throwing out those shorts should save some space. I've been self conscious in the quick dry shorts too, its just not so common to wear tight or short pants here. And while I don't typically feel "fat," I definitely do in Korea! Holy cow. People are so tiny here. I can find clothes that fit me but it takes some looking.)

I travel pretty lightly, electronics-wise. I wont be trying to do work while I'm gone so I get by with my smartphone and my Kindle Paperwhite which are both kept in my purse. Here's my tech bag:

Long USB C cord for my phone 

Micro usb cord for my kindle

Wall adapter

*I havent included a step-down converternor wall adapter this trip because my husband has those things I can use if needed.*

Headphones

Anker Powerbank-my favorite travel buddy. Keeps my phone charged enough for taking pictures all day. I charge this every night when I go to bed, just like my phone. Also, tiny micro USB cord and USB C converter keychain. All fits in my very small crossbody purse.

In my toiletry bag, still debating on the prep scrub and the toothpaste. They are just large. They fit and theyre both small enough for flights but I would have tor TSA or customs to get weird and make me throw 'em out. (Update mid-trip: totally left em at home)

I wouldnt normally bring shaving stuff for a solo trip but I'm going to see my man and this trip is rather long. 

I don't wear makeup and I basically never brush my hair lol. So that helps me cut back.

Inventory: 

Shampoo

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Deodorant

Shave butter

Prep scrub

Repair serum

Razor

Body scrubbie

Ear plugs

A couple baby wipes

Extra baggie

Nail file

Nail clippers

Tweezers

Hair ties

Lipstick(not pictured)

Meds baggie

(Excedrin and Maxalt for migraines, Midol and Aleve for other pains, decongestant and Pepto Bismol chews just in case)

Pink feminine stuff baggie

This baggie actually came with a menstrual cup but I've yet to have a real solid experience with those so it's currently holding my tampons and pantiliners. Got 16 tampons and 5 pantiliners in there. Amazingly compact. I love o.b. and carefree. <3

Last but not least, my Every Day Carry purse

I always keep my phone, wallet, and kindle in here. At home, my keys too, but that wont be necessary this trip. Instead, my passport, other important papers I need, pen, and powerbank will fill it up snug but not too full. Its the most amazing purse I've ever had. (Update mid-trip, bought a small folding fan that has taken up permanent residence in my tiny purse. SO necessary.)

(Update mid-trip: Alright so y'all get the idea! On the agenda, so far we've been to a mall in Suwon and a cat cafe and the Coex in Gangnam, with the aquarium and a cool restaurant called Devil's Door. We're gonna do a tour to the DMZ and another day go to the Garden Park Zoo as well. Not a lot of fancy stuff except maybe dinner at the Seoul Tower. My husband has been annoyingly inclined to all the non-korean food lol so we've had ramen and indian and japanese curry and american cuisine. Finally got him to take me to a Bulgogi place today, that was wonderful. Mochi donuts are delicious. I'll update again when I get home!)

My Minimalist Packing Essentials

I love trying to see what little I can get by with! Its so liberating. You can go anywhere, take your stuff with you and not worry about public transportation, security, or anything. Here are some items that make it easy for me to travel with less:

The first essential thing is a backpack you love! I had the black one for a few years, got it from Disney World in 2015, carried it around for a few years until the straps and flap started to separate from the body of the backpack. It did give me an opportunity to assess my needs, though, and upgrade!

 I loved the canvas but I didnt want to invest in another canvas backpack until I was sure I had the right size, so I searched for inexpensive backpacks and focused on dimensions and convenience features. I knew a big heavy backpack wouldnt work for me because I love to carry my backpack every where I go, my whole life is in there! So after watching way too many minimalist YouTube videos, I determined that my place is somewhere in the 18-24L range and that I value packs that stay close to me and arent bulky and liable to catch on things.

I also determined that I wanted a water bottle pocket that was accessible without opening my pack. I constantly reach for my water while exploring and accessibility is super necessary for me. Mesh on the outside is fine, hasnt posed an issue at all, as long as the front surface of my pack is smooth I'm fine. I also really like pockets that extend into the pack instead, though, even though this does take away some packing space.

Lastly, I determined that, though I rarely lug my laptop around with me, I need to have the option to do so, and therefore it must have at least the dimensions of my slightly bulky cheap laptop. 

I settled on this Hikpro 20L pack to try out. The 20L volume seems generous to me, I think its actually smaller than that, but it claims 20L. This pack has come on 4 trips with me now and Its plenty big enough for any single-season trip. It also fits my laptop. :)

So, having confirmed 20L is sufficient space, now i get to start shopping for my dream bag! I have been eyeing the Tom Bihn Synapse 19 or the Thread International 20L Better Backpack on Kickstarter. They have similar sizes and features but the Synapse more closely resembles a school bag. Its a tough decision for me.

 

I think the next most important thing is organization. I used to have a school backpack that was divided and had a bunch of pockets and stuff. It turned out to be a huge pain for me because I couldnt organize it the way I wanted. I discovered packing cubes! My first set was Eagle Creek Specter Compression Cubes, and I love that they can be compressed to a more convenient size and shape, or I can choose not to compress them and fill them all the way to capacity. I've used them both ways. 

I recently also purchased a Eagle Creek Small Clean-Dirty Cube, which I appreciate because it allows me to separate my clothing so both sides are accessible without disturbing the other contents. This is more convenient on trips that dont involve unpacking... ever. The cubes come out, I change clothes, the cubes go back in the bag. Its wonderful to be able to do this without having to refold and recompress everything. 

My other items are separated into Toiletries and Tech bags. My toiletries bag just recently got upgraded to a larger one when my 5 year old blue bag lost its zipper. Im starting to thing the new bag is actually too big for most of my trips. Here is an example of my Tech bag: 

In my tech bag or my purse I always carry my little Anker powerbank. This little "lipstick-sized" powerbank charges up my Samsung S8 phone about 70% again, on the occasion that my phone doesnt make it through the whole day.

Heres a couple shots of the evolution of my toiletries bag:

I recently bought these leakproof travel bottles and I love them. I can squeeze that bottle pretty hard and it doesn't budge. They're pretty big, at 3.0 oz, and they are easy to fill and have a rotating lable you can change if you want to show shampoo, sun, lotion, etc. I havent used the loop yet but if you're doing a hostel this would be a great feature.

Hope some of this helps! Good luck with your minimalist adventures!

My obsession with backpacks

I have a problem. I am obsessed with finding the perfect backpack for traveling. I've decided I ought to be able to fit everything I need in approx 20 liters worth of bag. I like big main pockets so I can customize organization and maximize space. I also like accessible outer pockets that dont add bulk or catch on things (like other people, or airplane seats, or my long tangled hair) and i have to have a dedicated water bottle pocket. I choose to fit all my needs in that small of a space because i like to keep track of my stuff. If your backpack is small you dont need crazy strap systems. You dont need to leave it behind. It wont hurt your shoulders. It wont get in the way. And you dont need a purse.

So I found this cute purple hikpro backpack on amazon, it claims 20L but I honestly think its closer to 16. If it were a rectangle those dimensions would be right but its not. Anyway, I've done a few trips with it at this point and I really think its excellent. For a $17 packable backpack its really quite awesome. Drawbacks through, its not waterproof. Its hardly water resistant. I've been rained on with it twice and while everything survived it definitely soaked through. 

It easily fits my packing cube of clothes, my toiletries cube, tech cube, and waterbottle, and those are the bare minimum requirements. The mesh water bottle pockets make up for not having as much space as i was anticipating. 

So im looking to upgrade to something sleeker. For a while I have been looking at the Tom Bihn Synapse 19 because of the awesome pockets the provide so much organization without making the bag all wonky shaped. I like that the water bottle pocket is centered, i like the bottom pocket for a sweater and socks when i randomly get cold, and i like the side pockets for organizing my tiny things. Plus, one of my favorite youtube minimalists has used this bag religiously for a long time now and she swears by it. And apparently Tom Bihn has amazing customer service. Which is a plus. Runs about $190, but its be worth the investment for me. 

But now I just discovered a new backpack on kickstarter, and it looks like a dream come true. It's rectangular and looks less like a gradeschool backpack, has approximately the same dimensions, but has a quick access panel for laptop which is great for TSA, and its only $130 right now. Full price itll be $170 i think but kickstarter price is lower. I like the side access pocket for my phone and wallet, that would effectively eliminate the purpose of my purse. Oh and the water bottle pocket is hidden in the side, zips up-down, and is apparently large enough for a bottle of wine. So, seems amazing. *Bonus* the canvas is recycled plastic salvaged in haiti and the company provides jobs for the locals. So thats dope. I'm not like, allergic to wastefulness but i do try to use glass and stainless steel for my foodstuffs when plausible. Im one of those, brought-my-own-straw people about half the time right now. 

So this is my current dilemma. What do y'all think? Which would you get?

Minimalist Packing: Summer Weekend in New Orleans

In June of 2018 I was fortunate to have 3 days in New Orleans on my own, with lots of ideas and zero actual plans. My goal here was to fit all my necessities in my 18L backpack because I didnt have any hotels booked and no car to store things in either, so I was carrying all my things, all day, every day. I was a success! I knew i was going to be walking around a lot and that its hot outside and cold inside, so tennis shoes and a light jacket were paramount. With such a short trip, I didnt have to worry about laundering anything but its so freaking hot outside that nothing was really wearable 2 days in a row. Except bras, I only ever use one bra. Thats just me though. Anyway here's my packing list and some of the sightseeing and tours, as well as hotels and public transportation I used!

 

EDC-(every day carry) I usually keep phone, kindle, and wallet handy. I use them constantly so either in the front of my backpack or in my small crossbody purse. Also my water bottle gets constant use. I keep it on a carabiner so if I ever go anywhere without my backpack(lol) I can clip it on my purse. I never go anywhere without sunglasses. They also serve as my headband most of the time. Also, keys if applicable. They werent necessary during  this trip so they stayed in the bottom of my backpack. I also always bring a packable tote (that little blue rectangle) because you just never know when you're gonna meed it for snacks or souvenirs or fitting your jacket in your backpack is too much work).

Clothing(including what I was wearing when I took these pictures)
- 2 pairs of shoes- as a rule I bring walking shoes and slip-ons, which in this case are my amazing reef flip flops. I have arch support issues so these have been my go to brand for flip flops for years now. My walking shoes are also my running shoes, Mizuno brand. 

- Lightweight denim jacket
- 3 tank tops

- 1 tshirt 
- 2 pairs of shorts
- 1 very loose fitting pair of thai pants. I adore these for hot climates. Keeps bugs and sun off, but also stays super cool. Bonus: modest when necessary.
- 5 underwear
- 1 extra sport bra
- 1 bikini(didnt end up wearing it, but again, I'd never leave it behind)

Toiletries-
- 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner(white)- also serves as my body soap when none is provided by hotel. I use hotel stuff when available so I dont deplete my stash
- Laundry soap(blue)- didnt use it, but good for when you dont know where youre gonna sleep and might need to wash something. Could have left it out for such a short trip but oh well.
- Sunscreen(pink)- I only used this once, I ended up having a pretty easy time staying in relatively shaded areas. Still wouldnt leave it behind though.
- Bugspray
- Deodorant
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Razor- shouldnt have briught this for such a short trip lol
- Nail file
- Tweezers

- Feminine products- I have tried so many different products(cups, discs, various tampon/pad combinations. Haven't tried the underwear yet, cant convince myself its a good idea lol) and they just haven't been as reliable as good ole tampons. O.b. is amazingly compact though and without all the plastic applicators and stuff that take up space and produce unnecessary waste.

 

Tech bag- pretty much just powerbank, phone charger, headphones.  the car converter and aux cord were for another phase of this trip, the extra charging cable and wall adapter were totally unnecessary. The other weird looking one is actually the charger for my smartwatch, whether or not I bring my smartwatch depends on if I have room. It's low priority, regular watches suit me just fine. My kindle lasts about 2 weeks, and charges with micro usb when it does occasionally die, so it doesnt need anything of its own. 

Meds bag- almost entirely unnecessary, should have just brought my ziploc of various pills and called it good. I don't think I was thinking when I grabbed this. It has a bunch of random stuff like cough drops, bandaids, moleskin, etc.

While I was in New Orleans I enjoyed a lot of walking around downtown, all of market street and the garden district, bourbon street and the french quarter, and a couple other random places like Marie Laveau's grave in St Louis Cemetary #1. I got my hotels around noon on the day of, turned out to be some awesome deals. The last photo is the lobby in my second hotel room. I also got around mostly on on foot and on the buses and trams, its $3 for an all day pass on the public transportation system. Sweet deal.