These are resources I use, recommend or have found useful when planning and travelling.

Finding flights

• Skyscanner – I love Skyscanner and book 90% of my flights through it. It’s great for comparing airlines, flexible ‘whole month’ options to get the lowest prices and for setting price alerts.
• Google Flights — A really useful tool for comparing flight prices, dates and routes.
• KAYAK — A useful comparison tool for searching flights, hotels and car hire across different travel sites. I particularly like it for comparing options and checking whether prices vary across different dates.

Finding somewhere to stay

• Booking.com — Useful for comparing a wide range of accommodation and filtering for things that matter when I travel, such as a kitchen, pool, location and guest reviews.
• Airbnb — Particularly useful for longer stays, as many hosts offer weekly or monthly discounts, making it a good option when you want more space and the flexibility to cook.
• Vrbo — An alternative to Airbnb, particularly for apartments and holiday homes. I often find it more expensive, but it can be worth comparing prices if you’re looking for a longer stay or more space.
• Agoda — A useful option for comparing accommodation, particularly when travelling in Asia, where it often has a strong range of properties.
• Expedia — Useful for comparing accommodation, flights and package options, particularly if you prefer to organise more of your trip in one place.

Alternative Accommodation

• Trusted Housesitters — A great option if you like the idea of staying in a real home while looking after someone’s pets. It can be a particularly appealing way to experience a destination more slowly and keep accommodation costs down. I personally use Trusted Housesitters a lot in the UK and Europe.
• Home Exchange — A house-swapping platform that can be a great way to stay somewhere for longer without paying traditional accommodation prices, while enjoying the comfort and space of a real home.

Getting around

• Rome2Rio – A really useful tool for working out how to get from one place to another, showing different transport options including trains, buses, ferries, flights and taxis.
• Google Maps — Useful for checking routes, walking distances and public transport, and for getting a feel for how easy a journey might be before you set off.
• 12Go — Useful for comparing and booking trains, buses, ferries and other transport, particularly across Asia.
• Local transport apps — Many destinations have their own transport apps, which can be useful for checking routes, timetables and real-time information once you’re there. Google them before you arrive so you know the best app for the country.

Taxis & Ride-Hailing

• Grab — My go-to ride-hailing app in much of Asia.
• Uber — A familiar ride-hailing option available in many destinations.

Airport Transfers

When I’m arriving somewhere new, especially after a long journey, I often prefer to arrange my airport transfer in advance. Knowing that someone is expecting me and that I don’t have to work out local transport when I arrive can make the first few hours of a trip much easier.

• Booking.com — I often use Booking.com for airport transfers and find it easy to arrange my transfer before I travel.
• Welcome Pickups — Pre-booked private airport transfers with a driver meeting you at the airport.
• GetTransfer – useful for comparing and booking airport transfers and other private journeys in different destinations.

Tours, Activities & Experiences

• GetYourGuide — A good place to find tours, day trips and activities.
• Viator — A wide range of tours, experiences and day trips.
• Klook — Particularly useful in Asia for activities, attractions and transport.
• Tiqets — Useful for booking tickets to attractions, museums and cultural experiences, particularly in European cities.

A tip from me: When travelling solo, I don’t just look at what an activity is — I think about how much energy it requires. Check the length of the experience, walking involved, group size, transport arrangements and whether you’ll have opportunities to rest.

Research & Reviews

• Tripadvisor — Useful for checking traveller reviews, researching places to visit and finding things to do before you travel.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is particularly important when travelling with a health condition. Always check what is covered, including your existing medical conditions, cancellation and medical treatment abroad.

• Staysure & Avanti – Specialist travel insurance with cover options for pre-existing medical conditions.

Money

• Wise — A convenient way to spend and manage money in different currencies, with a card you can use while travelling. This is my main travel card.
• XE — quick currency conversion

A tip from me: I like to travel with more than one way to access my money, keeping a backup card separately from my main card.

Packing

• My Wellbeing Packing List — My practical packing list for travelling with your health, comfort and wellbeing in mind.

eSIMs

• Airalo — An easy way to arrange an eSIM before you travel, so you can connect as soon as you arrive without having to find a local SIM.

Health & Accessibility

• AccessAble — accessibility information for UK venues/places
• Hidden Disabilities Sunflower — A discreet way to indicate that you may need additional support, patience or understanding when travelling.

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