How to Take Trips Like a Savvy Insider in This Age of “Web-Issued” TravelSimple, Real-World Secrets to Low Airfares, Amazing Stays, Travel-Point Perks, and More... Every Time

“Most tourists take ordinary, cookie-cutter vacations. But I'll show you how to plan, book, and enjoy extraordinary journeys. With my proven strategies, you'll know how to find the best airfares, book unique places to stay, savor local experiences, plan extraordinary trips—and get real bang for your buck, too.”

— Rachael Rogers, Expert Travel Planner & Full-Time Overseas Traveler

Dear Reader,

The best kind of travel is something only the luckiest people in the world get to enjoy...

I'd like to put you in that rarified group.

It's travel that plugs you into the local culture and community wherever you go...

Travel that gives you access to things the average tourist misses entirely...

Like the Principe Real neighborhood in Lisbon, for instance. That's an enclave where lots of French have settled... with a little park and wine and cocktail bars and some excellent restaurants. This is not a tourist hangout—it's calm, quaint, and there are lots of things to do, whether you're an early bird or a night owl. It makes for an excellent Lisbon base...

Or traveling my way, you might do something like spend a morning in Paris, painting by the Seine (or even just sitting and watching the painters there) instead of heading to a museum... it's a great way to feel a part of the city and see it from a perspective and time of day most tourists miss.

I'm talking here about travel that makes you wonder at the world... and connects you to people whose company you enjoy...

For instance, there's a little trick you can use that often leads to invitations to dinner parties and get-togethers with expats and locals. This is a great thing to do, especially if you're planning to spend a month or two (or longer) in a place—it's an ideal way to make new friends and get connected quickly...

What I'm talking about is a kind of travel that—no matter what your budget is—never feels like an off-the-rack experience.

Travel this way is personalized, moves at a pace that suits you, feeds your interests, and introduces you to new things you didn't know you'd enjoy so much...

Hi, I'm Rachael Rogers, and I'm a professional travel planner. I've been based overseas for nearly a decade now, traveling full-time through Europe with my husband. My boutique travel company designs and arranges personalized travel experiences for people who don't want to wander the world as regular tourists.

I've planned thousands of trips and excursions for myself and others. So, I can say with authority: When it comes to travel, these are the best of times—and the worst of times...

It's a New World, When It Comes to Travel...

The world of travel—the travel industry—has changed radically over the last 20 years. That's a positive in some respects:

• More (and more affordable) air routes have made it easier than ever to catch a plane from point A to point B... the world is just more accessible today.

• The Internet has made it exponentially easier to find information about places—when—and this is the caveat—you know what you're looking for...

• You have many more good options than ever before when it comes to staying overnight—hotels, inns, private homes, guest rooms in private homes—heck you can rent out a treehouse these days if the urge strikes you!

Leave Things to Chance, and You're Likely to Travel Poorly

In other ways, though, it's become harder than ever to travel in a unique way.

The internet algorithms are designed to feed everybody to those core, “popular” things... and the more people click on them, the more entrenched they become at the top of the results you get when you're searching for travel intel.

It's a reinforcing loop—“Google-issued” travel that makes it harder and harder for other, more interesting things to get airtime.

Many more people than ever are traveling today, and these people are taking more trips. It means you're competing for space on the ground in those popular places in a way you just didn't have to two decades ago. The crowds are real.

No wonder we're seeing a backlash against—and even protests around—tourism in some places... (though rest assured, I can show you how to travel so you're away from the tourist fray).

You know, in 1990, only 5% of Americans had a passport. Now, 48% of Americans do.  

That's great, on the one hand: Americans are becoming less insular, more familiar with the broader world.

Then again, that's a lot of people hopping on big tour buses in Ireland, winging past the most charming villages... standing in line at the Vatican... booking all-inclusive holidays at cookie-cutter beach resorts in Mexico serving cafeteria-grade food and watered-down margaritas...

You Can Travel Much Better than the Average

The good news, though, is that you don't have to travel the way most people do. You can travel better. You can travel in a more interesting—and I would argue, more fulfilling—way.

And, critically: You do not need deep pockets to do it.

This is something you can do no matter how modest or how unlimited your budget may be.

So if you like the idea, for instance, of...

... so that you don't have to battle your way through tourist hordes to find a spot on the sand where everybody else is going... then the sort of travel I'm talking about will suit you...

Or if you'd like to know about the most common Irish slang, for instance, before you land in Ireland... those phrases you'll hear when you're ordering in a pub or when you're renting a bike to ride along an old rail trail that's a greenway today... things like, “your man,” which means “that guy.” Or, “a hot one,” which is a hot whiskey.

If, like me, you think that understanding even just few words of the local language is important when you're visiting a place—even when that language is English—then you'll understand the sort of travel I'd like to help you enjoy...

... and that includes some great tips and resources about languages—how to easily learn a little bit before you go, and how to make sure you communicate politely and easily when you're on the ground. 

I think you'll like to travel “my way” if, when you visit somewhere, you like to know about little family-owned spots as opposed to those more “corporate” places well on the tourist trail.

There's a little restaurant I am fond of in Italy, for instance—well, lots of them—but one comes to mind: Bar Dante Alighieri in the town of Radda.

Radda is a lovely medieval, walled town in Chianti. It's not unknown, but it's not really on the mainstream tourist trail, either. The couple who owns this little bar—it has this flower-filled patio—lived in the US for three years. It's not a touristy place, as I said, but it's a spot where you can enjoy authentic food, great wine, and always a warm and friendly welcome...

As I said before, you CAN break away from the kind of cookie-cutter, “Google-generated” travel most people do.

The trick is to know how to do that. And I'd like to show you.

My System Will Help Ensure You Travel Better

I'd like to give you my strategies—and the tools I use—so that you can sally forth and design for yourself—and book—the kinds of trips the average tourist doesn't even know are possible.

Again, my name is Rachel. Since 2016, I've been traveling full-time with my husband—we're based in Europe—and we change locations about once a month. We essentially live out of our suitcases—and I own just three pairs of shoes!

Now, you don't have to sign on for the same kind of wayfaring a life I have to benefit from my travel experience...

In the near decade we've been traveling this way, I have arranged A LOT of travel. And along the way, I've made every mistake in the book—paid too much for airfare, secured short-term rentals that fell well short of their descriptions, bought travel insurance that didn't really work, ate at restaurants that cared more about tourist dollars than about the quality of the food, and the list goes on.

So, through trial and error, I've learned a great deal about the best ways to plan, book, and enjoy out-of-the-ordinary trips. I've made the mistakes so you don't have to.

As I mentioned, I make my living planning fabulous travel experiences.

But to be clear: I'm not a travel agent. I don't match people with Expedia flight-hotel combos. I create detailed, personalized, unique travel experiences for people who want to travel well, in the way I've been describing here.

And I'd like to share my system with you... give you the tools and strategies I use... so YOU can travel well and with confidence anywhere in the world you want to go.

I Have All Kinds of Useful
Travel Nuggets to Share with You...

• The only time I think a 3-star hotel makes sense...
• Why trains almost always trump flights... but sometimes flights trump ferries... and how to know which situation you’re in...
• The two places you should never put your cell phone...
• The presence of graffiti doesn’t indicate that a neighborhood is sketchy... but this red flag might (and what to do about it)...
• Why you should never put your passport in the kitchen for safekeeping...
• Why I’d say “no” to most Airbnb’s in Switzerland—stay in a hotel, instead...
• The trick for better pricing on trains in Europe...
• Why using your credit-card travel points can get you great five-star stays with one big hotel chain in particular... but usually isn’t worth doing on the rest of them...
• Why I don’t buy olive oil at the grocery stores—and you shouldn’t either...
• The # 1 question to ask first before you buy a ticket to any museum or attraction—this can save you lots!
• Why you should renew your passport at least 9 months before it expires...
• Why you should NOT start a new medication right before you go on a trip...
• Just how short a layover you should realistically book—never mind what the airlines will let you book...
• How to get your airline upgraded seats paid for so you can get extra legroom for free...
• Why you should never “cash out” your airline travel points...
• Why you shouldn’t say “fanny pack” in Europe... it doesn’t mean what you think it means...

The Secrets to Planning Enviable Trips on Any Budget

Let me explain...

A few months back, International Living approached me to ask if I could help bring to life an idea they'd been talking about.

IL already shares lots of “untourist” recommendations—places to explore that are less discovered with guidance on how to see them in an insider-y way.

But they wanted to go beyond that “where” guidance to give people practical tools they could use to travel better—everywhere, all the time.

(You know: Don't just give a man a fish... teach him to fish.)

They wanted to teach real-world travel strategies that work in today's travel environment—things like...

• How you go about finding the best airfares—and I say “best” because absolute cheapest is not always the same as “best.” I can show you where to look for well-priced flights—where to book and, critically, where not to book—and offer guidance about how you organize a trip... maybe you fly into one place and out another.
• How you could significantly lower the price of your travels by earning (and spending) credit card points wisely... what cards should you have, when should you cash in the points and when you should pay for airfare... and, too, how you manage “points” in a simple and reasonable way so it doesn't become a part-time job...
• How you can effectively “hack” the algorithm at Airbnb and elsewhere to find fabulous places to stay that won't break the bank... hidden, super-value—even lower-priced—vacation rentals when they don't necessarily pop up with a “regular” search...
• When it makes sense to take a local taxi... and when, instead, you're better off using Uber—or one of the many other ride apps that exist around the world, which you have probably never heard of. Plus, the single-button to press to find out about all those other ride apps as soon as you land in a new town...
• The packing tips and tricks that will exponentially lower your stress about what to bring, how much to bring, and more...

I've Been Called “The Savviest Traveler on the Planet”

As a full-time traveler outside the US for going on a decade—and as an expert travel planner—I think about those sorts of things (and rely on the best solutions) all day, every day.

A friend once called me the “savviest traveler on the planet.”

The International Living team was familiar with me and what I do, and they approached me with an unusual offer...

Would I be willing to unlock my travel-planning door, swing it open, and invite people like you who love to travel to look over my shoulder?

Would I be willing to share with you the powerful tools and proven strategies I use today to show you how to ensure you're traveling in a quality way?

My answer was a fast “YES.”

That's because, as far as I'm concerned, the world would be a better place if more people were out there exploring it well, making connections with locals, traveling in a rewarding and interesting way.

Plus, frankly, when you travel in the way I'd like to show you, you tend to support smaller travel suppliers—guides, restaurant owners, grocers, and such—and your funds stay in the communities where you're spending time.

That's important to me. That's what helps communities remain unique...

What stops people from traveling this way right now, frankly, is the lack of practical, real-world tools for navigating the travel industry as it exists today. It IS confusing—there's no question.

So I'm all in to show you how it's done...

Don't Overpay for Sub-Par Experiences

I hate to think of people missing great opportunities on the ground just because they didn't know how to find them. I hate the idea of folks having a bad time on vacation or paying a lot for what ends up being a sub-par holiday.

The world is too full of wonderful things to see and do... and I want you to see and do them...

To that end, I've worked with the IL team to create a program that is unlike anything else out there. Inside, I show you how to plan, book, and enjoy amazing travel experiences every time you head out on a new adventure... anywhere in the world.

Maybe you're looking forward to wandering full-time overseas, like I do... or you'd like to spend part of the year in an overseas base, and then take regular forays to visit new places from there... or maybe you're just looking to vacation often—and do it well.

No matter what, my program will hand you the tools you need to save time, money, and frustration in your travels...  

It's called Design Your Travel-Filled Life: All the Tools and Strategies You Need to Travel Full-Time, Part-Time, Anytime... with Ease and Confidence.

And it's the ultimate travel-planning program. Inside I map out for you everything you need to know...

This Is the Ultimate Travel-Planning Program

Let me assure you: Nothing in my program is very technical. Yes, I do mention some apps I encourage you to have on your phone, and there are a few websites I recommend, which can be life savers. But if you're tuned in here, you've got all the tech skills you need to put my recommendations to work for you!

I've broken down the most important things you need to know about travel in today's world into 23 easy-to-digest videos, each one devoted to an idea that will save you money, time, or effort and help you enjoy a better experience when you travel...

In fact, when there's a website resource I recommend, for instance, I put it on the screen so I can show you what it looks like and how it works! (And to be clear, I don't receive any sort of kickback from any of the websites I recommend, I just think they're the best resources for you.)

I go through all kinds of useful travel solutions that'll have you seeing the world like a savvy insider in no time, like...

• A quick way to get airport lounge access... so you can relax on your trip from the start, enjoy the easy access to food, drink, electrical plugs... even showers in some places...
• The two most powerful apps you should have on your phone when you travel—both will transform your trip, instantly, making it incredibly easy to navigate a new place (even if you don't speak the language)....
• The one most important thing to do or say first when you arrive anywhere... it's the single most powerful trick there is for opening doors to new experiences, getting answers to your questions, and more...
• The best way to navigate from where you are to where you need to go—how to know when to walk, or take public transport, or call a taxi, and the best way to find the best local services right when you land in a new place.
• How to pack like a pro—from suitcase recommendations (my thoughts on whether you need a higher-end brand name or just a suitcase from Costco)... to my backpack pick... my secret for packing shoes... the leak-proof bags I like... my take on packing cubes... the travel wardrobe items I swear by... and more...
• ...the best way to book at the best price... and, more importantly, how to find the location that'll work best for you on your trip. Particularly if you're heading to a big city—how to know which neighborhood will suit you best and how, then, to pinpoint the hotels that would work for you in that area.
• Non-refundable versus fully-refundable rates at hotels—what should you do? It's a place where you can potentially save hundreds. I'll give you my take—and how to know, for your particular trip, whether that savings is worth it—or not.
• How much is too much when you're planning a trip? Americans live at a pace nobody else on the planet matches... but in my view, you gotta slow down when you travel. Less really is I'll show you how to find a balance... and plan a trip that allows you to see places in an authentic way and enjoy yourself but not be exhausted at the end of your vacation...
• The number 1 thing to do to secure your belongings when you travel... phone, wallet, backpack, computer, passport... it's not hard to protect against pickpockets or in hotel rooms when you do these simple things...
• How to evaluate—and compare and contrast—your options when you're picking a vacation rental or hotel... I'll show you how to narrow down your search first by area and then by accommodation...
• How to budget for your travels... short vacation versus long-term travel. I'll talk about food, transportation, accommodation, saving on attractions, and lots more...
• What about rental cars? Do you need one—or not? And how far in advance do you need to book a car if you decide you'll get one... and what to book...
• Travel visas... when you're coming from the US, most of the time you don't need a visa. But sometimes you do—so I'll talk about how you know what you need and where to find the info...
• The one situation where it makes sense to take the airline points you've been accruing and transfer them into hotel points...
• The best way to compare travel and travel-health insurance policies and when you need—or don't need—to get one or the other or both...
• Great ways to stay in shape when you're on the road—without joining a gym—and even find exercise classes in English...
• Doctors appointments, dentists, haircuts... what to know about booking them... and the good news about how much more affordable—and simple—it is to arrange appointments outside the US...  
• A surefire way to miss out on your first day of travel... this is the # 1 mistake people make when they book their trips. Yet it is easily avoidable—when you know what to do—and I'll tell you.
• The two credit cards I like the most for travel points... and how to know which one would be better for you... and the best way to use the points you accrue so you get the most travel bang for your buck...
• My insider trick for maximizing your hotel and resort experiences—getting early check-in, late check-out, breakfast included, and perks like hotel or resort credit for as much as $100 when you stay...
• And lots more... that's just a start...

Today's Special Offer

My goal with this program is to hand you the real-world tools you need to travel well every time you set out to take a trip.

I want to make it easy for you to find the best travel deals and then, once you're on the ground, really enjoy your experience.

I want you to feel prepared, confident, and excited about exploring a new place. And I want you to feel like you're getting more than you paid for...

Now, the guidance I share could easily save you hundreds of dollars (or even more) on every single trip you take.

Consider train travel in Europe, for instance. That's something I talk about in my program. If you wanted to go from Paris to Strasbourg, it could cost you as much as $224 for a ticket. But if you use the tip I share... you could get on that train for as little as $52.

Or follow my step-by-step guidance on booking airfares... you could easily save hundreds of dollars on each flight.

I just checked on tickets from Denver to Rome, for instance. And with my tip, you'd save $371 per ticket when you book using my recommendations.

The regular price for my travel-planning program is $349—and you can see why I feel that's an excellent deal. After all, one single, useful nugget you glean from my recommendations could save you that much on a single transaction.

But you could save that much and more on every trip you take.  

Plus, there's more... when you take me up on this deal today, I'll include some special Europe-focused bonuses that you can't get anywhere else.

I've been in Europe full-time for the last eight years, and because it's important to me that I, personally, have been to any place I recommend a client go, suffice it to say: I have seen A LOT of Europe.

So, I have some pretty strong opinions on the best places—and times—to go.

And because the folks at International Living know there's a lot of interest in Europe among their members, too, they asked me to share my recommendations.

To that end, I've pulled my strongest Europe intel together for you in three special videos, which I'll include with Design Your Travel-Filled Life—at no additional charge—when you take me up on this special offer today.

Special BONUS #1
My Top 5 Favorite Countries in Europe Today

First, I'm going to share My Top 5 Favorite Countries in Europe. In this video, I take a high-level view. What European countries should you be looking at first, and why?

Now, if you're super-well-traveled and you've been all over Europe multiple times, maybe you'd prefer to venture elsewhere—and that's certainly your prerogative, of course.

But—with all the wandering we've done over the last eight years on the road—these are my top five countries...

My # 1 is not a place most Americans probably have at the top of their lists. So, this may feel a little counter-intuitive to you. But hear me out.

It's a place that's dramatically beautiful—it looks like something out of a fairytale, a made up, perfectly drawn landscape with these rugged, snow-covered peaks and lush, green hills and valleys. The weather is pleasantly cool in the summer and fall... and it's a great place to cycle on nice trails and go wine tasting. Hiking is a big thing locally, so it's an ideal place to take a walking trip...

There's an amazing spa culture, and the spas don’t cost as much as they typically do in the States, so you can enjoy these relaxing, luxurious days with indoor-outdoor pools, and nice restaurants there, and they're great value.

The infrastructure in this country is excellent—it's super-well connected with trains, roads are nice and wide, it's easy to fly in and out, too—and lots of people speak English, so it's just an easy place to go.

Now, my favorite time to be there is actually in the winter, around the holiday time in particular—in one town I love more than the rest, which I will tell you all about.

This little town just sparkles in the winter... around Christmas, it feels magical. The old town is small and almost entirely pedestrianized. That's great because you're just automatically in with all the locals and you feel like you're getting a real sense for what life there is like.

There are always holiday concerts, you can take horse-drawn carriage rides. It's just a place that I think it's entirely undervalued by the mainstream press.

Most Americans miss it... but you shouldn't. You should go.

In My Top 5 Favorite Countries in Europe Today I'll tell you all about this country—and four more I think deserve your attention if you're interested in a European adventure.

This video is included with Design Your Travel-Filled Life today—FREE—when you take me up on this special offer.

And that's just the start of the Europe recommendations I have ready for you...

Special BONUS #2
My 15 Top Cities, Towns, and Villages to Visit Across Europe

I'll also include for you a video on My 15 Top Cities, Towns, and Villages to Visit Across Europe.

Now, let me say: This was a tough one because I could probably recommend 50 towns I absolutely love. So, I've tried to give you picks across a bunch of different countries. That way, wherever you're thinking about visiting, I've got a spot you shouldn't miss...

Take Italy, for instance... I give you three picks in this country.

The first one is a place in Northern Tuscany, which I adore—a town we spent a month in— and it's the place my mind goes back to all the time. It was such a special place to spend time and get to know.

It's easily accessible from Pisa and Florence on the train. Both airports are easy, too, and you can even take the airport tram right into town.

It offers up the perfect balance of being a real place where Italians live and work, but it's also full of history, museums packed with sculptures and canvasses, beautiful flowers and fountains. It's not unknown... but it's a little smaller than Florence and blessedly, not nearly as overrun with tourists.

And it's fabulously beautiful—a medieval walled town. People take walks around the walls at night and cycle around the town during the day. It's full of these beautiful piazzas where you can go people watching. And there are great urban parks where you can stroll. I cannot say enough about the amazing gelato shops and the unbelievable restaurants.

And this is an ideal hub if you want to use it as a base and then rent a car and do day trips to other places nearby...

In this video, I'll tell you about that town...and 14 more you should know about... places I know you'll love, like...

... my favorite city in Spain—a perfect pick for early winter when the weather is mild, the tapas are amazing, the city is so elegant...

... a cosmopolitan beach town that makes a dramatically beautiful base in Portugal...

... my pick in Bavaria in Germany (you can stop at a café here for a coffee and dessert, and they'll bring you a menu of cakes that's 15 pages long—I'm not kidding)... and lots, lots more...

Again, this video is yours with the special offer we have on the table today... just click Add to cart to take advantage of it.

And there's one more bonus I'm including, too...

Special BONUS #3
The Best Time of Year to Travel to Europe

This video focuses on The Best Time of Year to Travel to Europe.

This is something people ask me about all the time, so I wanted to explore it with you properly.

Now, let me say, first: You can go anytime. There is not a bad time to travel in Europe.

But the best time for you is going to depend on where you want to travel... remember, Europe has all the seasons...

If you're looking for something mild in the winter... Portugal, Spain, even Greece would be where I'd say to focus... they'll be warm in December and January... maybe not beach weather, but warm...

Though traveling in the off-season... that can be advantageous in terms of better prices, better availability for guides, fewer tourists, and so on...

Anyway, I go into all the details in this third bonus video.

And, like the others, it is yours—FREE—when you take me up on the special offer today for my travel-planning program, Design Your Travel-Filled Life.

Just click Add to cart now, and it's all yours...

Our Rock-Solid 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

I should say, too, that I want you to be thrilled with the insights I share with you.

So, I will take on the risk here. I believe Design Your Travel-Filled Life—along with the special bonuses I'm including—will help you travel better, get the most bang for your travel dollars, and simply spend less.

As far as I am concerned, it is the ULTIMATE travel-planning program.

The tips, tricks, and travel guidance I share is all insider intelligence I've learned over the years, traveling full-time for nearly a decade and earning my living as a travel planner.

If you're intrigued, then all I ask is that you just take a look at it: I feel confident you'll be impressed.

But, on the off chance that you're not, just let us know. This program comes with International Living's 100% satisfaction guarantee. You have a full 30 days to watch the 23 video modules—including my three Europe-focused bonuses—and try out the ideas for yourself.

If you decide within those 30 days that the depth and breadth of this program doesn't meet your standard after all—though I don't think that will happen—just let us know, and we will refund every penny. Value is important to me, and I want you to feel like you got more than you paid for.

Let Me Help You Create Your Travel-Rich Life

When you sign on today for Design Your Travel-Filled Life you're signing up for what is really a roadmap to better travel experiences—anywhere in the world you care to go.

From what to pack in your suitcase to how to save on your airfare to what you need to know about health and travel insurance to the best advice for creating a smooth landing for yourself overseas when you arrive in a new place...

I'm here to help you make the most of every trip—every opportunity you find to step out and explore a new destination.

Whether you're interested in full-time travel for a year or longer... or you plan on spending a few months at a time overseas... or you're simply planning your vacations... I look forward to sharing my time- and road-tested travel guidance with you!

And when you click below now, I will do that.

Design Your Travel-Filled Life is, ultimately, about helping you see the world in a richer way.

I'm eager to show you how... and I look forward to bumping into you somewhere interesting, somewhere on this beautiful planet!

So click Add to cart now, and we'll get started.

Sincerely,

Rachael Rogers
Full-Time Traveler and Creator, Design Your Travel-Filled Life
August 2024

P.S. You work really hard for your time off. You work really hard for the money you earn. And you deserve to reward yourself by traveling in a way—no matter what your budget is—that never feels like an off-the-rack experience.

You deserve travel that is good-value, personalized, moves at a pace that suits you, feeds your interests, and introduces you to people you'll always remember and to new things you didn't realize you'd enjoy...

My program, Design Your Travel-Filled Life, hands you all the tools you need to travel that way, with confidence. I hope you'll take a look. Just click Add to cart now to get access.