October 2025

When my friend asked me if I would like to join her to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Games in Russia, I didn’t hesitate in saying yes! Attending the FIFA World Cup has been a bucket list item on mine. I was also able to visit a country that I had a lot of interest in due to how foreign and different it was to Canada and the Western World. In this post, I will give you a budget breakdown of my 2018 FIFA World Cup experience in Russia!

Currency Info: In July 2018, the exchange of the Russian Rubles to the Canadian Dollar was around 47.32 RUB to $1 CAD.

Flights

When I was looking at flights to Moscow from Toronto for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, it was at least $1,500 CAD. I played around with Google Flights to see if I can create a path that would be significantly cheaper. The cheapest flight to Europe I found was a WOW Air flight to Stockholm. My friends and I were already planning to take the Sapsan high speed train from Moscow to Saint Petersburg, so I had to look for flights from Stockholm to Moscow and Saint Petersburg to Stockholm. In the end I paid $1,288.71 CAD on these flights:

• Toronto to Stockholm (Return) on WOW Air for $926.22 CAD
• Stockholm to Moscow on Aeroflot for $228.36 CAD
• Saint Petersburg on LOT (night layover in Tallinn) for $134.13 CAD

Over looking Iceland on Wow Air

Food & Drinks

I never had Russian food before my trip, so I really didn’t know what to expect. Good thing one of the friend who I went with was Russian and is able to guide me through the food scene. I find that Russian food is heavily influenced by its geography. Due to its harsh winters, lots of soups and tea plays an important role to a meal. I also noticed that Russians love mayonnaise and dill, as a lot of dishes have either one in them.

I was able to try a lot of different foods without breaking the bank as the three of us shared all the food we ate! All in all I spent $326.45 CAD on food & drink, which included:

• Beef stroganoff 740 RUB ($15 CAD)
• Pelmeni 250 RUB ($5.15 CAD)
• Salmon caviar 1400 RUB ($30 CAD)
• Vodka shot 250 RUB ($5.15 CAD)
• Chicken Kiev 480 RUB ($10.43 CAD)
• Honey cake 320 RUB ($6.96 CAD)
• Picked herring 290 RUB ($5.72 CAD)
• Lots of Georgian restaurants in Russia, and never trying it before I we got the classic khachapuri, which is baked bread topped with butter, cheese, and egg!
• and many more

Make sure you check out my Top 5 Eats in Russia!

Chicken Kiev. 8/10 Khachapuri. 8.5/10 What’s more Russian that this? Salmon Caviar. 5/10 Partying with Russians

Transportation

Stockholm

As I had a day layover in Stockholm, I visited my university friend who moved there. I took the cheapest way of getting from the Stockholm Arlanda Airport to Central Stockholm by using the Flygbussarna bus service for 99 SEK ($15.26 CAD). The journey takes about 50 minutes but is significantly cheaper compared to the 280 SEK ($40.68 CAD) train service provided by Arlanda Express.

Most of Stockholm is pretty walkable but I did take one metro ride which cost 44 SEK ($6.81 CAD).

Moscow

When I got to Moscow, I arrived at the Sheremetyevo International Airport, which is the main international airport. From there I took the 500 RUB ($10.57 CAD) 30 minute Aeroexpress train ride to the Belorussky Railway Terminal which is in the northwest section of the city centre. From there you can take the metro which cost 55 RUB ($1.20 CAD) for a single ticket to your accommodations. You can also purchase 3 day metro passes for 415 RUB ($9.10 CAD) which I unfortunately had to buy twice as I lost one.  The Moscow metro stations are also major attractions of the city as some have beautiful architecture. If I had more time in the city, I would visit a lot more stations and take a guide tour to learn more about the history.

Getting to Saint Petersburg, we decided to take the Sapsan high-speed trains to experience the train service in Russia. The journey took about 5 1/2 hours and was 3,185 RUB ($67.31 CAD) per person. Going through the Russian country side, you can see the quaint villages and rolling fields and trees. The ride was also comfortable and convenient as it takes you between the city centres of the two cities.

Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is a lot smaller than Moscow and as most of the tourist attractions are located in the city centre, we walked to most of the places we visited in exception of Peterhof and the Saint Petersburg Stadium. We took the high-speed hydrofoil to Peterhof and on our way back to Saint Petersburg. This is the fastest and most convenient way to the palace complex as it takes only 45 minutes and picks you up near the Hermitage Museum. However, at 1500 RUB ($31.70 CAD) each it is also the most expensive. We decided to take the hydrofoil as we had a limited time in the city. To watch the third place match, we took the cheap and reliable metro which only cost 45 RUB ($0.89 CAD) each way!

Accommodation

Luckily, my Russian friend was able to get us a free stay in Moscow near the Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station. All three of us had to share the one room and the common areas with other housemates. I also had to sleep on a lawn chair padded with some blanket, but it did save us on accommodation costs in Moscow.

In Saint Petersburg, we stayed in a really nice apartment with one bedroom with a sofa-bed through AirBnB in for $127.53 CAD a night, which came to $42.51 CAD per person. It had a good location as it was located near the Moskovsky railway station and was 30 minutes walk to the city centre.

For those who have not tried Airbnb yet, sign up with my referral link and you will get $45 CAD off your home booking! You will also be supporting this website, win-win!

FIFA World Cup

The main reason I was visiting Russia was for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. We got tickets to the semi final match in Moscow and third place match in Saint Petersburg.

Semi Final Match – England vs. Croatia ($285 USD)

Heading to Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium was an experience by itself. England and Croatian fans already started their chants from the subway stations. Mass crowds gather for drinks, food, and merchandise outside the stadium. Once you get in, you realize you are in a sea of people, all surrounding the football pitch. The atmosphere for the game was electrifying! You can hear chants from clusters of England fans and Croatian fans from each side of the stadium. There were also a lot of neutral fans like myself who were there to enjoy the game. The game went to extra time, which added to the intensity and when Mandžukić scored for Croatia, the stadium erupted. Croatia ended up winning the match and would advance to the finals, where I would watch England face Belgium in the third place game in Saint Petersburg.

Trippier’s free kick goal

Third Place Match – England vs. Belgium ($175 USD)

The third place match was held in the new Saint Petersburg Stadium. This modern stadium felt more cozy than the larger Luzhniki Stadium. However, the atmosphere in the stadium was not the same as the semi final match due to the importance of the games. These teams were playing for a consolation prize rather than a chance to win the World Cup in the semi final match, so you can see both teams did not play as intense as their previous games. There were still lots of fans who were there to enjoy the game. Belgium controlled the game and won comfortably to achieve its highest finish in a FIFA World Cup tournament.

With Kyrgyz fans in Saint Petersburg Stadium

Attractions

Moscow

Russia’s capital and largest city is home to around 13 million people and is massive in size. The city offers a lot of attractions and activities, and we did not have time to get to them such as the Lenin Mausoleum and the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines.

Here are the attractions that we went to:

• Red Square FREE
• St. Basil Cathedral 700 RUB ($14.79 CAD)
• Kremlin 500 RUB ($10.57 CAD) which includes access to
  • Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell
  • Ivan the Great Bell Tower
  • Cathedral of the Dormition
• Cathedral of Christ the Saviour FREE
• Gorkiy Park, a great place to walk around as it is Moscow’s version of Central Park
• GUM, a high end department store that used to be filled with Soviet-era goods. I recommended to go inside and look at the architecture
• Peter the Great Statue

St. Basil and Red Square Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Saint Petersburg

This city is one of the most beautiful city I have ever visited.  The city’s stunning architecture with its beautiful winding canals and a sun that never fully sets in the summer creates a place like I have never been before. Due to its proximity to the Arctic Circle, the sun only sets for a brief period of twilight, and the streets stay alive with locals and tourists around the clock. I stayed up until 4 AM and the streets were still filled with people out for food and drinks! It felt more like 4 PM rather than 4 AM.

Something to see in the summer is definitely the drawing of the bridges.  Starting at around 1:30 AM, bridges across the city are drawn to allow for the passage of boat traffic. And as the sun doesn’t fully set, it creates such a beautiful scene. Just take a seat and watch the boats pass by!

Here are the other attractions that we went to:

• Faberge Museum 450 RUB ($9.51 CAD)
• Peterhof Palace 1000 RUB ($21.13 CAD)
• Kazan Cathedral FREE
• Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood 250 RUB ($4.96 CAD)

Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood Kazan Cathedral Drawing of the Bridges at 2AM Peterhof fountains

This is one city that I definitely have to go back to! There were a lot of attractions that I didn’t have time to go to such as the Hermitage and Peter and Paul Fortress.

Souvenirs

For souvenirs, I got a postcard for 90 RUB ($1.90 CAD) which unfortunately did not make it to Canada.

• Public wi-fi is only available if you register with a Russian number. Hence relying only on wi-fi will not work in Russia. I suggest geting a sim card with a data plan.
• Don’t be too intimated with fellow Russians. They might not seem to friendly to begin with, but that’s just who they are. Once they get to know you, they are one of the most friendly people I have met!

My trip to Russia cost me $ 2,661.38 CAD.  While this is a lot more than my other trips that I have covered in the blog, I think this was a reasonable amount. Keep in mind that the FIFA World Cup is probably the biggest sporting event in the world, and tickets do not come cheap! I felt that the $460 USD that I paid for the World Cup tickets were pretty reasonable. Accommodations and flights were also were more expensive due to it being high season and during the World Cup festivities.

I was also able to save money due to:

• Free accommodation in Moscow
• Free accommodation in Stockholm, thanks to my friend Stacey!
• Sleeping overnight in the Tallinn Airport (another layover), where they have sleeping pods available!

Similar to my Costa Rica trip in 2017, I wanted to escape the harsh Canadian winter. At first, Shelly and I were deciding on either Hawaii or Mexico’s Yucatan. We decided that Hawaii was a bit too much to do in the week we booked off as Hawaii was a 15 hour flight from Toronto compared to the 4 hours to Cancun, Mexico. Rather than using G Adventures, we decided on planning the trip ourselves. Below is our journey exploring Mexico’s Yucatan!

Before we start, all our food commentary for this trip can be found in our Top 5 Eats of Riviera Maya & Yucatan.

Currency Info: In January 2018, the exchange of the Mexican Pesos is around:

• Canadian Dollar: 15 MXN to $1 CAD
• US Dollar: 19 MXN to $1 USD

After our flight arrived in Cancun, we directly went to Playa del Carmen, where our we would be spending the first 2 nights of the trip. I wanted to take a local bus to get to Playa, but as soon as you get out of the immigration and customs in the airport, there is a barrage of companies offering you rental cars, private taxis & buses, vacation rentals, timeshares, etc. Now I am usually pretty good at avoiding these things, but one of taxi companies got to me. For a steep price of 830 MXN ($55 CAD), we would get picked up straight from the airport to our AirBnB in Playa del Carmen, which was a distance of 55 km. We took this as it was a quick and easy ride to our AirBnB.

The AirBnB that we stayed at was quite far from the tourist area and the downtown beach (15 min bike ride). But what was nice is that it was close to Punta Esmeralda, a really great beach that is pretty secluded from the many tourists of Playa del Carmen. This small modern studio was a great stay that came with 2 free bikes to use. The room was quite clean and fresh and well worth the $60.82 CAD per night. I highly recommend this place if you are staying in Playa del Carmen.

Another reason we stayed at Playa was that we wanted to go to Xplor Park. It is a nature park which has a number of activities such as zip lining through trees, driving ATVs, exploring limestone caves and underground rivers. I felt that the zip lining there was just subpar, as my zip line experience in Costa Rica was a lot better. But what I enjoyed was driving the ATVs through hanging bridges, jungles and caves. Exploring the underground caves swimming was also q highlight The park also includes an all you can eat restaurant (which we ate for lunch and pre dinner) and an all you can drink smoothie bar. I booked this from their website in advance as you get a discount, which came to $124 CAD each person.

I really enjoyed my time in Playa. It offers a more relaxed environment compared to the busy Cancun. There are lots of foreigners that live here long term and I can see why, it’s an amazing beach town with great food and a great vibe. While walking on the streets, we randomly came across YouTuber Mark Wiens, so we had to take a photo with him.

On the way to Tulum, we took the ADO bus. Its a popular bus company that has routes all over this part of Mexico. We booked it in the bus station in Playa for 80 MXN ($5.33 CAD) per person. You can also book with Busbud.com in advance for around the same price.

Tulum is home to a popular Mayan archaeological site that overlooks to the sea. Where we were staying was part of Tulum Pueblo, which is the town next to the ruins that supports the surrounding tourism. The place had lots of restaurants, bars, and other amenities to cater visitors.

We got another Airbnb in Tulum, which was another awesome stay. It was located off the main strip but only a 5-10 minutes walk to all the fun bars and restaurants. The room was clean and comfortable, and there were also free bikes to use! A night stay was $66.55 CAD.

We decided to go on a snorkel tour along with seeing the Tulum Ruins. We first visited the ruins, which was cool but nothing spectacular. We then headed to one of the public beaches beside the ruins and head out to snorkel some of the coral reefs nearby. Along the way, we were able to take some closer shots of the Tulum ruins from the water. We spent the next 40 minutes snorkeling the waters. This whole tour was 505 MXN ($33.67 CAD) per person, which we probably overpaid for. If you are only planning to see the Tulum Ruins, the entrance fee is 70 MXN ($4.67 CAD).

Originally the plan was to rent a scooter and explore the nearby Mayan ruins and cenotes (more on that later), but the only scooter rental store ran out for the day. Therefore, we decided to rent a car instead.

With the car, our first destination was the ruins of Coba. A 50 minute car ride from Tulum, the Coba Ruins was my favourite Mayan Ruin and a definite must visit! It has the Nohoch Mul Pyramid, a 42 m (137 ft) tall pyramid that boasts a remarkable view of the Yucatán and one that you can actually climb! Just be careful of coming down as the steps are steep. You can also rent bicycles and explore the surrounding ruins which are surrounded by the forest. It was well worth the 140 MXN ($9.33 CAD) entrance fee.

We hit up our first cenote, the Gran Cenote. Cenotes are natural pits, or sinkholes which are scattered all over the Yucatan peninsula. A short 10 minute car ride from Tulum, Gran Cenote is reachable even if you do not have access to a car. Cenotes are probably the best way to cool yourself from the hot weather in the Yucatan. This cenote has clear blue waters and an extensive cave system that you can explore! The Entrance fee is pretty steep at 180 MXN ($12 CAD), but I still think the experience was worth the fee. Extra fees apply if you want to rent out life jackets, lockers, or snorkel gear.

Turns out having a car in Mexico made travelling so much easier. Initially, I was debating on whether renting from the start or just taking public transportation. I decided on taking public transportation as I heard stories of police pulling over tourists and asking for bribes. But driving around made it so much easier to get to many different ruins and cenotes which are often pretty far from cities. I highly recommend it as we were able to have “off the beaten” path experiences such as eating roasted chicken off the side of the road, visiting lesser known cenotes, and just being able to stop anywhere. Because of this, we decided that we would continue to rent the car and drive it to Valladolid and Mérida, rather than our initial plan of taking the bus.

Valladolid is a small town between Merida and Cancun, which offers a great base for exploring close by Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, and Coba. It is also rooted in the Maya and Yucatan culture and history. We stayed here for one night in this quaint Airbnb (it has since been taken down), and was enchanted by the small colonial town. The central town square is surrounded by picturesque colonial style buildings.

This is where we tried authentic Yucatan food. El Meson del Marques  is pretty touristy as it is a part of a hotel, but has wonderful atmosphere helped by the quaint fountain and courtyard. It feels like you are back in the colonial era as they have done a really good job in preserving and restoring the historic building. Unfortunately, the food was nothing amazing. We got the Poc Chuc, which is a grilled pork dish, and queso relleno estilo, a stew with stuffed cheese and meat. Both are signature Yucatan dishes. These dishes and a bottle of water will set you back 330 MXN ($22 CAD). Therefore, I recommend eating a lighter meal or for drinks to enjoy the friendly service and nice environment.

Just outside the town, we hit up Cenote Suytun. The breathtaking views of this cenote justifies the entrance fee of 70 MXN ($4.67 CAD). You probably have seen pictures of this cenote on Instagram! There is an opening at the top where it allows sunlight to shine on the clear blue waters and reflect onto the stalactites.

Located a couple of blocks from the heart of Valladolid is the Cenote Zaci. It may not be the most picturesque but it was my favourite cenote because we had all this space to ourselves. It was the least crowded of all the cenotes I have been to. You can also jump off from pretty high ledges (at least 3 metres high) onto the water, which made it even more fun. All this fun was had for 30 MXN ($2 CAD)!

The following morning, we headed to Chichen Itza which was a 45 minute drive away from Valladolid. If you head there early in the morning (around 9AM), you will beat out a lot of the crowds. Most of the tourists come from the resorts of Cancun, Playa, and Cozumel, which are 2 to 3 hours away. Therefore the hoards of tour buses won’t get to Chichen Itza until after 10AM. Because we got there early, I was able to get pictures with El Castillo with no one else in the background! If you are planning on driving there, make sure you go to the official entrance, as there are hotels surrounding that also have entrances to the archaeological sites. The official entrance fee is 242 MXN ($16.13 CAD) and parking is 30 MXN ($2 CAD).

Our last stop of our road trip was Mérida. It is the capital and the largest city of Yucatan. Like Valladolid, Mérida has an abundance of beautiful colonial buildings but at the same time, its a modern city with shopping malls, theatres, art galleries, and museums. Mérida has a rich cultural life with many free concerts, performances and other events held daily. Our first day, we went on a free walking tour provided by Pink Cactus. It was a fun and informative tour as we got to see many of the attractions of the city and got to learn the stories and legends of the city and each historic monument.

The city sponsors many cultural events during the week, free of charge. We got to experience a Chinese heritage festival, complete with a dragon dance performance.

On Sundays at the Plaza Grande, the streets around the square are closed to vehicles, and comes alive with craft vendors as well as street food stands. Paseo de Montejo, the beautiful, tree-lined boulevard, lined with mansions also closes. Here we found free bikes to rent for an hour. Check out for the Telcel booth!

The great weather, the rich history and culture, the friendly people, the delicious and abundant food made me love this city! I can definitely see myself living here for a couple of months.

We stayed in this city for two nights at the Nomadas EcoHostel. We got a private room for 460 MXN ($30.64 CAD) per night. This hostel is an amazing stay in Merida. There is an amazing vibe with a pool and lots of hammocks to lounge. They hold lots of free/cheap activities such as yoga, salsa, cooking demonstrations. They have an amazing breakfast with omelets and fresh fruit available to eat.

We decided after staying in AirBnBs and hostels to treat ourselves in an all inclusive resort called Temptation Cancun Resort for our last night. This definitely blew our budget as one night cost $194 CAD per person! It was a great all inclusive resort.

However, even though it included all our food and drinks for the stay, we realized that it wasn’t worth it as we could have booked just as nice accommodation with even better food for so much less.

After we checked out our last night, we headed to the airport. We flew back to Toronto where we would face reality of coming back to winter in Canada.

• Always pay in Mexican Pesos (MXN). Paying in any other currency, there will be some unfavourable impact for the exchange.
• There is no Uber (aside from Merida), so make sure when you are using taxis, that you ask how much it would be to get to your desired location before you get in.
• If you are heading to Tulum Ruins, do not park at the main entrance. I had to pay 160 MXN (10.67 CAD) for parking there. Next to the ruins, there are public beaches (Playa Maya, Playa Santa Fe) and you can park on the road there. Check Google Maps!
• If you are driving, do not park at the corners and on curbs with yellow lines.
• If you are planning on to visit a lot of cenotes, bring snorkel gear beforehand rather than renting each time to save money
• Don’t be afraid trying the street food. This is often where you get the most delicious and authentic Mexican food.
• We were able to stay at really nice stays at such affordable prices by staying in Airbnbs. For those who have not tried Airbnb yet, sign up with my referral link and you will get $45 CAD off your first booking!

The Sum of Exploring Mexico’s Yucatan

To be honest, I did not expect too much from trip. At the time, I just wanted to get away from the cold and go to somewhere that was sunny and warm. Little did I realize that this would be one of my favourite trips. I enjoyed the friendly people, the yummy food, the colourful culture & architecture, and amazing weather.

Prices here are also super affordable and great value for what you get! This definitely will not be my last time in Mexico! The ten days we were there we spent a total of $ 1,337 CAD each. Included in this was our return flight with Interjet from Toronto for an amazing $268 CAD! I found this deal through yyzdeals.com, an awesome website notifying great deals coming out of Toronto Airport.

We could have saved more by not doing the all inclusive resort in Cancun and continuing staying in Airbnbs and/or hostels and eating local cuisine.

Because we got it last minute, we paid a premium for our rental car in Tulum. We paid 3758 MXN ($251 CAD) for an initial two days, and then another two day extension with dropping the car off at Merida. If you are planning on renting a car, I suggest you book it with Rentalcars.com. They are my go to rental car website they have more rental companies and better prices compared to other sites like Expedia and Kayak.

Aside from these two, I was pretty pleased on how much I spent and what I got in return.

As we enjoyed our food tour of New York so much last year, we decided to head back to New York for another food adventure on Labour Day long weekend. This time it was 4 of us in a group, which means we can try out even more foods as we are able to share with more people. I also stayed back for an additional two days so that I can experience the city on my own. Here are the highlights of our 2018 New York City Food Tour.

Cote Korean Steakhouse

We flew in to LaGuardia Friday night and started our adventure with our best meal as we were able to get reservations to Cote Korean Steakhouse. This critically acclaimed, Michelin starred restaurant definitely did not disappoint. We each got the Butcher’s feast which was $48 USD per person. With that you get four cuts of quality beef (45-day-aged ribeye, Wagyu, American Wagyu, galbi) along with banchan, scallion salad, savoury egg souffle, two kinds of stews, and soft serve for dessert. The service was phenomenal as they were knowledgeable with their cuts of meat and were very attentive to our needs. The wait staff are also the ones that do the cooking of the meat, so you don’t have to worry about under cooking or overcooking your steak. The meats were all very high quality as the wagyu and ribeye melts in your mouth. The sides were great complements to the meat and you definitely had enough food to fill you up!

Butcher’s Feast. 9.5/10

Red Rooster

Another popular restaurant that needed a reservation, Red Rooster serves up American comfort food in the heart of Harlem. We got reservations for Saturday brunch right at when they open at 10 AM. We got a bunch of dishes to share but the top picks are the Hot Honey Yardbird for $27 USD and the Mac & Greens for $9 USD. The fried chicken had light crust drizzled with a light honey sauce and the meat was moist. The garlic mash potatoes along with their gravy and pickled vegetables were great accompaniments to the chicken.

I’m usually not a mac and cheese person, but their Mac & Greens (Mac and cheese with collared greens) are amazing. Definitely the best mac and cheese I ever had. You get big pieces of macaroni, with a good amount of greens, a generous amount of cheese, and a perfect crispy top.

Hot Honey Yardbird. 8/10 Mac & Greens. 8.5/10

Xian Famous Foods

Last year we went to Xian Famous Foods and only had room in our stomachs for one dish, which we chose their hand pulled noodles. This time, we decided to head back and try their popular Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger. This Western Chinese dish has sliced lamb sautéed with ground cumin, toasted chili seeds, long-horn peppers, red onions, and scallions, stuffed into a crispy flatbread bun. The lamb was seasoned very well and had a good amount of fatty meat.  The bun was able to pick up the juices from the meat keeping all the flavours in. This burger will cost you $6 USD, but is definitely worth it!

Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger. 8/10

Stuffed Ice Cream

This was this year’s Instagram spot for dessert! Much like our last year’s trip to Taiyaki NYC, this trendy dessert is sure to be a popular post on your Instagram. The similarity with Taiyaki NYC is also that it looks better than it tastes. At Stuffed Ice Cream, their specialty is cruffs which are ice cream stuffed into a doughnut. The ice cream was good but not as good as other ice cream spots on this list. What was disappointing was the doughnut, as it tasted pretty stale. All this for the price of $7 USD.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee and Thai Iced Tea Stuffed Ice Cream. 6.5/10

Morgenstern’s

I came back to this spot after I fell in love with their ice cream on our last year’s trip. Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream is a classic American style ice cream parlor with a decor that sets you back to simpler times. They offer some classic flavours and are some unique flavours such as durian banana and raw milk. Prices are also pretty expensive as a scoop starts at $4 USD, but the quality that you get from the ice cream is astonishing. It was a perfect amount of creaminess and sweetness. This spot is a definite must on a hot summer’s day in New York!

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream. 8.5/10

Prince Street Pizza

This pizza shop in Nolita specializes in square pizzas and New York-style pies. This small space attracts big lines and don’t count on eating in. We got their signature Spicy Spring pizza which is a square pie topped with spicy tomato sauce, mozzarella, and loaded with crispy pepperonis. The pepperonis are out of this world as they are cut in thick pieces and pack a lot of flavour. Each slice wont be your $1 New York slice as each slice is $4.50 USD, but they are definitely worth it!

Spicy Spring Pizza. 8/10

Tian Jin Dumpling House

This gem is tucked away in the basement of Golden Square Mall in Flushing. I got the special which was the lamb and chives  pan fried dumplings. They also serve many other toppings, and you can choose whether you want it pan fried or steamed. The lamb was juicy, rich and flavourful. The dough was also had perfect texture with a great balance of it being soft and just enough chew. Add some chili oil and you have an amazing combination! A plate of 12 dumplings came to a very reasonable $7 USD.

Lamb Dumplings. 8/10

We also tried

• Nasi lemak and iced milo at Kopitiam
• Fried dumplings from Fried Dumpling
• Pastries from Supermoon Bakehouse
• Ramen from Mu Ramen
• Dim sum at Nom Wah Tea Parlor
• Kolaches at Brooklyn Kolache
• Soup dumplings at Joe’s Shanghai
• Bubble tea from Boba Guys
• Waffle fries from Chick-fil-a
• Gelato from Fresco Gelataeria
• Milkquake from Milk Bar
• DIY picnic (prosciutto, mozzarella, focaccia bread) at Eataly
• Chairman Bao from BaoHaus
• Artichoke pizza from Artichoke Pizza
• ShackBurger and cheese fries from Shake Shack
• Bubble tea from Bibble & Sip
• Japanese whiskey at Hi-Collar
• Ice cream from The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
• Taiwanese shaved ice from Taiwan Pork Chop House
• Lasagna alla bolognese and tonnarelli cacio e pepe from Cacio e Pepe
• Korean take out from Woorjip
• Coconut ice cream at Vanleeuwen
• Cheeseburger mac from Macbar
• Peanut butter banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery
• Chicken and rice at Halal Guys

And things we did in between eating:

• Checked out artwork at The MET ($20 USD for admission)
• Roamed around Columbia University
• Walked from Brooklyn to Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge
• Went in the United Nations Headquarters
• Took the Roosevelt Tram and roamed around Roosevelt Island
• People watching at Times Square at night
• Watched tango dancing classes at Central Park
• Checked out the Brazil Day Festival
• People watching at Grand Central Terminal
• Checked out the World Trade Center Monument
• Went on a pubcrawl for $15 USD
• Went to the US Open and watched the quarter final match (Kei Nishikori vs. Marin Cilic) for only $14 USD!

Bonus vlog footage:

My 6 day trip came in at $1,404.43 CAD. As you might already know, New York ain’t cheap! I spent more on this trip than my 9 day trip to Riviera Maya and Yucatan. This trip was pretty expensive because of:

• Again like last year, we did not hold back spending on food, as food was the main reason for this trip.
• Accommodation in New York is also expensive. We were able to save by getting an AirBnB in Brooklyn and staying in a hostel in Upper West Side during my two days of solo travel.

Let’s talk about fried chicken! It is my favourite food and every region on Earth has their own version of fried chicken. The most popular variation is the Southern Fried Chicken and is deeply rooted within New Orleans’ food scene. A visit to NOLA is not complete without tasting some fried chicken from its local spots. During my trip to New Orleans, I visited five different spots! In this post I will give you a guide to best fried chicken in New Orleans.

Mother’s Restaurant

Since 1938, Mother’s Restaurant has been serving up classic NOLA dishes such as po’ boys, seafood gumbo, turtle soup, and of course fried chicken. Expect long lines to get in this restaurant, as we waited around 30 minutes before we were able to order. The wait was definitely worth it for what I think is the best fried chicken I ever had! It had the best skin on fried chicken. It was crunchy and had  a really flavourful seasoning. The meat was tender and moist.

Price: $11 USD for 2 pieces served with 2 sides,  $13.50 USD for 1/2 chicken served with 2 sides
Rating: 9.5/10

Coop’s Place

Located in the heart of the French Quarter, Coop’s Place is a Cajun grub famous for creating delicious local foods and cocktails inside a laid-back atmosphere. Maybe it was my fault for getting the $15.75 USD Coop’s Taste Plate which came with a cup of seafood gumbo, shrimp creole, red beans & rice with sausage, and rabbit & sausage jambalaya. I couldnt really focus on the fried chicken with so many other things on my place. But from what I can remember, the chicken tasted good but nothing outstanding. The skin was also not as crispy as I would like.

Price: $11.25 USD for 2 pieces served with rabbit & sausage jambalaya and coleslaw
Rating: 7/10

Cafe 615 Home of Da Wabbi

Across the Mississippi River and technically outside of the city limits of New Orleans, Cafe 615 Home of Da Wabbi has been around since 1949! They have amazing wait service and offers a clean and comfortable eating environment. Food portions are huge which you can see from the size of the chicken. The taste itself was great. The batter they used was lighter than what I would like, but the meat was tender and juicy.

Price: $14 USD for 1/2 chicken served with 2 sides
Rating: 8.5/10

Willie Mae’s Scotch House

A 25 minute walk from the French Quarter, this family-owned restaurant prides itself for serving some of the city’s best fried chicken and soul food. It has even gained recognition from the Food Network and the Travel Channel as “America’s Best Fried Chicken.” I can see why as the skin was crispy and seasoned to perfection even though it doesn’t have that much batter. The meat was just as good as it was hot and juicy. Choose the mac and cheese as a side! I regretted it after I got to taste it.

Price: $15 USD for three pieces and a side
Rating: 9/10

Dooky Chase’s Restaurant

Founded by Leah Chase, the Queen of Creole Cuisine, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant has been through a lot of history. From the numerous gatherings during the Civil Rights Movement to the visits of President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama making their fried chicken pilgrimages to this dining room. This restaurant is one of the finer restaurants on this list and shows in the price of its food. I found the meat to be one of the better ones on this list. It was juicy, tender and flavourful. Unfortunately, my rating for this is not as high as others as the skin was lacking in crispiness.

Price: $15.95 USD for three pieces served with a side of vegetables
Rating: 8.5/10

In the span of my four days in New Orleans, I was able to visit these five restaurants and ate an enormous amount of fried chicken. All in the name for SCIENCE!

If you are still hungry and interested in what else to eat in New Orleans, check out my Top 5 Eats in New Orleans!

The Australian east coast trip from Sydney to Cairns is the most popular route for travellers heading to the country. It’s a backpacker’s dream with stunning beaches, great cities, diverse landscapes and endless activities. Australia is known to be an expensive country to visit. However I will show you how you can stretch your dollars on this trip. Here is the ultimate guide to our East Coast Australia Road Trip.

Currency Info: In October 2019, the exchange of the Australian Dollar is around:

• Canadian Dollar: $0.90 AUD to $1 CAD
• US Dollar: $0.68 AUD to $1 USD
• Euro: $0.62 AUD to 1 EUR

You will find below our route!

We start at the end of our trip as we flew back to Sydney from our final destination, Cairns. As we booked last minute and right after state borders opened during the COVID-19 pandemic (Jun 2021), domestic flights were not operating at full capacity, we paid a premium ($252 AUD) for our Qantas flight. Not to mention we could only get a flight that had a layover in Brisbane, making the journey a full day rather than a 3 hour flight. Normal prices see flights from the two cities average around $100 AUD.

To book the flight, I use Skyscanner. They price check with over 1,200 travel companies, and usually give the best prices. They also have Price Alerts where they can notify you as soon as fares change on the flight you’re looking at.

Eating out in Australia can get quite expensive. Especially when you get out of the bigger cities, there are less cheap options.

Most of our meals were our own cooking. We would usually go to the grocery store, buy food on sale (we were able to buy a really good chocolate cake for $1.30!) and cook in our Airbnb, hostel or van. We cooked easy dishes like hot dogs, soup, chicken wrap, spam fried rice, instant noodles, mac n cheese.

Some days, we were able to eat some delicious dishes at restaurants such as:

From the Sydney to Brisbane, we rented a car from Europcar for 5 days for a total of $119.56 AUD. I also chose the pick up point in Sydney and drop off in Brisbane rather than their respective airports, making it a lot more convenient to get around the city with public transportation after.

After having already driven in South Africa and a couple of places in Australia (see Great Ocean Road), we were quite used to driving on the left.

For the Brisbane to Cairns journey, we wanted to try the campervan experience. We went with Spaceships Rentals getting the Beta 2S model. We were quite happy with our choice. While there were times, we wished we got a bigger van (and one where we can stand in), we got attached to “Philip J. Fry” and felt like it was our home for three weeks.

The cost of the spaceship campervan was $35.71 AUD per night, which came to $714.08 AUD for our 20 days with the van.

As for gasoline, we spent around $500 AUD on fuel on our whole trip. The average price for gas was around $1.20 per litre

Getting to Magnetic Island off the coast of Townsville required a ferry service, so we went with Sealink, which is one of the two ferry options you can take. At a cost of $34 AUD, the ferry takes 20 minutes, with 18 daily services, so you won’t have to wait long in between rides. This included all bus transportation in Magnetic Island.

From Sydney to Brisbane, we stayed mostly in Airbnbs and motels trying to get the cheapest prices. They range around $60 AUD – $80 AUD per night.

For about two weeks, we went to stay at a farm doing a workaway. Workaway is a website that allows members to contact one another to organise homestays and cultural exchange. Hosted by Ronnie and James, we were able to have free accommodation and food in exchange for helping them around the farm. This was around 5 hours a day consisting of tasks such as weeding, cleaning vegetables, stickering products, The farm that we stayed at was just outside Toowoomba, Queensland.

After our farm stay, we continued the rest of East Coast Australia in a van. The accommodation costs became quite low as we slept in free campsites every other night. We were able to find these spots using a combination of the Spaceships Camping app and CamperMate. We mixed up where we parked in caravan parks. These RV parks can vary in prices depending on what they offer. We usually go for a basic one which offers showers and a kitchen. They usually range around $20 AUD – $40 AUD per night.

Some unique caravan parks include the Horizons Kangaroo Sanctuary & Camp Ground in Agnes Water/1770 which is a hidden gem with has a kangaroo sanctuary right at your campground. Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park was also a memorable one where its right by Cape Hillsborough Beach famous for wallabies feeding every morning at sunrise.

Since there are so many things that we did, . What is great is that most of the things that we did was FREE or cost very little.

A popular area for Sydneysiders to go on the weekends to escape the busy city. Only a 90 minute drive away from Sydney, we hit our first destination at Bouddi National Park. There hiked a portion of the Bouddi coastal walk where you can see beaches, boardwalks and birdlife.

A popular spot as its about half way between Sydney and Brisbane. This is also a great place to base yourself to see the surrounding area. Here are my recommendations:

• Its a bit out of the way, but I highly suggest driving the Waterfall Way Scenic Drive. Here you can find the most scenic falls in the country. Here are the ones to check out:
  • Dorrigo National Park and the Skywalk Lookout
  • Crystal Shower Falls
  • Dangar Falls
  • Ebor Falls
• Forest Sky Pier
• Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve

Byron Bay is one of the top destinations in Australia. It’s famous for its laid back lifestyle along with its fantastic beaches. It has exploded in popularity in recent years, so expect crowds especially in peak times. Here is what I recommend checking out:

• Cape Byron Lighthouse for sunset
• Cape Byron Walking Track
• Byron Main Beach

Gold Coast is where Australians flock for your typical tropical beach and theme park vacation. Just think of Florida for Americans. Most of Australia’s biggest theme parks are here such as Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World, and Wet ‘n’ Wild. There are also tons of beaches and tall skyscrapers, similar to Miami.

• My favourite area is the Gold Coast Hinterland. This lush mountainous area behind the Gold Coast is where the Springbrook National Park is with amazing viewpoints and waterfalls such as:
  • Best of All Lookout
  • Twin Falls
  • Canyon Lookout
  • Purling Brook Falls
• Visit the beaches – there are tons of great beaches ranging from surf to calmer ones in the area. Here are some to check out
  • Surfers Paradise
  • Burleigh
  • Coolangatta
  • Currumbin
• Burleigh Heads is a good area if you want to escape the crowds of Gold Coast. Just a 30 minute drive away, there are just as nice beaches along with Tumgun Lookout, in which you can see the Gold Coast skyline from a distance.

The capital city and largest city of Queensland, Brisbane offers the city vibe in our road trip. Its home to some great museums, fantastic restaurants and bars. Here are some things to do:

• Hang around at South Bank, where there is a city beach surrounded with many great eats.
• Head up the Brisbane City Hall Clock Tower for some views of the city
• Queensland Museum
• Gallery of Modern Art
• Take the free CityHopper ferry and see the skyline from the Brisbane River.
• Walk around what seems like a jungle in the city at the City Botanic Garden
• See the skyline of Brisbane from the Mount Coot-Tha Summit Lookout

Another popular beach town in Australia, Noosa attracts a mixture of backpackers and family vacationers. I think the vibe is similar to Byron Bay, but with a bit of a more older crowd. Here are some places to check out:

• Check out the coastal tracks at Noosa National Park where you can see these points:
  • Boiling Pot Lookout
  • Dolphin Point Lookout
  • Fairy Pools
  • Hell’s Gates
• Sunbathe or swim at one of the town’s many beaches
• On the way to Noosa, is the Glasshouse Mountains National Park. This park is filled with extinct volcanoes, in which you can hike up!

This is the long stretch between Noosa and the Whitsunday Islands. While there are few headline destinations, there are still a lot to see, such as:

• Rainbow Beach is a tiny little town, but is home to the Carlo Sand Blow. One of my favourite places in our road trip, this sand mass covers over 15 hectares and you feel like you are in the middle of a desert. These also sand dunes offer exceptional views of the ocean and is a great place to sandboard!

• Hervey Bay is the gateway for travelers going to Fraser Island. But it is also a great spot to rest in between your long drives. What was cool to check out was the Urangan Pier, a km long pier and a great place to see the changing tides and locals fishing. It is also one of the best places in the world to see humpback whales on their migration, from August to October.

• Next town to see is Agnes Water and 1770. The Town of 1770 is a historical site as it was the first western settlement in Australia, named after the year it was discovered by Captain Cook. This area is also a great place to learn surfing as it has the cheapest surf schools in Australia. Some things to see are the Wave Lookout and the Paperbark Forest Boardwalk.

• As we had time to kill, waiting for our tour at the Whitsunday Islands, we decided to drive inland to see the Carnarvon National Park. It is not a common stop along an East Coast road trip, as it is a 5 hour drive detour. If you have ample time and love hiking, I recommend on heading here. There are many different walks ranging from 30 minutes to overnight ones. The overnight ones do require bookings. Here is what you can see
  • Amphitheatre
  • Moss Garden
  • Baloon Cave

• Our next stop is Cape Hillsborough. The main draw of this place is the kangaroo and wallabies feeding on the beach at sunrise. There are also other things to do such as the walking on the Diversity Boardwalk, hiking to Andrews Point, and exploring Wedge Island. The island becomes accessible as a causeway emerges during low tide.

• While we did not visit Fraser Island, as no tours was running at the time, I highly recommend on going. The largest sand island in the world has over clear blue lakes, ancient rainforests, wild dingoes, all surrounded by white sandy beaches. However, you do need either a 4WD vehicle or go with a guided tour of the island.

The Whitsunday Islands are a group of 74 islands that lie off the coast of Queensland and form part of the Great Barrier Reef. These islands are one of the most popular Australian tourist destinations and a must on the East Coast Australia road trip. As they are islands, you do need to get on a tour, unless you have access to a boat.

We went with Sailing Whitsundays on the Whitsunday Adventurer. It was a 2 day and 2 night excursion with everything included such as food, accommodation, and the activities. We got to explore the main island, seeing the Hill Inlet Lookout and the famous Whitehaven Beach. Other activities include snorkelling the surrounding reefs and paddleboarding. We went for the cheaper shared accommodation at a cost of $482.13 AUD per person.

While it was nice size group at only 12 people, I felt that the tour was a bit pricey. There are many day tours available that will take you to main sights of Whitsunday for a lot cheaper, if you are on tight budget. However, we wanted to have the experience of sailing overnight.

North Queensland’s largest city is the gateway to the wet tropics . While the city is usually just a stopping point to get to Magnetic Island, don’t skip out on the Castle Hill Lookout. See the breathtaking views of the city along with Maggie Island.

Taking the ferry over to Magnetic Island, you can find tranquil island that has become a must visit destination on an east coast Australia road trip. Here are the things to do on this island:

• There are many hiking trails, but the best one is The Forts. The 4km return hiking trail are filled with historic World War II fortifications and some of the best views of the island. Make sure to keep an eye out as there are wild koalas along the route.
• On top of koalas, there are rock wallabies roaming around. You can find these adorable creatures on the of the road heading towards Geoffreys Bay.
• At Horseshoe Bay, you can find jet ski and kayak rentals. But it’s also a good spot to tan and swim on the beach. Many great restaurants are also nearby.

Between Townsville and Cairns lies Wallaman Falls, the highest single-drop waterfall in Australia. There is a great viewpoint that’s right outside the parking lot but to get a closer look at the falls, take the 2.6-km Jinda walk into the gorge. This should take a couple of hours but it’s well worth the view from the bottom.

Far North Queensland is famous for its many picturesque and impressive waterfalls, and many of them are located in the Atherton Tablelands region. This lush highland plateau behind Cairns is a great escape from the hot tropical coast as the climate is fairly temperate all year round. Here are some of the sights to see in the area:

• Before heading up to Atherton Tablelands, head to Josephine Falls. This waterfall is a great place to cool off with many rockpools and natural waterslide on the rocks
• See the massive Curtain Fig Tree famous for its otherworldly roots
• Try your luck at seeing a platypus at the Yungaburra Platypus Viewing Platform. Unfortunately, we did not see one 🙁
• Take the waterfall circuit encompassing Zillie Falls, Ellinjaa Falls and the famous Millaa Millaa Falls.

Bypassing Cairns, we headed to Port Douglas, a resort town filled with great restaurants, quirky cafes and boutique stores. This is also the start of the Daintree Rainforest, part of the larger Wet Tropics of Queensland, the oldest tropical rainforest in the world.

• On the way to Port Douglas, you will take the Captain Cook Highway, a picturesque road hugging the coastline. Make sure you stop at Rex Lookout to see gorgeous views of the coast.
• We wanted to go to the famous Mossman Gorge. However, it was shut down for four months to reduce the exposure and spread of COVID-19 within the local Indigenous community.
• Crossing over the Daintree River, you get to Cape Tribulation. This area focuses on more small scale, eco-focused, communal vibe and full of nature and adventure. The area feels off the beaten path, partly due to the fact that you have to take a ferry over and that there is no cell service. Here are some things to do in the area:
  • There are plenty of wooden boardwalks to walk through jungles such as Jindalba Boardwalk and Kulki Boardwalk
  • Views of the rainforest, oceans, and islands from Mount Alexandra Lookout
  • Daintree Ice Cream Company. Another place that was closed, that we wished we got to try. They are famous for their exotic ice cream flavours!

The largest city in the Northern Queensland is built on tourism as it is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. You can find a lot of infrastructure here. From the international airport, tour agencies, and restaurants. There is not much to see and do here except for the artificial lagoon they have in the city centre. This can get quite popular as local beaches should be avoided during stinger season between October and May.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the best places to dive in the world. Cairns is the most popular jumping off point for dive trips to the reef. Trips start around $200 AUD ($140 USD) for the day. I was blown away at the abundant wildlife and coral. It did not disappoint.

This was also our last stop in our road trip.

• Kuranda Barron Falls
• Cairns
  • Cairns Esplanade
  • Cairns Art Gallery
  • Rusty’s Markets

A road trip is not complete without visiting random roadside attractions. Driving around the country, you can see Australia’s obsession with ‘big things’. There are dozens of large statues in every Australian state and territory that celebrate its unique culture in the region. Here are some that we were able to see on the East Coast.

• Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, NSW
• Big Prawn in Ballina, NSW
• The Big Pineapple in Woombye QLD
• Big Rum Bottle in Bundaberg, QLD
• Big Mango in Bowen, QLD

The total spend for our 25 days East Cost Australia road trip came to $2,794 AUD / $2,515 CAD / $1,900 USD per person, which comes to $112 AUD/ $100 CAD/ $76 USD per day.

Everyone knows McDonald’s golden arches, big macs, and Ronald McDonald. McDonald’s is the world’s largest restaurant chain by revenue has restaurants in over 100 countries. Whether you love it or hate it, you cannot dispute the impact it has on the world. During my travels in Thailand, I got toContinue Reading

In: Asia, Budget Breakdown

Thailand is by far the most popular country for backpackers in Southeast Asia. The country is so diverse, from the beaches and crystal blue waters in the Thai islands, to the temples in Northern and Central Thailand, to the hustle and bustle of the metropolis that is Bangkok. Thailand isContinue Reading

Lao cuisine is not well known in the western world, but did you know that there are more ethnic Lao living in Thailand than in Laos. A majority of the people living in Northeastern Thailand are ethnically Lao, and Lao cuisine played a pivotal role in making Thai food an internationalContinue Reading

In: Asia, Budget Breakdown

Laos is often overshadowed by its bigger neighbours, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. It doesn’t help that it is the only country in Southeast Asia without a coastline. The country has not undergone a major industrialization and modernization like other countries in the region. There are a lack western comforts likeContinue Reading

Thailand has an abundance of yummy eats. From Southern Thailand’s curries to Northern Thailand’s papaya salads, you can find many different tastes that will cater to any foodie. Having been in Thailand for over a month, I got a good grasp of the cuisine and in this list I willContinue Reading

In: Asia, Budget Breakdown

Malaysia is my first true taste of solo backpacking in Southeast Asia. I spent three weeks in the country spending time in Penang, Cameron Highlands, Kuala Lumpur, and Malacca. Below, I will give you my budget breakdown to show you how to spend less than $30 CAD per day inContinue Reading

I have heard of Workaway a lot of times through many backpackers I’ve met during my travels. I have always wanted to give it a try, and I figured as I would have plenty of time during my long term travels in South East Asia, I would figure I wouldContinue Reading

The country of Malaysia has three distinct people group: the Malay, the Chinese, and the Indians. Due to this, food in Malaysia has strong influences from the three ethnicities. You can get a variety of yummy eats no matter where you go in the country and in this post, I willContinue Reading

In September 2018, I embarked on my long term travel to South East Asia. I quit my cushy corporate job and decided to pursue what I love the most, to travel! I booked a one way ticket to Singapore and I don’t know exactly when I will be back. In thisContinue Reading

This past November, Adi and I booked a weekend trip to Chicago because a) the man really loves to travel, b) flights were cheap, and c) it worked with both of our schedules. I was particularly interested in The Windy City as I have heard amazing things about its architecture, museums, and food. We managed to snag a good deal on plane tickets and booked a private room at a budget-friendly Airbnb. With transportation and accommodation taken care of, the days leading up to the actual trip was spent figuring out how we could see/eat the best of Chicago in 72 hours.

Day 1

After we landed at Chicago Midway Airport, we bought Ventra cards and loaded 3-day CTA unlimited ride passes — a convenient option for getting around the city and an absolute must, in my opinion. Riding the L-train is an unique experience in itself, as you get to meander along the cityscape and see the nooks and crannies of each passing neighbourhood.

As soon as we checked into our Airbnb and dropped our bags off, we hit the ground running. Our first mission was trying the iconic deep-dish pizza. There were numerous options but we decided to go with Lou Malnati’s, a chain restaurant with a big reputation. We had to join a waiting list to be seated and once we ordered, had to wait another 30 minutes for the pie to be made. But the wait was definitely worth it — my tastebuds fell in love at first bite.

I recommend:

Day 2

The next day we headed to one of the city’s best attractions, The Art Institute. Pro tip: buy tickets in advance online and you won’t have to queue in a ridiculously long line. We spent a good part of our morning exploring the numerous exhibitions — there’s bound to be something for everyone. Afterwards we headed to Cloud Gate which is a nice place to take selfies and people watch.

As we were visiting Chicago near the start of the holiday season, we were able to check out Christkindlmarket at night. There were vendors that sold authentic German eats such as pretzels, currywurst, roasted nuts, among other things. Adi was the more adventurous out of the two of us and tried the pickled herring (I abstained from kissing him after that). We ate a low-key dinner at Portillo’s before heading to a live music bar, where we jived to old-school hits and even witnessed a proposal!

I recommend:

Day 3

On our last day, we hopped on a bus and headed north to Lincoln Park for a picturesque view of the city. The weather was finally cooperating and we were able to snap photos of Chicago’s famous skyline. We then walked around to the nearby Zoo and Conservatory. Despite being free, it never felt overcrowded and the indoor and outdoor enclosures allowed us to view a fair amount of animals. My favourite part was probably seeing the penguins! Spent a good five minutes watching the little one on the rock contemplating life.

As our flight back to Toronto was scheduled in the evening, we spent the rest of the day exploring Old Town and The Loop before making our way to the airport. With a bag of Garrett’s Popcorn in one hand and XXtra Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in the other, our short but sweet trip to the Windy City came to an end. I would love to return in the warmer months and discover new eats and sights outside of the city core. Until next time! 🙂

I recommend:

• Taking a short detour to Chinatown to eat cumin lamb flatbread (omg so good!) at Xi’an Cuisine
• Lincoln Park for a different view of Chicago’s skyline — also houses the Zoo and Conservatory (both FREE!)
• Checking out the various FREE public art downtown

Bonus vlog footage:

Also! Make sure you check out Adi’s top 5 things to do in Chicago!

The Sum of our Chicago Trip

Our Chicago trip cost each person $ 544.95 CAD.  In all, I think we had good value for our money. We only spent this much due to:

• Adi found a great deal on a flight to Chicago as we went on a randon weekend in November
• For the most part, we never really splurged on food and got by on affordable, but satisfying eats
• Chicago is a very affordable city to visit due to the numerous things you can see and do for free such as Millennium Park and Lincoln Park Zoo
• Accommodation is cheap compared to cities such as New York and Boston

This country in South America is often overshadowed by more popular destinations such as Peru or Argentina. However, you will still encounter many backpackers, as Bolivia’s Andean region is a part of the well-travelled South American backpacker circuit (Colombia to Chile/Argentina or vice versa). While I only had time to explore the West–partaking in activities such as the Uyuni Salt Flats and the Death Road (more on that later)–there is another world in the East in the Amazon Lowlands. In this post, I will go over my experience and the costs of travelling to Bolivia.

Currency Info: When I was there in April 2019, the exchange of the Bolivian Boliviano to the Canadian Dollar was 5.17 BOB to $1 CAD.

While within Bolivia, I did not need to book any flights. I entered the country from the Chile border during my tour of the Uyuni Salt Flats and exited the country on the Peru border on the way to Cusco.

If you are planning to visit the Bolivian Amazon, which is the cheapest way to do any jungle activities within the Amazon, I would suggest to fly. Rurrenabaque, the small jungle town which serves as the primary gateway for tours, is only 400 km away from La Paz. But the journey via bus is a 16 hour ride on poorly maintained roads and is notorious for many accidents.

The food scene in Bolivia is heavily influenced by a combination of Spanish cuisine and indigenous Andean traditions. Ingredients such as corn, potatoes, quinoa and beans are popular in local dishes. Because their food is mostly bland and centered around meat and potatoes, Bolivia isn’t a world famous culinary destination. However, I was able to try out some delicious local delicacies such as:

• Lunch is the most important meal of the Bolivian day, and a typical Bolivian lunch would consist of several courses such as a soup and a main course of meat, rice, and potatoes. You can find these at a local inexpensive restaurant for 15 BOB ($2.90 CAD)!
• Grilled trucha (trout) from Lake Titicaca with quinoa and roasted vegetables. 50 BOB ($9.66 CAD)
• The chola is a classic sandwich from La Paz. There are many different versions and is a great snack (or meal if you get two). They can be bought for just 10 BOB ($1.93 CAD)!
• Choripan, consisting of chorizo (sausage) in pan (bread) and accompanied by lettuce, tomato and onion. 8 BOB ($1.55 CAD)
• Dinner at the highly rated Las Velas. This is a unique restaurant tucked away on top of Isla del Sol. There is no electricity here so the kitchen cooks with a wood burning oven and propane-fueled stove top. Because of that, be prepared to wait for almost 1.5 hours for the food (there are some board games to pass the time). I got the trout in wine sauce there, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as other places. But I was able to try some lasagna which was really delicious. The whole candlelit dining experience made it a memorable one. 50 BOB ($9.66 CAD)
• Fresh juice from a market. 10 BOB ($1.93 CAD)
• Local beers starting at 10 BOB ($1.93 CAD)

Sopa de Mondongo. 6.5/10 Beef with rice. 7.5/10 with the salsa Grilled trucha (trout) with quinoa and roasted vegetables. 8/10 Sandwich de Chola. 7/10 Choripan. 8.5/10

While I covered some of the dangers riding on buses across the country, that pertains more to the route between the Andes region to the tropical lowlands. I took buses in between Uyuni, Sucre, La Paz, and Copacabana, and I didn’t feel any dangers. The roads were obviously not up to the same standards as a developed country, but were not the worst (looking at you Cambodia!) The overnight buses I took were pretty basic, not as great as the ones in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Here are the bus journeys I took within Bolivia:

• Uyuni to Sucre: an 8.5 hour overnight bus journey 70 BOB ($13.53 CAD)
• Sucre to La Paz: a 12 hour overnight bus journey 189 BOB ($36.55 CAD)

I primarily used Busbud.com to purchase the bus rides as they are easiest to book and charge minimal to no admin fees.

Visiting Lake Titicaca, I also had to take ferries:

• Ferry to Copacabana 30 BOB ($5.80 CAD)
• Ferry to Isla de Sol 25 BOB ($4.83 CAD)

I also used Bolivia Hop (same company as Peru Hop) to get from La Paz all the way to Cusco. Within that trip I was able to stop in Copacabana, Bolivia, and Puno, Peru for $51.45 USD. Bolivia Hop (Peru Hop) is a hop on hop off bus system and makes getting around Bolivia and Peru a little easier (granted it only goes to Copacabana and La Paz in Bolivia). They pick up and drop off directly to your accommodations and provide English speaking guides on the buses. I also thought it would be great way to meet new travellers, but I didn’t find it to be the case as most people were already travelling in groups. I probably wouldn’t do it again, as you pay a lot more for that convenience.

I found the cost of hostels to be pretty cheap, similar to those in Southeast Asia. While they might not be the same quality, they are still great places to stay and are really great value. You can find more about the places I stayed as below:

KulturBerlin for 3 nights at 68.5 BOB ($13.24 CAD) per night

Only 10 minute walk to Sucre’s main square, this hostel is situated in a great location. The dorm rooms were so spacious that there was even a sofa and dresser in my 6 bed room. They have a great breakfast with a wide variety of foods: fruits, jams, and bread. It is a social hostel with nightly events and a big bar/club. A downside of that is that loud music will disturb your sleep as the dorms are right above the bar. I really appreciated that I was able to check-in at 5 am after my overnight bus.

Look at all that space!

Wild Rover La Paz for 3 nights at 68 BOB ($13.14 CAD) per night

If you want a taste of Ireland in South America, then head to this place. This party hostel also offers comfortable beds and hot clean showers. They also have beds with privacy curtains, which help with the noise from the in-house bar. As a party hostel, they have nightly activities such as trivia night, karaoke, etc. which makes it a great place to meet other travellers! They are also a chain with other locations in Cusco and Huacachina.

A (shared) private room for 2 nights at 60 BOB ($11.58 CAD) per night

Most of the visitors to the island only make it for a day trip. We were glad that we stayed the night so much that we extended another night in this beautiful island (more below). As for accommodation, many of the Isla del Sol hotels and hostels are fairly basic. But what they lack for, they make up in sweeping vistas of Lake Titicaca and the island. Be wary that most of the accommodation are at the peak of the island, requiring a hike up. Being up at 4,000 m altitude adds to the challenge. Carrying my backpack was intense as I had to stop a lot just to catch a breath. I got a random room at a basic accommodation, which I shared with another fellow traveller.

Sunrise from right outside our room!

My two must do’s in South America were both in Bolivia: The Uyuni Salt Flats and The Death Road. These activities were not cheap and added to my cost of travelling Bolivia.

My tour left from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile which made it more expensive than if you were doing it from the Bolivia side. The tour was 130,000 CLP ($255.40 CAD) but this also included all our meals and accommodation for the three days and two nights. This did not include the National Park entrance which was 150 BOB ($28.99 CAD). The tour was more than just the salt flats, which by the way, was breathtaking. It also included stops to:

• Laguna Blanca (the White Lake)
• Laguna Verde (the Green Lake)
• Aguas Termals de Polques – a hot spring, which was lukewarm at best. An additional 6 BOB ($1.16 CAD)
• Sol de Mañana geyser
• Laguna Colorada (the Red Lake)
• Arbol de Piedra (Tree of Rock)

The tour was by far my biggest expense in the country and probably within South America but it was the activity I looked forward to most. The whole experience was an amazing one and definitely worth the money! I was able to see so many incredible sights and meet awesome people.

Laguna Blanca When you can’t hold it in anymore Laguna Colorada And the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen!

Aside from the Uyuni Salt Flats, another must in Bolivia for me was cycling down Death Road. For those that do not know, this road was one of the most dangerous roads in the world due to its steep slopes, narrow dirt road, and lack of guardrails.

The Death Road experience takes you down 65 km from an altitude of 4,700 m to 1,200 m. Because of that, the climate drastically changes from the freezing Andean peaks at the top to the humid tropical jungle at the bottom. Most of the ride was downhill with only some pedalling at the end of the road where there is an incline. Even though I did fall due to a flat tire, I did not find the ride to be too dangerous. While there are sheer drops off the side of the road, if you are careful, you should be fine!

There are different adventure companies that sell the Death Road Tour package, but I did mine through the Wild Rover Hostel in La Paz for 380 BOB ($73.45 CAD). There was an additional fee of 50 BOB ($9.66 CAD) to access the road.

Sucre is one of the two capitals (the other being La Paz) of the country, where it houses the Supreme Court. “La ciudad blanca” or White City is Bolivia’s pretties and well-kept city with numerous colonial historic buildings. The city centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as it was able to blend local architectural traditions with styles imported from Europe. Its relaxed atmosphere makes it a great place to stay long term, with many choosing to take Spanish lessons here.

I did a walking tour of Sucre through my hostel, KulturBerlin for 30 BOB ($5.80 CAD). Unfortunately, the tour guide left half way without even telling us. There are a bunch of museums and parks that are nice to see such as Casa de la Libertad, the meeting hall where Bolivian independence was declared and Parque Bolivar. But the best thing to do is to walk around the city.

Sunset in Sucre

At 4,058 m above sea level, La Paz is knows as the highest capital city in the world. It is also an important cultural center of Bolivia and most visitors to the country often stop by in this city.

I did also did a walking tour of La Paz through my hostel, Wild Rover La Paz. This time, the tour guide did not leave us and was actually knowledgeable of the city and the Bolivian culture. We got to see the Witches’ Market, where stores sell things like llama fetuses and dried frogs for Aymara rituals, as well as Plaza Murillio, the main square with government buildings and the city cathedral. 20 BOB ($3.87 CAD)

I explored the city with its extensive cable car system, Mi Teleférico. It is also the largest urban cable car network in the world. There are 8 lines that traverse across the city giving great views of the city. Each ride on each line is 3 BOB ($0.58 CAD).

Views of La Paz

A little introduction to the island, which is the largest island on Lake Titicaca. Inca legend says that Isla del Sol was the birthplace of the Sun God, hence the name of the island. Once you get out of the main port, life on the island is tranquil. There is no noise and no motorized traffic. You can only find donkeys here. Everything is laid back, where you can enjoy the sun (sun shines strong here as you are about 4000 km above sea level) and the slower pace. If you are looking things to do there are great hiking trails and incredible lookout points all over the island.

My other costs travelling in Bolivia were very minimal, they include:

• No ATM Fees for me. I didnt find many ATMs in the country that charges any fees. Make sure you use a debit card that doesn’t charge you for any foreign transaction fees. If you are from Canada, I recommend using STACK!
• Laundry for 24 BOB ($4.64 CAD)
• Entrance fee for Isla del Sol 10 BOB ($1.93 CAD)

The Sum of Travelling in Bolivia

For the 12 days I was in Bolivia, I spent a total of 3,762.58 BOB or $727.30 CAD. That amounts to 313.55 BOB or $60.61 CAD per day.

As you can see below, my Activities budget is the biggest portion due to my Uyuni Salt Flats tour and the Death Road experience. Just those two alone was 47% of my total spend in Bolivia. You can save a lot of money by doing the Uyuni Salt Flats tour from the Bolivian side and only doing 1 day instead of my 3 day one.

As the Uyuni Salt Flats tour also included meals and two nights accommodation, my food/drinks/accommodation spend per day is understated. Nonetheless, they are still very cheap. Meals can be had for under 25 BOB or around $5 CAD. A night at a highly rated hostel will only set you back around 70 BOB or around $14 CAD.

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