These are the companies that we recommend to use when planning and booking your trip. We have personally used all these brands in the past and will continue to use them for future trips! If you have any questions about any of these companies, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Accommodation

Airbnb – One of our favourite accommodation options, Airbnb allows you to rent private rooms or whole apartments around the world. If you’ve never used Airbnb before, click this link to get up to $40 off your first stay.

Booking.com – Our go-to site for booking hotels, guesthouses or other budget accommodation around the world. A lot of places have the advantage of being fully refundable up to a certain date.

Couchsurfing – A great option for travellers on a tight budget as it offers you the opportunity to stay with locals for free who are offering up any sort of place to sleep. You can also use the site to meet up with locals even if not staying with them

Hostelworld – The best site to use if you are booking hostels around the world as they have the largest selection and an easy booking interface.

HotelsCombined – Another good option if you’re booking hotels as they aggregate results from a number of different booking websites.

Worldpackers – Work exchange platform that allows you to volunteer your time in exchange for accommodation. Use the code WORLDHEREFIRST to get $20 discount on an annual membership and check out our full Worldpackers review.

Flights

ClaimCompass – If your flight from or to any EU country, is cancelled or delayed, you can claim compensation for up to €600 per passanger. Click here to read our detailed ClaimCompass review

Dollar Flight Club – Get the best cheap international flight deals sent directly to your email or phone. They offer a free 7 day trial – check out our detailed Dollar Flight Club Review

Momondo – A flight aggregator that shows you all the available airlines and possible routes to take. Best used if you have a specific flying date in mind.

Skyscanner – Another flight aggregator that we find is best to use if you have flexible travel dates or haven’t decided on your final destination.

Gear

Osprey Farpoint Backpack (also available on REI here) – Our favourite backpack to travel with and one that we’ve used extensively across a number of trips. It’s lightweight, versatile and comes with a lifetime warranty. Maggie uses a 55L backpack while Michael uses a 70L backpack

Eagle Creek Compression Packing Cubes (also available on REI here)- A lifesaver for keeping your backpack organised and saving space by compressing your items. These ones are very lightweight and durable!

Ultra Light Down Jacket (for women’s click here) – A versatile jacket that packs down easily, is affordable and can be worn in a range of different climates.

North Face Rain Jacket (for women’s click here) – There is nothing worse than walking around a city while wet, so always make sure to pack a quality rain jacket.

Click here to see our complete packing list!

Getting Around

RentalCars.com – A price comparison website for renting cars anywhere in the world. All the major companies are available here and it lets you easily see what the cheapest option is.

Omio – An easy-to-use website to book train and bus tickets in Western Europe and the UK in advance and get great savings! Click here to read our detailed review of Omio

Trainline – Another great place to book your train tickets, particularly if travelling in the UK.

Insurance

WorldNomads – Our preferred travel insurance company as they offer flexible policies, cover a wide range of activities and let you extend your policy while you are travelling.

iCarHireInsurance – They offer third-party excess insurance for car rentals which is typically significantly cheaper than what is offered by car hire companies

SafetyWing – A travel medical insurance provider that offers very affordable and flexible policies for travellers and digital nomads. Click here to read our detailed review of SafetyWing

Photography

Sony A6000 Camera – Michael’s camera of choice, this is a great entry-level mirrorless camera if you want to start taking your photography more seriously.

Joby GorillaKit Tripod (also available on REI here)- A fantastic lightweight tripod that has flexible legs meaning it can be used in a wide range of different environments

Extra SD Cards – Whatever camera you use, make sure to never forget to pack a few extra SD cards so you have plenty of space for your photos.

Adobe Lightroom – The best cloud-based software around for editing and organising your photos

Tours

GetYourGuide or Viator – Tour aggregators that offers a huge selection of organised day tours in many different travel destinations.