Elona the Explorer

Smart Moves To Beat Home Time Blues

The idea of going back to normal life isn’t a nice one, especially when you’ve had a great time. Most people will feel home time blues when they’re on their return trip, but it doesn’t have to be this way, and this post is here to help you out.

Fascinating Animals To See Around The World

If you have a soft spot for wildlife and travel, you might be keen on finding a way to combine the two. Here are some of the most fascinating animals which you can expect to see around the world, as well as where to go looking for them.

This is where you should spend your honeymoon in Bali

If you are planning your honeymoon or simply a romantic getaway, then The Viceroy Bali should be your first (& only) option. I’ve stayed at dozens of 5-star properties and the one I keep coming back to is The Viceroy Bali.

The Easiest Way to Make Money Now (and Travel More)

*Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored – I personally downloaded, tested, and currently use the app.  People always ask me how I have enough money to travel often. The answer is simple: multiple streams of income. Contrary to popular belief, multiple streams of income does not only apply to having real estate or a business (although I do have jewelry company which certainly helps). For some reason the latter really scares people off. Multiple streams of income simply means you are generating money somewhere other than your 9-5, as an example see these seamless ways to make extra cash on the side. Recently I came across this app and right now it is arguably the easiest way to make money. DOSH is very similar to Ebates (which I use religiously and make hundreds of dollars on). Unlike Ebates, which requires you to “activate” the cash back option”, DOSH automatically puts money back into your account based on the purchases you make on your linked cards. You can purchase something online or in-store on a card that you linked to DOSH and DOSH will seek out a cash back opportunity from the store and deposit the money into your account. Literally no work on your part. AND you get $5 after you sign up and link your first card! This is the easiest way to make money now (& travel more this year!) If you’re looking for more apps to make extra money check these out!

The Most Instagrammable Places in Singapore

Singapore is one of the most incredible places I’ve ever been to – it is literally a city within a garden rather than a garden within a city. You can only imagine how many instargrammable places there are in Singapore!

The Best Place to Stay in Singapore

The Best Place to Stay in Singapore is undeniably The Shangri-La which is so incredible that it is actually dubbed the Second Botanic Garden of Singapore.

The Ultimate Travel Holiday Gift Guide for your Travel Obsessed Friends!

With the holidays just around the corner – there is still time to surprise your favorite travel obsessed companion with a unique gift! Here is the ultimate travel holiday gift guide for your traveler friends. NULA Jewelry Allow me to get a little bit biased on my own blog  A few months ago I launched my travel themed jewelry line and it’s the perfect gift for the travel obsessed girl. I designed every piece hoping that when I look at them, they will remind me of a favorite travel memory or inspire me to go somewhere new. The pieces, including bangles, necklaces, and earrings, showcase both air-travel and ocean-travel – depending on what the traveler prefers. Best of all, they are affordable & ship worldwide – you can get 25% off for this holiday sale!  ZERO Halliburton This year I decided to upgrade my travel gear to a luxurious luscious red carry-on from one of the top names in the industry.  ZERO Halliburton was the first to create aluminum travel luggage which was not only beautifully designed but also had protection meeting military specifications. I wanted a bag that was stylish and durable and ZERO Halliburton successfully blends both of the latter. It is undoubtedly the staple of luxury travel gear. The bag also comes with a tracking program to help you locate your bag in the case that it is lost or misplaced. Get yours for 30% off while the holiday sale lasts! JOBY Tri-Pod All travelers want to get the epic picture on vacation and whether you are traveling alone or with a friend, a tri-pod can change the entire dynamic of your photography. I love my JOBY tripod because its strong enough to hold my DSLR, and I can mount it onto pretty much anything due to it’s flexible legs! It’s affordable, it’s lightweight, and it comes in different variations so you can attach a DSLR, a GoPro or a smarthphone to it! Lisa Homsy Presets My friend and number one travel photography inspiration, Lisa Homsy, released the secret to her unreal feed earlier this year: Lightroom filters! Lisa has one of the most mouthwatering and beautiful Instagram accounts and every photographer/traveler aspiring to take their photos to the next level, should buy Lisa’s filters – and by the way, I use them, too! Lisa’s Lightroom filters are the perfect holiday gift for any photographer, traveler, and aspiring blogger!  Gelfand & Co. My friends at Gelfand & Co. offer a wide selection of chic & luxurious styles that are also very affordable. The best thing about them is that you can interchange the straps and have a “new” watch for different occasions and trips! A watch is the perfect holiday gift and an absolute necessity for a traveler. When I travel to certain places, for example a beachy Caribbean vacation, I never bring expensive items with me so being able to buy an affordable watch that looks and feels sleek and luxurious is a huge value prop. You can save 20% off your entire purchase AND get free shipping during their holiday sale so get yours soon! Fly a Plane! Yes, you read that correctly. The ultimate unique travel gift is the gift of flying itself, and you can physically fly an airplane for only $100! Flying a plane was a major bucket list item for me that I never knew was actually attainable – it is one of the most remarkable experiences I’ve ever had and I recommend it to everyone, traveler or not! If you are in the NYC area, here are 5 more incredible gift ideas for your travel obsessed friends!

5 super cheap things to do in New York City this month

New York City is an extraordinary place mainly because someone did the math and came up with a rough estimate that it would take you over 10,000 days to eat three meals a day at three different establishments until you finish all of them in NYC. Talk about incredible! You can drink some beer with schnitzel then walk over one block for some salsa lessons, take the train one stop to a sushi making class, and finally cross the street for a night cap with some live jazz. You almost don’t need a passport! More importantly, there are many super cheap things to in and around the big apple (contrary to popular belief). What better time to do them if not during the holidays: the best time of the year in New York City. 1. Christmas Spectacular Just in time for the holidays, make sure to buy a ticket or two to the most popular show in NYC during the holidays: Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes.  For many local and visiting families, the show is a holiday tradition and it is worth watching at least once in a lifetime! 2. Make Sushi I can’t think of many things that are more romantic than making sushi with your significant other (ok, maybe I can, but this is definitely top 10). If you are not into the whole romance thing, for under $50 you can make your own California Roll alongside a professional Sushi chef and perhaps some new friends! 3. Ice Palace One of the most unique experiences I know is the Minus 5 Ice experience. Minus 5 is an ice bar, literally. It is a palace made out of ice which is illuminated by colorful LED’s and makes you feel like you are in a different universe! For just $25, you can snatch admission tickets for two – for drinks and more, well, you’re on your own. 4. Get a Massage It’s the holidays, you deserve a massage. In reality, the prices of massages have always blown me off my feet – I can’t believe people pay hundreds of dollars for massages so when I saw this deal for a 60 minute massage at less than $50, I had to include it in this post. In fact, I will get it myself. 5. Take Foot Selfies Last year I found out that dangling your feet out of a helicopter over NYC and other big cities is actually a thing. Naturally, I wanted to try it out and it was so worth it. Although the booking price is not exactly “super cheap”, FlyNYON offers fantastic last minute deals (as low as $100) as well as numerous free giveaways on their Instagram! Whether you are a native New Yorker or just visiting, an open door helicopter ride will be a truly unforgettable that will leave you with incredible images of New York City.