Nina Out and About

19/06/2024

What questions do you have about the Now Boarding Bundle?
Comment them below and I'll answer every one (there are no dumb questions! Please ask away!!)
❤️✈️

15/06/2024

The Now Boarding Bundle is open for applications!
I am SO excited to be announcing that I am hosting my first bundle - and I want you to participate.
It's a travel bundle for travelers - not bloggers!
For some reason, there really aren't any bundles in the travel space that are just for travelers. Ultimate Bundles had one pre-Covid but I haven't heard head nor tail of it since.
So I decided, why not host one myself?
This is my first bundle that I'm hosting, but I've participated in over 30 in the last two years. I know what makes a good bundle - and how to help bloggers submitting get the most dedicated subscribers.
I've used bundles to add over 6,000 subscribers to my email list (who are still here today!) in 2023.
The bundle already has 200k email reach and over 750k social media reach thanks to some pre-outreach I did. And that's before all of y'all join!
So this isn't going to be some micro event, it's gonna be the biggest travel bundle there is!
Now Boarding Bundle
When: September 15 - 21st, 2024
Applications: June 15 - 30th, 2024
A free, 7-day bundle for travel lovers by travel lovers. The bundle will be segmented by travel style to help travelers find their ideal roadmap to their dream trip.
Travelers can upgrade to Business Class for $100 to get access to more exclusive products from world-class travelers.
This isn't a B2B bundle. No "how to travel blog" courses or products.
​👉 Apply to become a contributor : https://nowboardingbundle.com/contributor-info/
​👉 Learn more about sponsoring the event and getting your business in front of over 1 million travelers : https://nowboardingbundle.com/bundle-sponsors/
I can't wait to see what you submit! ❤️
Cheers,
Nina

24/04/2024

The US Department of Transportation is now requiring airlines to automatically issue refunds for delays over 3 hours or - accessibility win!! - with the flight is changed to a less accessible plane type
https://www.tiktok.com//video/7361450449146367275?_r=1&_t=8lnwr4dnRnK

What do you think about this?

295.5K likes, 4202 comments. “The Department of Transportation is rolling out new rules that require airlines to automatically give cash refunds to passengers for canceled and significantly delayed flights.”

21/04/2024

Want to go to Thailand for free?
World Nomads is offering a content creator scholarship to 3 travel content creators (aka. you have a blog, have photos on your insta, etc.)
Learn more here:
https://www.worldnomads.com/create/scholarships/2024
(I'm not affiliated in any way, but I know lots of people ask about getting free trips)

Win 1-3 scholarships worth over $5,000 USD

17/04/2024

I’ll be leading a summit presentation on traveling with a service dog and finding dog friendly accommodations abroad.
It’s free to attend!
But I want to make it more valuable for y’all.
What are some questions you have about the process or anything dog travel related?
I’ll share the link next week but it’ll be on May 10th 🙂 virtual with a free replay for a limited time.
Featuring Theo cause I know his face is cuter than mine 🤣

11/04/2024

I fly at least once a month, and yet every time I still need to search checked luggage weights
Idk if I'm worried the airline has changed it, or if I'm worried I've misremembered 🙈
But without fail, every single time I have to check
Anyone else??

20/03/2024

Let's get to know each other!
Weird facts about me:
- I studied mime my first year of arts high school, and I was so quiet people thought I was a method actor for the year :p I'm also very good at miming an elevator
- I have been peed on by two different species of monkeys while doing wildlife work
- I got a concussion from a golden retriever running into my face (yet still later got a golden myself)
- I used to code html websites for my dogs as a kid
- I write my letters upside down

I'd love to know some facts about you 👇

19/03/2024

Let's laugh today: what is a time travel went horribly wrong for you and you just had to laugh about it?

I have so many that I used to run a podcast about it (Tripping Up Podcast).
One of my faves is the time I was so jet lagged I walked right into a lamp post in Budapest. Wasnt' even texting. Full on saw it ahead of me. And just walked RIGHT into it. Got a lot of laughs from the locals :p

18/03/2024

Best Dog Friendly Places to Visit in Canada
1. Tofino
2. Halifax
3. Banff
4. Muskoka
5. Tobermory

I've taken Theo to all of the above and found great restaurants, places to stay, and tours/activities that allowed dogs.
Did I miss any of your favourites?

17/03/2024

They make HOW MUCH?!

In this episode I asked and interviewed digital nomads how they make money in Bali.A lot of people often think that Digital nomads don't work or either make ...

16/03/2024

Don't wait for someone else. Do it your damn self

7 years of solo travel has meant a lot of ups and downs. It's important to know the pros and cons of solo travel before you try it for yourself!

15/03/2024

We eat some weird food in Canada.
Most people have heard of poutine and BeaverTails. But have you heard of our famous cocktail made with clam juice?

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a delicious Canada cocktail. Ring in Canada Day this year with some of the best cocktails created in Canada!

14/03/2024

Organize your dream trip today

Learn how to plan a travel itinerary with the help of a travel pro. Get tips on how to plan a trip or vacation, and a free itinerary template you can use today.

13/03/2024

Travel is expensive AF.
And saving is HARD.
So here's how to make money WHILE you travel - no waiting required

Discover how to make money travelling the world. Don't let budget concerns stop you from living your dreams. Find out how!

12/03/2024

If you could only eat one type of cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be? And why?

12/03/2024

Skydiving or bungee jumping?

Check out my choice:

I've always wanted to skydive. I knew I had to experience it during my time in New Zealand. Read more about my first skydive.

11/03/2024

I literally moved to New Zealand for a year, just to do this...

Visit Hobbiton New Zealand to discover the stunning movie set village that features colourful hobbit doors and the rolling hills of the Shire. Learn more now!

10/03/2024

Do you prefer road trips or plane travel?

09/03/2024

Where would you rather live: Uk or Australia?

08/03/2024

Happy International Women's Day ❤️
I debated what message I wanted to send today.
Did I want to highlight some epic women in my life? Women in business?
Did I want to highlight how much it still sucks to be a woman in our society? Share some of my experiences?
Did I want to highlight the pay gap, and the companies with it that keep sharing celebratory posts today?
Did I want to be hopeful and uplifting, or confronting?

I want to do all of that and none of that.
So I'll just say women are badasses, and we deserve the world ❤️
I'm so proud of the women who fight for our rights to get us to where we are today and further equality.

08/03/2024

How I found a job in New Zealand.
I moved to NZ in 2018 for a year after finding a $200 flight from Canada (happy to share tips on that if y'all are interested).
Because I was under 35 and wanted to stay for a while, I got a Working Holiday Visa (more on that here: https://vist.ly/38z9d )
But I had 0 prospects when I arrived.

Here were my steps to landing a $50k a year job within 6 weeks.
Step 1: Create a resume for that location. Every country has different specifications on what they're looking for from a resume and cover letter.
Step 2: Find the local job board online. In Canada, it's Indeed.
Step 3: Apply online - but make it custom to each company.
Step 4: You can also apply in-person at local cafes, etc.
Step 5: Walk around the downtown core and see what companies exist in the area. I would then search their sites for any notices that they were hiring or I'd just email them.
Step 6: Reach out to temp agencies. They were the first to get back to me after the Christmas holidays (do NOT try to find a job in NZ in December. Everything closes down). They got me 4 interviews, and the 3rd hired me.
Then I did an impressive job, and applied for the permanent position and was hired full time. I was an admin assistant for the legal and compliance team of the NZ Commerce Commission. A job which oddly involved cutting the heads off of a lot of teddy bears for "testing".
I've had friends who did similar things, and others who went more the hostel/cafe route.
I've also worked digitally with remote work or freelance work. There are so many ways you can make money while traveling or living abroad! You just need to be a little flexible and a bit patient

Tourism is another great option, as many countries with working holiday visas are popular travel destinations. You could find work in hotels, restaurants, or

06/03/2024

St. Patricks Day is coming up! But what's it actually like living in Ireland? Are their leprechauns and plenty of beer 24/7?

Are you considering living in Ireland as an expat?

05/03/2024

What does your name mean?
Nina has a lot of meanings in different locations.
It's little girl in Spanish, pretty eyes in Greek, and in Russian it's the equivalent of "Anne".

01/03/2024

It's National Plan a Solo Vacation Day

Travelling alone in Amsterdam is safe and fun for solo female travelers. You'll find so many fun things to do solo like museums and food tours!

25/02/2024

People often think of the US as expensive, but they forget about Canada.
There's a story going viral of a student who found a cheap way to avoid paying Vancouver rental prices: he flies to school from Alberta!
Would you do it??

Vancouver’s sky-high rental prices have forced many residents to find creative ways to be able to afford to live in the city. Turning to creativity is exactly what Tim Chen did to avoid paying rent in Vancouver.

25/02/2024

Canada is known for our universal healthcare. It's one of the many reasons people move here.
While we get free doctors visits and emergency treatments, we've still had to pay out of pocket for prescriptions and dentistry, and any rehabilitative care.
BUT there's a new bill working it's way through the government to change that. It has the potential to ensure free prescriptions for all Canadians.
Just another amazing reason to live in Canada:

The federal Liberals and New Democrats have reached a deal that would allow every Canadian with a health card to access free diabetes medication and birth control, the NDP confirmed Friday.

23/02/2024

An AI chatbot on Air Canada's website cost them a LOT of money.
I definitely side with the passenger that if the chatbot is on the airline's website, it's on them for it giving improper info.
What do you think?

A Canadian tribunal ruled that Air Canada owes Jake Moffatt money after the airline’s chatbot provided him false information about bereavement fares.

23/02/2024

I got 3 free round trip flights just by paying for my basic bills.
Here's how:
1. I found a credit card with a sign up bonus of airline points. It genuinely doesn't matter which one you pick so long as it works FOR YOU.
I have to travel with my service dog so I can't fly every airline cause some aren't chill with that.
I got the TD Aeroplan visa for this.
Note: These often have an annual fee. Usually the first year is discounted or waived, but this is something to keep in mind. However it's usually like $100 so if you get even 1 free flight, you've made money out of it.

2. Put everything on the credit card
Don't over spend! But use the credit card for everything in your normal life.
I put my groceries, healthcare bills, dog food, utilities, etc. on the card.
Most sign up bonuses have a secondary bonus when you hit a certain spend on the credit card. It usually isn't even very much money - like you'd likely hit it anyway.
If you're a bit off, you can be the "good friend" who pays for dinner then gets everyone to Venmo you later.
I do this with tickets for my sister and I to do stuff. She doesn't want to book it, and I want points. So win win!

3. Pay the card off regularly
I pay mine off bi-weekly. I set a calendar alert cause ADHD means I totally forget otherwise.
We aren't trying to put anyone in debt here!

4. Check the points
Now, unfortunately with points, companies often try to mess with people and skimp or "forget" to add them.
Be diligent about checking the points.
I don't do this daily or anything, but I will do it for sure when I have a major purchase or when I hit that secondary bonus.

5. Shop at partnered retailers
Usually cards like this, or the airline points program itself, have certain stores that you get more points at.
If it's not a crazy hassle, I'll try to shop at those stores to get extra points.
Some stuff like Uber actually connects to my Aeroplan points so I can get points when I'm ordering takeaway.

I don't regularly sign up to new cards like some travel hackers do. I wouldn't be disciplined enough to remember to pay them off.
But that is something people do to push this even further.
For me, I'm just happy having points for a few extra free flights a year and not needing to keep detailed spreadsheets and alerts for every credit card under the sun.

What are some of your favourite travel points tips?

21/02/2024

I thought this was just being polite on an airplane...

854.7K likes, 4437 comments. “How I found out I have anxiety ✈️ . .”

20/02/2024

I share some tea about service dogs at hotels:

231 likes, 30 comments. “ with Vanel Hope i can add a bit more context from the other POV :)”