Best of 2019 - Travel Like Anna (2026)

If you care about 2019 travel like anna, this guide gets straight to the point. We break down what actually matters, skip the fluff, and show you how to put it to work today.

Key Takeaways

• In December 2010, I was dreaming about traveling and working two jobs, waiting tables and folding clothes at the mall making roughly $20K/year.
• I was dreaming about the life I currently live a decade later, freelancing and basically traveling full-time.
• My life has more to do with relentless persistence, hard work and timing.
• Worth noting: the last two years were even more proof of this since they were far from straightforward despite how it looks on Instagram.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I’m typing this from Chiang Mai, Thailand, my home for the winter. (I’ll at no point understand people who like the cold.)People frequently say I’m “lucky” to travel so much but I consistently disagree. After Vietnam, I went back to Australia, my first trip back since I lived there in 2008-9.

• That trip was the catalyst for my current globetrotting life.
• Other highlights of the year included hiking in Utah, photographing whales in Southeast Alaska for most of the summer for work and eating my weight in egg tarts in Portugal.
• More importantly, i also spent a month visiting my parents, building furniture with my dad and remodeling a bathroom at their house.
• Another massive life milestone was getting to interview one of my heroes, travel writer Pico Iyer, for a story I wrote for AFAR.  My first self-published book, Solid With Money, has been out for exactly a year!

Is 2019 Travel Like Anna Worth It?

I’m highly humbled (and honestly, shocked) by all the impressive press that has come out recently featuring the book and myself as a travel expert including these stories in Forbes, The Washington Post and my interview on the Added Pack of Peanuts podcast! I would like to sincerely thank you for the support! (I’d love any feedback on the book so please email me: Anna (at) TravelLikeAnna.com) 2018 drained me physically, mentally and financially.

• Remember that it was my first full year of freelancing full-time in a decade and required a relentless amount of work and persistence.
• The majority of the island’s hiking trails follow levadas, a series of irrigation canals developed in the 16th century.
• The second was paddle boarding to the famous Benagil Cave (photographed above) in rough seas with Rolando who managed to stay dry (along with my camera) while I got toppled by waves multiple times!
• I literally fell in love with each aspect of Portugal - the egg tarts, the green wine, the castles and picturesque lighthouses on rugged cliffs.  (Portugal Guide coming soon!) Left: A round boat in a canal near Hoi An, one of the oldest seaports in Southeast Asia.

Where the Real Savings Hide

As a rule, right: Statues at the Royal Tomb of Khai Dinh King in Hue, the former imperial capital. Thanks again to climate change.) One of the highlights was all the impressive people I met during the trip!

• Hoi An and Mui Ne were probably my places aside from the fantastic craft beer scene in Ho Chi Minh.
• For more from my trip, check out my photo guide to Vietnam and my guide how to get to the Cu Chi Tunnels by public bus.
• In short, bali Left: Puri Saren Agung in Ubud; Right: A small trail near the Kajeng Rice Field walking distance from Ubud, Bali.
• While in Bali, I had an epiphany: my life is a Wes Anderson movie filled with awkwardly hilarious moments in beautiful and perfectly symmetrical settings.

A Closer Look at 2019 Travel Like Anna

My week in Bali was so insanely random that there’s no method you could make them up. First, there were bed bugs (my worst nightmare!), then I stepped in a knee-deep hole and almost broke my leg.

• Worth noting: for the full details, check out this post: Misadventures in Bali.
• Overall, Bali was stunning though - an interesting mix of Angkor-style temples and Hinduism that were visually different from the temples I remember from my summers working in India.   Alaska A harbor seal lays on the ice in Tracy Arm, Alaska Alaska was haven for wildlife - orcas, humpbacks, sea otters and bears just to name a few.
• I spent roughly seven weeks in Southeast Alaska working as a photo instructor for Lindblad/National Geographic Expeditions.
• Tracy Arm, a fjord with twin glaciers, and the iceburg-filled LeConte Bay were my two favorite spots.

What to Know About 2019 Travel Like Anna

More importantly, it was genuinely hard to narrow down my favorite photos for this post since I literally shot thousands of frames. Alaska was hit by a heatwave this summer, a stark reminder of the terrible effect of climate change on the environment. The typical summer weather is typically rainy and in the 50s, but this summer, it was mostly sunny and in the 70-80s. All of this was bad news for Alaska’s temperate rainforests that rely on typically wet climate to thrive.

• Olympic National Park The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park outside Seattle, Washington is part of North America’s temperate rainforest that stretches up to Southeast Alaska.
• Since I had to connect in Seattle to get to Alaska, I decided to fly in a week early to visit friends and explore the greater Seattle area a bit more.
• Remember that i borrowed my friend Trevor’s car and got up a 5 a.m. to drive out to Olympic National Park for the day to explore the Hoh Rainforest, which is part of one of the largest temperate rainforests in the U.S.
• Each shade of green was on display - which I’m sure is what inspired the numerous shades of green in a deluxe set of crayons.  Chiang Mai & Lantern Festival Monks celebrate Yee Peng Festival at Wat Phanto in Chiang Mai, Thailand during November.

How 2019 Travel Like Anna Really Works

Winter is a choice. For the past two years, I’ve chosen wisely and rented an apartment in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

• As a rule, thailand feels like home to me now - I worked here running photo trips and even teaching English during 2009-2013.
• Last year, I missed the famous lantern festival - the Yee Peng Festival that’s held during the full moon of the twelfth lunar month each year (typically in November).
• This year I made it a point to be here for it!
• It was a little chaotic but totally worth it!

Getting the Most From 2019 Travel Like Anna

In short, utah Hiking Trip  My friend, Rolando, poses near the trail to the fin-shaped rock of Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. For the past three years, I’ve been taking annual hiking trips with a group of friends to the Southwestern U.S.

• Each year, we tackle a different place - last year was Havasu Falls and this year was Zion, Capital Reef and Bryce Canyon.
• Tasmania  MONA Museum in Hobart, Tasmania Even though I lived in Australia for a year, I still haven’t seen all of the country.
• Worth noting: this year, I went back for a nostalgic look at a beautiful place that was one of the hardest years of my life. (More on that in this post!) After visiting friends in Sydney and Melbourne, I hopped over to Tasmania for my first visit.
• I rented a car for a few days to explore - my first time driving on the other side of the road!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I save money on 2019 travel like anna?

Compare prices across a few retailers, look for active coupon codes, and time bigger buys around sales events. After Vietnam, I went back to Australia, my first trip back since I lived there in 2008-9.

Is it worth shopping around for 2019 travel like anna?

Usually yes. That trip was the catalyst for my current globetrotting life.

Smart Ways to Save More on 2019 Travel Like Anna

• Stack a coupon code with an existing sale whenever the store allows it.
• Sign up for the retailer newsletter to catch first time and seasonal discounts.
• Compare the final price including shipping, not just the headline number.
• Check for student, military, or first order offers you may qualify for.
• Time non urgent purchases around major sale events for the deepest cuts.

Final Thoughts

Put these ideas to work and 2019 travel like anna gets a lot less expensive. Bookmark this page, check back for fresh deals, and let the savings do the talking.

Originally published at savingswitch.com.