The Trekking Pawns' Diary

 One of the questions I always ask before traveling internationally is: “How much cash do we actually need?” I don't love carrying a lot of cash when we travel. It's one more thing to keep track of, and if it gets lost, stolen, or accidentally left behind somewhere, there's no handy little "freeze card" button for it. On the other hand, I also don't want to be standing at a tiny tapas bar with a plate of delicious food in front of me while someone tells me, “Cash only.” 😳 So as we prepare for our fall trip to Barcelona, Spain , I decided to investigate. And the good news? 🇪🇸 Barcelona looks VERY credit-card friendly. Spain's official tourism site says Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, and cards or mobile payments are accepted at most shops, restaurants, hotels and museums. Even better, Spain has been moving strongly toward contactless payments. The Bank of Spain reports that contactless transactions accounted for 93.7% of face-to-face ca...

 Apparently, yes! As travelers, we are always looking for ways to save money, pack smarter, and make things ourselves when it actually makes sense. Electrolyte drink packets are one of those little travel conveniences that can add up quickly—especially when you're buying them for long flights, hot-weather adventures, hiking days, cruises, or just trying to stay hydrated while wandering around a new city. So when we came across LMNT's recipe for making its electrolyte drink mix at home, we had one of those classic Trekking Pawns moments: "Wait... we can make that ourselves?" We found the ingredients online, grabbed a kitchen scale, and decided to give DIY electrolytes a try! The original LMNT homemade electrolyte recipe is surprisingly simple. The recipe uses just three electrolyte ingredients, and then you can add water and whatever flavoring you like. LMNT says its homemade formula is designed to provide approximately 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, and 60 mg ma...

 The Trekking Pawns are heading back to Europe! This time, we’re setting our sights on Barcelona, Spain , and we’re planning to visit in the fall. And honestly, I think fall might be one of the best times to experience this city. Barcelona has so much going on that I already know we’re going to have a difficult time deciding what to do first. Architecture? Absolutely. Food? Obviously. Beaches? Yes, please. Wandering through old neighborhoods with no particular destination? Probably one of our favorite activities. And because we’re The Trekking Pawns, we also want to see how much we can experience without spending a fortune . 🍂 Why Barcelona in the Fall? One of the biggest reasons I’m excited about visiting Barcelona in the fall is the weather. We’re looking at the late September/early October timeframe , when Barcelona is transitioning away from the intense summer heat. According to the Barcelona tourism office, average maximum temperatures are around 79°F in September and 69°F i...