The Trekking Pawns' Diary

 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...

Hey, adventure-loving friends! Vegas is famous for its flashy casinos, nightlife, and lights, but for us, it’s the shows that really steal the spotlight. From magic tricks to mind-blowing stunts, this city has a wild mix of entertainment, and we’re here for it! Here are a few shows on our radar, each with its own unique vibe. Who's ready for some laughs, gasps, and all-out fun? Even better, these shows are budget friendly! (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.) 1. Adam London’s Laughternoon Comedy Magic Show This one is for the big kids and the little ones at heart. Adam London’s Laughternoon has been delighting crowds for over a decade with his quirky brand of family-friendly comedy magic. Think sleight-of-hand tricks, lots of laughs, and even some rubber duckies! Adam’s been honing his magic skills at famous comedy venues like L.A. Comedy ...

Some bus stops are easy to spot. Others are just a post, and we got lost trying to find some of them and ended up walking to the next stop.  --- Exploring Nice for just two days has already given us a unique glimpse into the rhythm of local life, especially as we’ve been relying on public transportation to get around town. There’s something special about riding the buses and trams here. Not only is it a practical way to move from place to place, but it’s also already become our daily dose of people-watching and immersion into the local culture. One of the things that stands out to us is how integrated the public transportation system is with everyday life in Nice. In the mornings, we often see parents taking their kids on the bus to school. There’s no separate school bus system here; kids hop on the same buses as everyone else, sometimes with their parents, and sometimes on their own. They’re so confident, weaving through the city like seasoned commuters. It’s clear that public tra...

(In the upper right corner, click the flags to change to the language of preference.) As part of our ongoing adventures here in Nice, we’ve been experimenting with different ways to navigate the city’s public transportation system, specifically the Lignes d’Azur metro and bus networks. While playing around with the Lignes d’Azur Tickets app, we discovered some interesting pros and cons, especially compared to other transit systems we've used (looking at you, Paris Metro!). The Lignes d’Azur Digital Metro Card: A Pleasant Surprise One of the standout features of the Lignes d’Azur app is that the digital metro card doesn’t require data to work. This is a game-changer for us! Normally, when traveling, we try to limit our data usage to keep ourselves more immersed in the moment rather than constantly scrolling through social media or updating ourselves on the latest news. The fact that we could access and use the app offline meant one less thing to worry about and more time for explo...

As travel bloggers, we often get asked how we plan our trips and which sites we trust to book everything from flights to activities. It’s a great question because, let’s be honest, the internet is overflowing with options! We’ve found that using a few trusted sites makes travel planning so much easier, and we’re here to share our go-to platforms for booking flights, hotels, and activities. When it comes to booking our flights and hotel stays, we love using Booking.com and Expedia . Both platforms are incredibly user-friendly and allow us to quickly compare prices and check out flexible dates, which is crucial when we’re trying to squeeze in an extra day or catch the cheapest flight! It’s also handy to have everything in one place—hotels, flights, and even car rentals—so we’re not juggling a million tabs. We’re also big fans of both sites' cancellation policies. Let’s face it, plans change, and it’s nice to know that we can cancel or modify bookings without stress. Having that peac...