The Trekking Pawns' Diary

Hey everyone! While we’re busy brushing up on our French for our trip to Nice, we couldn’t resist a little daydream escape to… Las Vegas! There’s no city quite like it, with neon lights, a buzzing nightlife, and endless activities. So, here’s our ultimate weekend itinerary to help you soak up all the Vegas magic. (Any links you click on or book with will not cost you anything extra, but we may receive perks from affiliates) Las Vegas in November: What to Expect November is a perfect time to hit up Vegas. The temperatures are cooler, hovering around a comfortable 50-70°F (10-21°C). Gone is the intense summer heat, making it ideal for exploring the Strip without melting into the sidewalk. Pack light layers—think a couple of t-shirts, a light sweater or jacket for the evenings, and comfortable walking shoes. Vegas might be glam, but comfort is key! November also brings some exciting events, from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series to special Thanksgiving feasts. And if you’re lucky, you mi...

(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...

(I couldn't resist, I absolutely love the view from our window!) *** Bonjour from Nice, France! The Trekking Pawns have officially started our immersive French adventure, and what a journey it’s been so far. Our trip started with a layover in Montreal, and although it was just five hours, we had a surprisingly good time at the airport! We debated leaving the airport to explore the city—after all, Old Quebec looked incredible from what we’d seen online. However, considering the hour-long trip into the city center and the fact that our layover was from 4 pm to 9 pm, we didn’t want to risk getting stuck in immigration or missing our flight back through security. A hop on hop off bus would have been a fun easy way to quickly see all the big spots! Instead, we decided to stay put in the international terminal and made the most of our time there. Montreal Airport Fun The international section of the Montreal airport has quite a bit to keep you entertained. There was a little putting act...

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...