I recently had the opportunity to travel to Mexico. On this trip, we would be stopping in Mazatlan, Mexico City and Durango. This was my first time to go into the country (aside from border cities) and I was very excited to explore, try local foods, and take in the culture!
Here I will share a brief photo diary of what all I experienced in a nutshell. I honestly had a wonderful time, and cannot wait to go back! There is so much Mexico has to offer! From mountains to beaches, remote locations to major cities–not to mention gorgeous architecture! For me, the flight was only about 2 hours, so this getaway is totally doable for a weekend trip or 3 day holiday.
Mazatlan
Although our trip was in October, it was quite toasty in Mazatlan! Shorts and dresses kept me cool throughout the few days we spent there. We stayed to the Park Royal Hoteles Resort, which had an amazingly breathtaking view of the ocean from their infinity pool. For dinner, we opted for poolside service not to miss a minute of the gorgeous sunset. Exploring Mazatlan was a bit of a task in the heat, but we drove out to the strand and watched cliff divers jump into the clear blue-green water and marveled and their skill of perfectly diving between the rocks.
Durango
Mountains, markets, and museums…Durango has it all! This beautiful city is centrally located, and offers many scenic locations. I enjoyed the variety of museums and local goods the city had to offer. (especially mango chamoy popsicles)
Mexico City
Last month I was blessed with opportunity to vacation to Rome. This trip was my first to leave the continent…so it was a very big step for me. While on my trip I visited Rome, Tavullia, Naples, and Pompeii. From what I had the chance to see, Italy is a beautiful country. There is just so much to see! The history, the wine, food, people, views, I tried to absorb as much as I could on our 4 days there. Here are a few of my favorite images from the trip. Enjoy!
 
  
Traveling to a new destination is always fun, and exciting, but can also be very nerve racking. To ease my nerves as much as possible, I reduce the amount of products I travel with. By only taking a carry on, I avoid long baggage check lines, additional fees, and extra time at the airport.
I always thought being prepared for any and every possible situation by packing “everything but the kitchen sink’ was smart, but ultimately I just got weighed down carrying heavy bags, and would arrive with way more than I could ever wear. On top of that, more items means more to keep up with and remember. Honestly, it is much easier to buy an umbrella if it rains, than attempt to pack one and never need it.
As a blogger, I would say I pack more than the bare minimum, but at the same time, do not over do it. For this particular trip, I am packing for a 6 day vacation to Rome. It is January so the weather there is in the low to mid 40’s. I decided chunky sweaters and layering pieces would be my best bet for style and warmth.
The only negative about packing sweaters is they take up A LOT of space. Luckily, I have space saver bags to assist me! The particular bags I purchased come in assorted sizes and do not require the use of a vacuum. (I will link similar bags here if you are interested.)
The first image is of everything I need to bring, clothing wise.
I then removed my travel outfit, boots, and coat, as those pieces won’t actually be packed.
And then I began to place my items into the space saver bags.
Upon finishing, this is what my stack looked like.
Everything fit perfectly into my bag with space to spare! Not only do the space saver bags provide you with more precious luggage space, they also protect your clothing from spills! I personally enjoy that they are clear so you can see exactly what is in each bag before opening.
If you are curious as to where my purse, chargers, makeup etc. are? Those are in my “personal item.” Instead of taking a backpack, I have decided on a large tote to carry all of these items, as shown below.
Traveling “light” has really worked well for me over the years. I am a nervous traveler by nature so anything I can implement to ease my nerves, and make travel more enjoyable, I am on board for!
I hope this is helpful for anyone out there who has difficulty when it comes to packing, and if you have any tips that work well for you, feel free to comment with them below! 🙂
Happy traveling everyone!
- Luggage Bag: Jessica Simpson (similar)
- Luggage Tag: Henri Bendel