Welcome to the Offbeat Planet!
If you’re like me, you’re addicted to travel and constantly on the hunt for your next big travel fix. My name is Niki and my life partner, Scott, and I have travelled to over 30 countries. I’ve spent countless hours researching and planning the perfect adventures to many destinations. I’ve read through blogs, online communities, like Reddit and Facebook, and watched numerous YouTube videos to help plan our trips. There’s so much information out there that it’s hard to even know where to start. Even with the many hours spent planning the perfect adventure, things don’t always go as planned. But, that is the beauty of travel and that’s why I created The Offbeat Planet, a travel blog where I can share my travel tips, itineraries, and hacks.
With so many travel blogs out there, why start a new one? Well, I’ve found most travel blogs are geared towards solo travelers and families, which doesn’t quite fit our lifestyle as a couple who travels (no kids, by the way). There are tons of super low budget travel blogs about backpacking, couch surfing, and staying at hostels, but that’s not our idea of travel. What about luxury travel? Not on our income! The Offbeat Planet is about modest travel—think $2,000 to $5,000 for a 10-day trip. What’s even better is that I’ve found so many ways to cut those prices in half with MANY travel hacks, which I can’t wait to share with you!
My friends and family often ask me how we travel so frequently every year.
The truth is, we don’t make a ton of money. Scott is a full-time audio engineer and musician. I am a Digital Project Manager for a global nonprofit and dabble in some side hustles. Even with our modest income, we’ve prioritized travel in our life. Where there is a will, there is a way! Ok, so maybe I didn’t just will travel into existence, but I will share with you the many travel tricks and hacks that make it possible for us to travel often as a couple without breaking the bank.
From travel itineraries to what to pack, The Offbeat Planet will be your resource for all the best travel tips.
Flying with a carry-on only and want to know how to pack your favorite perfume? I’ve got you covered! I’ll even go into how to optimize credit card points and snag bonuses. We’ll unlock some amazing secrets, like how to get a Southwest Companion Pass FAST by following a Companion Pass trick! *Hint: You can sign-up for my free guide that includes Companion Pass season email alerts, step-by-step instructions, and tracking spreadsheet.
Many travel blogs are full of stylish Instagram photos and often give the impression that everything is hunky-dory. Let’s be honest–travel can be exhausting and most of us are not exploring the world in high heels and ballgowns. Believe it or not, I have seen young tourists in Egypt snapping “high fashion” photos for their Instagram and Tik Tok feeds. Hatshepsut is rolling over in her grave… I mean… tomb.
The Offbeat Planet is about keepin’ it real with all the juicy travel details–the good AND the bad.
I want to share my travel experiences, so you can have an even better one. So many times, we return from trips, thinking, “if only I’d known X.” My hope is that this travel blog will fill your cup with X and then some! I’m going to unpack the many affordable destinations this planet has to offer, so you can start packing. In the words of Liz Lemon, “Let’s do this.”
