7 Tips When Planning A Road Trip With Your Dog

Every dog owner knows that their dog is their go-to companion for everyday life. Are you one such dog lover? If so, then we are sure that you’ll be excited about the adventure of a road trip with your dog by your side. And why shouldn’t you be? As long as you travel safely, having your favorite travel buddy by your side can make your road trip even more fun. Here are seven tips for you to know when planning a road trip with your dog for a smooth and safe experience.

1.   Keep Them Warm

Oftentimes, we forget to keep our dogs warm in cooler temperatures. If you plan a trip somewhere cold, you should take some Dog Jackets for Winter. These will help keep your dog warm to prevent any health issues caused by the cold. Naturally, you will enjoy the trip much more, knowing that your dog is entirely safe and sound in the pullover you bought for them.

Apart from caring for your pup by taking along warm clothes, you should also make sure that your vehicle’s heater is working correctly to make your dog’s ride more comfortable.

2.   Keep Important Pet Documents Handy

If you’re planning a road trip with your dog, be sure to carry all the pet-related documents with you in your car. Here’s a quick checklist:

  • State-issued dog or pet license.
  • Anti-rabies and vaccine record.
  • Medical check-up files in case of a visit to an out-of-town vet.

The medical files and records can come in handy if your dog gets sick during the vacation leading to a trip to a vet during your road trip. The new vet will be able to go through their medical history to conclude what treatment to begin with.

To be on the safe side, you can also use mobile apps that let you digitally store all the documents in one place. Most of these applications are cloud-based, so you can access them from any device you want, given you remember your account’s password.

3.   Practice Responsible Behavior in Public Places

Be a responsible pet owner during your road trip

Be a responsible dog owner during your road trip

We know your dog means the whole world to you, but the world as a whole might not always feel the sane way. Whenever you take a pit stop on your road trip with your dog, make sure to keep them on their leash.

If you don’t leash your dog in public places, they could chase people, or other animals, creating unrest in the surroundings, which we don’t want.

If not taken care of, this act might even land you and your dog in trouble, and you may be fined by local law enforcement. That would be a quick way to spoil your holiday mood.

Apart from this, you should also teach your dog to refrain from sticking their heads out from the windows of your car. This could cause them serious injury and can cost you a fortune in medical expenses.

4.   Carry The Essentials During a Road Trip with Your Dog

While you are planning a road trip with dogs, it’s natural that you’ll be excited about the experience. But with all the excitement, you shouldn’t forget to carry essential items that will come in handy later on your trip.

Make a list of things that you might need in different situations and carry those things with you. To start with, here is a generic list of items that you might need:

  • An extra blanket for your dog.
  • Extra tough and durable mats for seats so that your dog doesn’t ruin your car seat covers.
  • Some packets of your dog’s favorite biscuits and snacks to ease the journey a bit.
  • Some medicines to help soothe any nausea that your dog might experience during the ride.
  • Life safety tubes if you are headed to the poolside or a beach. This will let your dogs enjoy the water safely.
  • A leash to keep your dog’s excitement under control.

5.   Give Your Dog Their Own Space During the Road Trip

To make their ride more comfortable, your dog shouldn’t ride shotgun. Instead, it would be best for your dog to ride in the backseat of the car. This way, it will be comfortable for both of you. You and your dog will get optimum space for yourself and will enjoy the ride a lot more comfortably. If possible, you can also have a barrier between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat. This will make your dog even more comfortable and will keep them safe in the event of an accident. The barrier will also prevent your dog from distracting you throughout the ride.

6.   Don’t Plan A Road Trip When Your Dog is… Grumpy

Plan your road trip with your pet's condition in mind

Plan your road trip with your dog’s condition in mind

Dogs are lovely, but they can be grumpy too. During their heat, female dogs can also be pretty much in a mood to wreak havoc here and there. They might feel sick and nauseous also. An excellent way to avoid this is to keep track of their cycle and plan your road trip accordingly.

7.   Keep Track of Your Dog using GPS

Your road trip might include some time to camp in the countryside or somewhere remote. In that case, it’s natural that your dog would want to roam in the wilderness, and you can’t run everywhere behind them.

Naturally, they might lose their way in the woods, or a wild animal might try to prey on them. For emergencies, you can tie a GPS tracker on their collar or ankle. This will ensure that you will be able to locate your dog if they happen to wander off.

As you can see, you need to be extra careful while planning a road trip with dogs. In addition to items in your own suitcase, you’ll need to do some extra planning to ensure that your dog has a comfortable experience. In addition to the eight items discussed, a few essential things to consider adding to the list are the dog’s full photograph, extra food, odor eliminator, pet wipes, bells and a whistle, an extra leash, and portable water and food bowls. With these items and the proper preparation, you can have a memorable road trip out with your dog.

Volunteer While Backpacking South America

If you are someone who loves to travel as much as I do, you’ll be familiar with the traditional advice on how to travel inexpensively. Hostels, couch surfing, camping… and eating nothing but buttered pasta for weeks on end. What if I told you that there is an easier way to travel the world, save money, and have a memorable once-in-a-lifetime experience? Imagine summiting Machu Picchu, getting a tan on the beaches of Lima, or dancing in Rio. Worldpackers makes finding volunteer work while backpacking South America more accessible than ever!

Volunteer in South America via a Reputable Agency

If volunteer work in South America sounds like something you want to do, it’s best to do it via a reputable agency. An agency will help screen volunteer programs and hosts in South America to make sure you have support every step of the way.

Finding a Host on Worldpackers

Worldpackers is a service that connects travellers with volunteer work in South America and around the world. Travellers and hosts use the service to find each other, and each provides an integral part of the exchange.

The hosts will offer a place to stay. Perhaps a hostel, camp, family home, farm, or NGO to a traveller in exchange for hours worked or volunteered on the property. A traveller works on the property a set number of hours per week in exchange for free accommodation, and sometimes other perks such as free food, free bike rentals, free tours… the list is endless!

How to build your Worldpackers profile

To begin on Worldpackers as a traveller, all you need to do is sign up, pay a yearly membership, USD $49.99 and begin searching for your dream volunteer program in South America. You can apply to as many experiences you like. If a host thinks that you’ll be a good fit, you’ll be pre-approved. All that’s left to do is book your flight and pack!

The Worldpackers interface is extremely intuitive and easy to use. You can search experiences by destination, purpose of the trip, availability, skills you offer, style of travel, hours of collaboration, trip length, additional benefits and more. That makes searching through their thousands of experiences easy and manageable. You can also read all reviews from other Worldpackers who have lived that experience, so you have the peace of mind that you’re making the right choice in applying. 

The site also offers hundreds of articles, videos and courses about how to stand out as a volunteer. You can earn badges and certificates for your profile which will make you a more desirable candidate and can increase your chances of being selected by the hosts you want! 

Long Term Volunteer Work in South America

Most Worldpackers volunteer trips in South America require the volunteers to stay between 2-4 weeks. However, you will find a huge variety of minimum time commitments on the site. 

The benefits of long-term travel are plenty. Connecting to a location, immersing yourself in a different culture, contributing to a local community and making lifelong connections are just a few of the highlights past Worldpackers shared in their reviews. 

There is also value in establishing a home base with a volunteer program when you are backpacking South America. When travelling and living out of a backpack for long periods of time, it can be a great reset to feel at home for a while. 

Your hosts and fellow travellers can become a family away from home and they can be a great resource for planning for your next destinations. 

Volunteer Trips In South America

Let’s look at some current volunteer opportunities for those backpacking South America. 

There are over 1500 volunteer positions available in South America at the time of writing this article. Some require as short of a time commitment of only one week! I’m happy to highlight just a few opportunities available this spring & summer.

Volunteer at the reception of a hostel in Bogotá, Colombia

This position is looking for a warm and friendly individual to work behind the counter greeting guests at their hostel. As a volunteer, you’d work 32 hours a week. You would also be asked to give a hand in the kitchen. 

Aside from a free bed, this experience also offers you free breakfast each morning, use of their kitchen, bikes at your disposal and discounts on drinks. This hostel has achieved top host status, meaning that they have consistently received great reviews from travellers who have lived this experience. 

Past Worldpackers have said this experience excels in helping them immerse themselves in the culture, meet locals, develop social awareness, and meet other international travellers. 

Explore more volunteer work in Colombia

Share your knowledge in Catuama, Brazil

“Share your knowledge and experience on skills that you have developed or learned.”

Do you have a special skill or talent? Why not bring yourself to Brazil to teach in a hostel! Whether it be teaching a sport, organizing events, or running a craft workshop – this experience may be for you!

This host is asking Worldpackers to stay at least 15 days. In exchange you get 3 days off per week, pickup, and transport to the hostel when you arrive, access to the kitchen and discounts on accommodation for your stay in other hostels as you continue with your travels.   

Other Worldpackers recommend this experience for getting in touch with nature, learning about sustainability and developing greater environmental awareness. 

Explore more volunteer work in Brazil

Volunteer at our Zoo in the Peruvian Andes Valley, Lima Peru

“Join us as a Zoo volunteer! Work alongside skilled veterinarians and staff, at our local Zoo in the Peruvian Andes. As a volunteer, you will learn about each species and support by feeding animals, spending time/sharing loving energy with animals, helping veterinarians administer medications, cleaning, gardening, and maintaining the atmosphere for the animals.”

If cost isn’t a limiting factor during your travel, there are even more opportunities available to you. This experience, and a select few others, may charge an additional fee. For instance, are you an animal lover? While backpacking South America, you could volunteer at a local zoo, helping to care for animals. 

This position only requires 3 hours of work each weekday, which frees up the rest of your time to explore this beautiful country! This position also provides breakfast and lunch each day. 

They accept couples as well as single volunteers, so if you are travelling with a partner or friend, they are welcome too. 

Those who have volunteered here say this experience was great for meeting locals, immersing in the local culture, and getting in touch with nature. 

Explore more volunteer work in Peru

Community Manager & Web Programmer in Cordoba, Argentina

If you’re looking for volunteer work in South America that would also look great on your resume, why not consider helping out as a community manager and web programmer during your backpacking trip?

 “We are looking for a creative person who has knowledge in digital marketing, social networks and can also help us advertise the hostel organically and using digital ads.”

For anyone with tech skills to spare, this position could be not only fun, but also a great career opportunity to bolster your resume. 

This stunning hostel in Argentina is seeking a talented person to run their social media accounts, and the minimum time requirement is only one week.

You would work 32 hours a week which leaves plenty of time for exploring and spending time with your new friends from around the world.

Explore more volunteer work in Argentina

Multiply and cultivate ornamental plants in Chile

“We reproduce and research ornamental plants, especially the native ones… We’re 5 km away from the touristic city of Valdivia, close to national parks and other attractions. Come help us with different activities in our vivero.”

If you’ve got a green thumb and would love to be surrounded by nature while backpacking South America, why not volunteer in beautiful Chile on a working farm? You’d work farming, gardening, and helping with general labour around the property. 

This experience includes all meals, free laundry, and 2 days off a week. You can also use the on-site bicycles to get into town on your days off.

Explore more volunteer work in Chile

In conclusion, you don’t have to pay a ton of money to travel around the world or have unique experiences. Worldpackers is an incredible resource for backpackers, budget travellers, or those searching for enriching volunteer programs in South America. 

Their site’s search functions make it so easy to find the best volunteer work when backpacking South America. Regardless of your unique travel itinerary, I cannot recommend Worldpackers enough.

How to Work Remotely While Camping

As an entrepreneur and outdoor enthusiast, you’re probably wondering if working remotely is possible when you’re backpacking, camping, or otherwise engaged in outdoor activities. The answer: yes. However, it takes a bit of preparation. Here’s some advice:

Choose your adventures wisely when you have to work remotely

Let’s get this out of the way: it is not always possible to work remotely when you’re out camping. If you’re rock climbing, for example, you can’t stop and pick up the phone. The same goes for if you’re hiking a treacherous path. Make sure that you are fully acquainted with the area in which you plan to travel if you’re going to be outdoors and away from a regular office (or the business center of a hotel).

If you’re going to be working remotely while you’re traveling, choose activities that allow you to take a break of at least an hour at a time. This way, you have time to focus on both your work and the time you’ll spend with your family.

Know what equipment you need to work remotely while camping

You already know that you will need to invest in equipment that will keep you safe if you’re hiking or camping. This might include a camping backpack – which is especially important on multi-day trips – and a standalone GPS unit.

For working remotely while camping, you also need some basic office equipment. This might include a small tablet or laptop computer, a mobile hotspot, and a small folding table for writing. A special note here: make sure that you will have access to power while you are away. The Trekers blog notes that you may need a generator or portable battery.

Set yourself up for success if you run your own business

Believe it or not, it’s possible to run your own business while experiencing the great outdoors. Preparation goes beyond simply knowing your outdoor location and having the right equipment. You will also want to make sure that your work can continue without you should you be unavailable. Start by registering your business as an LLC. This makes it a standalone entity and gives you some financial protection. LLC regulations vary from state to state, so do your research first so that you know what you need before you get started.

You should also appoint an individual to act on your behalf when you can’t be reached. Even though your goal is running a business from the outdoors, you must be realistic: you won’t always be available. Create a company organizational chart so that your employees know who to get in touch with when you’re off the proverbial grid.

Software that enables working remotely while camping

You should also have digital tools and software that allow you to work remotely, whether you are camping or on the road. A few examples here are workflow/project management system and document sharing service.

There are several workflow management programs to choose from, including Asana and HubSpot. Most will integrate with Google Docs, which marketing agency PaperStreet asserts is a secure way to collaborate with your employees and team in real-time.

While there are many hobbies that won’t interfere with working remotely, those of us that spend more time outdoors than in understand that the things we love pose challenges if we want to run our business without being there. But, if you take the time to prepare ahead, you can circumvent many of the greatest hurdles and keep things moving no matter where you are in the world.

How to Claim a Tax Refund as a Backpacker

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Every year, countless young people travel all over the globe to embark on a working holiday. Traveling abroad is undoubtedly a very exciting experience for any backpacker. After all, there is so much to plan – from accommodation and employment to activities and sightseeing in your new location.

That said, it is hardly surprising that the local tax system is often the last thing many backpackers think of when arriving in a new country for a working holiday.

However, every digital nomad or working holidaymaker should know a little about tax, as it may well be beneficial in the long run – especially if you are due a refund.

In truth, countless working holidaymakers and digital nomads miss out on claiming their tax refund every year. And with that in mind, we’ve partnered with Taxback.com to outline everything you need to know about claiming your backpacker tax refund.

Tax refunds for Canadian working holidaymakers

If you visited Canada on a work-travel visa, there are many reasons why you could be due a backpacker tax refund – such as if you overpaid tax or have expenses that you can claim.

The easiest way to check if you’re due any money back from the Canadian tax authorities is to apply with Taxback.com.

They will review your personal circumstances to see if you’re eligible to claim any expenses and ensure you receive your maximum legal tax refund. They will also ensure you are 100% tax compliant in Canada. What’s more, if you are missing any of the official documents you need for your tax return, Taxback.com can help you to track them down.

The average Canadian tax refund a Taxback.com customer receives is $998 so it’s easy to see why checking how much you’re owed makes so much sense. Check out their free tax refund calculator here.

Can Australian backpackers get tax back?

Backpackers play a crucial role in Australia’s economy. In fact, backpackers account for roughly 13% of tourism spending in Australia – totaling roughly $3bn per year.

When you start working in Australia you will pay tax at 15% on the $45,000 of income earned. However, the good news is that you may be able to reclaim some of your tax paid by filing a tax return at the end of the year.

In short, you will likely be entitled to a tax refund if you:

  • were in Australia on a 417 or 462 visa
  • were considered a tax resident during the year (you visited Australia for more than six months and lived in the same place for that time)
  • are from one of the following countries;
    • Chile
    • Finland
    • Germany
    • Israel
    • Japan
    • Norway
    • Turkey
    • United Kingdom

The average Australian tax refund is $2,600, and it is a good idea for every backpacker to file your tax return and check if you are due a refund.

In fact, even if you don’t think you will be due a tax refund, it’s also a good idea to file a tax return so that you can ensure you are 100% tax compliant in Australia. A clean tax record will come in handy should you wish to apply for another Australian visa in the future.

Backpackers may also be entitled to claim a tax refund of their Superannuation (these are mandatory salary deductions for your Australian retirement fund) contributions when you leave Australia.

The average Superannuation refund is $1,908, so it’s definitely worth investigating what you’re owed. You can easily file your tax return and claim your tax and Superannuation refunds online with Taxback.com.

Tax refunds in New Zealand

Backpackers in New Zealand typically pay between 12.5% and 38% tax on their income. How much you were taxed depends on a range of factors, such as:

  • Amount earned
  • Length of time you worked
  • Type of work performed
  • Amount of tax withheld from your wages

The good news is that Taxback.com can help you to claim a tax return, and their average New Zealand refund is $550. It’s free to find out how much you could get back, so be sure to use the New Zealand tax refund calculator.

Claiming tax refund as a non-resident in Japan

Many residents and non-residents in Japan are unaware that they are due a significant tax refund. If you worked there, you could be due tax back for a number of reasons, such as:

  • You worked there a year or longer
  • You are married
  • You have dependants

Did you know that the average Japanese tax refund with Taxback.com is ¥111,000? That’s a lot of cash to leave behind. Apply for your Japanese tax refund today.

UK tax refunds for backpackers

There are many reasons you could be due a tax refund if you worked in the UK. And yet, countless backpackers in the UK leave their money with the taxman each year.

After all, if you were on an emergency tax code, made redundant, or incurred work-related expenses, you could be due a refund. The average refund Taxback.com gets for workers in the UK is £963, so why not find out what you’re due back today?

Applying for a tax refund in Ireland as a non-resident

There are lots of reasons why non-residents who are working in Ireland may be due a tax refund. For starters, tax relief is available if you were emergency taxed had medical or work-related expenses, or were made redundant.

What’s more, if you were made to work from home due to the pandemic, there is a wide range of expenses you may be entitled to claim. The average Irish tax refund a customer with Taxback.com receives is €1076.17. So why not apply online today and find out how much you’re due.

Germany tax refunds for non-residents

Many workers in Germany can claim a tax refund if they meet the following criteria:

  • Your annual income was under the tax-free allowance
  • You worked part-time or had a temporary job in Germany
  • You were not correctly classified for tax payments
  • You financially supported your parents or other dependents in your home country
  • You paid rent in both Germany and your home country
  • You paid for flights to and from Germany
  • You incurred work-related expenses such as travel costs
  • You paid pension insurance
  • You are married, but were taxed as single
  • You had work-related expenses that were not covered by your employer

Remember, the average German tax refund with Taxback.com is €1,020, but you could be due even more. The easiest way to find out if you’re due a tax return is by using Taxback.com’s free German tax refund calculator.

Tax refunds in the Netherlands

Countless non-residents who visit the Netherlands leave their tax refunds behind each year. Many are unsure if they are owed anything, while others simply don’t know how to apply for theirs.

In truth, you could be due a refund if:

  • You worked for part of the year
  • You changed a job
  • You took on more than one job
  • You were granted a tax-free allowance of up to 30% of your salary

The average Dutch refund with Taxback.com is €910. The best way to find out what you’re due is by using the Taxback.com Dutch tax refund calculator here.

Who can claim a Belgian tax refund

There are several reasons you could be entitled to get tax back from Belgium, including if:

  • You worked in Belgium at any stage during the calendar year
  • Your income is under the tax-free allowance
  • Your income in Belgium is more than 75% of your annual income received globally

Belgium has one of the highest tax rates in Europe. It also has one of the largest average refunds in Europe for customers with Taxback.com. After all, the average Belgian tax refund with Taxback.com is €2,300! That’s a lot of money to leave behind…

Next Steps to File your Backpacker Tax Return

If you lived and worked in any of these countries, Taxback.com can help you. After all, why not take the stress out of your refund application by letting the experts take care of it for you?

Don’t be one of the countless non-residents in foreign countries who leave their refunds behind every year. Apply for your tax refund with Taxback.com today, and thank me later!

Expert Tips to Conquer Your Hiking Anxiety

Hiking is meant to be a restful, restorative form of exercise. It should bring you both mental and physical benefits as, in the famous words of John Muir, we “climb the mountains and get their good tidings.” However, for some folks, climbing and hiking can bring on anxiety — and that’s ok. If you aren’t used to backpacking and hiking — or have had a bad experience in the backcountry — it’s entirely normal to experience anxiety about hiking away from civilization into the wilderness.

Despite the pangs of anxiety you may feel, getting out into the wild can still be a wonderful, invigorating experience that boosts your mental health and leaves you with memories that last.

So, here are a few ways you can manage and overcome your anxiety the next time you step onto the trail.

Prepare in advance to reduce your anxiety around hiking

A lot of the anxiety people feel around hiking and backpacking comes from a lack of preparation. Either they haven’t properly researched the trail they’re following, don’t have the necessary experience to navigate the environment, or haven’t packed the appropriate supplies.

Preparing well in advance takes care of these worries, and should be seen as an essential part of your hike.

The way you prepare depends on the context, as the gear and food you will need depend largely on the weather, terrain, and time of year that you intend to go hiking.

Additionally, you need to have an effective exit plan in case anything goes wrong while you’re out in nature. This means you need to know what to do if your car breaks down. You should practice replacing your tire before you take a long road trip, and should keep recovery information in an easy-to-access glovebox or compartment.

Anxiety Attacks

If you suffer from anxiety attacks, you should seek help from a medical professional. But, if you haven’t yet had an anxiety attack, it’s good to know how you can manage one before it occurs.

Anxiety attacks come on suddenly and provoke several symptoms. Your heart starts to race, you feel breathless and may notice your body is trembling excessively. These attacks are also typically coupled with a deep sense of fear, and a dissociation from yourself or the world around you.

When you’re experiencing an anxiety attack, you have to find ways to slow your heart rate and pay attention to your physical symptoms. You can do this by talking to someone you trust, taking deep breaths, and slowly counting to 10 with repetitions.

You must take these steps to calm yourself, as you cannot remove yourself from the situation when you’re hiking — you simply need to trust your ability to calm your physical response to stress.

Choose an Appropriate Hike

You know what triggers your anxiety better than anyone else. Whether it’s a fear of heights, the unknown, or wild animals, you should plan ahead and choose an appropriate hike that is unlikely to make you feel anxious.

If, for example, you have a fear of large wild animals, you may want to hike south of areas where brown bears and wolves live. Or, if this isn’t possible, you’d be best off hiking near your local town or city where large wild animals are less likely to roam in, and you will meet other hikers who can help you feel safe.

You also need to choose an appropriate “difficulty” when hiking in order to manage your anxiety. This can be tough to determine on your own, and recommendations don’t always help — a stroll in the park for one person might be like climbing to Mordor for the next.

Luckily, there are plenty of apps online that record hiking trails and loops for you. Oftentimes, these hikes will come with a difficulty level, and you can filter appropriately. Some of the best apps currently available are AllTrails and Gaia GPS.

Remember the Benefits of Hiking

While the thought of going hiking may be anxiety-inducing, try to remember that spending time in nature is usually good for your mental health, and can help you get through difficult challenges caused by work or school.

For example, if you’re currently in grad school, it’s easy to get caught up in the stressful cycle of research, writing, working, and learning. A hike may be what you need to improve your mental health as a student, as you will likely “switch off” from student mode. This could give you the “eureka!” moment you need later on, and will make a difficult semester that much easier.

It’s also worth noting that hiking has real physical health benefits. Hiking recruits a lot of the muscles that remain unused during our 9-5 lives, and regular cardio lowers your risk of heart diseases, increases bone density, and improves your balance.

By keeping the benefits in mind when you start to feel the first signs of anxiety when hiking, you can overcome feelings of nervousness and convince yourself to carry on when your anxiety is telling you to turn back.

Conclusion

Anxiety when hiking is entirely normal and is to be expected. Even the best hiker can get in over their heads, and sometimes need to calm themselves down to continue.

You shouldn’t feel any shame about feeling anxious when hiking. Instead, you can learn to recognize the early signs of an anxiety attack and should plan ahead by ensuring you have an effective exit plan, plenty of food, and the right gear. You should also consider hiking with a loved one who can remind you of the wonderful benefits of spending time in the great outdoors.