Welcome to the Blog
Real trips. Real costs. And all the stories in between.
Right so you’ve found the blog!
This is where I share our travels, how I plan them, what they actually cost and everything that happens along the way.
Some posts are practical. I’ll tell you where we stayed, what we spent, what I’d recommend and what I’d probably do differently next time.
Others are a bit more personal. The moments that stayed with me long after we unpacked, the things travelling has taught me and occasionally something that’s been playing on my mind.
I love a good itinerary. I also love sitting somewhere beautiful doing absolutely nothing. And I firmly believe you don’t need unlimited money, endless annual leave or a perfectly curated holiday to have an incredible experience.
That’s really what Suitcases & Stories is about.
Making more of the time and money we’ve got, travelling in ways that suit us, and collecting a few bloody good stories along the way.
So have a nose around. Hopefully you’ll find something useful, something that makes you laugh or somewhere that gets you thinking about your next trip.
Zo x
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Blog categories
Featured
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Can We Stop Trying to Be Better at Travelling Than Everyone Else?
When did travelling become something we’re supposed to be good at? From overpriced lemons in Amalfi to my Bali holiday meltdowns, here’s why I’m done worrying about whether my holidays are touristy enough, adventurous enough or good enough for anybody else. Read More
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Finding the Right Driver in Bali: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Finding the right driver in Bali gave us much more than transport. Here’s how we found ours, what we paid and why having local knowledge made such a difference to our trip. Read More
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Designing Bali: How I Built a Trip That Worked for Four Very Different Adults
Planning Bali for four very different adults meant accepting that we didn’t all want the same holiday. Here’s how I built our trip around the people first, balancing independence, shared experiences and enough breathing room for everyone. Read More
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How I Make the Holidays We Can Afford Feel like So Much More
I don’t travel full time and I definitely don’t have unlimited money or annual leave. But I’ve learned how to make the holidays I can afford go much further. From flights and accommodation to multi-stop routes, experiences and knowing when to leave a day completely alone, this is… Read More
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DIY Bali Holiday: Why We Chose It Over a Package
Bali didn’t feel like a destination we could squeeze into a package. Here’s why I chose to plan our family holiday myself, and why I’d do it the same way again. Read More
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Our Bali Family Holiday: Why This Island Just Fit Us
Bali had been on my mind for the longest of times, but I struggled to put into words what made it special. Looking back, I think its because Bali gave each of us something different. Read More