My TOP 10 Travel Apps of All Time

A lot of my friends ask me how I plan, book, and organize my travel, even how I exercise while I'm on the go....so I decided instead of repeating myself a millions times, why not post a blog and just share the link...HA, brilliant! =)

I DO NOT USE TRAVEL AGENCIES OR BOOK TRAVEL PACKAGES

No way Jose! If you travel a lot, that can become very, BERRY expensive. I've learned many years ago about traveling independently, and with the advent of APPS, it's makes planning my travels so much easier.

YES, I HAVE AN IPHONE

But I'm pretty sure that the apps below will have Android versions, in fact as popular as they are, I want to say that I am positive that they do.

MY TOP TEN (not in order as pertaining to favorites)

1.  Airbnb - I rarely stay at hotels these days unless I get a super good deal. When I travel, I enjoy meeting other people, and staying with the locals. Hotels are very touristy, and that is something that I try to avoid. With Airbnb, I have the opportunity to stay with some amazing locals and save a lot of money.

Get $40 in Airbnb Travel Credit - Claim it here!

My Airbnb in IJmuiden, Netherlands

2.  Uber - I like the fact that when I use Uber, I am supporting a regular person just like you and I with having their own business. I can also save up to 50% or more on my fares and have much better conversations with Uber drivers. Thank you Travis and Garrett for inventing this!

Get $15 Off Your First Uber Ride

3.  Hostel World - When I travel, I really don't care about how fancy my accommodations are, so many times I stay at hostels. And don't think for a minute that hostels are gross, yes...there are some sketchy ones, but I've stayed at many boutique hostels that were way better than a 5 star hotel, seriously! With hostels, you have the option of dorm-style or private room accommodations, and you meet so many people from around the world. 50% of my friends I've met from hostels, so if you enjoy meeting travel-minded people, than this might be right up your alley. This app rates the hostels and provides reviews which makes it easy to choose the best accommodation for you.

Hostel in London, England

4.  Kayak - I book 90% of my flights with this app. It's searches hundreds of sites to help you find the best deal. If you like saving time and being more productive like I do, than this app will save your life! This app also searches multiple sites for car rentals and hotels.

5.  Turo - This app is like the Airbnb for car rentals. You rent from verified car owners instead of corporations. The cars are comparable to what you would get from your typical car rental agency, but with less the hassle and hidden fees. What I like best about Turo is the selection of cars from economy all the way up to high end Tesla's and Maserati's. I don't own a car anymore so most of my cars I rent from Turo when I need a car for a hot date (lol JK). One time I rented from a Jamaican family and when I returned the car, they had Jerk Chicken prepared for me! When's the last time Hertz, Alamo, Enterprise or Dollar did that for you.....NEVER!

Get $25 Off Your First Car Rental with Turo

6.  Skyscanner - This is the app that I primarily use to book my air tickets all over Europe. I once bought a ticket from England to Norway for $15, yup....I'm not kidding!

7.  XE Currency - I use this app all the time! When you visit different countries, you have to be smart and understand their currency and the conversion rates, and this app can help you with that. If I didn't have this app, I would've probably been ripped off many times over. If you don't like getting ripped of, then get this app.

8.  iTranslate - Ok, I'm embarrassed to say that I only know and speak one language! Yes, I am filipino, but I can only say the bad words LOL. So what do I do to get by when I travel to different parts of the world, I have my handy dandy translator on my iPhone. I may not have perfect pronunciation, but at least I try to speak their language, and the locals really like that. When you visit different countries, I encourage you to learn the basic greetings such as: thank you, have a good day, hello, good bye, and where's the bathroom....that's important =)

iTranslate

9.  Maps.me - This is the best app when exploring the city on foot or hiking trails. It's amazing how this app can find small single tracks behind people's back yards. This is the ultimate off-the-beaten path app, google maps doesn't have nothing on this one. I once got lost in the Norwegian forest and guess who saved my life? This app!

10.  Beachbody on Demand - Ok this is not really a travel app, but I have to say that it is one of the most important apps while I travel because it helps me stay active and in shape during my back to back trips. With over $6,000 worth of online workouts, I can do everything from yoga on the beach to Insanity in the jungle, to P90X at the gym. This app is like the Netflix of fitness, how else can I be strong enough to hike strenuous mountains, chase top athletes when I'm filming endurance races, or run away from bandits who think I'm rich =)

Try Beachbody on Demand for 30 Days FREE!

So there you have it! I hope that you find this to be super helpful with your travels, and if you have any questions at all, please feel free to connect with me, I'd be happy to share more tips and even learn from some of you!


Workout Anywhere, Anytime - No More Excuses!

Bye Bye 2016 - Welcome 2017

Watch Video Below

You know, 2016 was cool and all, but I'm so ready for 2017, what about you? =)

Here's a quick 2 minute video on how my 2016 went when I visited 12 countries, I'm ready for some new adventures, please join me! =)

Countries Visited:
- England
- Norway
- Sweden
- Denmark
- Poland
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Canada
- Nicaragua
- Puerto Rico
- And of course my 13,000 mile road trip through North America!

WELCOME 2017 VIDEO

See you all soon!!! 


Get healthy and fit for 2017 with me - click here!

How I Workout When I Travel

Reduce Stress - Feel Great - Enjoy the Experience

You hear the excuses all the time, "oh, I'm on vacation, I'm just going to live life right now!". I am even GUILTY AS CHARGED because I've said the same thing many times.

We live in a world where so many people have become followers of what everyone else is doing, what they see on TV, and what the high-budget media companies are promoting etc. I have fallen into that trap countless times because heck, my friends were doing it, then it must be the thing to do..WTF! What happened to individualism? What happened to doing what's right for you?

When I committed to a health and fitness journey in 2010, it was the best decision that I ever made in my life. Through the years, I've learned a lot, and one thing that I continue to learn is how to stay active and healthy when I am doing one of my ultimate passions......TRAVEL.

TRAVEL means different things to different people, but when I think of travel, I categorize it apart from taking a vacation. For me, travel is either long-term (longer than a weekend getaway), or traveling for business. Taking a vacation for me is like a weekend getaway, just a quick jaunt before heading back to work or home life.

Travel is a lot more than just a weekend jaunt. For me, it's about taking your time, and fully immersing yourself in the culture and living the lands like the locals. Business travel is a little different in the fact that there is a project to work on aside from trying to have a travel experience, and some business travelers don't even have time to explore, and that really sucks =) So if you're a business traveler, you should definitely keep reading =)

Long-term and business travel can really be STRESS- FULL at times, which is why I have found many ways to help me stay active to reduce the amount of stress that can happen. 

However you travel or vacation, I just wanted to share with you how I have managed to stay active and workout while on the go. When people say, I don't have time to workout, I'm on vacation, so I'm just going to live my life......I say the same thing, I am living my life as well, but I don't need alcohol and junk food to have a good life.

Oh, and don't get me wrong, I love a cheat meal here and there, but I also know that I only have one body, one chance, and it is my responsibility to take care of what has been given to me.

I've heard of many people on their death beds fighting for their lives because they took their bodies for granted and smoked themselves to death, and filled their temples up with modified and processed foods for years! Are they living their life now? Was it worth it to feel like that? Most people would agree that, THAT ISN'T THE LIFE THEY WANTED TO LIVE.

I'm definitely not here to tell anyone what to do with their bodies, but if no one is here to tell the truth about how to really live a good, healthy and active lifestyle, then people might not ever experience what true happiness may be. I'm SOOOO glad that I had people in my life that spoke the truth to me, and released me from my life of alcohol and junk foods. GET THIS, I didn't like everything they had to say, but guess what, they honestly saved my life! Do you have people in your life that really tell you the truth? Or are they just telling you what you want to hear?

HOW I WORKOUT WHEN I TRAVEL:

1.  I always take a walking or bike tour at every city that I visit. You sit at the office all day at work, why would you sit on your ass on a bus tour? LET'S DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT SHALL WE =) Don't like taking tours? Go rent a bike an explore on your own!

Biking through Temples of Bagan, Myanmar (Burma)

2.  I look for a gym or outdoor park. Sometimes you will find free day passes on a gym's website, and all you have to do is print them out and go. When I do pay for a day pass, I treat that as a day tour because it's somewhere that I've never been, and I have the opportunity to explore another gym. If you are staying at a hotel, ask if there is a gym facility, if they have one, it's most likely free to use.

I prefer outdoor parks because I love doing my workouts with nature. I tend to look for outdoor parks that have outdoor fitness equipment, and most of the time, it's free.

P90X2 at a local gym in the Philippines

Bangkok, Thailand

3.  I look for Free Boot Camps. I've participated in Free Beachbody Fit Clubs, Beach Yoga Classes, outdoor boot camps, local running groups, and OCR trainings all over the world. If you want to find a free workout somewhere and meet other people, it's simple.....GOOGLE IT.

Donation-Based Yoga Class in Leon, Nicaragua

4.  I use my Beachbody on Demand all the time! Don't have a gym? No worries! Take your gym and your workouts with you anywhere (hotel, gym, outdoors, beach etc). With over $4,000 worth of online workouts, there is no excuse not to workout. You will have access to everything from strength, cardio, yoga, and more! Get your Free Trial Beachbody on Demand here: USA and Canadian Residents Click Here - All Other Countries Click Here

5.  I look for running trails. You will mostly find running trails at some of the outdoor parks. I love trail running because it's peaceful to me. Just make sure that if you are running through some remote places, I recommend that you bring some sort of protection like a small pocket knife or a stick. I've ran through mountains before and have come across everything from mountain lions to alligators, so having something is better than nothing. And always bring water just in case you get lost in a jungle =)

Local college or high school tracks are great places to get a free workout/run in too!

I also look into local running events such as 5K's and Marathons. You will find some free to donation based events, and nothing beats traveling and giving back to the community.

6.  Always take the stairs. From the moment I arrive at my destination, I take the stairs. Every movement counts, and let's just say that you were trekking or exploring on foot all day (even at the mall) and you weren't able to get a workout in, at least you did STAIRS.

So that's about it. I hope this helps you stay active during your travels, and I hope to see you somewhere around the world. If you need some extra health and fitness motivation, feel free to contact me here =)

HIKING Muddy Mountains Wilderness - Las Vegas

 Hiking Muddy Mountains with the Family - Las Vegas

My family and I spent a day exploring the Muddy Mountains Wilderness - Anniversary Narrows Trail which is almost an hour outside of Las Vegas, NV. I visit Las Vegas about once or twice a year because my brother and his family live here, and it's just an awesome place. When you go beyond the glitz and the glamour of the LV Strip, there are plenty of outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, trail running, skiing, snowboarding (Mt. Charleston), and water skiing! I love it here because of the scenery. I grew up around beaches (trust me, I'm not complaining), but when I travel, I do prefer to visit places which are at higher elevation.

My Nephews showing me what BEASTMODE is all about!

Muddy Mountains Wilderness was absolutely amazing. It's crazy how these mountains and rock formations were actually formed by water over millions of years! Walking through the 600 foot deep slot canyon takes you back in time about 300 million years ago. Even more amazing is that people have lived in and passed through these mountains for thousands of years. They have left behind rock art, artifacts, agave roasting pits, and rock shelters.

Family Day - The Best Thing in the World!

We didn't get a chance to make it up the highest peak which is called Muddy Peak, so I'll have to come back next time. I created a quick 2 minute video from our fun family hike, so feel free to watch it. And as always, stay active my friends!

Hiking Muddy Mountains Wilderness - Las Vegas

Hiking the Banaue Rice Terraces - Philippines

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Backpacking Southeast Asia - Video Montage

I had one of the most amazing times in Southeast Asia! I don't want to go into the details, but I did create a montage video =) I spent almost 4 months in Southeast Asia, visited 5 countries, and put it all on one 12 minute video which is posted below! Enjoy it, and hope to see you on the beaches of the world!

Countries visited: Philippines, Thailand, Mynamar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia

Backpacking Southeast Asia - 2014

How I Earn a Living While Traveling - Click Here!

More travel posts


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BEST Outdoor Gyms in Bangkok, Thailand

Best Outdoor Gyms in Bangkok, Thailand

I've been impressed with the health and fitness community in Bangkok, Thailand. There are a plethora of gyms and outdoor parks to help you stay active whether you are a local or someone just like me who is just passing through as a traveler.

I've been to a few gyms in Bangkok, but there is just something about working out at an outdoor park. It's like being primal, and being one with nature. There are plenty of outdoor parks in Bangkok, but not all of them have outdoor gym equipment. I have listed and added some photos of the two best outdoor gym parks in Bangkok. If you ever make it out to Thai Country, and you are looking for a place to workout for cheap or FREE, then you'll want to bookmark this page!

BENCHASIRI PARK

I really liked this park! It was only quick 10-12 minute walk (or 5 min run) from my downtown guesthouse. There are lots of activities that you can do here such as people watching, picnic, taking your kids to the playground, playing outdoor sports with the locals like: skateboarding (yes, there is a mini skate park), volleyball, badminton, basketball, swimming and running (2k per lap). And if you want to workout, then there are lots of outdoor fitness equipment throughout the park. The area that I liked best was where the benches and pull up bars were (towards the back of the park). This is where most of the locals go to do calisthenics and really show off their strength. There are also some food vendors offering snacks and beverages, non-alcoholic of course.

Benchasiri Park - Bangkok, Thailand (Sukhumvit Rd)

Workout Equipment

 Snacks, Beverages, Bag Storage, and WC available

Workout Photos from Benchasiri Park

Benchasiri Park Address:
Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110
(Next door to the Emporium Shopping Complex) 

LUMPHINI PARK

This is the BEST outdoor gym park in Bangkok hands down! If you are a workout enthusiast, then you definitely want to check out Bangkok Gym, which is the largest outdoor gym area within Lumphini Park. There is nothing fancy about the gym equipment, and it's very basic, but it had everything that I needed to do my workouts. Bangkok Gym is free for locals, and only 20 Baht ($0.60 cents) day pass fee for non-locals. I loved the fact that you could do your strength workouts, and go out for a run in the park. The running/bike path (2.5km) runs right in front of the outdoor gym. There are also all kinds of other fitness equipment throughout the park which is along the running path. If you would rather workout indoors with A/C, then the park also has an indoor gym which you have to be a member, and membership is only 40 Baht per year, that's $1.21 USD =) This membership also includes a nice swimming pool. Talking about super cheap! Almost every night after 5:30pm there is a free group cardio workout at the park.  

"Bangkok Gym in Lumphini Park is like the Venice Beach of Bangkok, but without the beach"

Lumphini Park - Bangkok Thailand

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Fun and Easy to Moderate Equipment

Bangkok Gym - Lumphini Park

Bangkok Gym Workout Photos - Lumphini Park

(I did a modified P90X/Body Beast using Gym Equipment)

How to do P90X at the Gym - Click here!

Indoor Gym and Pool Area - Lumphini Park

Lumphini Park Address:
Rama 4 Road,Wangmai,Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand

Watch Video from Lumphini and Benchasiri Park - Bangkok, Thailand

10 Ways to Stay Fit While Traveling the World - Click Here!

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