Enter My Merry Wanderlust Travel Giveaway!

Of all the years I’ve ever had, 2018 was the best.

It started in Thailand, releasing a lantern into the sky in Chiang Mai, dancing into the night with my travel family. And it will end with those same amazing people at a home we rented in California for our first big reunion.

And all of those months in between?

I bungee jumped off the Auckland Bridge. I had many asados in Argentina. I rode a horse—while, um, wine drunk—through vineyards in Chile. I experienced the wonder of Machu Picchu on Earth Day, with my mom. I fell in love with all things Colombia: the coffee, the people, the climate. I went skydiving outside of Mexico City, and allowed my heart to fall and break, as I said ‘see you later’ to people I spent 365 days traveling with.

But, I didn’t stop exploring.

Then, I spent six weeks resort hopping through the beaches of Mexico, earning the best tan I’ve ever had. I signed the most exciting contract of my career (so far) from a villa in Jamaica. I turned the big 3-0, surrounded by the people I love the most (and love me the most) with my first love, New York City. I took the longest direct flight of my life—14 freakin’ hours—to South Africa, and upgraded myself to first class as a birthday gift. I saw the beauty and wonder of this striking, fascinating part of the world, switching between family and friend time, from the bush to the beach. I finally gave my passport one last workout returning to London, once of the first cities that invigorated my travel addiction.

A stop in New York, one in Boston, and this girl is hibernating in North Carolina until it’s time to make moves again.

But, I haven’t stopped. You know me—I simply can’t.

Mostly because, my friends (and fans) won’t let me. After all, when you visit 21 new countries in 15 months, you get asked about it all: hotel recommendations, luggage tips, how to score flight deals, where to go solo, the best place for coffee… and well, pretty much everything travel-related.

I’m not complaining—I love it.

In fact, there’s something special—and gratifying—about sharing what I’ve learned (the easy, the good, the bad and the hard way) with the people that I love.

And since it’s the season of giving—and gifting!—I’m spreading that love far and wide by hosting my very first giveaway.

Introducing: Merry Wanderlust.

Think of it as a tangible way for me to share my world traveling experiences with you. Or even my way of saying ‘thank you’ (and ‘Gracias’ and ‘Arigatōgozaimashita’ and ‘Kob Khun kha’ ) for joining me along this crazy, beautiful adventure.

Starting today, December 3, I’m giving away one travel product per day all the way until Christmas day. Without giving too much away, these gifts range from travel-size beauty products and tech-gear to one very fancy piece of luggage I personally adore.

Yep, it’s that good. All of the gifts are full of tidings and joy—trust me.

So, how do you enter?

It’s pretty easy:  fill out this form, follow me on Instagram and like my Facebook writer page. These requirements will be fact-checked before you are eligible to win. You can enter once any day until December 25 at 8 a.m. EST.

Why do you need my info?

Your personal details—like address and email and such—will not be publicly shared, and only used to contact you if you’re a winner. If you’re selected as a winner some of your answers to the travel-related questions on the entry form may be shared with my followers. If you don’t want that info shared, just leave in a note in the form. See the complete official rules here.

Who is eligible?

Anyone—and everyone over the age of 18— can participate (er, as long as you have a shipping address in the United States.)

How do I know what you’re giving away?

Every day, I’ll announce what I’m giving away on my Instagram stories and Facebook page. I’ll also update this blog post, so check back.

How do I know if I’m a winner?

A winner is chosen at random by a third party. Winners and gifts will be announced on my Instagram stories and on this blog post by 10 p.m. EST each day.

That’s it!

May the year ahead bring you the very best of life, love—and of course, wanderlust. Enter now!

The Gifts

December 3: Oomo 3D 5.1 Surround Sound Earbuds

I have a bit of a confession to make: I still prefer headphones with chords. Call me old fashioned but sometimes bluetooth technology isn’t always reliable, and I like having a pair stashed away that I can whip out when I’m commuting to a coworking space or when I’m on a flight. Today, I’m giving away these three-cavity, 5-channel acoustic structure headphones that provide surround sound… in your ears. As a bonus, because of the material, it will drown out noisy airplane neighbors, too.
Congratulations to Barbara for winning this snazzy pair of headphones! 

December 4: Pocketalk

One of funniest text messages I received over the past year was from a vegetarian friend who tried to buy butter at a grocery store—but ended up taking home lard. It also took many tries to translate my Japanese remote control heater, as I sat shivering in my tiny apartment. Giving cab directions is hard when you can’t read symbols. In fact, I spent so long translating messages that once I actually returned to the United States, it took me a while to remember I could read and speak without thinking about it. The next time you’re traveling—trust me—you’re going to want this device. It’s a must-have smart gadget that allows you to translate 74 different languages with locals. You speak into it in your language, they respond in theirs—and you have a conversation. Magic.
Congratulations to Hilary for winning this awesome device!

December 5: The Sand Point Passport Holder

Is there anything that says ‘You should travel next year’ than gifting a passport holder? I have two that I love—one was a gift from my best friend, and the other is one everyone in my traveling group bought at the end of the year. It was the stamps and dates of all the places we lived. While it can be a pain to take out the passport at customs every time you travel, having all of your cards together and plenty of places to keep your boarding pass is helpful. This sleek, water-resistant is made of full-grain leather and is about a minimalist as it gets.
Congratulations to Kelly for winning this mod passport holder.!

December 6: Jetsetter Chic Subscription Box

Subscription boxes have been having a moment for a while now. You can have a monthly deliver of workout wear, food for your pet, healthy food, candles, socks—you name it. So it makes since one would exist for travelers. This monthly box called ‘Travel Cosmopolitan’ is filled with a 30-day supply of TSA compliant skincare, health and chic products that saves time shopping between trips. Talk about an easy way for frequent fliers to hit the skies. It’s likely no surprise this company was founded by a flight attendant!
Congrats to Allie for taking home this fun box!

December 7: goSili To-Go Coffee/Tea Cup

Coffee is a must-have for me, so a to-go cup is a natural travel accessory to bring with me. What’s nice about this affordable buy is it packs light and keeps your java warm for hours. When you’re meeting deadlines from every corner of the globe, it definitely comes in handy.
Congrats to Yuki for taking home this prize!

December 8:Lectrofan Micro

So confession: I sleep with a fan noise every single night. No matter where I am in the world, who I’m with or how loud or quiet it is, silence keeps me up more than anything else. I use an app or this mini sound machine. It’s lightweight, affordable—and helps to beat jet lag. Win, win… win!
Congrats to Melissa, the winner of this bad boy!

December 9: eBags Large Compression Cube

Before I went on Remote Year, I never understood why folks used packing cubes. To me, it seemed like a waste of time that offered little return. Then, I moved every single month… and then nearly every day for a while… and fell in love with compression cubes. Not only do they keep me organized but it keeps your luggage from getting messy and creates more space. I love these from eBags—especially since I took some of ’em with me on the road!

December 10: SKYPRO Travel Shoes

Everyone has their own preference on what they wear to catch a flight, but one of the most frequently used by the cabin crew? These many looks from SKYPRO! From boots and loafers to flats and more, you might recognize these if you check out the flight attendant or pilot’s footwear. You can take home a pair of your choice, up to $270 if you’re the winner of these! 
Congrats to LaShea for winning these shoes! 

December 11:Peak Design Wash Pouch

Finding a toiletry bag that actually keeps your items organized is a taller order than I realized when traveling. Many of my ‘free pouches’ from makeup events fell apart after so much country hopping, but the bag I received from this brand that kept my medicine all year… stayed strong. Literally—it sits up on its own on the counter, making it simple to go through items, and features a hidden hook so you can hang it on the back of a door and save space. Definitely worth the investment!

December 12:Take My Face Off Makeup Mitty

While traveling is always a wonderful choice—it isn’t easy on your health. Though I enjoyed seeing all of the many sights and countries, my skin suffered without access to the products I usually use. That’s why investing in your skincare is so important if you’re always on the go. For a few weeks abroad, you can pack a few of these makeup removing mitts that make it easy to wipe away mascara and oil. This three-pack is essential for jetsetting. 
Congrats to Allison for winning these bad boys!

December 13: Borghese Jet Set Regimen

When you’re packing for a year abroad, it’s really difficult to anticipate what you will need. If I could go back, I would have packed much less clothes—since you want to throw half of them away a few months in, anyway—and focused more on my skincare. Though I swore by Borghese in NYC, somehow, I didn’t think it was necessary when I set out on the adventure. Eight months in, my mom brought me a set and my skin thanked me tenfold. Now, you can have the same Jet Set pack! 
Congrats to Kelley for winning this set! 

December 14: Presidio Pack

There’s nothing that can beat a solid backpack when you’re traveling. From running to catch your plane to exploring a new city, a lightweight, functional pack makes everything seamless. I love the modern design of the Presidio Pack, plus all of the pockets for headphones, deodorant, waterbottles and more. 

December 15: Cafe Joe USA Travel French Press Mug

One of my best friends, Jess—who made this pretty website, btw!—and I have bonded over our mutual obsession over coffee. Since we traveled through four continents together, we’ve had plenty of practice attempting to order coffee in a variety of languages. Most of the time, we never knew what we would be served, but if we had this, we could have always had killer java on the go. Hindsight is 20/20, eh?
Congrats to Stephanie for taking this home!

December 16: This Is Ground Plug Pack

You never realize just how many cords you have until you lug ’em around for 15 months. Or at least, I didn’t. Even though they are necessary and an everyday-kind of use item, it’s so easy to lose them on airplanes, and when you’re unpacking and packing again. This beautiful leather pack has pockets for everything—your laptop, charger, USB cords, in-ear headphones, plugs and batteries. It helps you stay organized so you can focus on what you’re meant to be doing: enjoying a new country!
Congrats to Lauren for winning!

December 17: Lovehoney Deluxe Rechargeable Mini Metallic Massage Wand Vibrator

When you’re traveling and you’re a single gal, there are some lonely evenings. Or if you’re in the same spot day-in and day-out and you happen to not be seeing anyone you’d like to sleep with… there are also some lonely nights. Exploring your sexuality and practicing masturbation is a healthy part of any adult’s lifestyle. This travel-sized wand is suitable for alone or couple play, and comes from a trusted brand. 

December 18: Petal Canned Rose

Though sure, not a travel product… what do most people do when they’re on vacation or exploring a new city? Drink all of the things. New to the market—and refreshing in taste—Petal is a new canned rose in a variety of flavors that’s about to make your New Year’s Eve celebration that much more fun. If you win, you’ll take home 12 cans to cheers with when the clock strikes 2019. 

December 19: Polaroid Mint 2-in-1 Instant Camera + Printer

Currently, I have about 42,000 photos and videos on my phone. I have them backed up everywhere possible, but I have yet to print a single one. Though I do agree we should all put our cameras down and savor the moment, I’m definitely guilty of trying to capture everything. With this, you can instantly print an image so you can frame it or have it in your wallet, taking a bit of the world wherever you go.

December 20: Mitra Robe

There are many things I wish I would have left at home while traveling the world, but something I wish I would have brought was a robe. There are little luxuries everyone needs when they are away from home for a long period of time—a pillowcase they love, a special or lucky shirt—and for me, a robe is essential to comfort. Now you can take one with you for your next adventure!

December 21: ROCK Universal Adapter

It might not seem like the most exciting of gifts—but trust me, having a universal adapter is a no-brainer for international traveling. This high-end version protects against the various electric currencies throughout the world, all while making sure you can juice up every device you need.

December 22: The Glide by SPIbelt

No matter if you’re heading to a concert festival or you want to protect your phone or wallet while you’re sightseeing, this little pack is deal. It’s also meant for running, or spending a Saturday traveling light. However you use it, it’ll be a great addition to you wardrobe.

December 23: COBY Waterproof Speaker

While on Remote Year, there was always someone who had a speaker. No matter if we were hiking, going on a long bus ride, having a house party or spending the day lounging in a park or on the beach, hearing our jams was essential. That’s why I love this inexpensive wireless, waterproof speaker that’s super easy for traveling.

December 24: NatureLab Tokyo Destination: Perfect Hair

When I lived in Kyoto last November, I was amazed by the wonder and the beauty of Japan. And, well, by how awesome my hair was. Thanks to high-quality ingredients, many Japanese beauty products outshine nearly any other competitor. You can take some of this silk and shine with you if you win this travel pack!