Jack and Jill Travel
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What’s In My Bag
    • How We Afford Our Travel Lifestyle
    • Tools and Resources
    • Safety When Traveling Solo (and Female)
  • Destinations
    • Americas
      • Argentina
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Cuba
      • Ecuador
      • Galapagos
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Patagonia
      • Peru
      • United States
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Myanmar
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Tibet
      • Vietnam
    • W. Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • United Kingdom
    • Europe
      • Armenia
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Georgia (Republic)
      • Greece
      • Kosovo
      • Macedonia
      • Montenegro
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Turkey
    • Africa
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Lesotho
      • Morocco
      • South Africa
      • Sudan
    • Central Asia/Greater Middle East
      • Iran
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Turkmenistan
  • Van Life
    • Solar Power Setup For Van Living
    • FAQ
  • Shop
    • Shop Jack and Jill Travel
    • Must Have Travel Accessories Under $25
    • Books Around the World
    • Unconventional Gift Ideas
  • Blog
    • Epic Hikes
    • Top Adventures
    • Roadtrip
    • Van Life
Jack and Jill Travel
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What’s In My Bag
    • How We Afford Our Travel Lifestyle
    • Tools and Resources
    • Safety When Traveling Solo (and Female)
  • Destinations
    • Americas
      • Argentina
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Cuba
      • Ecuador
      • Galapagos
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Patagonia
      • Peru
      • United States
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Myanmar
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Tibet
      • Vietnam
    • W. Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • United Kingdom
    • Europe
      • Armenia
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Georgia (Republic)
      • Greece
      • Kosovo
      • Macedonia
      • Montenegro
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Turkey
    • Africa
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Lesotho
      • Morocco
      • South Africa
      • Sudan
    • Central Asia/Greater Middle East
      • Iran
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Turkmenistan
  • Van Life
    • Solar Power Setup For Van Living
    • FAQ
  • Shop
    • Shop Jack and Jill Travel
    • Must Have Travel Accessories Under $25
    • Books Around the World
    • Unconventional Gift Ideas
  • Blog
    • Epic Hikes
    • Top Adventures
    • Roadtrip
    • Van Life

Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas For Adventurers and Travelers

Tips November 5, 2018

I promise you won’t find gag gifts, or single-use items, or “fad” items. Instead you’ll find products I truly love (and have bought with my own money), causes I support, and gifts that do good. Conspicuous waste should never be celebrated.

Continue Reading
Dinner preparation. The smoke helps keep mosquitoes at bay.

Under $25: Must Have Travel Accessories for No-Fuss Travelers (Updated 2024)

Travel Tips May 9, 2018

From camera protection, to portable door alarm, these are must-have travel items under $25 for practical, non-sense travelers.

Continue Reading

What We've Been Up To

Gaaaaah, I still can’t believe I made it to The Gaaaaah, I still can’t believe I made it to The Wave. I’ve put this place out of my mind after many, many, many attempts to get a permit. Then a friend entered and won on his very first attempt 😂 and thankfully was generous enough to extend an invitation. It was a little bit of rush and a squeeze job between coming back from Mexico and Christmas but whoa, I’m glad I made it happen.
Can’t believe it took me this long to check out Can’t believe it took me this long to check out the climbing at El Potrero Chico, home of so many long bolted routes. I had so much fun I’m planning a return visit in a couple of months.
I’ve seen so very little of my own home country I’ve seen so very little of my own home country - Indonesia - so I try to squeeze in a trip to see more of it whenever I go visit my family. I finally had to chance to visit Tana Toraja last year. Old traditions still prevail here and they revolve around funerals and care of ancestors. I found it endlessly fascinating. 

1st pic: A row of rice silos and houses with the sloping roof characteristic of the Toraja area. The houses are decorated by buffalo horns which is a sign of prestige and wealth.

2nd pic: if it looks like I was dressed for a funeral, I was! Funerals can last for days and relatives travel from all around the country to pay respect. We picked up a pig from the market on the way as a wedding gift. It was heartbreaking to see all the sacrificial animals (tons of buffalos, pigs, deers and even a horse). I had to walk away during the slaughter.
———
Have you ever been to Toraja? If you find yourself in the region, I highly recommend spending a few days here and hire a guide. Your guesthouse owner can most likely recommend one. If you visit in July-August, you get a chance to see Ma’nene, the cleaning the corpses ceremony. Besides funeral related activities, the surrounding landscape is beautiful. Plan an extra day to ride around on a motorbike.
Throwback to my time flying solo in Kyrgyzstan, th Throwback to my time flying solo in Kyrgyzstan, the beginning of my love affair with the region, a place I can keep going back again and again if only it were easier to get to. 

This was also the beginning of my realization that I get quite lonely going on trekking expeditions by myself - even when I go with a guide. I find it more rewarding to share the experience with new friends and how we always end up supporting each other through the hardest parts. It's something in my mind lately as I'm planning this year's travels.

It's interesting to notice how my preferences and style and types of experience I seek have evolved throughout the years. There's no right way to travel, just your own way.
Colorado wears October well. Colorado wears October well.
It's the season for alpine start 😐. Getting out It's the season for alpine start 😐. Getting out of a warm sleeping bag while it's still dark out is so very hard, but it's nice to get most of the walking done before it gets too warm. Plus, those afternoon thunderstorms are no joke. Plus, hot breakfast and coffee on trail while watching sunrise is 🥰. So in short, I don't love it but alpine start does have its perks. 
📷: @aniellowz on our way to Wetterhorn.
Socotra, Yemen. After many failed attempts, I was Socotra, Yemen. After many failed attempts, I was finally able to visit this special island off the coast of Yemen. Famous for its dragon blood trees, Socotra has shot up in popularity recently. Unfortunately its infrastructure hasn't really caught up with demand, resulting in too many visitors concentrated in too few areas. Many campsites simply do not have bathrooms. We - tourists - undoubtedly left quite a significant impact on the environment being there and I felt quite guilty about it. One fellow traveler commented that it's "the most touristy un-touristed place" he's been and it stuck with me. Because it's true. It's still a beautiful island with some unique landscapes, and I feel quite privileged to have been there.
Accidentally color-coordinated. ------------- Uta Accidentally color-coordinated. 
-------------
Utah in winter checks all of my boxes:
✅ Quiet slot canyons exploration.
✅ Fluffy snow flakes and previous snow storms that make all the intricate details of sandstone towers and canyons stand out.
✅ Campgrounds with no reservations
📷: Ding and Dang canyon. We brought a 30m static and glad to have had it.
-------------
I even ended up with a souvenir: a bald spot from where I lost a chunk of hair on a windy rappel 😅 - lesson learned.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Indonesia, Jakarta December 22, 2010

Top 10 Favorite Vegetarian Food in Indonesia

Even though meat dishes are common, they’re usually eaten with side dishes that are vegetarian friendly. As a family, we were already eating mostly vegetable anyway. We ate a lot of tofu, tempeh, labu (gourd), and eggs.

Continue Reading
Indonesia December 13, 2010

Jakarta – A city only its residents can love (aka What’s to love about coming home)

Jakarta can be tough to love: its choking pollution, the unpleasant mix of smell of burned trash and diesel fumes, and sea of humanity overwhelm the senses. Add to that the horrible traffic and the hectic pace of life — this is a city only the bravest and most adventurous of travelers can love.

Continue Reading
Budgeting, Tips November 30, 2010

How Much Does A RTW Trip Cost – Revisited

How much does an around the world trip cost? Here are some real-world data from various travellers who’ve done it.

Continue Reading
Budgeting, Our RTW 2011 October 29, 2010

How Much Does a RTW Trip Cost?

How much would it cost me to do an around the world trip? Can you afford it? Here are real-life examples from those who’ve done it.

Continue Reading
Newer Posts

Yoohoo! I'm Jill

I'm a Colorado-based outdoor lover, world traveler, and road trip warrior. Sharing adventures since 2009. Find me on Instagram (I hang out there a lot).

LATEST

  • Hiking The Wave, Arizona
  • What’s in My Adventure Backpack. My Favorite Gear 2024 Edition.
  • The Fairy Meadows in Pakistan and Hiking Nanga Parbat Basecamp
  • Backpacking to Conondrum Hot Spring in Colorado
  • Should You Rent A Jeep and Go Off Roading in Ouray? Yes, You Should.

Things I ♥

  • Best Travel Gadgets Under $25 (Updated 2024)
  • TrustedHousesitters - 25% OFF
  • Nomad - prepaid ESim for +165 countries
Id wanted to do Kelso Ridge for awhile and am so h Id wanted to do Kelso Ridge for awhile and am so happy to get a chance to finally do it. It's an alternative route to Torrey Peak, one of Colorado 14ers. 

#14ers #kelsoridge
It was almost zero visibility and -23F wind chill. It was almost zero visibility and -23F wind chill. Your balaclava is caked in frosted breath and it hurts to breathe. You're going fast, faster than you should maybe (then again it's hard to tell when you can't see far). Your ski catches an edge on a hidden bump. And you flail. You're convinced you're going to eat it. For sure. You brace for the tumble, for the pain. And yet... a fortuitous gust of wind. Or something. You get your balance back. You whoop under your breath - you're not the kind of person who whoops out loud. For that short split second you feel... invincible. 

Hope you're finding joy, wherever you are.
2 am wake up call, hours of navigating loose class 2 am wake up call, hours of navigating loose class 3 in the dark, breathing hard as you fight altitude sickness... As I get older I don't sign up for type-2 fun as much, but when I do, I hope to have a good crew to do it with. When you travel with a group of strangers, it can be a bit of crap shoot. But I got lucky in Pakistan and found myself among a group of good people to share the misery and the victories with. 

#pakistan #pakistanzindabad #gilgitbaltistan
Gaaaaah, I still can’t believe I made it to The Gaaaaah, I still can’t believe I made it to The Wave. I’ve put this place out of my mind after many, many, many attempts to get a permit. Then a friend entered and won on his very first attempt 😂 and thankfully was generous enough to extend an invitation. It was a little bit of rush and a squeeze job between coming back from Mexico and Christmas but whoa, I’m glad I made it happen.
Nutella and paratha breakfast at 17000 ft. 📷: Nutella and paratha breakfast at 17000 ft. 
📷: @martyjamesnz

#pakistanzindabad #pakistan #travelpakistan
Just a little over 3 months left until 2022?! Also Just a little over 3 months left until 2022?! Also, its been a year since we moved to Colorado? 🤯 I'm seeing signs of Fall and I cant quite believe that 2021 is almost over. Crazy time we live in and I'm feeling literally all the feels.
Fall road trips. Pumpkin-everything (saw pumpkin t Fall road trips. Pumpkin-everything (saw pumpkin tortilla chips at Trader Joe's the other day). Crunchy leaves. Migrating birds resting in our trees. Sweater weather.
Mia was rescued from a market in BSD. Found orphan Mia was rescued from a market in BSD. Found orphaned and starving, weighing less than 300 g, she's now a spunky and energetic 5 week old kitten. She loves to be held close when she's not going after dust bunnies.

Unfortunately I have to leave the country in 2 weeks so I'm desperately looking for a place for Mia to land. She's located in BSD, Jakarta but I can meet with potential adopter anywhere in greater Jakarta. 

#catloverjakarta #rescuekucing  #adopsikucing #prosteril
Azores vibe. Azores vibe.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Most Popular

  • Getting to Know the Pain and Pleasure of A Traditional Thai Massage
  • Huayhuash Trek, Peru: Everything You Need to Know
  • Ultimate Roadtrip! Best Stops On Highway 1 North of San Francisco
  • Hakone Day Trip from Tokyo
  • Scenes from Hiking the Valleys of Cappadocia

Never Miss A Post

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email.

Never Miss A Post

Never miss a post. No spam. Ever.

POPULAR

  • Getting to Know the Pain and Pleasure of A Traditional Thai Massage
  • Huayhuash Trek, Peru: Everything You Need to Know
  • Ultimate Roadtrip! Best Stops On Highway 1 North of San Francisco
  • Hakone Day Trip from Tokyo
  • Scenes from Hiking the Valleys of Cappadocia

MORE

Epic Hikes Bold Adventures Roadtrips Shop The Archive

FAVORITES

Hiking The Wave, Arizona

January 18, 2025

Hiking Mt. Sneffels and Why It’s My Favorite 14er

September 9, 2021
Raja Ampat viewpoint Harfat Peaks in Misool

Visiting Raja Ampat, Indonesia’s Most Beautiful Diving Destination

February 9, 2021

Visiting Meroe Pyramids, Sudan

March 24, 2020
This site is a member of Amazon affiliates. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

About Privacy