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Flights

Google Flights
A good all-round tool to search for flights and prices anywhere in the world.

Skyscanner
I use Skyscanner when I know when I want to travel, but not necessarily where.
Search from your home airport to ‘Anywhere’. This will show you where you can get some deals.

Kayak
I use Kayak when I know where I want to travel, but I’m flexible on dates and duration.
Their +/- 3 day search grid helps me find the cheapest rates for my destination.

Jack’s Flight Club
This awesome e-mail newsletter has a free and a paid version where they send out fantastic flight deals, including error rates, with instructions on how to book them. They have different versions of their newsletter for the UK, Europe, the USA and Canada, so be sure to subscribe to them! They also post memes on social media.

Budget European airlines – You can search and book cheap flights directly through these airlines’ websites:
EasyJet – An all-rounder European budget airline.
Ryanair – An Irish airline that serves many popular European destinations, but cuts a lot of corners to achieve their prices. Ideal if you’re flexible and travelling light.
Wizz Air – Going to Poland, Hungary or elsewhere in Eastern Europe? Check for cheap prices here!
Jet2 Flights – Serves the UK market. Leans more towards beach breaks and family-friendly destinations.

Budget airlines flying between North America and Europe:
Norse Atlantic – Affordable flights between LA, NYC, Vegas, Orlando & Miami to major European cities like London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Athens, Oslo and Stockholm!
Air Transat – No-frills flights between Canada, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe!

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Hotels & Accommodation

Booking.com
A great all-round site for searching for hotels, hostels, bed & breakfasts, etc. You can save places you like the look of into separate lists for inspiration, and earn 15% off each booking through their Genius loyalty program.

Trivago
A price-comparison site for accommodation. Once you know when and where you’d like to stay, use this to find the cheapest price.

Hostelworld
A sure-fire way to significantly lower the cost of your trip, if you’re comfortable sharing a dorm and bathroom with other travellers. You might even make new friends!

Airbnb
For when you’d like a more homely type of stay, you can book a room in a host’s property or rent a whole place to yourself.

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Package Deals

Use these for when you’re not too fussy and just looking for a simple flight and a nice hotel, where everything is booked together.
Transportation between airports and your hotel can be included.

EasyJet Holidays
A good all-rounder. You can get some very cheap packages here, explore their filters!

Jet2 Holidays
Serves the UK market. Known for good customer service, but their options are limited, as they specialise in sun, sea and sand. They have a City Breaks page though!

British Airways Holidays
Serves the UK market. Don’t assume BA will always be more expensive than budget airlines! There are deals to be found here, and checked luggage is often included!

Many of the other websites in the flights or hotels sections will also encourage you to book the other through them, as well as extras like insurance, car hire and activities during your trip, but this doesn’t always mean they’re a package deal with the relevant consumer protections. I’ll be writing more on that soon.

Prefer to speak to and book with a personal travel consultant?
Contact Lisa at Travel Four Seasons, and mention Afterlight Travel for preferential rates. UK only.

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Spending Abroad

Currensea
For UK travellers, I personally use and recommend the free version of this debit card for all my spending abroad.

• Free to order and keep, just pay shipping.
• They cut out the middlemen to achieve better exchange rates.
• Spend with contactless or chip & PIN in all 180 currencies, fee-free, up to £500 per month.
• Withdraw from ATMs, fee-free, up to £200 per month.
• Links to your bank’s current account and Google or Apple wallets.
• Includes an app for card management (e.g. freezing if lost or stolen).
• E-mail receipts in your home currency; either instantly or as daily round-ups.
• No visiting foreign exchange bureaus or loading funds onto the card before you go – just set up, then spend like you’re at home!

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Bags, Clothing & Accessories

EastPak
My personal favourite. These bags are stylish and very trusty. The soft ones are made from military knapsack material and are made to last, with decades-long warranties on some products. You can get everything from suitcases and backpacks to cross-body slings, wallets and security pouches to wear under your clothes.

Rains
From a sensory standpoint, if you prefer the idea of gliding your hands across smooth, rubbery-feeling material and want something stylish, luxurious and waterproof, check out this lovely Danish brand of outerwear and bags.

Bellroy
For something more sophisticated, Bellroy are known for high quality wallets designed to pack lots into a small, slim product. If you tend to carry change, check out the Coin Wallet or the Folio. They have a range of bags for work, travel and every day carry, toiletry bags, tech organisers and accessories, with luggage coming soon!

Uniqlo AIRism & HEATTECH
I rave about these! Super lightweight, stretchy, silky soft, lasts for years, without the designer price tag. Uniqlo’s original AIRism base layer t-shirts are like air conditioning for your skin in hot weather. They’re literally cool to the touch. You can sweat right through them, they’ll keep you comfortable, dry quickly and won’t smell as much as a regular cotton t-shirt. I have a whole drawer full of them. The HEATTECH range is also pretty much the best thermals you can get, in my humble opinion, and come in a choice of warmth levels.

Regatta
For the more rugged adventures, or climates where hot, humid and rainy weather is on the cards, I recommend Regatta’s Pack-It III Waterproof Jackets. With no inner lining, they’re as thin as you’ll get, and you can stuff ’em into a bag no bigger than a pair of chunky socks! These jackets are also great layered on top of a fleece for cooler climes! They go up to a Men’s size 5XL, and Women’s size 26, and come in a range of vibrant colours. International shipping appears to be available, too.

Rituals…
I’m the kind of guy that loves to indulge in some beautiful smells, and Rituals is one of my favourite brands for toiletries, scented candles and more. It’s a luxury Dutch brand, who have a dedicated Men’s range, and a more feminine scent in the Ritual of Sakura, but all their other ranges are unisex. They’re all inspired by global wellness practices, for a 5-star spiritual spa-like vibe. I don’t buy these all the time because they’re not cheap, but they’re a wonderful treat for travel!

SockShop bamboo socks
Are you like me and always have ice cold feet? Get bamboo socks. They will change your life. Not only is the material softer than cotton, bamboo makes for an ultra-sustainable fabric, since the plant grows very quickly and has natural temperature regulating and anti-bacterial properties.

Bamboo socks are widely available around the world, but I personally wear and recommend SockShop’s own brand. They’re seamless, so no scratchy stitching on your toes, (great for autistic people!) They have a very gentle grip around the leg, come in a wide range of colours and sizes, and are reasonably priced.

StepOne underwear
This Aussie brand’s underpants are so good that I don’t even think about them, I just take them for granted. They last years, they go up to size 6XL, they’re made with bamboo and come in plant-based packaging. They have a pouch for your crown jewels, and 9-inch legs with easy gliding panels on the inner thighs to completely eliminate chafing for bigger guys like me! They have a Women’s range too, and ship to many countries around the world. They even have a first pair size guarantee, so you can order one pair of the size you think will fit, and then if they don’t, you can get a refund or change size up or down for free, (once only.)

Skechers Hands-free Slip-ins
The perfect shoes for AuDHDers. As long as you get a pair without laces, the built-in shoehorns on these mean you just step right into them effortlessly, without bending over or touching them. They’re really comfy, and many are even machine-washable, too! For rugged adventures, invest in some good boots, but for anything else, get these.