Melissa Douglas, at The Blogs

Jan 6, 2021, 6:19 PM

Can We Trust Reviews on TripAdvisor and Travel Booking Sites?

Can we trust the peer reviews that are posted on aggregator booking sites such as Booking.com, Tripadvisor, Airbnb, and Agoda? Honestly, you would like to think so. The Importance of TravelBooking Site Reviews It is estimated that 80% of travelers review...

Oct 21, 2020, 6:52 PM

Yes, They’re Talking to You – Dealing with Reverse Culture Shock

Skopelos Island, Greece. Photo Credit: Melissa Douglas

When I popped out for lunch in Seoul earlier this week, I ventured into my favorite local Japanese restaurant and tucked into some delicious udon noodles. No time to stop and cut the noodles, and no suitable apparatus to...

Oct 16, 2020, 9:26 PM

Yes, You Will Travel Again Soon.

Recently, I stopped reading the news and confined myself to something of a blissfully ignorant existence on the Greek island of Skopelos. Here, miles away from the pandemic, it probably seems that I am having a midlife crisis, removing...

Sep 1, 2020, 12:18 AM

Islands to escape the pandemic: Travel bloggers share their favorite escapes

If you are looking for a remote place to spend your 2020/21 vacation time, you’re sick of hearing people complain about coronavirus, or you are able to work remotely, there may be a solution: spend a year at the...

Jul 11, 2020, 2:08 AM

Reverse Cowgirl (& Other Coping Mechanisms for an Overpacked Suitcase)

Ah! The suitcase that just will not close... we've all been there! You're on vacation, you knew you were already pushing the limits of your suitcase's holding power but... you just HAD to have those green strappy sandals. They were...

Jul 9, 2020, 12:37 AM

The Best Hikes Around the World for 2020/21

As we become accustomed to coexisting with the pandemic and living in the “new normal”, countries around the world are slowly but surely re-opening their borders. Once again, it is becoming possible to gaze up at the Eiffel Tower...

Jun 11, 2020, 7:41 PM

Armchair Travel: How to Keep Your Wanderlust Alive during a Pandemic

People around the world have seen their lives severely affected by coronavirus. One area that has been especially impacted? Travel. The 2020 pandemic has meant that thousands of much-anticipated travel plans have had to be canceled. Now, countries in Asia...

Jun 6, 2020, 4:02 PM

Returning Home After Traveling the World

Being away from home for extended periods of time can, of course, stir feelings of homesickness – perhaps a huge, tear-filled overreaction to seeing something from your home country in the “foreign foods” aisle of a supermarket overseas, or...

Jun 3, 2020, 5:39 AM

How Travel Stopped Me Worrying About The Unknown

Despite the fact that I live a spontaneous lifestyle as a globally mobile Travel Writer and Digital Nomad, I definitely don’t possess the carefree “ce sera” attitude that you might assume that someone who lives in this manner does....

May 28, 2020, 8:16 AM

Travel Bloggers Share Their Favourite Things About Israel

Beautiful Israel has soared in popularity as a tourist destination in recent years. Historically it was predominantly religious travelers or those on birthright tours flocking to the country. However, word has gotten out about Israel as the perfect destination...

About Me

Melissa Douglas is a professional travel writer and full-time digital nomad from the UK. She manages www.highheelsandabackpack.com - a trusted solo female travel website, which she uses as a platform to encourage women to push themselves outside of their comfort zones.

Contact Me