Welcome to the first edition of Friday 5’s. This is a new weekly feature on The Travel Hack (or possibly bi-weekly feature once baby arrives!) with 5 things I’ve loved this week.

I’m always coming across quick and simple things I want to share on the blog but they’re not quite enough for a blog post all of their own so this is a mini post where I’ll be sharing those things. And we all want something to distract us on a Friday afternoon until it’s time to go home!

Expect everything from Wanderlust Wishes to my favourite recipes, new travel kit to the books I’m reading, films I’ve watched and basically anything I’m obsessing about.

#1. Travel Wish List – Japan

Source

Recently, I’ve felt like the world and his wife is in Japan and I am insanely jealous!

Three of my favourite travel bloggers, Abi from Inside the Travel Lab, Alicia from Alicia Explores and Kash from Budget Traveller, recently visited Japan to make some awesome videos from the trip with Lonely Planet. They’re well worth a watch!

Vicky Flip Flop was also in Japan for a couple of weeks and already has some great blog posts about this weird and wonderful country.

The blogger behind Tea Was Here has made a Japan Wanderlist with all the things she’d like to do in Japan. I’m definitely stealing a few of these for my own Japanese wish list.

#2. A new toy

I’ve been sent a Kitvision Action Camera to review. I probably shouldn’t say this but it’s basically a budget version of a GoPro. As you can see, it looks and feels exactly like a GoPro but it’s about ⅓ of the price.

I’m regularly asked if it’s worth forking out a couple of hundred pounds for a GoPro. It’s a difficult question to answer because it really depends how often you use it. I’m going to be testing this little camera out for the next few weeks and I’ll let you know how I get on. Hopefully it will be a great budget alternative to the GoPro for anyone who can’t quite justify the expense of the real deal. Watch this space!

#3. Inspiring ladies

Fempreneurs who built a business from their backpack

This is an awesome and inspiring article about 6 ladies who have built successful businesses while they’ve been travelling.

My only beef with this article is the term ‘fempreneur’. Who thought that word was a good idea? Why do female entreprenurs need a new name – particularly one that sounds like a feminine hygiene product…?

Anyway, forget about the title and read the article. I’m often asked if travelling long-term could ruin your career ambitions and make employers think you’ve wasted your time on an extended holiday, but these ladies are proving the total opposite!

#4. Get Your Knit On

Using a combination of YouTube videos and my mum’s skills, I’ve somehow taught myself to knit (sort of). After years of reading crafty blogger’s posts about knitting I took the plunge and started making simple things like scarfs and hats. There’s something really relaxing and therapeutic about knitting. You can chill out but you’re also being productive at the same time.

I’m a bit obsessed with Wool and the Gang and I love the chunky, brightly coloured alpaca wool. Check them out on Instagram for some serious knitting inspiration.

If you fancy knitting but have no idea where to start, buy yourself some really chunky wool and enormous knitting needles and watch a few YouTube videos.

#5. Tracks by Robyn Davidson

This week I’m reading Tracks by Robyn Davidson, a book about a woman who aims to travel across the Australian Outback with nothing but a couple of camels. The main reason I’m reading it is because we’ve relaunched Travel Book Chat! Whoop, cue cheers and shouts and much excitement for all travel and book lovers. Find out more about Travel Book Chat here and download the book in time for the chat on February 24^th.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Monica x