Visit pharmacies when you travel and stock up on both OTC and prescription drugs for cheap. Make a note of the generic names and show them to the pharmacist. I bought ten packs of Crestor for US$3 each and spent 80 cents on a box of Loperamide #cheapdrugs #halfstartravel #budgettravel #travellovers

Save money and plastic by refilling your water bottle from ancient local spring water fonts. These are everywhere in Europe and North Africa and locals use them daily to fill large jugs for home use. The water is fresh, cold and free #budgettravel #halfstartravel #travellovers #cheaptips #traveltips

Airport food prices are insane. Example: in Belgrade, they charge US$23 for one burger patty atop a scoop of mashed potatoes. I always take a sandwich and a snack when traveling; it has saved me hundreds #airport #budgettravel #traveltips #halfstartravel #travellovers #budgetmeals #traveltips

One of the cheapest ways to visit US National Parks is to buy the annual America the Beautiful pass, which allows access to all parks for a carload of visitors. Anyone from any country can buy one online or at any park entrance #zion #nps #nationalpark #halfstartravel #budgettravel #travellovers

I recently starting house/pet sitting to save money on lodging. Sounds promising so far. Pic is of a cottage on Mackinaw Island, 2014 #housesitting #petsitting #traveltips #travelovers #budgettravel #frugaltraveler #mackinaw #mackinac #trustedhousesitters #mindahome #housesittersuk

Technology has made travelling easier than ever before (there's an app for that!), but nothing replaces human contact. Don't forget why you're travelling. Every so often, lift your eyes up from your phone and talk to someone local #halfstartravel #budgettravel #traveltips #travellovers #travelapp

Houses of worship such as Ružica Church, Belgrade are either free or require a small donation and are fantastic places to view ancient architecture, mosaics and paintings. Also, they are a great place to escape the chaos of the city for a while #travellovers #halfstartravel #budgettravel #sanctuary

The old, yet still functioning, Tatra KT4 trams. Public transport is free in Belgrade, Serbia. Public transportation is the best friend of a Half Star Traveler #travellovers #belgrade #serbia #publictransportation #budgettravel #halfstartravel #tatra #trams

As frugal as I am, if I arrive late at night, in heavy rain, or in a city known for pickpocketing on public transport, I will dig deep and spring for a taxi or rideshare. Sometimes you just have to throw money at a problem #halfstartravel #budgettravel #taxi #travellovers #rideshare #travelsafety

Who would have thought that Bucharest would have a dirt cheap palm oasis spa? Therme has a rainforest steam room, hydromassage, thermal baths, Jacuzzi, Dead Sea salt immersion pool...all for 917 LEI (US$22) for three hours! #spa #bucharest #romania #therme #halfstartravel #travellovers #budgettravel

One of my favorite ways to eat lunch while traveling is to grab a sandwich to go. Freshly baked bread, locally cured meats, cheeses, fresh veggies and usually an intensely flavoured sauce. Quick, cheap, portable and scrumptious! #sandwich #budgettravel #cheapeats #travellovers #halfstartravel

Creating your own free walking tour is easy, especially in a compact city like Mdina, Malta. Create a route on a map (either digital or old school) and don't be afraid to wander off the plan if you find a beautiful view #stpauls #mdina #malta #halfstartravel #budgettravel #travelovers #freeandcheap

One of the first things I do when arriving in a new city is to buy a public transportation weekly pass. It is a magical card that allows you to ride freely on multiple forms of transport, and in Malta, applies to the whole country. This card cost €25 for 7 days #malta #buspass #halfstartravel #save

Dingli Cliffs in Malta, near the radar station and a chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene #malta #europe #eu #dingli #cliff #stmarymagdalene #scenery #travellovers #travelphotography #eastcoastkin

The enclosed balconies of Old Town, Valletta, Malta, a UNESCO World Heritage site #oldtown #valletta #malta #unesco #travellovers #europe #schengen #travelphotography

Yet another reason to love Italy...refillable plastic wine bottles. Just bring your bottle in and refill it with the wine of your choice for €2.20 (about US$2.58) #italy #italia #wine #budget #vino #vinosfuso #europe #eu #travellovers #refill

Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno) in Bologna, Italy, commissioned in 1563 by Pope Pius IV. I guess he also had a less pious side😲 #fountainofneptune #bologna #italy #statue #fountain #fontanadelnettuno #popepius #travelphotography #travellovers

A monument to Lenin in Tiraspol, Transnistria (Pridnestrovia) stands in front of the Supreme Soviet building. Pridnestrovia exists/doesn't exist 12 miles from the Ukrainian border, but is not officially recognized as a country #moldova #tiraspol #transnistria #pridnestrovia #lenin #soviet

Founded in the 10th century, Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and a UNESCO site #rila #monastery #bulgaria #unesco #ancient #architecture #travellovers #bulgarian #orthodox

Founded in the 10th century, Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments. I've never seen a building so richly decorated before. It took the artists 30 years to complete #rila #monastery #bulgaria #architecture #europe #church

Hiked the Rila Mountains in Bulgaria yesterday. What a climb, but well worth it for the views! It's a hugely popular ski resort in the winter, and they've just recently opened up the ski lifts for summer hiking #rila #bulgaria #hiking #nationalpark #travelovers #nature #mountains #travelphotography

The ceiling frescoes at the entrance to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, painted by a team of Bulgarian and Russian artists between 1910 and 1924 #sofia #bulgaria #alexandernevsky #cathedral #fresco #travellovers #artlovers #architecture

In Bulgaria, country #74. Sofia is a tranquil, safe, laid back, family-oriented city. My first stop, as always, is the cathedral. Visiting the cathedral is any European town takes you right to the centre of the oldest part of the city #sofia #bulgaria #cathedral #aleksandanevski #travellovers

A tranquil sunset view from the Hıdırlık Tower (Turkish: Hıdırlık Kulesi), a significant landmark in Antalya, Turkey #sunset #turkey #turkiye #hidirlik #antalya #travellovers #travelphotography #ancient #architecture #ruins

The balcony ceiling of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. The frescoes are peeling but the bright colours and designs are still crisp, even after hundreds of years #ayasofya #hagiasophia #istanbul #turkey #turkiye #mosque #travelphotography #architecture #fresco

I've wanted to visit Istanbul forever and am finally here! My first stop was one of the most famous mosques in the world (originally built as a Greek Orthodox basilica) and the top tourist site in Istanbul: the Hagia Sophia #hagiasophia #istanbul #turkey #turkiye #greekorthodox #basilica #mosque

Ankara Castle, Turkey. It's almost 3,000 years old: the earliest fortification was constructed in the 8th century BC by the Phrygians and rebuilt in 278 BC by the Galatians, then rebuilt or renovated under the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman Empires #ankara #castle #turkey #turkiye

In honor of World Lizard Day, a Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) warming herself in the sun. Anoles can change their colour from green to brown and have the ability to drop their tails from their body to escape predators #greenanole #anole #lizard #worldlizardday #wildlifephotography #nature

Crossing from one continent to another via the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge by bus yesterday. The bridge connects the Asian side of Istanbul to the European side #istanbul #bosphorus #turkey #turkiye #yavussultanselim #bridge #Europe #asia #travellovers #travelphotographers

One of the many well-tended rose gardens of Ankara, Turkey. It is a very leafy, flowerbed-filled city which helps mitigate the summer heat and adds many spots of beauty and nature to an otherwise bustling city #ankara #turkey #turkiye #rose #rosegarden #trees #nature #ataturk #anitkabir #travellover

What an amazing city Ankara is! You can see why Türkiye is the 11th richest country in the world. This is Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founding father of the Republic of Türkiye #turkey #turkiye #ankara #antikabir #ataturk #travellovers #travelphotography

The interior of Selimiye Mosque (Selimiye Camii) in Nicosia, Cyprus. Originally built as a Catholic cathedral in the 13th century, it was converted into a mosque in 1570 #cyprus #selimiye #mosque #camii #nicosia #cathedral #travellovers #travelphotography #architecture

More fairy chimneys, Cappadocia, Turkey (Turkiye). Volcanic formations millions of years old #fairychimney #turkey #turkiye #cappadocia #travelovers #volcanic #geology #travelphotography

The "fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia, Turkey (Turkiye) have been inhabited for thousands of years, until 1952 when earth tremors destabilized the structures #fairychimney #turkey #turkiye #cappadocia #geology #unesco #worldheritage #travelphotography #travellovers

Fairy chimneys, Cappadocia, Turkiye (Turkey). Surreal-looking spires up to 130 ft (40 meters) tall that were carved out of soft volcanic rock by the elements over millions of years #fairychimney #cappadocia #turkey #turkiye #volcanic #geology #tavellovers #travelphotography

The hot air balloons of Cappadocia, Turkiye (Turkey), 6:00. On average, 150 balloons a day lift off in the early morning before the intense heat hits, carrying 500,000 passengers a year over the fairy chimneys #cappadocia #turkiye #turkey #hotairballoon #tourism #travellovers #travelphotography

This week, I'm in Nicosia, Northern Cypress, my 74th country. This is the Büyük Han (Great Inn) built in 1572, traditionally used to house travellers #cypress #northerncypress #nicosia #buyukhan #europe #travellovers #travelphotography

Tourists bathing in the warm thermal pools on the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, Türkiye #pamukkale #turkey #turkiye #travertine #thermalbaths #pools #travelovers #travelphotographer #visitturkiye

Pamukkale (cotton castle in Turkish) terraces, Turkiye (Turkey), are travertine formations built up by carbonate minerals left behind by the flow of thermal spring water #turkiye #turkey #pamukkale #turkish #travertine #hierapolis #thermal #travellovers #travelphotography #photographersofbluesky

Posted for World Whale and Dolphin Day, a dolphin playing before a cargo ship's wake, Port Aransas, Texas, United States #dolphin #portaransas #texas #ship #canal #worldwhaleanddolphinday #gulfofmexico #corpuschristi #shipcanal #port

I watched the sunset over Antalya Bay last night and a sunset cruise boat suddenly floated into my frame #antalya #turkey #turkiye #sunset #sunsetcruise #travellovers #ottoman #travelphotographers #bay #coastalliving

Turkish tea and figs for dessert last night at a local restaurant in Antalya, Türkiye (Turkey) #turkey #turkiye #figs #tea #turkish #food #antalya #dessert #travelovers #travelphotography #photographersofbluesky

For International Moon Day, I'm posting my pic of the full moon over Gig harbor, Washington State, USA #gigharbor #washingtonstate #usa #fullmoon #supermoon #internationalmoonday #moon #coastalliving #dusk #purple #moonrise

I flew into Antalya, Türkiye (Turkey) late last night and spent the day exploring the Old Town where I'm staying #antalya #turkey #turkiye #oldtown #hadriansgate #ruins #turkish #travellovers #travelphotography #travel

Did an all-day urban hike today through the very walkable city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. This is the facade of the Titanic Museum on the waterfront #belfast #ireland #northernireland #titanic #museum #ulster #hike #hiking #urbanhike #photography #travellovers

Little Scottish highland dancers, Highland Games, Stonehaven, Scotland #scotland #highlands #highlander #outlander #stonehaven #scottish #dancer #kilt #dance #uk #unitedkingdom #tartan #plaid

An amazing hike up to McArt's Fort, Cave Hill, Belfast, Northern Ireland today. The fort is a Bronze or Iron age ringfort or rath, thought to be about 3,000 years old #mcartsfort #belfast #bronzeage #cavehill #northernireland #ireland #hike #hiking #hiketheworld #napoleansnose #belfastcastle

Some more pics of my UK travels, this one of sheep grazing in a hilly, green field under a cloudy sky in the Cotswolds #uk #cotswolds #sheep #pasture #meadow #stormyskies #england #untiedkingdom #grazing #britain #pastoral #peaceful #countryliving #nature

I took the ferry from Cairnryan, Scotland to Belfast, Ireland and Belfast Botanic Gardens was one of my first stops. This image shows a flower bed in front of the Palm House #belfast #ireland #northernireland #botanicgarden #bloomscrolling #flowerbed #palmhouse #flowers

More Scottish Highlands, part of the Three Sisters, Glencoe #scotland #highlands #glencoe #highlander #uk #scottish #threesisters #photography #travelovers #unitedkingdom