Welcome to Backpacker’s Boutique. Every Sunday, this spot will feature a new travel blogger. Some weeks it will be a really fun interview about packing, fashion, and fitness so you can snoop inside their bags & lives a little bit and other weeks it’ll be a detailed luxury guide to a city the featured blogger/expat knows very well. E-mail me if you’d like to be featured.

An interview with packing tips from Love and Road

Tell us a little about about who you are, what your blog is called, and where you’re traveling now.

First of all I want to thank you for having me here at your Backpacking Boutique. I feel honored to share with your readers some of my tips and tricks to live glamorous on the road.

My name is Natalie Deduck, a Brazilian girl that on the beginning of 2014 left everything behind to travel the world. Me and my hubby (Rob) started a journey with just one way ticket and one backpack. We tell our story and give some nice tavel advice at LoveandRoad.com. It´s a couple`s travel blog, but we are far from being a boring romantic couple. Actually we are always seeking adventure, new culture and parties.

Currently we are traveling through South East Asia. But so far we already visited 30 countries, most of them in Europe and South America, what means that my bag needs to be well planned and multicultural style.

Cabo de Gata Spain

Do you use a backpack or trolley suitcase for long-term travel?

I travel with a 50 litros Gelert Travel Zone backpack. I bought it 5 years ago when I used to live in Dublin, Ireland,  for our first budget trip around Europe. What I like most of my backpack is the way it opens. It has 2 big compartments with a zipper around that opens like a suitcase, what makes easy to pack and organize the clothes. I´m not a big fan of rucksacks that just open on the top, feels like you have to take everything out to to find a piece of clothes. After almost a year on the road, now I´m thinking to get some cubes to organize my packing in a better way (and I’m already a master in packing).

Also I carry a small 20 L front pack. This is the place I keep my laptop, phone, cameras, some charges and essential toiletries. This bag is also my daily bag where I carry my stuff to the beach, mountains and to work (and I’ve been working a lot in the cafes and co-work spaces around Thailand). My front bag is really simple I bought it at Decathlon shop while we were in France. (my old one got wrecked)

Nevertheless, I have a small black letter lady bag. Why I have it? When I want to go out it looks nice with all outfits, it´s big enough to put inside a cardigan + camera + wallet + sunglasses.  It´s perfect for big cities when I don’t want to look like a backpacker 24/7. It´s a nice leather bag, but without brand, so if I gets damage it during the travels I won´t be sad.

Nat with all her bags and her black converse

What shoes are your everyday walking around, sightseeing shoes? And how many pairs of shoes do you pack for a long-term backpacking trip?

Shoes always have been my passion. I love to have different styles and colour. However since we started our long term travel this habit has changed. But every time I talk about shoes with other backpackers, they keep saying I carry way too many pairs. Let´s see if you girls agree with them or if you stay by my side.

My shoes list:

1 pair of runners – New Balance M890, as I run frequently and join some competitions I need something comfortable, safe and beautiful. Mine is grey, purple and yellow.

1 pair of Converse  – Black with a nice python skin leather style. Super fashion, gives a sparkle in every look. It´s perfect to go out.

1 pair of flat sandals – I don’t have a favorite brand and I always buy them during my trip. Because they are my everyday shoes to sightseeing they get wrecked very fast. The only thing that is important is: need to be something girly and with some glitter or stones. When your clothes are simple, great shoes makes all the difference. You go from boring to glamorous in one step.

2 pairs of flat ballerina – One black and one blue and white. Perfect for those days that are not so hot or rainy, and also for night time.

1 pair of Havaianas– The famous Brazilian flip flops. But of course mine is not a plain one. Before leaving Brazil I bought a nice one with zebra pattern. Black & white goes well with everything.

For more urban cities my everyday shoes would be the Converse and my flats. But if I´m on the beach just sandals and flipflops. Do you girls think I carry too many shoes?

When you’re pigging out trying new foods, other than typical walking & that just in towns- what do you do to keep away the love-handles?

I love eat… That is it, I love to eat and drink! What can I say?! Food is part of discovering new countries and cultures, but there is a thin line between eating properly and eating too much. On almost one year traveling I put some weight, especially after a month in Italy, but thanks to my running habits I already lost everything and now I thinner than I was when I left Brazil. :-)

Fruits and veggies are part of my daily meals, lots of water and I try to run at least 2 times a week (5 to 10 km). What I’m missing most is to workout, but in some cities we find outdoor public gyms and that´s when I have fun lifting some weights. Like when we were in Málaga, the city is perfect for those who love run and exercises in front of the see.

Enjoying the view after a work out at La Linea de La concepcion

When you’re traveling, do you pick up beauty & shower products while you go or are there products you can’t live without- what are they?

As I’m living on the road I buy my beauty products on the country I’m staying in the moment. Sometimes is a hard task as the brands, the names and the components change. There are some products that I can´t live without, so I always buy 2-3 bottles of them or I buy them online. The list is: Toni And Guy Nourish Hair Mask, Celluli Eraser from Biotherm (perfect for Brazilian bodies with big derrière), RoC Minesol Antioxidant 70 FPS facial sunscreen and a black nail polish.

For those who thing living out of a backpack is impossible, what tips do you have for saving space or what things have you learned you actually don’t need to pack?

When I was living in Brazil I used to have a closet with 9 meters square, now I have only a 50L backpack. So I consider myself a master in the art of packing.

I have two good techniques for packing:

1º – select all the clothes you “want” to take with you. Then choose half of it and put over your bed. Beside the clothes pile place your backpack or suitcase. Next step, get exactly half of what you choose (what you think you couldn’t live without) and put inside your bag. If it closes easily that means you are done packing. But if it´s not closing yet, you need to do the last step again (get half of the amount and put inside the bag).

2º – everything in my bag matches with each other. That´s the best way to have few clothes but different outfits. All my tops, shorts, skirts, dresses and pants match. Makes life easy when you have to choose your clothes, and a boring outfit can became glamours with some accessories as nice shoes, hair bands and a necklace.

I never carry with me: hair straightener, hair dryer, boots (unless is a short trip for a winter destination) and clothes that need to be ironed to look good.

The Hippie in Heels has to ask, would you ever pack heels on a backpacking trip?

No, sadly I don’t carry any heels in my backpack. Ditching them was a hard process (I used to wear them all the time), but I learned that to look pretty and feminine you don’t need heels, and for long term journey like mine, heel inside the backpack is waste of space. I rather carry two nice sandals than one pair of heels that I´ll use once in two months.

What type of outfit do you take in case of a night out clubbing or going to a fancy bar/hotel?

In my bag I have one amazing dress designd by FARM( local brand from Rio de Janeiro), it can be worn is a fancy party or in a cocktail event. Just add a nice and sparkling sandals and a beautiful make up. Breaking all the fashion rules it´s not black, it´s a very colorful fashion dress. On my tanned skin looks perfect!

For clubbing I have two skirts that I match with some sexy tops and my Converse, a good balance between pretty and urban.

Playa de Los Muertos Spain

What is the one material thing you miss most from home while you’re roughin’ it abroad?

Actually I don´t miss anything material. It´s incredible how we learn living with less and enjoy this kind of freedom.  I discovered that is far more important be a better person than have a bunch of things. When we did our 6 months breakdown coast and travels secrets I realized how much I grown and how less material things I need.

Just sometimes I wish the hotels and hostels could have big mirrors… I hate those tiny ones that you can only see your face :-(

Airport style: love looking LA paparazzi ready or could care less? Do you pack “plane” or “relaxing” clothes for a long-term backpacking trip or would it take up too much space?

I try to be in the middle! Comfortable clothes but pretty enough for pictures… You never know when you gonna meet some superstar roaming from one country to another :-D Jokes apart, I always choose jeans or leggings, T-shirt, my Converse, and a colored scarf, it keeps me warm and gives a nice touch to the plain clothes.

sunset in Istanbul, Turkey

And for the girls, what are your absolute favorite make up products you take with you on a trip?

My little make up bag has only the essential: black, nude and pink MAC eye shadow, lipsticks from Mac and Revlon (I love the Revlon Colorstay , they stick for ages on my lips), cream foundation from Mac, Bourjois Delice De Poudre Duo Bronzing Powder, Glow Peach blush Maybelline and L’oreal Telescopic mascara for giant eyelashes.

I keep the list simple and with worldwide brands, easy to carry and to buy if I need new ones.

Do you have a special skin care routine on the road to prevent breakouts from the stress, sweat, and humidity?

When I started travelling on April last year I was using only my sunscreen everyday, but with the weather changing all the time, different food and beaches I realized I need to look after my skin more seriously. I´m on my 30´s and definitely not getting any younger. So I took some picture of my face and sent to a friend who is a beautician in Brazil and she give me some precious advices.

After her recommendations I started a skin care routine: cleaning morning /night with nice and gentle facial soap (I´m using Nivea Aqua Sensation), after  I apply Clinique Smart Serum Repair and Clinique Repair Wear Laser Focus Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream for Unisex, 0.5 Ounce. Once a week some scrubbing and sunscreen everyday 8 morning and afternoon).

Cala San Pedro, Spain

What does your most worn, daily outfit look like while you’re traveling?

My favorite clothes is jeans shorts and tank top. In second place is my dresses, but depending on where we are dresses are not the best outfit for walking around and sightseeing. I also always have in my backpack a long black skirt perfect for visiting temples or especial places you can show too much skin.

Tell us the ONE thing you pack for a long backpacking trip & would never leave behind.

My facial sunscreen and sunglasses. I never leave behind.

You can only pick one: iPod or Kindle? 

Music!! I love read but I can live without music. From the moment I wake up till I go to bed, my computer or ipod is on. And I´m a old fashioned reader, I still like the paper books.

Thank you for interviewing on Hippie in Heels, before you go can you tell readers that may be on the fence about taking a trip why YOU think they should go for it!

Go for it NOW! You will never know how awesome this adventure can be if you don´t go for it. Sometimes the first step is the hardest one, after that I’m sure you’ll regret not travelled before. Travel is the only experience that teaches you about yourself, about the world and about people.

Even if I have to stop our Love & Road journey tomorrow, I´ll never regret left everything behind to explore the world. Now, after travelling, I can say I have amazing experiences, unforgettable memories, lovely friends and a story to tell.

Natalie is a Brazilian journalist that fell in love with long term travelling, nomad marriage and adventurous life. She left everything behind, packed some clothes and with her husband started an epic journey around the world. So far they crossed 32 countries, got to know different cultures and met amazing people. With just a backpack, a bunch of dreams and few bucks she is far from her last destination. You can follow her travel stories on LoveandRoad.com, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Shop Natalie’s Faves!

             

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