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  1. oliviarichards

    When should I buy my first bit of Dive Gear?

    • The Blonde Abroad

      Hey there! It really depends. If you plan on diving quite frequently, it can be great to buy your own equipment but if you’re not going that often, it may be better to rent the big gear. Typically if you’re going through PADI certification, they’ll give you input on what to purchase. https://theblondeabroad.com/getting-padi-diver-certified/

      You can rent a mask, wetsuit, snorkels, and fins. Other things you’ll be using are a regulator, buoyancy control device (BCD), dive computer, scuba tank, wetsuit, and a weight system (sometimes gloves and boots are required—particularly for colder and rockier environments). Some people choose to invest in their own scuba gear after they get certified and have done a bit more diving…but again, totally up to you!

      I personally invested in my own mask, wetsuit and dive computer after I got Open Water Certified, but I still rent the rest of my gear from dive shops since most of my dive trips require lots of travel.

  2. ON MY BUCKET LIST. Reading your post made me a bit anxious about it lol, as in wanting to be doing it now. But breathing it out. It’ll come. Thanks for the inspiration and share!

Instagram

What if you could travel the world… without paying for accommodation? Sounds too good to be true, right?
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Here’s the secret—@homeexchangecom. It’s a social network where you swap homes with fellow travelers, whether it’s an apartment or a house.

While we stayed in a gorgeous, centrally located apartment in Manhattan to celebrate the holiday season, our guests enjoyed a sunny winter in Southern California while staying in our cozy home. It’s a win-win!

No expensive hotel stays, no home sitters needed. Home exchange saves you thousands by giving you a free place to stay in someone else’s home.

You can filter your search for homes with a pool or something pet-friendly or kid-friendly to find your perfect home away from home.

We left a little welcome basket and some local travel tips for our guests to make it extra special for them.

So whether it’s a modern apartment in the city or a beach house getaway, this travel hack can make your dream vacation a reality.
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Bonus: When you sign up using the link in my bio, you’ll get free GuestPoints! These let you experience the magic of HomeExchange as a guest first—even before you host anyone in your home.
A fairytale stay 🏰 
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I highly recommend staying a night or 2 at @themanor_house in The Cotswolds.

It’s located in the tiny, picturesque village of Castle Combe—one of my favorite stops of our trip.

We had the entire village to ourselves early in the morning and at sunset which was so magical!
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#themanorhouse #cotswolds #castlecombe
I can confirm—The Cotswolds are a dream! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🍂
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I took a spontaneous trip with my friend to the countryside of England and it was everything I dreamed it would be!

The Cotswolds feel like stepping back in time with historic villages and adorable cottages). While these places might seem similar at first glance, each village was actually quite unique. These are some of the cutest villages we visited:

- Castle Combe
- Bourton-on-the-Water 
- The Slaughters
- Stow-on-the-Wold
- Broadway
- Snowshill
- Bibury

Some amazing villages and towns not featured but also worth visiting include:

- Broadway
- Burford
- Daylesford & Daylesford Farms
- Chipping Campden
- Cirencester

Are The Cotsworlds on your bucket list?
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#cotswolds #england #uk
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