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The Nerd Traveler

How I Became The Nerd Traveler

Published 12 days ago • 3 min read

Dear Reader,

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If you are new here, hello! I am The Nerd Traveler.

Nerdy affiliate note: Some links in this email are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you.
It helps support The Nerd Traveler and, quite possibly, my historical-fiction habit.

I love history, travel, and especially UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But I did not study history in college.

In fact, I was much more focused on my social life than my academic one.

Then, during my sophomore year, my mom gave me The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

Something clicked.

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History stopped feeling like dates and started feeling like stories about real people. It also made me wonder what it would be like to actually stand in the places where those stories happened.

About 2 years later, I took my first international trip and walked into Notre Dame.

I saw that construction had begun in 1163 and was completely gobsmacked.

People had been standing in that same place for more than 800 years.

That was when travel changed for me.

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Ever since, I have researched the history of destinations before I visit.
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I also love reading historical fiction connected to my travels. Before Portugal, for example, Cut from the Earth gave me more context for the country's tiles and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

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Knowing the story makes me notice more.

And that is really what The Nerd Traveler is about!

I want to help you understand the history behind the places you visit so that a cathedral, painting, ruin, monument, or UNESCO site becomes more than something beautiful to look at.

I want travel to feel just a little bit like time travel.

If you are new here, I am so glad you found me.

What is one place where knowing the history completely changed the way you experienced it?

Hit reply and tell me! I'd love to know!

Keep nerding out on the world,
Audra
​​The Nerd Traveler​

Here are my personal recommendations to help with booking trips:​
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1) Airline mistake fares and deals, I have Going.com Premium. I can enter my preferred airports and even favorite destinations and receive alerts via email or via the Going.com app when there is a sale on those flights.
They even track when airline points are good options.
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2) When I want to learn about a new city without spending too much money, I utilize Guru Walks. These are walking tours in cities all around the world for FREE!
Please do budget some money (in local currency) for tips, though!
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3) When I prefer more of a paid guided tour experience, I book those on Get Your Guide and Viator.
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4) I always always protect my trip with Travel Safe travel insurance. They help cover any costs incurred with delays, cancellations, lost/stolen luggage, or getting sick or injured while traveling. Click here to see options and to get a quote.​

Unless you have quite a few pre-trip expenses (deposits, tickets purchased in advance, etc.), you will likely not need Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance.
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5) I created an AI Assistant to help you with your trip planning. It includes lessons learned along the way, tips and tricks across my 30+ years of international and domestic travel. It also has two fillable workbooks to help you stay organized.
​Click here for more details and to claim $10 off for the summer!​
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​I use my Capital One Venture X when traveling for the miles and no foreign transaction fees (it was the least expensive way to spend 50 Euros on my recent trip!)
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6) I have used Welcome Pickups for my airport transport upon arrival and departure. It is comforting to know someone will be there to give me a ride from/to the airport so that I don't have to try to navigate the taxi area and anyone who may try to scam or overcharge me. And they are locals who can give you great information about your destination.
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7) Lastly, I always recommend booking hotel rooms directly with the hotel company. Be careful to not use 3rd party booking sites - Expedia, Booking, Trivago, Kayak. If something happens and you are delayed, you will get stuck in a phone tree/bot nightmare trying to get any issues or delays sorted out.

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600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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The Nerd Traveler

I'm a blogger, travel agent, and influencer who loves to talk about history, travel, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I'm also obsessed with traveling carry-on only and figuring out public transportation options when going from place to place! Subscribe to my newsletter.

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