Who is The Beyond Tourist?

My Mission

On this blog (and my channel), you’ll find practical travel tips and hacks—not fluff, not clickbait, just tested advice. Topics include:
🌍 Budget travel tips across Europe, Australia, and Asia
🚆 The best ways to get around (flights, trains, buses, vanlife, scooters, rental cars)

🏨 Affordable accommodation strategies (from hostels to hotels to short-term vanlife)

📱 Apps and tools that actually save you money and time
💡 Smart budgeting tips that fit different travel styles

I’ll also share country and continent-specific guides, so you know what to expect, what to pack, and what fits your style of travel. Whether you’re into fast-paced exploring or slow travel, there’s something here for you.
Personally, I love being flexible and exploring as much of a country as possible. I’ve done it all: vanlife, backpacking, solo travel, group trips, train adventures, and even last-minute scooter rentals. So no matter if you’re traveling solo, as a couple, or in a group—I’ve got tips for you.

Why am I doing this, and where am I coming from?

Hi there 👋 and welcome to Beyond Tourist! My name is Zoe, and I’m here to show you how to travel more and pay less. My goal is simple: to make travel affordable and realistic for everyone, no matter your budget or experience level. I share practical travel hacks, money-saving strategies, and tools that make planning your holidays easy, cheap, and fun.
The idea for Beyond Tourist came after traveling for more than 10 years across Europe, Asia, and Australia. Along the way, I realized that so many little tricks I use naturally are actually game-changers for others. Things like how to find cheaper flights and trains, how to budget while still enjoying comfort, or how to save money on food and accommodation without missing out. That’s what I want to share here: realistic travel advice that works in everyday life.
When I first started traveling, all the content I found fell into two extremes:

✨ Luxury travel blogs with massive budgets (totally unrealistic for me at the time, and still isn’t)

🎒 Backpacker-only advice, which was fun but not always what I wanted.
But what about everything in between? What if you want a “normal” holiday or a mix of adventure and comfort—without overspending? That’s the gap I’m filling here. Because why pay more, when you can experience more for less?
-H2: My Journey – From Nurse to World Traveler
How do I afford to travel?
I work as a nurse
🩺—a career that allows me to find jobs wherever I go. I started saving at 16 and built a lifestyle where I work hard as a travel nurse, then take time off to explore the world.
Since I was a little girl, I’ve been fascinated by travel, landscapes, wildlife, and new cultures. My first dream job was actually to be a marine biologist
🐠 because I wanted to explore the underwater world and travel the globe. Life turned out differently, but in a way, I’ve come back full circle: I get to follow my passion for exploring, learning, and connecting with the world.
And now, instead of repeating my travel stories to friends and family (they’ve heard enough 😂), I share them here and on my YouTube channel: YouTube.com/@thebeyondtourist.