A blog of design tips and travel tales to help you on your journey

Sent Packing

I skidded into the laundromat parking lot at 10am on a mission. I sat behind the steering wheel and tied my hair up in a tight knot, like I was trying to shut the lice up before we went out in public together. “Sit still and be quiet,” I snapped…

November 16, 2024

Alia's Secret Travel Journal, Vanlife

Lice, Laundromats, and Losing My Mind

Lice, Laundromats, and Losing My Mind

Client Showcase, “The Wandering Bride” Rebrand – a brand strategy and design project for a Yosemite wedding planner. When Jess came to me, she was feeling like her brand had lost its spark. “My brand was tired…

November 15, 2024

Branding, Design Guide

Client Showcase “The Wandering Bride”

The Wandering Bride Client Showcase Cover

Here is my real experience, research, and buying tips from when I purchased my 2003 E450 Shuttle Bus to build it out and do vanlife. I hope this helps you get the best vehicle for your needs and let’s you learn from my mistakes…

November 14, 2024

Alia's Secret Travel Journal, Vanlife

The DIYer’s Guide to Choosing a Vanlife Vehicle [2024]

The DIYer's Guide to Choosing A Vanlife Vehicle - Alia's Bus

Here’s the best website platforms for digital nomads [2024]. It’s my two cents on where you should set up your virtual “camp,” no matter what you’re doing to bring in the cash (within reason, ya freaks)…

November 13, 2024

Design Guide, Web Design

Best Website Platforms for Digital Nomads [2024]

Best website platforms for digital nomads [2024]

I wanted vanlife, and I wanted it bad. Just one problem: How in the world was I going to make money on the road? Because let me tell you, I could land a job interview as well as I could land a bungee jump… Right, I wasn’t…

November 12, 2024

Alia's Secret Travel Journal, Vanlife

The Adventurepreneur Origin Story Pt 2

a girl with her chin in her hand, sitting in front of a computer, notebook, and coffee.

Here are 6 sneaky website tricks that manipulate visitors (and how to spot them). Hopefully this information will make you less susceptible to these sneaky patterns, and also help you avoid accidentally implementing them…

November 11, 2024

Design Guide, Web Design

6 Sneaky Website Tricks That Manipulate Visitors

6 Sneaky Website Tricks to Manipulate Visitors cover photo

I don’t want to novelize my life. I know, rich, coming from a girl who’s literally writing about herself. What I mean is, I don’t want to write myself as a character in a story. I don’t want to use “she” instead of “I.” This is raw…

November 10, 2024

Alia's Secret Travel Journal, Vanlife

The Adventurepreneur Origin Story Pt1

Want to turn your travel obsession into cold, hard cash? It’s possible, we see “suns-out buns-out” influencers doing it all day long. Here’s how to turn your travel vibe into professional personal brand worthy of paid collaborations…

November 9, 2024

Branding, Design Guide

3 Steps to Turn Your Travel Vibe Into A Personal Brand

3 steps to turn your travel vibe into a personal brand