About us
I write down the packing systems, booking tactics and on-the-road habits my husband Matt and I have tested across close to 100 countries, so you can skip the guesswork and get on with the trip.
- Nearly 10 years full time travel
- Close to 100 countries
- All 7 continents
- Carry-on only, always
How this started
I’m Lisa. My first flight was in college and I’ve been chasing the next one ever since. I spent years building a life that would let me travel more, and now my husband Matt and I are on the road full time, carry-on only, wherever we want to go next.
Nobody sat either of us down and explained any of this. We worked most of it out slowly, and got unlucky often enough to learn the rest. So this is the site I wish I’d had: the real version rather than the polished one, and the reasons behind things rather than just the tips.
You’ll find me most days on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
What you’ll find here
Everything here is written to solve a specific problem. Most of it lands in one of these:
- Packing systems and gear, and how carry-on only works without giving anything up
- Flights, points, lounges and rental cars, and the tools I use to pay less for all of them
- Where to stay, and how to tell a good listing from a bad one before you book
- What your bank quietly charges you abroad, and what travel insurance really covers
- Staying connected: eSIMs, VPNs, and watching your own TV from another country
- The safety habits and the few pieces of gear that have earned their space in my bag
I explain the why, not just the what. A tip you don’t understand is one you won’t remember when you actually need it.
Meet Matt
Matt is my husband and the other half of Ready Jet Roam. Nearly ten years of full-time travel, carry-on only, and every mile of it together. He’s the one behind the scenes; I’m the one writing it down.
We work on this site the way we travel: one of us has an idea, the other one pokes holes in it, and whatever survives gets tested on the road until it works. Most of what you’ll read here started as a conversation between the two of us.
He’s my person. Close to 100 countries in, he’s still the one I want in the next seat.
Where to start
Free, practical, actionable guides on the topics that matter when you travel.
Travel On Your Terms
Travel On Your TermsPacking and Gear
Packing and GearGetting There and Around
Getting There and AroundPlaces to Stay
Places to StayTech, Money and Staying Connected
Tech, Money and Staying ConnectedThe paid guides and books
The free guides cover the day-to-day. The paid guides and books go deeper: complete systems in one download, with printable checklists you can pack.