Travel Toolkit.
Every tool, app, and piece of gear I use after 40+ countries and 8 years of living abroad. No filler — just what works.
Hey — I've used every tool on this page myself, across moves to China, Iraq, and South Korea, and trips to 40+ countries with my wife, our toddler, and two cats. Some links are affiliate links that help keep Moving Jack running — but if something doesn't make my life easier, it's not here.
Hotels & Booking
I use Booking.com for about 90% of my hotels. After hundreds of bookings, it just works — clear prices, real reviews, never needed support. For Asia specifically, I always cross-check Agoda because they often have better deals in Southeast Asia and Japan.
For longer stays or family trips, VRBO beats Booking for apartments — we used it for our New Zealand trip. And Hotels.com is worth checking for flash deals and their stay-10-get-1-free rewards.
I switched from Agoda to Booking.com as my main platform in 2021. Agoda's cancellation policies were inconsistent and I got burned twice.
Flights & Transport
For flights I check Skyscanner first to get the baseline price, then compare on Trip.com. I usually end up booking on Trip.com — their support is solid and they're the best platform for train tickets in China and South Korea.
Expedia is useful for flight + hotel bundles and for finding buses or ferries that other platforms miss.
Tours & Activities
I always book guided tours for history and culture — local guides reveal things no blog post captures. For booking, I compare GetYourGuide and Viator side by side. Same tour, different prices — always check both.
For Asia, Klook often has the cheapest deals on theme parks and transport passes. And if you're visiting Kurdistan, Kurdistan Outdoor is the local company I trust.
Apps by Country
Different countries need different tools. Here's what I actually use on the ground.
My Camera Gear
After carrying gear through 40+ countries with a toddler — this is what survived.
Travel Gear I Actually Use
My daily carry is a Wandrd PRVKE 31 backpack (~$200). It fits my camera gear, laptop, (toddler) snacks, and still looks decent at a restaurant.
Safety & Insurance
Traveling with a family changes how you think about safety. SafetyWing covers all of us — affordable, flexible, built for people who actually move around. Not optional.
NordVPN is essential in China and useful everywhere else for accessing home content. I tried ExpressVPN and Astrill before — Nord works better, especially behind the Great Firewall. NordPass for passwords — after getting a Chinese social media account hacked, I don't travel without a password manager.
If you're Dutch and moving abroad (or the other way around), OOM Insurance is the health insurance solution we use.
Helpful Guides
Articles I've written that'll help you prepare for your trip.
Living in Seoul: 2-Year Expat Guide (& 1 Hard Truth)
South Korea
12 Tips for Traveling Without Knowing the Local Language
Travel Tips
Traveling with Cats: 16 Essential Tips (from experience)
Travel Tips
A Huge Change: My Experience of Moving to Another Country
Travel Tips
Moving To A New Country: The Complete Checklist
Travel Tips