About Melissa
Hello, I’m Mel!
I’m a Canadian travel blogger who has been traveling and living abroad since 2014.
Learn more about my story below.
Life before blogging
I’m originally from Quebec, Canada. Back in the days, I used to be a social worker. I used to travel once a year for about a month and I was always spending my summers in Europe since I was 20 years old.
In June 2014, I started my journey around the world at the age of 25.
Life on the road
I first started my journey in the Canadian Rockies, where I hitch-hiked my way around. Then, I moved to Australia for two years. I started A Broken Backpack in July 2015. Back then, I was working on a farm in Australia and needed something to stay entertained. Quickly, A Broken Backpack became popular.
After Australia, I decided to go on a backpacking trip to Southeast Asia. Later, I moved to the UK for less than a year.
In October 2017, I decided to move to Southeast Asia. Bali became my home for about one and a half years.
In 2019, I was based mostly in Thailand.
In 2020, I moved to Bulgaria.
In 2022, I moved to Thailand, and it became my main base.
Of course, I do plan occasional trips in and out, but since I’m running an online business and a few successful blogs, I prefer slow travel.
This brings me to you
A Broken Backpack offers excellent travel tips to help you stay on the road longer. I left Canada with less than CAD 2,000 in my name (and many student debts).
I’m living proof that you don’t need tons of savings to make your travel dreams come true.
I learned how to travel on the very cheap, volunteered when I needed to, and created an online business to support myself abroad. I share all these tips here on A Broken Backpack.
I’m now in my thirties, and my travel style has evolved. I’m not all about budget travel anymore, and I now travel with my husband (we met in Thailand).
So, A Broken Backpack is not just a budget travel blog anymore. You’ll find all the travel tips needed to plan your dream trip no matter your travel style, budget, or interest.
Pick Your Travel Style
Living Abroad
Backpacking
Camping
Hiking
Digital Nomadism
Volunteering
Read my latest blog posts
How Many Days In Kyoto Is Enough?
If you are thinking about visiting Kyoto you'll first need to start thinking about how many days in Kyoto is enough to experience the cultural heart of Japan, steeped in history and filled with traditional temples and shrines. It's here you can see geisha and...
How Many Days In Sydney Is Enough?
If you’re thinking about visiting Sydney one of the first things you will need to figure out is just how many days in Sydney you will need. Australia's largest and oldest city, Sydney is a vibrant destination with a multicultural vibe and fabulous weather all year...
How Many Days In Bali Is Enough?
If you’re thinking about visiting Bali one of the first things you will need to figure out is just how many days in Bali you will need. Often referred to as the 'Island of the Gods', beautiful Bali is as close as you'll get to heaven on earth. Its natural landscape is...
Complete Guide: Easy Hikes In Yellowstone
There are so many options for easy hikes in Yellowstone, it spans 2.2 million acres and it is one of the oldest and largest national parks in the USA. This fascinating geothermal site offers a wide array of unique geology, from calderas to geysers to colorful hot...
Best Places For Hiking In Algarve
The pristine beaches, rugged cliffs, and whitewashed fishing villages of The Algarve have made it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe and Portugal's most scenic region. Hiking Algarve is one of the great things to do along with a slew of other...
How Many Days In Luxor Is Enough?
Thinking about planning a trip to Luxor? It's time to start thinking about how many days in Luxor will be enough. You may hear Luxor described as the 'world's greatest open-air museum' - which gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect when you visit this...