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 To Avoid Getting Sick In Thailand (Goodbye Thai Bangkok Belly)
It is no secret that one of the best aspects of traveling to Thailand; and to any country for that matter; is being able to gorge on the flavourful local cuisine. The truth is that up to 70% of travelers leave the country with the memory of constantly running to...
Becoming An Inspiring Travel Blogger
It's only natural that you should want to document your travel adventures, especially when you've visited some of the most breathtaking places on earth. Or, if you’ve experienced the most challenging regions of a foreign country and come out of the other side, still...
Tinggly Review: Is Tinggly Legit?
What do you get for your friend or family member who is constantly on the move? Anything they need, they have with them in their backpack and sometimes you don’t even know what country they are currently in. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just give them experiences...
Perfect 2 Weeks In Indonesia Itinerary
When you look at Indonesia on a map, you will find a deceptively small archipelago. The truth is, there are almost 20,000 islands that make up this country and each one of them offers their own unique experiences. Planning your trip to Indonesia should be fun,...
The Christian Gems Of Israel – Things To Do And See
Israel is the ultimate Christian travel destination; it was here that the events of the Bible unfolded. You can see Biblical locations; ancient churches and the scenery that formed a backdrop to Jesus' life. Israel is not too big so you should be able to cover the top...
Best Safari In Sri Lanka: Yala Or Udawalawe?
Planning your trip to Sri Lanka? If you’re planning on doing a safari while in Sri Lanka, this post is for you. During my trip to Sri Lanka, I visited Yala National Park and Udawalawe National Park. If you have to pick between the two, here is a comparison between...