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
What It’s Like To Live On A Farm In Australia
Thinking of doing farm work in Australia? Here's an overview of my experience living on a farm. I had a few different experiences in Australia. There you have it. They said: 88 days and you’ll get your second-year visa! 88 days… and still counting. I am currently in...
New Zealand Self-Drive Itinerary
If you are planning to travel to New Zealand, be ready. Yes, be ready because you are about to fall in love with the most beautiful place on Earth. The great thing about Kiwi Land is that the country is a natural beauty (which means that you don’t need to pay to...
Finding Cheap Accommodation In Japan
Would you like to travel to Japan on a budget? It’s possible! There are so many different kinds of accommodation in Japan. It can be a nice experience to try a few of them. These are the ones I tried! So, what are the cheap accommodation solutions for Japan?...
6 Reasons Why A Settled Down Life Scares The Hell Out Of You
There you go. You face life through its vast continents. You learn to live. You accept the latest version of yourself. In fact, you love it. You are amazed by this life, these cultural twists and these places you chose. Time flies. Your relatives ask you when you are...
Tips For Backpacking In Japan
Wondering how to save money while backpacking Japan? In this guide, we'll cover different ways to help you save money so that you can successfully travel to Japan on a budget. Check The Weather Easy basic stuff, I know. I give you the right to tell me that I am...
Review: Ledge Swing In Queenstown, New Zealand
If New Zealand is all about outdoors, sports and adrenaline... ...Queenstown is like the World’s adventure capital. My trip to New Zealand had to be with a dose of adrenaline. This is a must. It was on the bucket list. And now, I want more! As an ambassador for...