Mirela Letailleur (The Travel Bunny)

Mirela Letailleur is a Romanian travel blogger writing about affordable travel in Europe, creator of unique free travel guides, local travel expert. Problem solver. Wannabe coffee guru.
Life in a French village in Provence. Traditional hilltop village in the South of France with stone houses and green valley

Life in a French Village. The Realities of Moving to the South of France

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Thinking about moving to a small village in the South of France? Before you pack up and chase the dream, read this honest guide to what life in a French village really looks like. I share the real costs, the slow pace, the beauty, and the challenges of building a life far from cities. From buying property and budgeting as an expat to learning village etiquette and dealing with isolation, this guide covers what no one tells you. Living in a small village in Provence is rewarding, but it demands more patience, resilience, and work than you might expect.

visit new zealand hidden gems

5 Hidden Gems to Explore in New Zealand

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Tourism is doing well in New Zealand. In fact, over 3.3 million people traveled to the country in 2023. For many, a trip to New Zealand is all about visiting areas like Milford Sound, Hobbiton, and Queenstown. These are popular for good reason, but for those who prefer to avoid touristic hotspots and wish to head to the lesser-known spots, there are several places worth your time and travel budget. Uncover the Quieter Side of New Zealand If you’re looking to explore places that are an escape from the developed world, consider paying a visit to the following spots: 1. …

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View over Romania during descent on Animawings Airbus A220-300 flight from Nice to Bucharest, with engine and wing visible

Review: Animawings Flight from Nice to Bucharest (17 April 2025)

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Flying Animawings from Nice to Bucharest with a toddler? Here’s my honest review of the inaugural flight AWG607 on 17 April 2025 aboard the Airbus A220-300. From check-in problems and confusing customer service to surprise help from the PR team and baby-friendly inflight moments, I’m sharing everything you need to know. This is not a sponsored post, it’s a real story about traveling with a child on Animawings, what worked, what didn’t, and whether I’d fly them again. If you’re considering direct flights from Nice to Romania, especially with kids, read this first.

Scenic coastal view of La Réunion near Saint-Philippe with rainbow, ideal for first-time visitors to La Réunion, featuring black sand beaches and lush coastline

What I Wish I Knew Before Visiting La Réunion for the First Time

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La Réunion is beautiful. It’s also intense. While visiting La Réunion island, I expected hikes and views, markets, and Creole food. I got all of that. But I also climbed more than I ever had before, nearly gave up on a trail, slept in a gîte without a single window, and got rescued by someone’s GPS watch on a foggy volcanic ridge. My husband and I went to visit his best friend and our témoin, who had recently moved there, and we ended up with the kind of local insight you can’t pay for. Still, there were things we got …

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What to do in Thessaloniki. View of Thessaloniki’s White Tower and seafront promenade, a top attraction recommended in most Thessaloniki travel tips and guides on what to do in the city

What to Do in Thessaloniki (If You Love Culture, Food, and Exploring Like a Local)

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Most people skip Thessaloniki. I almost did too. I’d planned a few days in Athens, then a flight straight to an island. Thessaloniki was supposed to be a stopover. One night, maybe two. A buffer between places that “mattered”. But something made me pause. A friend was speaking about what to do in Thessaloniki and mentioned the food. Someone else said the street life reminded them of Istanbul. I looked at a map and saw how close it was to the Balkans, to Turkey, to history that rarely makes it into beach-brochure Greece. So I booked three nights. I stayed …

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