TravelMates: Daniel Catena

A fellow expat living in Colombia and letting his curiosity take him to one destination at a time.

This is part of my TravelMates guest interview series of some of my favourite travel writers and explorers here on Substack, where they share their travel tips, recommendations and mistakes to avoid.

Today’s guest is Daniel Catena from Itchy Feet .

He’s an expat, traveler and life enthusiast, and one of the first few travel Substacker friends made here on substack!

Daniel aims to inspire you to travel smarter, cheaper, and with more intention. And his publication is for travellers of all types—solo travellers all the way through to expats exploring the world.

Daniel Catena

Lets dive in!

1. When did you first fall in love with travel—and what do you remember most about that first experience?

I fell in love with traveling during my first solo experience abroad.

My friend Andrew had to return to the United States and I found myself alone in Christchurch, New Zealand. We’d planned for four months in NZ together, but he left half-way through the trip. It was the first time in my life I was completely solo on the road.

I recall the initial horror of not having someone there with me.

I felt exposed and naked without a travel buddy. But soon, as I learned I could do things without someone else there, an untapped supply of confidence took over. Being in full control of my story and journey was an invigorating feeling I’ll never forget.

Traveling with people is wonderful, but when I got a taste of solo travel for the first time it really opened my eyes to the world.

2. What’s one destination you’ve been to that completely surprised you—and why?

I taught English as a Second Language in Murcia, Spain in 2014.

At the time, I didn’t know much about the city. I was hoping to go to Valencia, and when I was surprised with news of job placement in Murcia I was disappointed. My expectations with Murcia were very low.

Going to Murcia ended up being one of the best experiences of my life.

The people, the city, the vibe, everything was more than I could have ever imagined. It now brings a sense of home each time I get a chance to visit.

Murcia is one of the most underrated cities in Spain in my opinion.

3. How do you plan and stay organised with your trips?

I used to wing it with a lot of my trips.

Back then, I had more free time to wander. I’d do some loose research and then go. I’d ask locals or other travelers about which places to visit. I was inefficient with my time.

Nowadays, I like to take notes on my phone and create a Google Sheet with a rough itinerary.

It depends on the length and purpose on the trip. My wife is very organized so she’s helped me create more structure with our trips.

Want to an easy & organised way to plan your next trip?

Get my free Travel Hub trip planning system in Notion.

4. What’s a travel tip you swear by that most people overlook?

It’s hard to say if a lot of people over-look this, but I try to avoid spending money at the airport as much as possible.

I recall seeing a bag of chips at JFK cost $12 and I swore to never give them my money. I try to bring my own water bottle and pack my own snacks to hold me over for the duration of the trip.

If I’m coming home from a trip, I try to pack some typical snacks that aren’t messy in my carry-on. This has ranged from sandwiches, empanadas, to pizza slices.

Sometimes my friends give me road snacks as parting gifts and I’m forever grateful!

5. What’s one travel mistake you’ve made that others should avoid?

I used to book the cheapest flights without thinking about duration and layovers.

I learned you really need to pay attention to how much time you have between transfers and the hour you’ll land. I’ve had some missed flights and a number of stressful transfers due to a short layover.

Now, I intentionally give myself a 2-3-hour layover to account for any possible delays.

However, I try to avoid anything longer than that. I try to arrive to my destination in the morning for safety purposes.

Nowadays I’m willing to pay more for direct flights or one layover that’s within my desired wait time.

6. What’s your go-to strategy for finding great local food?

I typically start by asking my circle of friends if they’ve been to where I’m going and what food recommendations they have.

YouTube and IG are also good inspiration sources. If I meet locals while exploring or via Couchsurfing, then I ask for what they recommend.

One of the best tips I read was from Nomadic Matt: Do the five block rule. Walk five blocks from the main tourist streets and you’ll probably find solid local eats.

7. How do you make long flights or travel days more enjoyable?

I love long trips because they let me catch up on books.

I also get a lot of my writing inspiration while en route to somewhere. So, I often take time to write Substack posts or do personal journaling. Since moving to Colombia, we don’t get access to the same amount of movies like in the US.

If any flight offers movies, I try to find films I wanted to see in theaters but couldn't.

Also, sometimes my seat mates are friendly and we strike-up conversations.

8. What’s always in your suitcase no matter where you go?

Currently, I rarely use a suitcase. I try to just use a carry-on backpack.

However, when I used to pack more, I always brought my “lucky” t-shirt from Montana. It was a non-negotiable item no matter how much space I had available. It’s now a travel relic and almost torn to shreds, so I can’t bring it anymore.

Since then, I’ve upgraded to breathable polyester sports shirts for traveling.

They never wrinkle and always stay cool, which is ideal for long travel days. I also always carry a journal and wear a belt with a plastic buckle. This saves me time at the airport because I don’t have to take it off.

My travel packing list focuses on being practical than stylish.

---

That’s a wrap!

I help you create memorable travel experiences, capture better personal travel photos and optimise your points & miles to travel more often in style and comfort.

If you’re not subscribed to Travelling Lens Insider, subscribe today 👇

Don’t forget to follow Daniel Catena and keep up with his travel adventures and tips at Itchy Feet .

If you enjoyed this, comment, restack or share it with one person—that’s the best compliment I could receive from you.

Interested in getting featured in TravelMates or have someone you want to hear from? Send me a direct message or drop a comment below to let me know!

---

Here are three ways I can help you become a savvy traveller:

• Looking for a simple system to track your credit cards, points and miles, all in one place? Join the waitlist for an early bird discount for Points Hub Pro.

• Want to a faster, easier and more organised way to plan your next trip? Get the free Travel Hub trip planning system in Notion.

• As an US based expat, I’ve travelled somewhere new at least once a month. This free Expat Travel Toolkit contains my top curated travel and points & miles that’s made me a more savvy traveller—It’s the toolkit I wish I had.