Travel advice from Amazing Race champions Will Jardell and James Wallington

If you're a fan of The Amazing Race, the reality show where teams of two race globally for a chance to win a $1 million grand prize, you might recall the Season 32 champions, Will Jardell and James Wallington.

I was also on the ship with a hosted press group and tried to give the honeymooners their space to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. However, I did join them for dinner one night to ask about their travel traditions and some Amazing Race travel hacks that could be useful for everyone in real life.

In airports and onboard flights

Like many travelers, Jardell and Wallington have their preferred airports and amenities, along with airport routines that help maintain their sanity.

"At airports, we always grab a snack or a smoothie," Jardell shares, "And since we enjoy staying active, we usually walk around the entire airport to explore." Wallington adds that people-watching is another favorite activity, saying, "We love to create stories about the people we observe."

Jardell is intrigued by the mystery of the tunnels beneath Denver International Airport and makes it a point to spend some time at the slot machines whenever they pass through Las Vegas Airport. "When he won $200, we treated ourselves at XpresSpa," Wallington recalls. "You have to make the most of your layover, and who knew a spa day at the airport could be so enjoyable?"

During the Amazing Race, the couple relied on many skills they developed while traveling together, but Wallington notes, "We had to be more resourceful since we didn't have luxuries like a laptop or a phone."

As a solution, they sought out duty-free shops and electronics stores in airports, using the Wi-Fi on the available computers and phones to access maps for their next destination. They also asked flight attendants for destination tips, explored inflight magazines for city maps, and gathered insights about activities in the city from short informational films often featured on inflight entertainment channels. "You have to leverage every resource available," Wallington advises.

Essential Travel Gear

While fanny packs have seen fluctuating popularity, they are currently trendy and, according to Jardell and Wallington, an essential item for travel anywhere. They use Eagle Creek fanny packs to store vital items like passports, wallets, cash, travel guides, documents, hand sanitizer, snacks, Chapstick, hand lotion, and extra masks.

The pair also embraces the concept of packing light, aiming to travel with one carry-on and one backpack each, regardless of trip length. "We've invested in high-quality backpacks that provide easy access to everything," Jardell explains. "We ensure that every item we pack serves a purpose and that we only bring what we truly need."

Keeping entertained and energized while traveling

Jardell and Wallington always ensure they pack a deck of cards or a game to enjoy together or with new friends they meet during their travels. On long travel days, they prefer to keep to themselves and rest whenever possible, but they stay alert and ready to act when it's time to move. In a follow-up email after their trip, they shared, "We have a blast together and have adopted a 'go with the flow' attitude for those long, tiring travel days. Why stress over little things? Just relax and enjoy the journey."

A mantra we can all adopt to enhance our travel experiences.

Additional tips for sustainable travel

Even before embarking on their Galapagos adventure, Jardell and Wallington were dedicated to making their travel eco-friendly and sustainable. They’ve created an entertaining video featuring five tips on how they achieve that.