This privacy policy explains how Do It Self Guided (“the site”, “we”, “I”) collects, uses, and looks after any personal information you provide or that is collected when you use this website. I take your privacy seriously and aim to be clear and straightforward about what happens to your information.
This site is a personal travel content website run by one person. It is not operated by a large organisation. The policy below reflects how the site actually works right now, with clear notes where things are still being set up.
1. Who operates this website
Do It Self Guided is operated by Leo Laucher-Linares, an independent traveller based in Australia. The website is located at doitselfguided.com.
You can contact me at leo@doitselfguided.com for any privacy-related queries.
2. Information you provide to us
Contact form
The About page includes a contact form that asks for your name, email address, and a message. If you complete and submit this form, that information is sent to me so I can read and reply to your message. I do not use this information for any other purpose.
Form submissions are processed by Web3Forms. When you submit the contact form, your name, email address, and message are transmitted via Web3Forms' servers to my email inbox. You can read Web3Forms' privacy policy at web3forms.com/privacy.
Newsletter signup
The site includes a newsletter signup form that asks for your email address. If you sign up, your email address is used solely to send you notifications when new travel guides are published. You can expect roughly one email per new guide, nothing else.
Email signups are managed through Beehiiv. Your email address is stored on Beehiiv's servers and used only to send you new guide notifications. You can read Beehiiv's privacy policy at beehiiv.com/privacy.
Emails you send directly
If you email me directly at my personal or contact email address, I will have access to your email address, name (if included), and the content of your message. I use this only to respond to you and will not add you to any mailing list without your consent.
3. Analytics
This site uses Google Analytics to understand how the guides are used: which pages are popular, how long people spend reading, and roughly where visitors come from. This helps me improve the site over time.
Google Analytics is loaded using Google’s Consent Mode. Until you accept the Analytics category in the cookie banner, it sets no cookies, stores no identifier, and cannot recognise you between pages or between visits. It does still send a small “cookieless ping” to Google when a page loads: the page address, the time, and the fact that consent was declined. Google uses these pings only to estimate overall visitor numbers in aggregate, and states that it does not log or store IP addresses in Google Analytics 4. Nothing that identifies you is kept. If you would rather not send even that, block googletagmanager.com in your browser or a content blocker; the site works without it.
If you accept the Analytics category, Google Analytics places cookies in your browser and assigns a randomly generated identifier so it can tell visitors apart. The data is aggregated before I see it, and I do not use it to identify you personally. For the specific cookies involved, see the Cookie Policy.
Separately, when your browser loads certain parts of this website, it makes requests to third-party servers as part of normal web functionality. Those servers may log technical information about your visit, including your IP address and browser details. See the Third-party services section below for specifics.
4. Browser storage (localStorage)
The interactive packing list on the guides uses your browser’s localStorage to remember which items you have ticked off, under a key named after that guide. This data is saved only on your own device and is never sent to any server. You can clear it at any time by clearing your browser’s site data.
The like button on each guide also uses localStorage, to remember that you have liked that page so the heart stays filled when you come back. It stores nothing but that yes-or-no flag, on your own device only. Pressing the button does send a request to this site’s server to move the page’s like count: see Upstash (like counter) below for what that involves.
The dark mode button in the header uses localStorage too, under the key disg_theme, to remember whether you chose light or dark. Until you press it the site follows your device’s own setting and stores nothing. It holds only the word dark or light, on your own device, and is never sent to any server.
5. Cookies
This site uses a cookie consent system. A banner appears on your first visit and asks which categories of cookies you are comfortable with. Your choice is stored in your browser's localStorage and respected on every subsequent visit. Non-essential cookies (analytics and advertising) do not load until you give consent.
Third-party services this site relies on, including CARTO, Open-Meteo, Open Exchange Rates, and the image servers of affiliate partners, may set cookies as a side effect of serving content. I do not have control over those cookies. See the Third-party services section for more detail.
Clicking an affiliate link sets no cookie on this site, but the partner you land on will set its own. How that works is explained in Affiliate links and advertising below.
You can review and change your cookie preferences at any time using the Cookie Settings link in the footer, or through your browser settings. For a full breakdown of every cookie used, see the Cookie Policy.
6. Third-party services
The following third-party services are used as part of how this site is built and delivered. Each has its own privacy policy.
Fonts (self-hosted)
The site fonts (Manrope and DM Sans) are served directly from this site rather than from Google Fonts or any other third party. Your browser downloads them from the same place as the rest of the page, so no font request is sent to Google and no extra sharing of your IP address happens for fonts.
Map libraries (self-hosted)
The interactive world map on the homepage uses the D3 and TopoJSON JavaScript libraries, and the map outlines themselves. All of them are served directly from this site rather than from a content delivery network, so loading the map sends no request to any third party and does not share your IP address with one.
Google (analytics and, if you allow it, advertising)
Every page loads the Google Analytics library from googletagmanager.com, in the consent-gated way described in Analytics above. If you accept the Advertising category, the Google AdSense library is loaded from pagead2.googlesyndication.com as well. You can read Google’s privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy.
Web3Forms (contact form)
Contact form submissions are transmitted via api.web3forms.com. Web3Forms processes your submission and delivers it to my inbox. You can read Web3Forms' privacy policy at web3forms.com/privacy.
Beehiiv (newsletter)
Newsletter signups are stored and managed by Beehiiv. If you subscribe, your email address is held on Beehiiv's servers and used only to send you new guide notifications. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email. You can read Beehiiv's privacy policy at beehiiv.com/privacy.
Vercel (hosting)
This site is hosted on Vercel. Every web request to this site passes through Vercel's servers, which may log technical information including your IP address and browser details as part of standard server logging. You can read Vercel's privacy policy at vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy.
Upstash (like counter)
Every guide has a like button with a running total of likes. When you press it, your browser sends the page’s address and whether you are liking or unliking it to this site’s own server, which keeps one total per page in a database hosted by Upstash. The total is a number and contains nothing about you. To stop the counter being manipulated, the server also keeps a scrambled version of your IP address (hashed with a secret value, so the address itself cannot be read back from it) for up to ten minutes, after which it is deleted automatically. Your actual IP address is never stored. You can read Upstash’s privacy policy at upstash.com/trust/privacy.pdf.
Open-Meteo (live weather widgets)
The destination pages and trek guides fetch live weather data from api.open-meteo.com. Open-Meteo is an open-source weather API. When one of those pages loads, your browser makes a request to their servers which may log your IP address and browser details. No personal information beyond what is typical of any web request is sent. You can read Open-Meteo's privacy policy at open-meteo.com/en/terms.
Open Exchange Rates (currency converter)
The cost tables on the trek guides fetch live currency exchange rates from open.er-api.com. When that section loads, a request is made to their servers which may log your IP address and browser details. You can read their privacy policy at exchangerate-api.com/privacy.
CARTO (interactive map tiles)
The trek guides include an interactive route map built with Leaflet, which is served from this site. The map tiles (the visual map background) are served by basemaps.cartocdn.com (CARTO), whose servers may log your IP address and browser details when the map loads. You can read CARTO's privacy policy at carto.com/privacy.
Affiliate partner images (tour and accommodation photos)
Some guides show a tour or accommodation card that carries the listing’s own photo, loaded directly from the partner’s image servers rather than from this site. For a tour listed on Viator, that is Viator’s and Tripadvisor’s content delivery network; accommodation photos may be served from Booking.com’s image servers; other partners may be added. When your browser loads one of these images, that server may log your IP address and browser details as part of standard web server logging. The image loads whether or not you click the card, and nothing else about you is sent. Each partner’s privacy policy is linked from the Affiliate Disclosure.
7. How I use your information
The information collected through this site is used only for the following purposes:
- To read and respond to contact form submissions and direct emails
- To send you new guide notifications if you have signed up to the newsletter
- To remember your packing list checklist state locally in your browser
- To count likes on each guide, remember in your browser that you liked a page, and stop the like counter being manipulated
- To understand, in aggregate and without identifying anyone, which guides lead to bookings through affiliate links
I do not use your personal information for advertising, profiling, or marketing beyond the newsletter you explicitly signed up for. I do not sell, rent, or trade your information to anyone.
8. Newsletter and email communications
If you sign up to the newsletter, you will receive one email when a new travel guide is published. Nothing else. Guides are published every few weeks at most, so the frequency is low.
Every newsletter email includes an unsubscribe link. You can opt out at any time with one click and will not receive further emails after that. If you have difficulty unsubscribing, you can contact me directly and I will remove you manually.
9. Sharing your information
I do not share your personal information with third parties for their own marketing or commercial purposes. Your information may be handled by third-party service providers only to the extent necessary to operate this site, for example:
- The newsletter provider stores email addresses for the purpose of sending newsletters
- The contact form provider processes form submissions for the purpose of delivering them to me
- The hosting provider processes all web requests as part of serving the site
- The database provider for the like counter stores each page’s like total and, for up to ten minutes, a hashed form of your IP address
- Affiliate partners and networks receive an identifier for this site when you follow one of their links, and send me aggregate reports of clicks and commissions that do not identify you (see the next section)
These providers are given only the information they need to perform their function. I do not authorise them to use your information for their own purposes.
10. Affiliate links and advertising
Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and go on to make a purchase or booking, I may earn a commission from the partner at no extra cost to you. Partners currently include tour and activity marketplaces (such as Viator), accommodation platforms (such as Booking.com and Hostelworld), travel insurance providers (such as World Nomads), and the Amazon Associates Program. Gear retailers, transport booking services and other travel companies may be added over time. The current list is kept on the Affiliate Disclosure page, and every page that contains affiliate links carries a notice near the top.
What happens when you click an affiliate link
An affiliate link is an ordinary link to the partner’s website with an identifier for this site added to the address, and sometimes a short redirect through an affiliate network (a company that tracks clicks and pays commissions on behalf of many partners). The identifier tells the partner that the click came from Do It Self Guided, and sometimes which guide it came from. It does not identify you: it is the same for every reader who clicks that link.
Once you arrive on the partner’s or network’s site, they will usually place a cookie in your browser so that a booking you make later, typically within 30 days to a year depending on the partner, can be credited to this site. That cookie is set on their domain, not on this one, is governed by their privacy and cookie policies, and can be declined or cleared through their cookie banner or your browser settings. Nothing you do on their site is visible to me while you do it.
What I receive from partners
Partners and networks send me reports of clicks and of any bookings or purchases credited to this site. A report may show the date, the tour, property, policy or product booked, the booking value and the commission earned. It does not include your name, email address, phone number or payment details, and I have no access to your account with the partner. I use these reports only to understand which guides are useful and to account for the site’s income.
Affiliate commissions help cover the costs of running this site. They do not influence which places I recommend. Every recommendation on this site is based on first-hand personal experience, and I only link to things I would genuinely suggest to a friend.
Advertising
This site may display advertising through Google AdSense. Ads load only if you accept the Advertising category in the cookie banner. When enabled, Google may use cookies to show you ads based on your browsing across sites. You can manage or opt out of personalised Google ads at myadcenter.google.com. For the specific advertising cookies, see the Cookie Policy. For full details on affiliate relationships and advertising, see the Affiliate Disclosure.
11. Data storage and security
Personal information you provide (contact form submissions, newsletter signups) is stored by the respective third-party service providers involved in delivering those features. I do not maintain my own database of personal information. The only database this site runs itself is the like counter, which holds a number per page and, briefly, hashed IP addresses (see Upstash (like counter)); it holds no names, email addresses, or other details about you.
I take reasonable steps to work with reputable providers and to avoid collecting information I do not need. However, no website or internet transmission is completely secure, and I cannot guarantee the absolute security of information sent over the internet.
12. How long information is kept
- Contact form messages: Kept for as long as they are relevant, then deleted. You can request deletion at any time.
- Newsletter email addresses: Kept until you unsubscribe. Once you unsubscribe, your email is removed from the active list.
- Packing list localStorage data: Stored only in your browser. You can delete it by clearing your browser’s site data at any time.
- Like button data: The flag that you liked a page is stored only in your browser, and you can delete it by clearing your browser’s site data. The hashed form of your IP address kept to protect the counter is deleted automatically within ten minutes. The like total itself is a number with nothing about you in it and is kept indefinitely.
13. International data transfers
This site uses services (including Google Analytics, Google AdSense, Beehiiv, Web3Forms, Vercel, Upstash, and various content delivery networks) whose servers are located outside Australia, most likely in the United States or Europe. If you are in Australia or another country, your information may be transferred to and processed in those locations when you visit this site. When you follow an affiliate link, the partner you land on (Viator, Booking.com, Hostelworld, World Nomads, Amazon or another listed on the Affiliate Disclosure) processes whatever you give them under its own policy, in whichever country it operates from.
I aim to use services that maintain reasonable data protection standards, but I cannot guarantee that overseas providers meet the exact requirements of Australian privacy law.
14. Your rights and choices
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Access: request a copy of the personal information I hold about you
- Correction: request that inaccurate information be corrected
- Erasure: request that your personal information be deleted (the “right to be forgotten”)
- Restriction: request that I limit how I process your information in certain circumstances
- Objection: object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Portability: request your data in a portable, machine-readable format where processing is carried out by automated means
- Withdraw consent: unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time using the link in any email
- Clear local data: delete packing list and like button data by clearing your browser’s site data
- Manage cookies: control third-party cookies through your browser settings
To exercise any of the above, contact me at leo@doitselfguided.com. I will respond to straightforward requests within a few days.
15. Australian privacy note
Do It Self Guided is operated by an individual based in Australia. The Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles generally apply to organisations with an annual turnover above AU$3 million. As a small personal travel blog, this site may not meet that threshold and therefore may not be legally required to comply with those obligations in full.
That said, I voluntarily commit to the spirit of those principles: collecting only what is necessary, being transparent about how information is used, not selling or misusing your data, and responding to reasonable requests from people who want to know what information is held about them or want it corrected or deleted.
If you have a privacy concern or complaint you cannot resolve directly with me, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.
16. Note for visitors from the European Union
If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), the UK, or Switzerland, you may have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or equivalent legislation.
Legal basis for processing: personal data collected through this site is processed on the following bases:
- Consent: newsletter subscriptions (you actively sign up), and analytics and advertising cookies (you actively opt in through the cookie banner)
- Legitimate interests: contact form responses; technical services such as fonts, CDNs, and APIs that are necessary to deliver the site; the short-lived hashed IP address that protects the like counter from manipulation; adding a site identifier to affiliate links so that a booking can be credited to this site. Any cookie a partner sets after you follow such a link is set by that partner, on its own site, under its own consent mechanism
You have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection supervisory authority. A list of EU supervisory authorities is available at edpb.europa.eu. UK residents may contact the ICO at ico.org.uk.
17. United States residents
If you live in California or another US state with a consumer privacy law (such as Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, or Virginia), you have rights over your personal information. These generally include the right to know what is collected, to request deletion, and to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information for targeted advertising.
I do not sell your personal information for money. However, when advertising cookies are enabled, using Google AdSense to show personalised ads may count as “sharing” or a “sale” under some of these laws. You can opt out at any time by choosing Reject All, or by turning off the Advertising category, in the cookie banner (reachable through the Cookie Settings link in the footer). You can also limit personalised Google ads at myadcenter.google.com.
To make any other request, or to ask what information is held about you, contact me at leo@doitselfguided.com. I will not treat you differently for exercising these rights.
18. Children’s privacy
This site is not directed at children. I do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 16. If you are under 16, please do not submit personal information through this site. If you believe a child has provided personal information through this site, please contact me and I will remove it promptly.
19. Links to other websites
This site contains links to external websites, including travel resources, accommodation platforms, tour and activity marketplaces, insurance providers, and transport operators. Once you leave this site, I am not responsible for the privacy practices of those other websites. I encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
20. Changes to this policy
I may update this privacy policy from time to time, for example when new features are added to the site or when service providers change. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. If significant changes are made, I will note them here.
Continued use of this site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. Use of the site is also governed by the Terms of Service.
21. Contact us about privacy
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this privacy policy or how your personal information is handled, please get in touch:
- Email me directly at: leo@doitselfguided.com
I read everything and will do my best to respond promptly.