Most people are good. I’ve met so many helpful, hospitable, generous people while traveling, of all nationalities and sexes and ages, and I know this to be true: most people are good. While I’m not naturally distrusting or fearful, I AM self-aware, prepared, and I trust my intuition. From someone who’s been solo traveling for 15 years, and 100% full-time for the past 9-plus months, here’s my advice to you...
Tag: solo travel
6 Misconceptions About Solo Travel
Solo travel is no longer just a pre- or post-college, gap year kind of thing — it's for remote employees, early retirees, sabbatical-takers, or the deliberately unemployed — the ones who are not waiting for that magical "retirement" age of 65+ to see the world.
It’s a Pandemic and I Chose to Travel Full-Time: Here are My Observations
At best, I’ve been questioned, and at worst, criticized for my decision to sell my house and travel full-time (while in the middle of a pandemic). Why 2020? Why, when the world is blowing up, would I want to hit the road like Mad Max into hell? I had a choice: safe, easy, and lazy... or uncertain, unknown, and life-changing. Would you choose the same?
Boise Bucket List: My Favorite (Dog-Friendly) Spots
Boise, Idaho was my first temporary home after embracing the nomad life. Check out my favorite dining, drinking, and outdoor activity spots in and around Boise (dog-friendly, of course) — with plenty of photos!
Maybe I’m Alone for the Holidays, But Lonely I’m Not
Christmas: whether one is single or in a couple, whether traveling to family or vice versa; typically, it’s a holiday one spends with loved ones. But this year, my Christmas looks a little different. And I love the flexibility and freedom.
Travel as a Form of Grief Therapy
One year ago, I lost my dad. Shortly afterwards, I took a solo trip to Ireland, which helped distract me from and process my father’s death, while I paid tribute to his life.
How I Use Couchsurfing for Local Experiences and Budget Travel
As a host, to Couchsurf is to open up your space and share the secrets and joys of your home city. As a guest, Couchsurfing is for those who want a different experience and the companionship, guidance, and friendship of a local.
Why Does Everybody Say They Love to Travel?
When most people say they "love to travel," sometimes I think they really mean to say they "love vacations"...
Why I Feel Safe Traveling Solo Abroad
I sometimes get flack from my friends and family about some of the "risky" decisions I make as a solo traveler. But I operate under the mindset that almost all people, everywhere, are good and kind.
Solo Travel: The Mental and Emotional Benefits
I love solo travel. When to wake up and go to bed? Up to me. What to see and where to go? My choice. No debates, no compromises. But what else sucks me in about solo travel: the personal growth that comes with being totally, completely on your own.
Why I Don’t Plan My Trips Abroad
Over time and many trips, I’ve discovered that I much prefer the freedom of planning-on-the-go. Never fear, to go blind is a little illogical: in this blog, I lay out my reasoning and process for going the less-planned route.
Traveling Solo as an Introvert
I consider myself primarily an introvert, but there is a time and a place where my curiosity goes toe-to-toe with my introversion and wins — abroad.
Why I Constantly One-Up Myself with Travel
My flight into Dublin landed around 8 a.m. Sunday. When I approached the passport control officer in the non-EU citizen line, he fired off a number of questions. The exchange went a little something like this: “How long are you staying in Ireland?” he asked...
Travel Tips for Discovering Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
I moved to Arizona almost nine years ago. I've been to many places. But I had not been to Page, one of the most photographed places in the world, until this past weekend.
What Surviving Stress Teaches You
As much as it sucks... Surviving stressful times will better equip us to handle with grace whatever life throws at us next.
Continued: Solo Travel is a Gateway Drug (an Autobiography)
Costa Rica. My first international trip ENTIRELY ALONE, opened the floodgates to my new wave of solo travel.
Solo Travel is a Gateway Drug (an Autobiography)
I was born with an urge to roam. It’s innate. When someone like myself decides to go gallivanting around the world alone, the idea didn’t come out of nowhere as if I were struck by lightning. It was a decision that culminated from the escapist urge that’s always been brewing, churning and growing inside me. I started slow; tentatively. I dabbled. I felt the rush. And then a longer trip, a farther trip, a riskier trip, and I was hooked.
Ecuador Recap: 8-Day Ecuador Itinerary (Mostly) on a Shoestring
Ecuador as a travel destination: Enough have come before to pave the way, but not enough that the people and the country are jaded, advantageous of or overrun by foreigners. Check out my Ecuador itinerary from Quito to Quilotoa to Cotopaxi to Cuenca to Guayaquil.
Traveling Happily Means Rolling with the Punches
When things “go wrong,” as they almost always do, your reaction to it is far more important than the actual event itself.
I Am Not a Travel Blogger
“Travel blogger,” that’s so cliché. I’m simply a girl, who loves to travel, who is exhilarated by new experiences and places and peoples and cultures. What I want is to describe through words and show through pictures how I feel about solo travel... and hopefully inspire someone, somewhere, to push just a little further out of their comfort zone and perpetually have the best experiences of their life.
