How I Choose Where To Travel Next

The places that are always on the top of my travel list are the places with extreme natural beauty: as a result of training as a landscape architect, a burning passion for nature and wildlife is something I will never escape. A combination of cost and proximity often helps to narrow these places down. For example in a months time I will be moving to Norway to start a new job, this makes visiting Svalbard in the arctic circle way more realistic than if I was in any other part of the world. I hadn’t even though about going here until now, but all of a sudden it makes sense. The more opportunities you take the more appear.

I try to do 1-2 big trips a year. For me I find travelling for 3-4 weeks at a time is a good as it means I can keep costs  relatively low whilst still absorbing a decent amount of cultural goodness!

My Scariest Travel Moment

My biggest travel hiccup was when I was stranded in the Chengdu international airport after my connecting flight was cancelled due to bad weather. All would have been well if anyone spoke English but as you can guess this wasn’t the case. At the time I had no idea what was going on, I thought my flight was still going ahead and that I would miss it, thus resulting in my whole trip being compromised. Luckily the worst I faced was a 7 hour hold up in sweaty waiting lounge using my trainers as a pillow. I’ve visited a lot of airports now but whenever I’m queuing for the passport check or the security walk through, a sickly feeling still manages to grasp my lower gut. The same feeling I felt when I was basically being shouted at by the Chinese airport staff. 

My advice to new travelers who want to study and travel?

If I had to give 3 tips to someone thinking about solo travelling whilst working or studying they would be:

1 - Before you book that expensive flight or hotel see if there is another way to visit the place. Can it be part of research? Can you include it within the itinerary of a work trip? Is there an opportunity to be part of something you wouldn’t usually be a part of eg: voluntary work?

2 - Be friendly and speak to people. At the end of the day people are what will make the opportunities happen - especially if they are solo travelers too. Once you break the confidence barrier of doing this for the first time it will only get easier and easier. 

3. Be patient; the countries that you want to visit aren’t going anywhere. Let's say you do find an opportunity to travel somewhere as part of research but you don’t win the bid, try again next year, learn from the first time. Good luck!