GAFFL connects solo travelers with similar itineraries to explore destinations together. Whether you are backpacking in Asia, road tripping in Australia, or exploring national parks in the US, simply type the destination you are traveling to, find travelers who are going there at the same time as you, connect with them, plan trips, meet, and travel together.
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Lilly is a solo female traveler who loves history, art, architecture, and vegetarian food. She has wanted to travel since she was a child and now, she is constantly gaining memories in a wide variety of destinations – and she loves every moment of it! You can know about her travel stories through her travel blog I Travel for the Stars and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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I’m a very independent person so solo traveling is in my nature. I started traveling by myself in college and I didn’t know that there was anything special or courageous about it until people started asking me this very question!
Between agreeing on a
place to go, things to do while there, how much time and money to spend, it’s
often difficult to find someone I’m travel-compatible with – so I just continue
to go off on my own.
Before the pandemic hit, I
would travel roughly about once every two months. For reference, I had 8 trips booked for the
entirety of 2020 (7 were unfortunately canceled). I’m looking forward to returning to that
amount of travel.
When I’m away, I like to find out the history of a specific place, which I usually do by walking around on foot and visiting museums. I also like to try the local food and grab a drink with locals and other travelers.
How I Choose My Next Travel Destination And Prepare For It
What location is calling me? My trips vary from 3-day weekend trips to my favorite, the 2-week getaways.
I have a few dozen trips roughly planned out
already so when I decide on a location, I book my transport, my accommodation,
any tickets I need in advance, and then I wait eagerly until it’s time to go.
However, there
are a few places I’ve been to that I would say are not safe for solo female travel.
I don’t have a favorite memory of meeting and exploring with new people and
locals because I’ve had so many great experiences with both in so many
places. I’m still friends with many of
the people I’ve met on my travels.
I use the maps.me app most. I can place markers on places I want to visit, and then I can add and remove markers offline while on my trip. It’s a map that helps me keep track of what I want to see and have seen. I’ll also use the Google Translate app for simple translation.
I’m looking forward
to using the GAFFL app too!
I had already traveled a lot and was using other blogs to help me plan my trips, so I decided to start one as well.
I wanted to give readers more descriptions about what destinations feel like and what there is to do for people who are into history, art, and architecture.
Since I run on limited vacation time, I read blogs to find out which places were worth my time, which are overhyped, and where to find hidden gems. So, that’s the ultimate goal with my blog – to help like-minded individuals make the most of their trips.
Usually, I’ll go for the cheapest flight with no more than one stop and the cheapest hotel or hostel room with ratings of 7+.
Before traveling, I generally save up so I can spend comfortably during my trip. However, I don’t eat at super fancy restaurants or buy large souvenirs, so that saves me a bunch of money, as well.
My budget is designed to save the
most money without compromising a good time.
One time, I was late for a train going from
Paris to Lyon, and I couldn’t find the right track. The station was packed and as I was
panicking, I asked a random woman in French where the track was, and she
answered in French. I thanked her but
quickly ran away so as not to miss my train, but I turned around because it hit
me – that was one of my professors from college! As in, my college is 4,000 miles away from
Paris. What are the odds?
I’m lucky to work at a place where I get 20 PTO days per year – which is a lot by American standards.
It’s important to
me to work for an organization that gives a decent amount of travel time and
doesn’t shame employees for taking that time.
I wouldn’t accept a job without knowing what their vacation culture
encompasses.
Other times, it’s not so
easy. Going a few days without making
connections with anyone can feel isolating.
It’s best to look up how safe a country is – and feels. Some countries are statistically safe but definitely don’t feel that way, so ask around before you choose your destination.
Stay in a hostel because it grows your chance of meeting people exponentially (keep in mind you can stay in an all-female dorm or a private room). Prepare a loose itinerary to give your trip some structure. Practice common sense. Have fun!
Other inspiring stories to read!
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