How I Decide Where To Travel Next

I definitely have a dream bucket list of places I want to visit, but it grows all the time. I think most of all, I really like to explore places that are either off the beaten track, or are considered more challenging for solo female travellers. Or I like to visit places that throw me in the deep end and really give me that culture shock. I love exposing myself to new ideas and new ways of living, to new cultures, languages and customs. Travelling across Asia and Central America have been my favourite trips so far because they really push you out of your comfort zone. Instead of doing shorter solo trips, I try to plan multi-destination longer trips to combine countries, eg. South East Asia or Central America. I find this works better both time and budget-wise for me, plus it’s much more sustainable and environmentally friendly as I can minimise the number of flights I take. So for instance, I would rather travel for a month around Europe and take buses/trains than book several weekend city breaks and fly each time.

When I’ve chosen a destination, I love to research activities and locations I want to visit in a country – key sights and experiences through blogs/websites. Instagram is a great source of ideas and visual inspiration. I normally start a list of places and once it starts to get long, I will organise it into a rough route for a country. I will often look into transport in a country to get an idea of the best methods for travel whether that’s buses or trains, and how long these journeys take – that can help me gauge how many stops I can squeeze into my timeframe. I only usually book the first two nights of accommodation before arriving in the country – but often I will bookmark hostels, Airbnb’s, hotels that I like the look of. Often I will organise partnerships with some before I arrive through my work as a travel blogger. But I like to keep as much spontaneity to my trips as possible so that if I meet people and want to change plans, I can always say yes to opportunities. After all, that’s when the best adventures happen!

How I Pack For My Trips

I’ve become an expert at packing light and yet packing well over the years. Living out of my backpack has really shown me how little I need to be happy and I love a minimal life. The key thing for me is to remember (especially as a woman) that I live differently when I travel compared to at home in the UK. I don’t style my hair or wear lots of make-up and my clothes are often lighter because I’m in hotter countries. I don’t mind wearing the same outfits over again or living in a bikini. For over-packers, these can make a huge difference! 

My must-haves for travel are:

• My camera/laptop for photographing/writing/editing

• Worn-in and comfortable hiking boots

• A pashmina/scarf to keep warm in air-con or long bus rides

• My Kindle – an entire library of books at my fingertips!

• Sunscreen!

Safety Precautions That I Take For My Trips

As a solo female traveller – one of the things I hate the most is the fact that women do have to take more precautions than men. However, I don’t believe there is a single country in the world that a woman cannot travel safely. It just takes a little extra care, thought and preparation to make things as safe as possible. Particularly when heading off the beaten track, it’s important to remember that so much of what we see in the media is just fear-mongering and to realise the world isn’t as scary as we might be led to think. 

The key thing to focus on before you travel is research – look into the culture of the country you are visiting, read blogs, watch Youtube videos and ask questions of those who have travelled there. You don’t have to have everything planned out, but always know where you’re going and how to get there – that helps give you a sense of purpose and more confidence. I always make sure I arrive in a new place during daylight and never late at night – I find that even if you’re perfectly safe, it can really colour the way you see a place when it’s dark and you’re more likely to be targeted. Always lock away your valuables when you’re staying in a hostel/hotel etc and only take the minimum of cash out with you (always have a back-up bank card).

Really recommend Thailand (or South East Asia generally), Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Australia and Indonesia for solo female travellers – it’s easy to meet other travellers and the locals are always super friendly and helpful. I found often they would stop to ask if I needed help or directions if they saw me alone. When I was in Thailand, I met several locals who would invite me to join their families for dinner, or would offer to show me around the town, and even visit their homes. The people are so kind, generous and welcoming.

How I Manage My Travel Expenses

I’m a backpacker at heart and always travel on a budget. My budget is a lot more flexible now than when I first started travelling as I work online while I travel. However, I tend to budget around £1,000 per month for food, accommodation and basic living costs no matter where I travel. Then I under-spend in certain places like Asia/South America where the cost of living is lower and overspend in more expensive places like Australia/Europe. However, I also tend to work when I go to places like Australia/New Zealand and take advantage of working holiday visas so I can earn in the country’s currency. I always weigh up the cost of activities and only do them if I really want to, not because “everyone does them”. I love to find free activities as well – often they’re more unique and interesting. I will always choose to stay in cheaper accommodation eg. hostels and to eat street food over fancy dining. I prefer to spend my money on experiences instead.

Things That Prevent Me From Travelling More

Mostly the pandemic at the moment! Other than that, it’s mainly down to cost/time but to be honest, my life is quite flexible. I prioritise travel and I have been lucky that my work is mostly online so it means I can do it from anywhere. I know a lot of people are not so lucky, but it is also a choice that you make. I have sacrificed a lot in order to live a life of travel – I haven’t had a permanent home in over six years, I don’t get to see my family and friends as much as I would like, I don’t have an office or steady employer, I haven’t settled down with a family or kids. But as nice as all that is, it was never for me so although I have sacrificed these things – I’m happy that I have. Prioritising travel is the best decision I ever made.

The biggest challenge in travelling solo would definitely have to be the constant internal battle between knowing you have chosen the best life for you and feeling the pressure of society’s expectations. When you choose full-time travel, the world constantly likes to remind you that you’re “not on schedule”. Other than this, getting sick or injured when you’re travelling solo sucks – but again you find a way to cope and friends will always help out. Feeling lonely or homesick can be horrible, but again, it’s a small blip and easily remedied with a phone call home. Long bus rides, exhausting days of travel, food poisoning, and I had a few bus crashes that were pretty rubbish. However, all of the challenges I have faced are what has made me into a strong, resilient and confident woman. I wouldn’t change a thing from the last six years – not even the worst moments – because every experience has made me who I am.

My Advice To New Solo Travelers  

Just do it. It will be the most transformative and empowering experience of your life. Don’t listen to the haters, ignore the doubters and never take advice from anyone who hasn’t visited the country. Pack half the amount of stuff you think you will need and take extra money instead. Trust your gut and never ever be afraid to say no, or to leave any situation that makes you feel uncomfortable. Travel on your terms and don’t let manners get in the way of keeping yourself safe at all costs. Most of all, have fun and say yes to life! Don’t let the fear of “what could go wrong” make you miss out on actually LIVING!