I am so excited to share my solo travel stories. It’s been a long journey, literally and metaphorically so here goes.
My first degree at uni was Travel and Hospitality Management and even before graduation I knew that I wanted to travel. I wanted to go everywhere! I took a map of the world and had marked all the places I’d wanted to go on to it and took it into STA travel and spoke to Eileen. She told me straight “if you want to go to all these places it is gonna cost a million pounds”. I was fully clueless about how things worked with flights and so on, I just had the big dream. So off I went back home to figure out where I really wanted to go that was possible without having to have my own private jet. With some flight routes and her advise in mind I came up with my itinerary and started planning. Now for context, this is 2001 folks, before smart phones, instagram, and having the internet in your pocket. Think Nokia 3210 era. Not once did it cross my mind to go with anyone, I wanted to go on my own. I’d had a little taste by having a summer working in Amsterdam as part of the same uni course and I had a BLAST! Met so many amazing people, including one of my favs, Ainhoa, who I see wherever I go to Ibiza. Living, working and enjoying life in Amsterdam had given me a little taste of what was available in the world out there.
A route was finalised along with a couple of hostels for the first few weeks so I knew I had some essentials in order. First stop was Tokyo which was very overwhelming and confusing, but I loved the temples and I did get lost most days. One day I was so lost I started crying and had to ask the police for directions, they helped me get back to my hotel which was about 10 mins walk from where I was. The language barrier was a lot and my small Japanese phrase book helped but not all that much. How I got around without Google maps is a miracle, but the Japanese people were so helpful and kind. One lady even drew me a map! I just kept showing the people in restaurants the phrases for no fish, bones, or meat. So we’ve come to the first hurdle, eating alone. This is actually so much easier than you think. No one is looking at any one in a restaurant, all they’re thinking of is their food. I’d read my book, or look out the window, or silently pray I wasn't eating bones.
After Japan the next stop was Hong Kong. This was a little easier to travel around as there were a lot of signs in English (probably and unfortunately due to colonialism). The hostel was really nice, apart from the scary curfew rules, but I got to speak to way more people and this led me to part two of travelling alone hurdles; making pals. Literally I just went up to a group of people who were having a chat and introduced myself, asked where they were from and started chatting about what they were up to and how their travel was going so far. This led to me hanging out with them and joining them on a bus trip the following day to visit the island's largest sitting statue of Buddah. This is a core memory for me as we’d been on this bus for quite a while and then as the bus was winding round and round this mountain then quietly the top of the buddha's head poked out from the tops of the trees, it was stunning. Everyone I met travelling was super friendly. I was probably super naive and overly trusting but it all worked out well. My advice, just say hello and take it from there. On the whole, people are nice. Say hi, and if they don't speak English that’s ok too, if they do then get a wee chat going. Small talk is fine. We are human beings, we’re meant to connect.
After HK it was time to go to Thailand. Now here I have a really funny story. Before leaving I had gone to a hairdresser in Aberdeen and I was chatting away to the stylist and you’ll not believe this but she was planning on going travelling too. Divine intervention, right? So we swapped emails as she was planning to go to Thailand around the same time as me (Christmas and NY). We made a very loose arrangement for me to contact her once I was in Thailand and we’d hook up there. Her name was Nicky and after a few days in Bangkok hangin out on Koh San Road with some cool Canadian chicks and one not so cool guy I made the long journey to Koh Pha Nang, again on my own. On the boat part of the trip I made pals with an English couple and a Dutch guy called Martin. So they were my new pals and once we were on the island we decided to stay together for 1 night in an accommodations called Big Mamas Bungalows. Now remember it’s 2001 and no internet so I had to go to an internet cafe to find out where Nicky was staying, hence the night in Big Mamas. She was a lovely motherly Thai woman who looked after us all. I ended up sharing a bed with Martin, in a categorically platonic way. Picture big pillow dividers and a large Dutch man in Y fronts. There was absolutely no danger there.
The next day, after visiting the internet cafe I found Nicky and the English couple and me moved into our new place, Martin moved on to be with his pals and I never saw him again. I shared a stunning beach hut with Nicky for about 3 weeks and we had the best time. I’d never had an Xmas or NY away from Aberdeen and it was so beautiful to wake up and see the sunshine every morning. We had a proper little crew at Liams beach huts in Koh Pha Nang and hung out at the beautiful beaches and went to the full moon parties. Part 3 of travelling alone tips - if you go to a party always stick with your crew. It just makes sense. Say no more. Oh and, check the visa’s permits for the duration of your stay in places. I over stayed my Thai visa by a couple of days but I had ot pay a small fee at the airport, I’m not sure how things are now though. Could be very different.
I did keep in touch with Nicky for a while and then once I was back it kinda fizzled away as she’d stayed in Thailand and I was at home. She’d met and found love with a Thai guy, but I don't think she ended up staying there permanently. I do often think about what happened there.
My next flight was to Singapore and it was a short stay in a really cute hostel ran by a guy called Ming. All the places I stayed were approved by the YHA (not sure if that’s still on the go) but it meant it was recognised and accredited by the Youth Hostel Association so I felt it had a more safe and secure vibe. Which leads me to tip 4 for solo travel, if something doesn't feel safe or off then leave. I felt safe everywhere I went and my folks knew where I was. Now I wasn’t afraid, but my mum was! I think I was really trusting and a bit more carefree than I am now as a perimenopausal woman, lol.
It was time to leave Asia and onwards to Australia. Here I’d booked the first few nights accommodation in Perth but needed to find a job immediately as I had about £100 to my name.
Luckily I soon befriended the night receptionist man who gave me the first dibs on any jobs that came through, and continued luck, a job in the bush came through via fax (it was simpilar times). Off I went for my first experience of working in the smallest villlage in WA called Bolgart. I worked in the bar and in return got free accommodation and food as well as a small wage. It was such a fabulous experience as the owners of the pub were lovely and I had my first meeting of the giagantic huntsman spider. Also in the hotel there was an outside dunny (toilet) and once while using the facilities a frog leapt out of the loo just as my derier was away to sit down.
Everywhere else in Australia I found friends and a job pretty easily, the hostels were a great place to connect and build relationships. Jobs on farms are a great way to meet people and I worked in one while I stayed in the worst accommodation, it was literally known as the 5th worst hostel in Australia. The mattress was the thinnest I’d ever slept on, so much so that the metal bars of the bunk bed poked into my ribcage in the night. It was not good. However the camaraderie of working on a farm was great. The farmers wife was not a fan of me, she said I was too slow and too chatty so so put me to work in the field with a lovely guy from Korea who didn’t speak English but knew the words to Robbie Williams song Angels, so we sang that while we picked gherkins. I only stayed a few days as I just needed a little money and I didn’t enjoy the bed at all!
The last few stops of the trip were in the west coast of America and I had planned to meet my boyfriend if the time there. The end was a little more comfortable and cosy than some of the places in Oz.
It was lovely to have a familiar face at the end of such an epic trip and finishing with my birthday in Las Vegas was pretty special.
Through my year’s working in travel that followed I was able to learn all about different options for solo travel and book many many solo people on trips. I’d also book couples on round the world trips but many times they’d split up. Tip 5; if you wanna be as part of a group then there are loads of options for guided group travel. That way you’ll never be alone and everything can be arranged including airport transfers.
In my 30’s I found myself searching solo travelling again. I’d tried yoga in Australia and enjoyed it and then back home I’d stayed going to classes in the gym. It brought me peace and calm as well as a good stretch from the other classes I was enjoying. I realised that I could combine and holiday and yoga at my first retreat at Azul in Fuerteventura. Win win. A sunny holiday, with good company and vegetarian food! It was all my favourite things combined. So off I went for a week to my first retreat. My accommodation was a shared bell tent with another girl and we took turns having the big bed, her the first 4 nights and me the last 3. We also had a smaller bed in the tent. It was beautifully decorated with bohemian fabrics and ornaments to make it homely and cute. Each day was filled with yoga, food, fun and adventures. It suited me perfectly. Plus the people were so lovely and friendly. Following that trip I took annual yoga retreats and in 2013 started volunteering at yoga retreats! It was incredible and I loved meeting the guests, hanging out, chatting, doing my chores and spending time in the sun and on the beach. As well as daily yoga practice with some incredible teachers.
This takes me to my final tip. If you’re considering a yoga retreat but are a solo traveller, just do it! Don’t hesitate. You’ll have the best time and the memories you’ll make will last a lifetime. Travelling solo will be the best adventure you’ll have. Each retreat I’ve been on has so many memories (probably for another blog) but they’ve been some of my best life experiences. I wonder where my next adventure will be? ?
Comments