Pro’s and con’s of traveling solo

Over the last decade, I have traveled with both, friends and tour groups; however, the majority of my travels have been solo.

Solo traveling is exciting. There is no greater buzz than standing in an airport preparing to board a plane to a far off country all by yourself. The thrill of adventure and the unknown is amplified when traveling solo.

However, like every mode of travel, it is a two-sided coin; it has its good … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (1)  | April 10, 2015
Category: General, On The Road, Solo Travel

Giving free travel talks—a great way to share the knowledge and ignite others’ travel dreams

As travelers, we often find ourselves talking to friends and strangers alike at parties, at work, wherever, about travel and how to do it right. We evangelize for travel, extolling its opportunities and benefits. We often go on at length about the magic of our favorite places, the addictive high that comes from filling up a passport book, and the thrill of crossing a new border and making new connections. We also find ourselves giving … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Giving free travel talks—a great way to share the knowledge and ignite others’ travel dreams  | March 8, 2015
Category: Adventure Travel, Expat Life, General, Notes from the collective travel mind, Solo Travel, Vagabonding Advice, Youth Travel

Solo travel when you’re not traveling solo

Traveling slowly with my husband across Southeast Asia has been a great way to leave our jobs and lives in Canada behind to explore the world on a small budget. It also means we spend a lot of time together. Every meal, every walk, every bus ride to a new city, is together. Where once we saw each other only in the evenings and on weekends, we now see each other all the time. Where … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (1)  | January 18, 2015
Category: Asia, Family Travel, General, Solo Travel

Lost in the crowd when traveling?

This week I’m in San Francisco, after riding my motorcycle from Washington. First, I have to say – the ride down the PCH was in-damn-credible! Thanks to a friend’s suggestions, I got off the PCH near Fortuna and took the Avenue of the Giants scenic route. Who would have thought that there was a scenic route to an already incredible scenic route? I’ll write more about this another time. Take my recommendation, though, if you … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Lost in the crowd when traveling?  | July 25, 2014
Category: North America, On The Road, Solo Travel

Enjoy the ride

 

I was planning to write about learning to throw axes during my last trip to Toronto. About how it reminded me to get out of my head and flow in the moment. That the moment I started laughing, that’s exactly what would happen and my throws became more accurate. I’ll write about it another time, though, because today I learned that my grandfather has passed away.

He had an incredible impact on my life … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Enjoy the ride  | June 27, 2014
Category: General, North America, On The Road, Solo Travel, Vagabonding Life

Greyhound across America: Photos from a month on the bus by Kristina Perkins

Starting from Minneapolis, Minnesota, I spent 30 days exploring the United States (traveling to 37 states) and documenting the faces and places I saw on the Greyhound Bus system with photographs and short stories. I showered rarely, slept infrequently, ate poorly, and I loved every uncomfortable minute of it.

My fascination with the culture of the Greyhound started in college when I would take the bus to Montana to visit a dear friend. As I … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Greyhound across America: Photos from a month on the bus by Kristina Perkins  | May 4, 2014
Category: Images from the road, North America, On The Road, Solo Travel

Giving free travel talks—A great way to share knowledge and ignite travel dreams

Last weekend, on a sunny Saturday morning at a local Seattle-area library, I kicked off the first of several ninety-minute “Travel talks” I plan to give this year. The seminar-style presentations, which I call “Traveling The Best of Europe Independently & On A Budget” will be free, presented at assorted libraries in the Seattle metro area.

I began doing these talks several years ago after answering the umpteenth question about how to travel independently in … Read more »

Christmas in France–delicious and traditional

One of the great things about Europe is its magnificent Christmases, when the frosty air is infused with a spirit of joy and celebration. From Scotland to Slovakia, a smorgasbord of culture is on display as each country celebrates with its own unique traditions.

This is the second in a series about the Continent’s various subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) yuletide differences that make each culture uniquely fun.

Some of France’s yuletide traditions have spilled over … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (3)  | December 19, 2013
Category: Europe, Family Travel, Food and Drink, On The Road, Solo Travel, Travel Writing, Vagabonding Life, Youth Travel

Flying domestically (usa) with a service dog

Flying with your Service Dog takes a bit of pre-planning. Most airlines require 48 hours advance notice about your canine partner. Initially tickets can be booked online through a collective search website like CheapOair. Before purchasing tickets, check out the Airlines direct website for Service Animal rules. Under Federal Law airlines are required to allow Service Animals but a few are friendlier about it than others.

Read more »

Posted by | Comments (3)  | November 1, 2012
Category: Air Travel, Female Travelers, General, North America, On The Road, Solo Travel, Vagabonding Styles

Long-distance footpaths

Recently I’ve been reading, “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed. When the author was in her mid-twenties she solo hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. Her book unfolds as she treks north, nursing her blistered feet and cumbersome heavy pack along a majority of the 2,663mi (4,286km) trail. It initially begins at the Mexican border, passes through California, Oregon, and Washington in the USA and over the border into Canada. Several years ago I’d … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Long-distance footpaths  | September 6, 2012
Category: Adventure Travel, Africa, Asia, Central America, Destinations, Europe, Female Travelers, Images from the road, North America, Oceania, On The Road, Simplicity, Solo Travel, South America