Thailand | GRRRL TRAVELER

Solo Thailand: Learning to Ride a Motorbike for the first time

Filed under CHALLENGES, SOLO TRAVEL by Christine Ka'aloa on August 3, 2010 at 7:05 am {5 comments}

Mood: “Am learning to ride a motorbike in Pai” (Thailand)

This has been my Skype status, since November 2009, and it occurred to me why I haven’t bothered updating it. My first attempt to master “traveling alone in a developing country”, was my greatest achievement in the past year; and (more…)

The Good, the Bad & the Inevitable of a Beginner Solo Traveler

Filed under CHALLENGES, Inspiration by Christine Ka'aloa on November 29, 2009 at 12:21 pm {9 comments}

Back from my GRRRL TRAVELER beginner solo trip with lots of cool experiences to share from Thailand and what I’ve learned about being on the solo road! Everything from mastering squat toilets and cold showers while trekking in the mountains, eating bugs, drinking tiger penis soaked whiskey in Laos, smoking with Buddhist monks, practicing circle 8′s with a guesthouse owner’s motorbike so I could rent a scooter, getting lost virtually …everywhere and more. I have the promise of upcoming tips and advice for beginning GRRRL soloists like myself, the leak of a GRRRL TRAVELER contest and challenge#2, and much much more…

Firstly, a shout out of warm Mahalos to all the friends following my fun updates on Facebook (sorry Twitterverse- you got gyped some…). Special Mahalos to those who super-caring and supportive of my first solo-solo and who went of their way to make (more…)

Solo Travel: How to Hurdle your Fears of Traveling Alone

Filed under CHALLENGES, Inspiration by Christine Ka'aloa on October 28, 2009 at 11:06 am {2 comments}

: From a Dark Dwellings photo series that I shot when I was lost one night working in Ashland, Ohio

I have two crucial saboteurs to my GRRRL TRAVELER challenge: Becoming a Female Solo Traveler. Unless I find a way to deal with them, my plans are stillborn and I will not clear my challenge hurdle.

Here’s some steps I’ve taken as an attempt to deal with them: (more…)

GRRRL TRAVELER’s Challenge #1: Being a Beginner Solo Traveler

Filed under CHALLENGES, Inspiration by Christine Ka'aloa on October 27, 2009 at 7:03 am {3 comments}

by Christine Ka’aloa

The saying, “A stone’s throw in a pond creates a ripple effect…” feels true of the moment. As of recent I have been juggling a lot of weighty decisions about travel, making it more of a lifestyle and what happens when you have no travel partner.

My GRRRL Traveler Challenge #1 : Become a female solo traveler of developing countries.
My GRRRL traveling dreams and the courage required to embark upon them don’t magically create themselves, without some effort on my part to rub two stones together! I rub and I rub and ask myself- Why would I want to travel alone? That little voice inside says- “…because you love to travel…You love to explore new cultures and have adventures . Why WAIT on someone else to allow you to do that? Go for it -or – regret not trying ! And there you have it.

For me, solo travel is an opportunity to continue my travels, without being :
a) at the mercy of friends’ work-vacation schedules or luxury budgets
b) searching for travel buddies to match my wish list of developing countries
c) dealing with others’ fickleness

While twiddling my thumbs waiting, often I feel like I’m standing out in the rain, praying for lightning to strike (more…)