Long-term solo travel. I wouldn’t call it easy. Being homeless and living on the road is hard work!
By my sixth month, my travel enthusiasm began fluctuating. I was still thrilled by the unending travel adventure I was living; but also, starting to feel run down from shouldering the constant responsibility of it.
Dear Love, You may be wondering what’s up with me these days.
Before I left Korea, I had planned 3 months in India… My plan: to job search for summer work. One hitch: I never planned for the ‘what if’ I never found a job by the end of my Indian summer! …
What does the idea of “a solo woman traveling in India” surface for you?
When I met Chiaki, we were both, waiting for the local bus to our yoga ashram. A Japanese waif of gentle yogic smiles, she challenged my notions about what it is to be a solo female traveler in India. Chiaki didn’t boast the extensive list of a world traveler nor was she avoiding the challenges of navigating the local terrain in the way a native would; yet, she was tackling India solo doing it in calm stride.
How the hell was she doing it?
Looking at the sea out from Baga Beach, the sea is shining, teasing,… much like the vibe of the locals and beaches in Goa. As a female traveling who’s been nervous about traveling india alone, I feel surprisingly safe here. Waves tickling my feet, a pineapple lassi in hand, I look out at the beach. Even the cows are catching their daily dose of sand and rays.
Udo Island is exactly what I thought Jeju should be– a small island swaying with a warm and tranquil vibe, the crisp mixed scent of island farming and seaweed, black rock beaches and gentle livestock grazing alongside small country roads. Best of all, it could be done solo and by scooter! But did I know this beforehand? No.
After a 3 hour bus ride, I arrived at Udo Island via ferry at around 4:10P…the last ferry leaving Udo Island was at 5:30P. Call me foolhardy but if I spend hours on a bus just to get to a location, I’ll be damned if I leave without seeing it! So there I was with a little over an hour to explore the island.
You don’t have skydive out of a plane in order to be a daredevil. You don’t have to eat strange bugs or worms to be an adventurist. Sometimes, adventure and danger can fit into the simplest things; and if you’re a solo traveler, occasionally it’s the simplest things that can feel the most dangerous!
Last day in Hanoi. While I’m ready to leave Vietnam and the insufferable monsoon heat, I’m not ready to return to Korea. Noooo…
Today I need to move hotels. I emailed various hotels to check on availability, last night. Vietnam being the way it is, none of them returned an answer, so this [More...] morning I went hotel shopping on foot. I stopped by Veronica’s hostel to see if she arrived safely; lo and behold,…
Day #9: After my Sapa trek, I decided to book another tour with Sinh Tourist– a day trip to Halong Bay. Price tag? $19. Vietnam may not have the friendliest service-oriented people, but they sure have the most affable budget tours!
Ass time. The one major drag about Vietnam is the constant
Tick-tock… Vietnam. I leave this Friday! I’ll be launching solo again. I’m excited because I don’t know what to expect or how things will play out. While the unknown can feel a bit intimidating for a solo traveler, it’s also exciting.
Subscribe to GRRRLTRAVELER by email and get my FREE e-Book, "Travel Survival Tips for Korea" (currently v 1.4)!
Coming home after a gap year? Well, get ready for a shock...
Long-term solo travel and three mistakes I wish I avoided
Is being a female solo traveler easy? ...Not!
Travel Bucket List 2012: Booking a role on Hawaii Five-O (Part II)
My narrow escape from Bangkok's Ping-pong sex show scams
10 funny quirks you didn't know about Koreans
How do you spend your nights as a solo traveler? (14 fun ways to spend your nights alone)
Can hype kill famous landmarks... like Angkor Wat?
Will you Like Studying Yoga in India? You might wanna read this first... (Part 1)
Surviving a University Job Interview in Korea
