I get free breakfast, which I love because it saves me money and time. 5. Lastly, I really appreciated the cleanliness of the hotels. Hostels are often pretty cramped and small, and I’m not a fan of being surrounded by other people’s stuff.

I recently returned from a three-week solo travel trip to Portugal, where I visited Lisbon, Sagres, Lagos, Peniche, Sintra, and Porto. During my stay, I tried out both hostels and hotels for accommodation. I stayed in nice, highly rated hostels that cost around 50-70$/night and 3 star hotels that cost around 110-130$/night. Although I met some great people in the hostels and it pushed me out of my comfort zone, I ultimately preferred the hotels.

One of the main reasons I preferred staying in hotels is because I’m an earlier-to-bed, earlier-to-rise kind of person. Most of the people in hostels tend to stay up late, making it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. I find it really important to get a good night’s sleep when I’m travelling since it helps me stay energized for each day.

Another reason I prefer hotels is that I like having my own space and privacy. After a long travel day, I sometimes just want to take a quick nap or be alone for a while. Hostels make that impossible, since there’s usually always someone around. I need my alone time to recharge.

The hotels I stayed in also provided complimentary breakfast, which I appreciated because it saved me money and time. Lastly, I enjoyed the cleanliness of the hotels. Hostels are often cramped and small, and I’m not a fan of being surrounded by other people’s stuff.

Overall, I found that my solo travel experience was much more enjoyable when I stayed in hotels. I felt more rested, had my own space, and appreciated the complimentary breakfast and cleanliness. Although I met some cool people in hostels and it was a great learning experience, I still prefer hotels for solo travel.

it is because you take yourself along with you, and you cannot escape from yourself.”

I remember the moment when I realized my external environment would always be a reflection of my internal state of mind. It took me a few times to understand that my problems were due to my home and family life, and it wasn’t until I visited different places that I started to experience joy. I wasn’t trying to escape from myself, I was just trying to find some peace and quiet away from the toxic people I was surrounded by.

This thought was echoed by Seneca in “Letters from a Stoic”. Socrates said to someone in a similar situation, “How can you wonder your travels do you no good, when you carry yourself around with you? You are saddled with the very thing that drove you away.” Seneca goes on to explain that all the running around and visiting new places is futile if you’re just taking yourself along with you. You can’t escape from yourself.

The lesson I took away from this is that no matter where I go, I can’t run away from myself. I’m in control of my own inner state of mind and no matter where I am, I will always be a reflection of that. In order to be truly happy, I need to focus on improving my internal state of mind and not just seeking solace in external environments.

I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of traveling alone, but as a woman, it can be quite daunting. With reports of women being harassed, assaulted, and even facing legal consequences due to outdated laws, it’s hard to know what countries are safe and which ones to avoid. As a general rule of thumb, I recommend avoiding any country that has laws that can lead to women being charged with adultery after being raped. This includes Egypt, and while it may be tempting to explore this incredible country on your own, it’s probably best to go with a tour.

If you’re keen to explore somewhere as a female solo traveler, India is a great option. Personally, I’m waiting to explore India with my boyfriend, whose family is from there. Morocco is another country that can be explored alone, though it does require a lot of savvy and stamina. Be prepared to fend off financial scams and sexual harassment all day long. It’s not a relaxing travel experience, but the rewards are worth it – some of the best shopping, food, and architecture I’ve ever seen.

For female solo travelers, Nepal should be approached with caution. Kathmandu can be sketchy at night and spending two weeks or more alone with a male trekking guide could be a risky situation. Do your research on guides before you go.

In addition to Egypt, I would not recommend going alone to Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, or Iraq. Having experienced the relentless sexual harassment in Egypt – even while dressed quite modestly – I can confidently say that the risk does not outweigh the reward.

Traveling alone can be a great way to explore and experience the world, but as a female solo traveler, it’s important to be aware of the risks and do your research beforehand. Be sure to stay safe, and have an amazing adventure!

Hey everyone. I’m here to tell you a story about a not-so-great experience I recently had in Riga, Latvia, and hopefully it will help you to be more cautious if you’re ever in the same situation.

Six days ago, I was in Estonia, and on the third day I matched with a girl on Tinder. I’d heard stories about people using the app to take advantage of tourists, so I was a bit wary, but everything seemed legit. We decided to meet in the old town, and I arrived at the agreed location around 11pm. When I saw her, I noticed she looked different from her pictures, but I let it slide and we went into a nearby bar for a drink.

After a while, her friend showed up and joined us. We all had a great time, and then the girl suggested we have some Latvian shots. She ordered some, and then her friend got in on the action too. I was feeling quite tipsy by this point, and the last shot really hit me hard. I felt sick and needed to leave, but when I tried to pay for my drinks, I was told the girl had already taken care of it – and that’s when I realized I’d been scammed.

It turns out the girl and her friend had drugged me, and when they saw I was feeling sick, they had the bartender tell me that I didn’t have to pay for the drinks. I was obviously taken aback and felt very stupid for not seeing the signs, but I guess that’s what happens when you let your guard down.

The moral of this story is that it’s important to be cautious when you’re out and about, especially if you’re a tourist. I now know that if someone offers to pay for my drinks, I should always check to make sure there isn’t something else going on. It’s also worth taking the time to get to know someone before meeting them in person, and if something feels off, trust your gut and don’t go.

At the end of the day, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I’m thankful that I got out of this situation relatively unscathed, and I hope my experience can help you to be more aware and stay safe.

It’s safe to say most of us have heard of the “one bag” approach to packing, meaning you only pack what can fit in a single piece of luggage. While this minimalist approach has many benefits, one item that should not be included in your one bag is underwear. No matter how much you want to embrace the one bag movement, wearing the same pair of underwear multiple days in a row is just not hygienic.

When it comes to packing light, underwear is one of the items that takes up the least space. While you can get away with a single t-shirt for multiple days, the same cannot be said of underwear. Even if you happen to be an anti-microbial material enthusiast, wearing the same pair of underwear multiple days in a row is just not a good idea.

That being said, it is possible to make a two-pair approach work. Suppose you are on a longer trip, like a two-week vacation, and you only want to bring two pairs of underwear. In this case, you can pack both pairs and wash one in the sink each night. This way, you can still fit your underwear in your one bag, but you also don’t have to worry about being the person who wears the same pair of underwear for days on end.

The key takeaway here is that, while the one bag approach to packing is great, it should not come at the cost of your personal hygiene. Even if you are an extreme minimalist, it is important to remember to bring enough underwear for the duration of your trip. After all, no one wants to be the person who smells bad because they only brought one pair of underwear.

Before smartphones, travelling was much more difficult. You needed to use paper maps to find your way around unfamiliar places, and booking things while travelling often meant a trip to an internet café. But ever since the advent of smartphones, it’s become so much more convenient. With the help of Google Maps, you can easily figure out the quickest route from A to B without having to worry about getting lost. You can also find places to eat, read reviews, and buy tickets for transportation. Plus, it’s great for listening to music, reading, and all the other things a phone can do.

I realised this when I went to Seoul twice, once long before smartphones, and once recently. The difference between the two visits was night and day. The first time, I got lost walking a few blocks from my hotel, but the second time I was able to navigate public buses to a national park with ease.

This is why smartphones are so liberating. They save us so much time and make everything so much easier. They turned the world into a much more convenient place to explore. I can now plan a trip with the help of my phone and have a great time with less stress.

I recently visited Istanbul and decided to do some research on what tourist scams are common in the area. Thankfully, I read about the shoe shiner scam. The next day I was walking in the center when I noticed a shoe shiner had dropped one of his brushes in front of me. I was aware of what was going on, so I chose to ignore it and kept walking.

That’s why I decided to create touristscams.co, a website where you can quickly find out what the most popular tourist scams are in the city you’re visiting. It’s a great resource for travelers who want to be informed and avoid getting scammed. I’d be delighted to hear any ideas on how I can make it even better.

Besides Istanbul, Paris is another popular destination for tourists that is known to have its own set of tourist scams. I’m planning a trip to Paris soon and I’m already aware of a few scams that happen around Sacré-Cœur. The bracelet scam is when people tie a bracelet to your hand and then demand money, and the other is when people try to get you to sign documents for their cause and then ask for a donation. Additionally, there’s the pan handler scam where they put a cup with coins out in front of them, conveniently placed next to a slotted grate. When it gets knocked over, money falls through the grate and they use this as an excuse to ask for even more money.

It’s important to be aware of these scams and to pay attention to prices when you’re travelling. My website touristscams.co is a great tool to help you stay informed and stay safe on your travels.

I recently took a three-week solo trip around Europe, visiting three countries and staying in a different type of accommodation in each: a dorm hostel, a pod hostel, and a hotel. Planning the trip was a real rollercoaster of emotions for me. I’m a socially anxious person and had never travelled alone before, so I was really worried about going and being miserable – wasting my money and then feeling worse about myself. But despite all my doubts, I took the plunge.

My aim on the trip was to push myself out of my comfort zone and put myself in social situations, be in challenging situations that would force me to adapt without leaning on anyone else, learn to be content by myself in public, and do all the fun things that interested me.

I’m happy to report that I achieved all of my goals! It wasn’t always easy. The first day was especially tough, and I found that staying connected with my family and friends back home, practicing mindfulness, meditation, and journaling really helped. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that there were times where people struck up a conversation with me – while waiting in lines, in hostel rooms, and so on – and I reciprocated.

One of the most important things I learnt on this trip was that it’s ok to be alone. I learnt that I can still have a great time and make memories, even if I’m by myself. I also learnt that it’s ok to reach out for help and connection if you need it. I feel much more confident now, and I’m looking forward to travelling alone again soon.

I’m still shaking, even half an hour later. I’m a solo female traveler in my mid twenties, and I’ve been exploring Thailand, Vietnam, and most recently, Indonesia for the past three months. I meet friends in the cities I visit, but I’m alone for the times I’m traveling between places.

Today I spent 10 hours traveling between islands in Indonesia, my last leg of the journey being a 30 minute Grab ride with a man. At first, he was friendly, asking me what I planned to do in this city. But then he started to ask more personal questions, like my age, if I was traveling alone, if I had a boyfriend, and even asked me to come sit in the front seat. I told him I wasn’t interested, and he asked for my Instagram. I said no.

Then, he “rated the drive” even though there were still 15 minutes left. This prevented me from using the help features on the app, and I started to feel really unsafe. The last few minutes of the ride felt like an eternity, and I was so relieved when I finally reached my hostel.

This experience was a complete shock to me, as I’ve never encountered any similar behavior from drivers during my travels. It’s a reminder that, as a solo female traveler, it’s important to stay vigilant and be aware of my surroundings. I’m grateful that I made it to my hostel safely, but this incident has made me even more cautious of the people I come in contact with.

Singapore welcomed me with open arms five years ago when I decided to embark on a three week solo travel journey. As I explored the city, eager to eat my body weight in local cuisine, the news about Anthony Bourdain’s death hit me like a ton of bricks.

Bourdain was an inspiration to many of us, myself included. He encouraged us to explore the world through food and embrace other cultures, and this was my tribute to him back then: Here’s to Anthony Bourdain, a man who inspired a whole generation to explore street food. I’m sure wherever he is now, he’s in an alleyway hole-in-a-wall, having a good laugh with the locals while cracking a cold one. Rest in Parts Unknown.

Out of all the celebrity deaths, his was the one that impacted me the most. President Obama put it perfectly when he said that Anthony Bourdain made us a little less afraid of the unknown. That’s why I decided to solo travel, why I gave up being kosher and why I randomly put on Roadrunner last night, even though I’ve seen it before. His approach and humility to his adventures made travelling seem totally open and accessible. Before streaming and PVR, reruns of No reservations were my comfort food.

Rather than mourning someone’s death, I prefer to recognize their birthday. It focuses more on the entrance of a person into this world, rather than their departure. Anthony Bourdain was an incredible man who had a huge impact on my life, and his birthday is the perfect time to celebrate the legacy he left behind.