A girl's guide to travelling alone

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Welcome to A Girl’s Guide to Travelling Alone! I’m Gemma Thompson and I’ve been happily travelling solo since 2002. From weekend breaks, to planning epic round-the-world trips, I’m here to help, with practical tips and advice on topics such as how to stay safe, how to decide where to go, how to avoid Delhi Belly and how to plan a worry free trip. I’ll be interviewing some amazing guests such as Wanderlust Magazine’s resident medic Dr. Jane Wilson-Howarth, adventure traveller Dave Cornthwaite and Stylist magazine travel editor Anna Hart. There will also be on-the-road city guides plus special on-location episodes such as ‘the life of the digital nomad - on the road from Lisbon’. Thanks for listening! You can read more over at girlsthattravel.com

Gemma Thompson


    • Apr 21, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 37m AVG DURATION
    • 38 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from A girl's guide to travelling alone

    038: Living like a local, with Lamorna Ash

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2022 27:24


    Lamorna Ash is a British writer, and her award-winning book ‘Dark, Salt, Clear: Life in a Cornish fishing town' documents her time spent in the Cornish town of Newlyn. We spoke about what it is to fully immerse yourself into a new environment, and what she took away with her, from her experiences at sea. 

    037: Cycling around the world, with Meaghan Hackinen

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2022 35:42


    Meaghan Hackinen is a Canadian writer, ultra-endurance cyclist, and adventure-seeker. Her first book, South Away: The Pacific Coast on Two Wheels has been nominated for two Canadian book awards.

    canadian two wheels cycling around the world
    036: How to make the most of your alone time with Francesca Specter

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2021 35:47


    Francesca Specter is the author of ‘Alonement - How To Be Alone and Absolutely Own It.' We discuss the best ways to make the most of your alone time.

    035: India's Borderlands with Suchitra Vijayan

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2021 40:32


    Writer and Photographer Suchitra Vijayan spent seven years travelling solo, across 9,000 miles along India's many borders, from Pakistan to Myanmar to Afghanistan.

    034: Breaking into solo travel with Gem Bowles from HolidayPirates

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2021 36:47


    Gem Bowles is a solo travel advocate and one of HolidayPirate's deal hunters. In this episode we talk about getting started in solo travel and also some top unexpected tips that can turn a good trip into a great one.

    033: Solo travel in Antarctica with Preet Chandi

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2021 36:22


    Preet Chandi is a polar explorer. She is currently training to become the first Asian woman to complete a solo unsupported expedition to the South Pole in Antarctica.

    032: Why it is never too late to start travelling, with Patti Lefkos

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2021 28:23


    Patti Lefkos is an adventure travel writer. She did not try solo travel until she was in her sixties, and she published her first book at the age of 73.

    031: Solo travel in Scotland with Helen Ochyra

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2021 33:11


    Helen Ochyra shares her experience of solo travel in Scotland and what makes this country so special.

    030: Jo McClintock from Skyscanner on travel in 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2021 25:29


    I talk to Jo McClintock, the Senior Director of Global Marketing and Brand at Skyscanner, about how travel may look in 2021

    029: Rachel Khoo on food, travel and chocolate

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2020 39:13


    I talk to Rachel Khoo about food, travel, the best things about Paris, London and Stockholm and of course, chocolate!

    028: The World's Most Dangerous Borders with Reza Pakravan

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2020 29:56


    I talk to Reza Pakravan about his new Amazon Prime series, The World's Most Dangerous Borders.

    027: The Ultimate Travel List by Lonely Planet

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2020 6:23


    A new book review of ‘The Ultimate Travel List' by Lonely Planet.

    026: Travelling while black with Nanjala Nyabola

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2020 70:47


    Nanjala Nyabola shares some of her experiences of travelling solo as a black African woman.

    025: How to meet other solo female travellers on the road, with Heeral Pattni

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2020 18:51


    Heeral Pattni, founder of Amica App, shares her tips on meeting other solo female travellers on the road 

    024: Solo camping in the Australian Outback with Kath Swinbourne

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2020 58:43


    Kath Swinbourne shares some wonderful tales and tips from solo camping in Outback Australia

    023: Travel sleep stories to help you drift off with Candace Rardon

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2020 40:40


    Candace Rardon writes sleeps stories for Calm app. We talk about how these travel stories can gently guide you into another world, and help you drift off. Candace is also a travel illustrator and has had her work published in National Geographic, The New York Times and BBC Travel. We also discuss how sketching can open up a whole other world when travelling. 

    022: Can travel ever heal a broken heart? With Rosie Wilby

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2020 36:44


    Rosie Wilby shares her knowledge of the good and bad parts of solo travel and relationships

    021: Travelling after having kids, with Sophie Black

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2020 34:17


    Sophie Black shares her solo travel experiences both before and after having kids

    020: Liz Warner: The girl who ran across the world

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2020 36:45


    Liz Warner is currently taking on the challenge of running 30 marathons in 30 different countries, raising money for various women-empowerment charities within each country

    019: Hiking The Path of the Gods

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2020 14:18


    Join me on The Path of the Gods where I will guide you through this beautiful hike on The Amalfi Coast 

    018: The life of a travel broadcaster, with Lisa Francesca Nand

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2020 47:53


    Lisa Francesca Nand talks about her career in travel broadcasting, writing and her excellent show, The Big Travel Podcast.

    017: The mental health benefits of solo travel, with Efia Sulter

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2020 20:42


    Efia Sulter is a solo travel writer who also focuses on mental health. Originally from Scotland, she currently lives in Melbourne.

    016: From desk dweller to Polar Explorer, with Sophie Montagne

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2020 36:57


    Sophie Montagne describes herself as ‘athletically very average'. Desperate for adventure, she took a year out to travel. On her return to England she applied to join an all female Polar expedition, and was picked.

    015: First time India with Mariellen Ward

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2020 59:28


    Mariellen Ward is an award winning travel blogger at BreatheDreamGo.com. We talk about her love of India, advice for a first time visitor, and how to have an authentic Indian experience.

    indian mariellen ward
    014: What happiness looks like around to world, with Helen Russell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2020 18:26


    Helen Russell is a best-selling British author, currently living in rural Denmark. Helen is an expert on international happiness, and shares her findings on what happiness looks like around the world, and what we can adopt to make ourselves happier.

    013: Race Across the World with Natalie and Shameema

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2019 55:44


    BBC Two recently aired a travel show where five teams competed to travel overland from London to Singapore in the shortest time. Natalie and Shameema share their ups and downs.

    012: How to experience deeper, more immersive travel

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2019 39:25


    Emily Luxton is a full time travel blogger and specialises in deeper travel. In this episode she shares her tips on how we can all have a more immersive experience when we travel.

    011: How to turn a negative situation into a positive one

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2019 37:50


    Lindsey Cole has been affected by loss, grief and self harm. In this episode she shares her experiences of turning a harrowing time in her life, into a positive adventure.

    010: 7 easy steps to low cost travel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2019 43:09


    Danielle Desir is a travel finance specialist, speaker and podcaster at The Thought Card. In the past few years, she has saved thousands of dollars on travel, paid off her student debt, and become a homeowner.

    009: Ignoring solo travel advice

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2019 45:58


    Travel writer Amy Baker shares some of the warnings she received before embarking on her 6 month solo trip to South America, and why she chose to ignore them.

    008: My top 5 solo travel tips

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2019 64:53


    I've been travelling solo since 2002 and haven't always got it quite right. I learned along the way and have shared my top five tips for solo travellers.

    007: How to stay safe as a solo traveller

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2018 36:57


    Travel security expert Lloyd Figgins shares his must-dos when reducing risks on the road, without compromising on the fun of solo travel. Includes Lloyd's essential travel safety packing list.

    006: How to be a successful expat

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2018 50:45


    Ever wondered what it's like to move to a new country? Sarah Mikutel, founder of The Postcard Academy, shares her top tips on how to fit right in to your new surroundings.

    005: On the road with digital nomads in Lisbon

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2018 31:52


    I recently stayed at Outsite, which is a co-living space for digital nomads. I interviewed three people who are all doing their own thing and making a life for themselves on the road, working to a schedule to suit them.

    004: How to have adventures, with Dave Cornthwaite

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2018 33:02


    So far, Dave Cornthwaite has completed 14 out of 25 unique 1000 mile journeys, all on non-motorised transport. Dave's ethos in life is to 'Say yes more', and in this episode we learn how we can all have more adventures.

    003: The importance of solo travel with Anna Hart

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2018 25:12


    I took the train to sunny Margate to meet up with contributing travel editor of Stylist Magazine, Anna Hart to discuss her new travel memoir ‘Departures' and to talk about solo travel and why we should all push ourselves outside of our comfort zone.

    002: How to travel and shoot like a pro with International Professional Photographer Laura Pearman

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2018 55:52


    International Photographer Laura Pearman shares her top tips on solo travel and how to shoot like a pro when you're on the road. Laura has even given me a free kit checklist at the end so stay tuned! Such a great value episode!

    001: How to stay healthy on the road with Dr. Jane Wilson-Howarth

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2018 52:31


    Dr. Jane Wilson-Howarth is Wanderlust Magazine's resident medic. We discuss how to avoid getting Delhi belly, what to do if you have an accident or are taken ill when you're travelling and what essential medical kit we should all take with us on each trip.

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