Joys of Solo Travel

Monica Gray is filled with positivity and an avid traveler with 58 countries under her belt. Ever since graduating university, she has been traveling solo around the world for the past 5 years. In this episode, she tells absolutely incredible and insane stories in stunning detail. Those include her adventures in India ranging from an Indian wedding, 38 hours hitchhiking that landed her in a truck driving cliff side with sharp turns at every bend in the dark, visiting the Headhunters, 18-hour journey that left her isolated in a jeep with no doors in the middle of a lightning storm, and washing dishes with dirt when volunteering. She also talks about breaking the petrol tank of a car when road tripping around Kyrgyzstan. The episode wraps up with her memorable experiences in Nepal from trekking Mount Everest base camp to building a school out of water bottles.   Learn more about Monica: Instagram: @monicalynngray

Matt Mitzel is constantly making moves during his travels. This time, he landed in South Korea to teach and plans to stay there for one year. In this episode, Matt details his experiences in South Korea ranging from the language, culture, and food. He also talks about the differences between teaching in Korea vs. Spain where he previously taught. Along with getting caught in a blizzard on Jeju island and visiting the largest Korean bamboo forest in Ulsan.   Learn more about Matt: Instagram: @makin_moves_with_matt_

Sarah Shaw has an abundance of travel stories from having been to 30 countries. She began her solo travel journey in 2016 where she went to Seattle by herself and there was a critical moment when she knew she could travel solo. In this episode, she talks about her four day hike up Rainbow mountain in Peru and visiting Easter island in Chile. She also recalls her adventures in Ecuador, from trekking through the Amazon rainforest, to a spiritual experience at Bromelia retreat in Ecuador, and ending her trip at the Galapagos.   Learn more about Sarah: Instagram: @sarahwentsolo

Maggie Zavala radiates positive energy. She left her life in the Philippines to go live in Spain to do a Masters degree in Murcia. It was there where she began learning the Spanish language. In this episode, she also details her adventures where she stayed with a local in Valencia, got pickpocketed in Barcelona, island hopping in Ibiza, and running of the bulls in Pamplona.   Learn more about Maggie: Instagram: @maggiezavalala

Allen Tunstall focuses on slow travelling and living in countries he travels to for an extended period. He has sustained his interesting lifestyle through teaching English abroad and online for the past 7 years. In this episode, he talks about the incredible people and culture of Myanmar, with reminiscence of a 30-hour train ride. Followed by being scammed backpacking in the Maldives after boarding an over-loaded cargo boat in the middle of the night across the Indian Ocean, then finishing off with learning different languages in-depth while traveling.   Learn more about Allen: Instagram: @travelingcrumbs

Saho Kitayama is originally from Japan and currently resides in Norway. She has traveled to 42 countries and absolutely loves to travel like a local. Her first solo trip was back in 2017 in Tanzania where she experienced the best safari in Africa before crossing the border to Kenya where she stayed with locals. As part of her 2-months Latin America and Africa solo trip in 2018, she brings back memories of her experience in the Amazon. She details her adventures in Trinidad and Tobago experiencing one of the best Carnivals in the world, to staying in a farm in Uganda before heading to Rwanda where she stayed in a small village close to Lake Kivu. She finishes the episode with a story of an artist who makes arts with sand on the Island of Goree in Senegal.   Learn more about Saho: Instagram: @saho_kitayama

2019 was a big impactful year for Kylie Nathan which left her with memories of a lifetime through her travels. Her journey began from Hawaii to the other side of the world down under in New Zealand which led to her teaching English in Thailand while reflecting on cultural humility. She recalls almost passing out on the hike to Kelingking beach in Bali, to her adventures through Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam and discovering her roots in Japan.   Learn more about Kylie: Blog: https://www.kylienathan.com/ Instagram: @kylienathan_ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylienathanblog Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kylienathan_

Matt Mitzel is an adventure seeking spontaneous traveler that has been to 31 countries and counting. Full of amazing stories from his travels, he is currently teaching English in South Korea. In this episode, we dive into obtaining the TEFL certificate and teaching English abroad in Galicia and Barcelona, to running of the bulls in Pamplona and taking mud baths with elephants in Thailand. Also, touching on authentic gems in Albania and Bulgaria to getting phones stolen in Spain twice and a stolen passport in Colombia.   Learn more about Matt: Instagram: @makin_moves_with_matt_ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-xipICXMnCkQ-1SiANOQ0g?view_as=subscriber Blog: https://makinmoveswithmatt.com/

From growing up in California discovering her backyard, to falling in love with Argentina and becoming an expat living in Bueno Aires for 2 years and counting. Nidia Verdugo is full of positive energy and this episode provides a glimpse into her adventures in Argentina, USA, Cuba, Brazil, and Uruguay.   Learn more about Nidia: Instagram: @touristyaf Blog: http://www.touristyaf.com/explore

Recalling it as one of the best decisions she has ever made. Sky Diaz worked up the courage, took a leap of faith and made the bold decision to quit her job to travel solo a year ago. She returned to the motherland and made her way to Peru hiking the Colca Canyon and trekking up to Machu Picchu. She also recounts her experience of being nearly detained in the middle of the desert, being trapped in La Paz for two weeks in lockdown, mountain biking death road, and road-tripping down to Santiago de Chile.   Learn more about Sky: Instagram: @earthto_sky

Grecia Erives has an incredible dream of sailing the world. She grew up in Cozumel island but packed up her things and began traveling the world at the age of 18. In this episode, she reveals her current unorthodox lifestyle of the van life, passion for sailing and insane story of a near-death experience caught in a violent storm while sailing.   Learn more about Grecia: Instagram: @greciaerives

Imagine going from a career in managing money on Wall Street to solo traveling the world. This was a risk that Kerry Botensten took 4 years ago and has not looked back since. She has been to over 55 countries and half of them more than once. This episode covers an abundance of fascinating stories from balling her eyes out crying in Portugal, her experience in South Africa staying 2 months more than expected, raising money and helping victims in tiny villages of the 2017 flood in Sri Lanka, emergency exit out of Bolivia when the president got ousted, a peek into the other side of India, leading trips in Iceland, to the untouched Faroe Islands.   Learn more about Kerry: Instagram: @botesonthego Also, find her as Head of Trips at https://www.tripsha.com/

Selena Lu broke through the norms of the life, friends circle, culture that surrounded her and discovered solo travel by accident. Ever since that day, she fell in love with solo travel. This episode covers her stories almost getting kidnapped in Mexico and challenging her physical limits when learning freediving. From Mayan ruins hidden in the jungle of Calakmul to meeting incredible people and eating steaks daily in Argentina, tune in for some awesome stories.   Learn more about Selena: Instagram: @selenaluuu

Taylor Taverna is the true definition of a world traveler. She has been to over 65 countries filled with crazy travel stories. Radiating of positive energy and eloquent storytelling, her journey began when she was 8 years old, going to Germany every summer horseback riding. She moved abroad to Italy by herself right after high school to study Italian where a twist of fate led her to volunteering in Guatemala. She solo traveled to Asia in 2015, from staying with a family in the rural mountains of China, to getting mugged in Vietnam, to taking a leap of faith at the border of Cambodia, to swimming with gorgeous mandarins in Indonesia before a cliff jumping incident led to her landing on her spine that sent her to the hospital, and finishing the podcast with her experience catching Malaria in Ghana.   Learn more about Taylor: Instagram: @tavernatravels Website: https://tavernatravels.com/

Lama Yatim is a free-spirited adventure seeker who aims to become a world traveler. Solo travel gave her the ultimate freedom and infinite space of possibility in which she started discovering herself. Cambodia played host to her first solo travel trip where she left her heart and changed in a wonderful way. Told through her amazing tales, from preconceived notions to questioning her version of a good life to living in temples with monks.   Learn more about Lama: Instagram: @lamayatim

Nayem Alam left his friends, home, and comfort for the first time in 2019 when he left to live and work in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for 4 months. It was not all rainbows and sunshine; he paid his dues in his first month abroad. He recounts the whirlwind of feelings and thoughts that englobed him and how he overcame it to have one of the best experiences of his life.   Learn more about Nayem: Instagram: @nayem_wizdom Website: https://nayemalam.com

42 countries in 1 year! This insane trajectory was backpacked by David Ludlow, an avid adventurer. In this episode, we cover his adventures in 4 continents. A natural storyteller, he shares his fondest memories from his travels, including hidden local gems like hiking the majestic Nakasendo mountain.   Learn more about David: Instagram: @davidludlow1

It took a lot of courage to choose the untouched and isolated region of Tibet as her first solo travel destination. She was looking for adventure, to explore new ways of seeing and experiencing life. In this episode, Lina Fievet talks about cultural differences, confidence, personal growth, mindfulness and lessons learned during her travels through China, Southeast Asia and Australia. 

Shila K became a - traveller at heart - after her very first solo travel in Costa Rica. In this episode, Shila shares with us her experiences in Central America and her recent trips around Europe. Ger ready for exciting stories from Italy, Spain and Switzerland!

Maria Paula Joya decided to get out of her comfort zone and go study in Down Under "Australia". Before flying to Sydney, she stopped in Southeast Asia where she spent a month travelling through Singapore and Phuket among other places. In this episode, she shares with us some stories about her solo travelling experiences and her cultural exchange.

Veronica Rinaldi is a free-spirit adventurer, always ready to make new experiences around the world. In this episode, she shares stories from her trips in Europe, Southeast Asia and her life-changing adventure in Australia where she current lives. 

Rossanna Fiorenza has been on the road travelling since 2009, experiencing the beauties of this world. In this episode, she shares stories of her experience in South Africa and jaw dropping hitchhiking adventures from her current trip - hitchhike from Ushuaia to Alaska. 

Edouard Gasnier has visited, lived, studied and worked in 44 countries spanning most continents. In this episode, he details his incredible solo travelling adventures in South America where he backpacked for 9 months!

Zack Tsouflidis is embodied by a natural adventurous spirit, curiosity and willingness to get out there and explore the world. In this episode, he shares stories of his insane hitchhiking adventures in United States with plenty of plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your toes.

Eric Tran has an abundance of travelling experience ranging from Western Europe, to Asia, to Oceania, to North America. In this episode, he shares his remarkable backpacking adventures during his 4 months stint in South East Asia.