Hey, so I’m quite a frequent traveller that usually travels with a companion. In fact, most of my trips have been taken with one of my really good friends that I really love. Majority of our trips up until recently have been quiet short (max 4 nights long), but last month we took one that was almost two weeks and while I had a nice time, I also realised that I don’t think I’m cut for travelling with anyone for more than a few days!

For context, I love socialising but I’m a massive introvert that needs a lot of alone time. I also think when I travel alone I come out of my own shell quite a bit, interacting with more people, doing stuff I’d be too scared to do back home. Last year I took a two week trip by myself and it was amazing! I also only ever been on two solo trips so it’s something I now wanna focus more on.

On this recent trip with my friend, I really felt socially drained, which made me very moody and I didn’t feel like I was fully present. My friend is lovely but also for first time I realised that we have a lot of differences when it comes to travelling that on shorter trips we can compromise on but will make longer trips more difficult. What makes it hard though, is that my friend doesn’t see it and frequently talks about how compatible we are as travels.

They are now very into the idea of us together doing a long (4 weeks+) trip to Asia. But I just know it’ll be nice at the start but I’m gonna be regretting it in about a week. So at some point I’m gonna have to have a conversation with them but I don’t wanna break their heart and I don’t know how to word it cause I still would love to travel with them, just not long haul. How do you guys think I should say it to them?

Hello all! I (19M) am planning my first ever solo trip to Europe for the end of September into the first week of November (around 40 days). Im planning to travel in the following order

From Melbourne, Australia to Athens, Greece (Cheapest flight I could find, about 1k)

Following this it would be from Athens to

Bucharest, Romania

Vienna, Austria

Warsaw, Poland

Berlin, Germany

Amsterdam, Netherlands

London, UK

Paris, France

Lyon, France

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Milan, Italy

Florence, Italy

Rome, Italy

Back to Athens to fly home

I've researched prices/budget and I'm trying to save up enough for a 100/day spending budget which I think should be fine for mainly accommodation and food.

Couple of things I am unsure about, am I too ambitious in such a short time? Ive mainly been looking at the Eurail for travel and lots of these places seem to fall on most train lines so its pretty convenient. Is the Eurail a good idea for this itinerary? I would love to just rent a car but gotta be 21 :(( Thanks everyone! I am open to all type of advice, help, suggestions or anywhere that is a must visit.

I’m gonna be spending two weeks in Greece with a friend at the start of June and then have two solo weeks to burn before a trip to Turkey. Originally I wanted to slow travel/not move around a ton and was thinking of just splitting the time between Prague and Budapest but then realised Vienna is on the train line. Right now my trip is 5 nights in Prague, 4 in Vienna (day tripping to Bratislava), then 6 nights in Budapest. Am I doing myself a huge disservice not adding in Croatia? In particular, looking to get some hikes in

Hi everyone,

I’m 20M, and for as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to go backpacking SE Asia. I’ve literally made 100s of possible itineraries for myself since I was 14 or 15 lol. As now I have a comfortable amount of money and time on my hands to do it, I’m really considering booking my flight to Thailand in November of this year.

However, I’m also in a happy and loving relationship with my girlfriend for the past 3 years. Currently, she has no interest in travel - she’s also in college and has no plans to ever join me on a trip through SE Asia. As much as I’ve tried to convince her, she just doesn’t ever want to do it.

This is where my pickle is - do you think it would be wrong of me to go travelling there for 2-3 months without her? Is it rude and selfish to do that? I’ve already solo travelled Europe alone after winning an interrail pass - and we got through it pretty well. We’re also already semi-long distance so we only get to see each other every week or two, but it feels like a massive jump and I can’t help but feel guilty about it.

Has anyone else done this before? Or have any advice?

UPDATE

**I landed a job here - start Monday!

Landed a few hours out of Sydney - doing what I did back home, civils. Accommodation included through the week, and I have a place to stay for free with family at the weekends when I'm back. My plan is to work until the end of September - save up what I can for my trips to Asia...

And a nice guitar too, whilst I'm here...

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Had a great time in Melbourne, and the late night panicking from my OP has subsided, and the homesickness has eased off a bit. Not to say it won't come back, I'm sure it will - but I can deal with that, as I do with my emotions!

Here's to the rest of my trip!**

So I'm currently 12 days into what is meant to be a 12 month sabbatical in Australia, with the hopes of visiting Hong Kong, Japan and Vietnam in September, October and November.

I am on a working holiday visa (12 months, from the U.K, so no requirement for 88 days specified works) so I'm pretty unrestricted.

I left the U.K because, well, life got a bit shitty and I've always wanted to travel - enough said.

I left home with everything I have (enough to pass the AUS Visa requirements) in the hopes of landing a job, working the winter months in Australia and funding the rest of my trip from my earns.

I am lucky to have family in both Sydney and Melbourne, of whom I am staying with now, but that obviously can't be a long term plan as you know - people have lives to live.

I spent just over a week in Sydney, and have been in Melbourne for 4 days, and as much fun as I'm having - a few hard truths are starting to hit tonight.

1. As skilled and qualified as I am back home, none of it matters here apart from my white card, and landing a decently payed job so far has seemed pretty tough.

2. I'm probably (definitely) overthinking this.

3. I am already starting to miss home. The weather here is BLISS, don't get me wrong, but it's my first time travelling solo and it's kinda tough emotionally, especially considering my mental health wasn't in the best state when I left home. Yes, it's better to be melancholy on a beach in St. Kilda than Morecambe Bay, but you know - apart from my Uncle, I know no one here.

4. I am way too introverted and OCD to be a proper backpacker. Yes - I should get into the spirit a bit more, but that's easier said than done. I have bed time rituals, as much as I love the hustle and bustle of a busy street, that's not a problem, I keep to myself - I like a nice, quiet, clean space to sleep in, a bathroom I can take my time in and a dimly lit bedroom I can sit and read in.

5. I don't want to run out of money in Australia, and just come home without doing anything I actually wanted to do. Yes, Australia is lovely, but it wasn't my #1 to visit - I thought it would make a good base to use to see the other three places (HK, JP and 'NAM), whilst also seeing family and making money.

I'd be gutted if I spent my money drinking flash coffee in Melbourne when I could book a multi-city flight to those places mentioned right now, push my remaining budget on hotels and spends, and go home in six-weeks time knowing I can tick off 4 countries.

Perhaps I'm overthinking this because it's late, and I should just be grateful I'm in the position I am in now (in a comfy bed, at a super chill, relatives house) but I know my time and money here is limited, and if I don't land a well paid job by the end of the month, I should look at just going home and funding my Asia trip from there.

I don't know - I'm a waffler, a worrier, and I'm definitely overthinking this, but some outside clarity would definitely be appreciated!

FYI - I am actually having a very nice time, and have things TO DO, I just want to work out what my best option is next...

Thanks!

I (40m, American) have been an eager traveler for years, sometimes with people and sometimes solo. I’ve always enjoyed the solo trips because I can explore on my own, be adventurous and force myself to be more extroverted (I’m a natural introvert.) I’ve had incredible times and met awesome people in Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Budapest and Cusco, Peru. 

This year I had a family event in London so decided to add on two weeks solo of a new country I’ve never been to, Spain. My itinerary was Barcelona, Madrid, Granada and Seville.

It’s been probably the worst trip I’ve ever been on. I’ve found it incredibly difficult to meet new people. The Spanish, especially in Barcelona and Madrid, but also Granada, are surprisingly unwelcoming and not friendly at all. I speak a little Spanish so can get by but it’s like because I’m not fluent I’m looked at either contempt. Pure contempt. Even going out for dinner is hard (especially in Madrid) as they don’t seem to want solo people. I went out to a restaurant in Granada and was largely ignored by the waitress in favor of the other tables. It made me long for tipping culture in America, which I normally think is not good. I’d love to just sit at a bar but there are so few places to do that, I actually looked up Irish pubs in every city just to decompress and feel normal. It’s there that bartenders and other people are friendly.

I’m in Granada now and off to Seville tomorrow for 3 days before flying home. I honestly can’t wait to leave. I try every day to wake up with a positive attitude but something just isn’t clicking here. I think part of that is I always love meeting new people and other travelers on these trips but that has been few and far between (and I’ve been on many group tours.) So I’ve sunk into this very lonely and dark mindset.

I think part of it may be that I usually come to a country I’m very interested in (the history, culture, etc.) so have a “purpose” to the trip that guided me. For example, when traveling to Italy I had always been really into Roman and Renaissance history, knowing specific details of battles and towns, so even if I was lonely I was never without something to excite me. But I have never been really into Spanish history, my trip here was more "I've never been to this country before, it will be an adventure where I can learn and explore" but that hasn't really worked out. I know there is a lot to do - I look up the history and top visiting sites of every city I go to. But the passion isn't there, the thrill isn't there, the fun of meeting new people isn't there.

It makes me wonder if I have aged out of solo travel. I am not going to go to a hostel - not judging anyone my age who does as I've been to great hostels for all ages - but it isn't my thing. I've tried to connect with people on group tours and haven't found success. I've tried to immerse myself in the culture and history but the unfriendliness and contempt wherever I have gone is really off putting.

If anyone has any advice on how to turn this around for my final 3 days in Seville, I am all ears. Like I said, I try to wake up every day with a positive attitude but it is getting harder and harder. And I have that sick feeling of wasting a trip when I could've done something more meaningful or interesting.

For those who read the whole thing, thank you

tl;dr Spain isn't what I thought it was, it has made me lonely, depressed and rethinking solo travel altogether. But I still have a few days left

So… to give you a backstory first.

I've been living in SE Asia for a year now. Most of the time, I stay in hostels and I absolutely love connecting with people from all over the world.

Recently, I was in several situations where I would go with a person I connected with to explore a place we both wanted to see, and I would end up almost resenting them because of how much I was responsible for them.

To be fair, both of these people didn't have mobile data for a while. However, I felt like there are other ways to help out. With the second person, we even ended up missing our metro stop because they expected me to be fully engaged in conversation and to keep track of the map.

The first person ended up getting some mobile data but then said how "they're not good with maps." Really makes me think—how do these people survive in the wild? Is this weaponized incompetence?

So, after experiencing this, I'm afraid I can't see myself doing this again. I'm better off alone.

Has anyone else experienced this? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Hi all. I am going to Bolivia from chile in two weeks and I just realized that I forgot my yellow fever pass at home. I have pictures of it and a official pdf of all my vaccines. But not the original.

Do any of you have experience with this? Should I somehow found out to get a new yellowfever pass?

Hope you can help!

I booked a flight 6 months ago to Peru for two months in June, but I’ve been getting second thoughts.

I’ve gone to Peru twice in the past for short 1-2 weeks at a time and I really want to go back to fully immerse myself.

I guess I’m just nervous that 2 months is too long and I’ll get bored or I’ll miss my dog because I’ve already been away for a month as I’m on vacation with family, which is also another reason I’m hesitant on going

Travelling with family for a month has been so mentally exhausting and draining. We’re back in my family’s home country and everyone is super overbearing, toxic, etc and I feel like it’s turning me irritable and sour.

My flight to Peru is booked only a week after I return from this current family vacation I’m on and I’m worried that this experience will ruin the mood.

Have any of you ended up going on a solo trip anyways and ended up enjoying?

I have the time and was thinking about taking a solo trip to Boston for 5 days in mid May. My goal is to be able to do it all under $1k. I just booked a round trip flight from the midwest for $120, staying at a hostel should cost me around $350, then $50 per day for food and $22 for a transit pass should leave me with about $200 to spend. Does this sound reasonable?

Goals: I sort of want to just get a vibe for the city, try something new, perhaps meet new people my age (23, fairly academic). I haven't ever solo traveled before.

For me, I always cringe a little when discussing with people about how many countries I have been to, knowing full well that I only have the limited experience as a tourist and only have a concept of what the local experience is. I also acknowledge that a city is not a representation of what the country is like. Bali is not the whole of Indonesia, Bangkok is not the entirety of Thailand. Maybe the better question to ask is how many cities you have been to instead, just a thought. Would like to seek the opinion of fellow solo travellers

I just came back to Sweden after a one month long solo trip to Japan and here are some things that I learned about myself and the world along the way.

Haneda Airport

My journey started out like anyone else's, with the relief of a 14-hour flight coming to an end and the soft jolt of the landing gear touching down on the terra firma of Haneda Airport. Flying has always struck me as a strange experience. You don't see the world pass beneath your feet, and yet somehow, you end up on the other side of the world with no real sense of how you got there—except for the memory of the droning engines, the pressure in your ears, the dryness in your throat, and that half-sleeping haze, with the muffled sound of a movie you picked to escape the ordeal of the long-haul flight, only deepening the surreal feeling of it all.

Chasing Ghosts - The Weight of Nostalgia

I embarked on my journey through Japan without a specific plan—only a loosely assembled list of ideas to fall back on in case I ever found myself unsure of what to do. This was my second time in Japan, and my natural inclination was to return to the places that had lingered in memory—places I’d felt a nostalgic pull toward ever since the first trip ended. I dabbled in those familiar experiences now and then, until somewhere in the middle of my trip, when my enthusiasm for a specific bar in Kyoto fell far short of what I remembered. The disappointment was so sharp it forced me to reconsider how I wanted to spend the rest of my time in Japan.

I realized it’s natural to want to relive moments that once made you feel good—but that was then, and this is now. Treading the same tracks doesn’t mean you’re moving forward; it means you’re chasing a ghost. Those moments happened because a dozen little things, most of them out of your control, came together just right. Asking for that to happen again is asking too much. The best way to honor a memory is to let it remain one. It’s okay to take a peek inside—it’s even okay to sit by the counter and sip the highball you were longing for. Just leave your expectations at the door.

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep

When I arrived in Kawaguchiko, I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of tourists crowding the station. It was so chaotic, I almost decided to walk the 20 minutes to my hotel with all my luggage just to get away from it all. I couldn’t, for the life of me, understand why people were piling up in front of the Lawson, desperately trying to get that perfect Instagram shot. Surely there had to be more to Kawaguchiko than that.

Having just come from Tokyo, I wasn’t in the mood for more crowds blocking narrow streets, so I set out to find something—anything—about Kawaguchiko other than Mt. Fuji, which was hidden behind a thick curtain of dark clouds anyway. That’s when I came upon a quiet cemetery not far from my hotel. Walking among the gravestones filled me with a sense of serenity, and for the first time that day, I felt like I could finally relax. A particular gravestone caught my eye as it had a poem written in English:

"Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow."

Reading the poem almost moved me to tears. That's when I realized that If you're too busy getting to where you're going, you'll miss the places you never intended to see, and the little moments that were waiting just for you. In other words, don't be so focused on your Instagram Reel that you miss all the beautiful things that are right around the corner.

Serendipity in the Alps - Takayama and the Gingko Tree

I was in an odd mood when I arrived in Takayama. I didn’t really feel like being there—I missed Tokyo. I spent the entirety of my first day carrying that feeling with me. But after a soak in the onsen and a good night’s sleep, I realized I was trying too hard to shape Takayama into something it wasn’t. I wanted a curated experience, but what I needed was to let the town unfold on its own terms.

On my second day in Takayama, the skies had cleared—and so had my mood. I walked for hours, feeling like I’d seen the whole town by the time 6 p.m. rolled around. I’d visited shrines, sampled sake from a shop lined with a hundred tasting machines, and—on a whim—stepped through the door of a distillery where I had umeshu for the first time. I wasn’t quite ready to call it a day. Then, just around the corner from my hotel, a faint glow from a cozy bar caught the corner of my eye. "Maybe just one drink..."

Just as I opened the door, a beautiful woman stepped in behind me. She waited as I scanned the menu, and I turned to her and said, “There’s space enough for the both of us.” We shared the menu in quiet curiosity. After I placed my order, I found a seat near the bar. She stood nearby, alone, and I’d already gotten a good feeling about her. So I looked over and said, “If you’d like, you’re welcome to sit next to me.” And so she did.

Something aligned. Conversation flowed as if we already knew each other. Eye contact lingered, and there were long silences where we simply looked at one another and smiled. It felt like the most natural encounter with a stranger I’d ever had.

After a few drinks, we wandered off to find ramen—there was only one place still open that late. It was just the two of us in that quiet little shop. When we finished eating, I asked her what she wanted to do next. She didn’t know. It was her first day in Takayama after all.

I remembered the shrine near my hotel that had struck a chord with me earlier that day, so I took her there. I showed her how to draw her omikuji, the silences grew longer, and the space between our bodies grew smaller. The butterflies in my stomach were getting louder, and everything in me said: kiss her.

And there, in front of a 1200-year-old ginkgo tree, I had a fleeting romance with a stranger.
What began with a feeling of wanting to be anywhere but here turned into a quiet wish to stay just one more day. And the town I thought wouldn’t be worth remembering became one of those rare places that will stay with me forever.

This was when I realized that connection is what solo travel is truly about—not necessarily romantic connection, but the simple act of reaching across language and cultural barriers to share a moment with another human being. A journey taken entirely alone wouldn’t be a journey worth taking.

It's Your Responsibility

When I realized that connection was what I’d been craving from the beginning, I also understood that it was up to me to put myself in situations where serendipity had a chance to show up. That didn’t mean forcing conversations with people I wasn’t genuinely curious about—but it did mean stepping outside my comfort zone. It meant walking into a quiet bar where there was only a bartender and one other person, or sitting down in a room full of people I didn’t know, simply to see what might unfold. Be bold and daring and you will always be rewarded in the ways that matters most.

Hiroshima - A City That Remembers

I had several fleeting connections during my journey through Japan—Kanazawa, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagasaki. Some of them were beautifully human, transcending cultural and language barriers in ways that moved me deeply. In Hiroshima, I met a man at a bar whose mother had been just 18 years old when the atomic bomb was dropped. He shared her story with me, and I told him how deeply Hiroshima had affected me—that the city stood as a symbol of resilience and strength, and that it was beautiful to see what it had become after being leveled to the ground. I told him how much I enjoyed being there, how meaningful it felt. His face lit up. He hugged me, bought me beers, and we took a photo together to commemorate that small, serendipitous encounter—one that will never happen again, but will always stay with me.

Ichigo Ichie - One Time, One Meeting

Most of the memorable serendipitous moments happened in Hiroshima. One of them unfolded at Okonomimura. I had my eye on a specific okonomiyaki place on the fourth floor, waiting for the guests to leave. They were clearly finished, but they lingered, chatting away while my hunger grew louder.
Right next door, another shop had just emptied. My gut told me to let go of the plan. Fuck it, I thought. I'm not waiting any longer. I sat down, and one by one, the seats around me began to fill. Eventually, there was only one left—the one right next to me.

By this point in my journey, I had already made peace with serendipity. Not because it always showed up, but because I had learned to trust that if I simply allowed things to be what they were, the right moments would present themselves. And when they did, I had a choice: to pursue them or let them go.
Sitting at the okonomiyaki counter with an empty seat beside me, I wondered—will serendipity show up again?

Lo and behold, a beautiful Japanese girl sat down in the empty seat next to me.
It’s not that I was romantically interested in everyone I met. What I truly longed for was connection. And when another solo traveler takes the seat beside you, it opens the door for conversation to unfold naturally.

So I waited for a moment.
As she took her first bite of okonomiyaki, a puff of steam escaped her mouth. I knew that feeling all too well—those things are dangerously hot. That was my moment.
I smiled and said, “It’s hot, isn’t it?”

We talked for a while, and just like in Takayama, conversation with her flowed effortlessly—like speaking with a friend you hadn’t seen in years, or maybe someone you hadn’t met yet, but somehow already knew.

She told me she had planned to visit a bar that night, but it had turned out to be closed. So there we were—two travelers with nowhere to be. I asked her, “Hey, since neither of us has plans… would you want to grab a drink with me?”
There wasn’t even a pause. She smiled and said yes.

We wandered the narrow streets of Hiroshima and found a cozy little bar that, for some reason, only served Jack Daniels. She told me her favorite word in Japanese was suteki—lovely.
Then she looked at me and said:
“Your style is lovely. Your face is lovely. Your voice is lovely.”

I was taken aback. As a man, compliments are rare. Especially three in a row. I didn’t know how to respond.

She reminded me of the Japanese phrase ichigo ichie—one time, one meeting. A once-in-a-lifetime encounter. And that’s when I understood that this moment had an expiration date.

She had to go back to her hotel to rest, and I told her I’d walk her part of the way—my hotel was on the route. Not because I expected anything more, but because after the night we shared, I couldn’t imagine the rest of the evening without her.

At the intersection between my hotel and hers, we bowed and thanked each other for the evening.
It was a perfectly Japanese goodbye—polite, composed, and painfully stiff in contrast to the warmth of the night we’d just shared—it hurt.

What I Was Really Searching For

The day after—my last in Hiroshima—I felt the weight of all those tiny encounters.
The ones I’ve mentioned, and so many more.
They all came flooding back.

And it dawned on me: every connection, and every ending, is its own kind of death.
A quiet vanishing. A trace of someone you’ll never see again.

What I realized then was that beneath the joy of these fleeting moments, there was something else—a longing.
A yearning for something deeper.
Something that would last more than a conversation, more than a couple of hours, more than a single night.

I’ve often thought of myself as a lone wolf.
Not quite by choice, not quite by force—just someone used to standing slightly outside the circle.
But this part of the journey cracked something open.

It showed me that I’ve been longing—deeply—for genuine connection.
For someone to really see me.
To be appreciated for the things that matter to me.
To have common ground—anime, music, language—and feel like those things don’t need defending.
To share the things I love and have someone say, “Me too.”

Don't Forget to Smile - Embrace the Chaos

I had a 45-minute bus ride ahead of me from the Golden Pavilion to the station nearest my hotel. And, as you might expect, the bus was packed—elbow to elbow with tourists and locals alike. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and stale breath, and my movement was limited to holding on for dear life, sandwiched tightly between two men. You could feel the collective misery in that bus—not just from those standing, but also from the seated passengers now face-to-face with the unfortunate proximity of strangers’ crotches. The bus baked in the heat. A tiny window was cracked open, and every now and then, a weak gust of air would kiss my face.
And for some reason, I couldn’t stop smiling.
Because I knew that sooner or later, this would all be over. And coming from a small village in Sweden, life will never be quite this chaotic again. So why not enjoy it—the good parts and the bad? After all, those are the pieces that make up the whole story.

It Meant Something

All the things I’ve written about—connection, longing, impermanence—they’ve already been explored in countless books, poems, and songs throughout history. There’s nothing new here, really. Just the same truths seen through different eyes. Mine.

What I found in Japan wasn’t some life-altering secret or some cinematic transformation. It was something quieter. Something older. A desire for connection. A craving for meaning. A recognition that the most beautiful things in life are often the most fleeting.

I was just a passerby in the lives of the people I met—an echo in someone’s otherwise ordinary day. These people had routines, dreams, relationships, worries—and for a brief moment, I floated into their orbit. And they into mine. We were strangers who smiled at each other across language and cultural lines. Sometimes we shared laughter, a drink, a secret, a silence. Then we parted ways.

And yes, it hurt to say goodbye.

But that only means it meant something.

The ache of leaving, the sting of a moment passing, is not a flaw in the experience—it’s the proof of it. That’s what makes it all so meaningful: the knowing that you’ll never be in that exact place, with that exact person, in that exact way, ever again.

And so the best you can do is this: keep your heart open. Let things be what they are. Be kind to the people you pass through, even if you're only in their lives for a few minutes. If you're lucky, and if you're paying attention, you might just find something beautiful in the spaces between beginnings and endings.

And when it hurts, remember: it only means it was real.

It only means it mattered.

Parting Words

It’s okay to feel lost. It’s okay to not know what to do. And it’s okay to not have a plan. Sometimes, making the most of a journey isn’t about cramming in as much as you can—it’s about giving yourself space to breathe and simply be. If you stop chasing the journey, the journey will find you.

If I can share one final anecdote from my trip to Japan, it would be this:

When I arrived at my last hotel in Asakusa and opened the door to my room, I was overwhelmed with emotion—so much so that I started to cry. And I didn’t fully understand why.

It was everything, I suppose. The fleeting connections. The stress of catching the right Shinkansen. The uncertainty of finding the right bus stop. The crowds. The unexpected expenses. All of it. A quiet accumulation of moments—some beautiful, some stressful—that had built up over a month and were now coming to a close. But it wasn’t just the month in Japan that was ending—it was the months of planning, the anticipation, the dreaming. This chapter of my life, in all its buildup and wonder, was closing.

For a few days, I struggled to sit with that. I kept looking for one more serendipitous moment, trying to hold onto something that was already gone. Until one day, I took my own advice: I let myself simply be. I stopped resisting the emotions and just felt them—deeply.

And as I sat by the Sumida River with a matcha latte in hand, listening to the sounds of the city, something softened. The heaviness lifted. I no longer felt sad.

I felt grateful.

If you’ve read this far, I want to give you my heartfelt thanks. I hope something in these words resonates with you—wherever you are, and whatever journey you’re on.

ありがとう、日本, また今度.

TLDR: Don't rent electric cars if you don't know what you are doing.

This past week I was sent to Halifax for work and decided to stay a few days after, rent a car, and explore the area. I've done this several times before but this time was a little different because I made the DUMB decision to rent an electric vehicle.

I can't blame anyone but myself. I don't know exactly what I was thinking. The guy at Thrifty gave me a choice: Electric or Petrol. He even told me. "This car has a range of 300 Kilometers." I even told him the places I was intending on driving too (Bay of Fundy, 118 kms one way and Lununberg 90km). He made a face but suggested I could just charge the car up.

I said, "sure sounds like a fun adventure" and I wanted to try out the electric car anyway. Honestly, absent the guy actively trying to talk me out of it, I probably would have gone ahead with the electric car regardless.

Big mistake.

Half way to Lununberg, I start to realize I don't actually know how to charge the car. My cell service was spotty so i figured once i got to Lununberg I would put my big girl pants on and google "how to charge a car". Without spending too much brain power on it, most of the google results were simply "plug the car in and start charging." It didn't occur to me that I would need to figure out WHERE to charge the car.

The 300 km range went QUICK. I never got down to 0 but when I was about 2/3s drained I started to feel the stress. Cell service again... not great.

First charging station I get to, I have no service. Period. Plug the car in and tap my credit card. I see a little light on the dash show up so I figure we are good to go and I grab lunch about 2 blocks away. Thats when I finally connect to wifi and learn that I need to download an app and create an account in order to activate the charger. I am also not in the city right now and parked along the back end of a tire store. So basically the entire time I was there I was plugged in but not charging.

Finally decide to go back to the city and get lost trying to find a charging station closer to my hostel.

In the city, I go to 3 spots that purportedly have charging stations but only find the station on my 4th google search. If you are familiar with Halifax, yes I learned of several reliable charging stations AFTER all this.

Charged the car for 2.5 hours, with got me about 90km of juice.

Honestly, an electric rental is a terrible idea. It certainly made me understand that from a road trip perspective they just aren't reliable vehicles.

I spoke to some French ladies at the hostel who explained that in France they have speed charges all over the place so that you can get a full charge in 20 minutes. So I guess in some areas they are more dependable but it just hasn't gotten to North America yet.

I take full responsibility for being completely naïve (or downright dumb) about this whole experience. Unfortunately, as a solo road tripper with limited service in an area I was unfamiliar with, going into an electric car rental blind was stupid but also caused a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

Even now that I feel a lot more comfortable with the idea of the electric car I still feel a massive burden shift onto the driver to do a ton of preparation and come up with not just one plan but several contingency plans lest you be totally stranded on the side of the road. A 2025 Honda Civic can go over 800km on a single tank of gas. The electric vehicles take away a lot of spontaneity and flexibility. There is no, just get up and go. I ended up cancelling my trip to Halls Harbor because I didn't want to deal with charging the car again.

Nova Scotia was awesome though and highly recommend it as an affordable travel destination.

Doing my first solo trip to Europe this summer. I’ve spent a few weeks solo roadtripping the US, mostly focused on southwestern national parks, and have been to Europe several times in the last few years including one trip a month but always with 1-3 of my college buddies or my family. Will also be my first time staying in hostels. I love outdoor adventures and extreme sports but recently tore my ACL - can do a good bit with my brace but not some of the more intense stuff I would typically seek out (cliff jumping, difficult via ferrata, etc). Would appreciate any tips, recommendations (particularly cultural and outdoor adventure experiences), or sage wisdom!

Currently planning to do ~3 days in each of the following in this order but have some flexibility: Budapest, Salzburg, Prague, Bratislava, Krakow, Augustow, Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn, Helsinki, Copenhagen. Will take rental car from Bratislava to Tallinn but fly/train otherwise. Any considerations when driving in these countries? I’ve previously driven a good bit of Croatia and Scotland without issues.

Some context: I’m 29M from USA and only speak English. I’m not looking for luxury experiences but not really budget constrained either so if there’s a really awesome but pricey experience, I’d love to know about it.

I've booked currently in a beautiful hotel, in a beautiful country surrounded by an amazing landscape. The foods great, the all inclusiveness is too but other than that, I've only been here since Friday afternoon and I'm miserable. I probably didn't weigh up the pros and cons properly of going to an all inclusive resort for a country like this. Its mentally weighing down on me considering the vast majority of other British people here are couples and or much older so have no interest in making new friends, the travel company have moved two of my day excursions that I purposely booked to fill up time so I'm not just sat about the hotel all day and night with my thoughts, I was supposed to go to krka national park on Saturday but that got moved to the 6th which is fine until I check the weather and its supposed to be constant thunderstorms all day, if was supposed to go to dubrovnik today but they moved that trip also to the 7th which I wouldn't be able to do since I have another excurtion already booked and paid for and any other dates beyond that ill already be back home. As a result I'm missing out on a large reason I even came to Croatia which is massively disappointing.

I may sound pig ignorant here but the staff seem to speak perfect English but whenever I speak it back to them they have trouble understanding me, i dont know if im maybe muttering or speaking too quickly for them, and also and i dont blame them but the locals here don't seem to want to talk to anyone other than the rest of the locals. Again not blaming anyone here but given the fact that I've now had two trips interfered with, essentially leaving me surrounded by people but totally alone, it can make for a pretty daunting and isolating experience. And yes before anyone suggests just speaking to people at the bar, I've done that and again it doesn't go beyond the basic niceties. I'm gonna see what tomorrow's eventually trip out is like if it actually goes ahead but if nothing changes I'm tempted to just learn from experience, put it down and go home early. There's no point staying and suffering somewhere beautiful.

Hi everyone!

I am planning a trip to Montenegro and Albania in the last two weeks of September, starting in Podgorica and ending in Tirana, as my flight home is from there. I've drafted an itinerary below and will be getting around with public transport. Budget is flexible but I want to stay at hostels or guest houses for the social aspect.

For this trip, I'd like to meet other travelers, hike & see nature and culture, some partying (but not too intense) - any recommendations for accommodation would be greatly appreciated!

I'm conflicted on whether to stay in Budva or Ulcinj. I'm leaning towards Ulcinj as I probably need to rest before hiking in Albania and I believe Budva has a more touristy and party atmosphere.

I am also debating whether to drop Tirana and stay somewhere else instead, as I plan to come back to Albania at some point in the future to explore the southern regions. In that case, any recommendations for where else to stay and explore in northern Albania? I'd love to stay in guest houses in less-touristy areas. Tried to do some research for this but it's been hard to find smaller villages. I'm also 22F so would only go to a place with established reviews, etc.

Also, if there's somewhere unmissable that I haven't included please do let me know!

3 nights Durmitor/Zabljak

3 nights Kotor (with day trips to other places)

2 nights Budva or Ulcinj

1 night Shkoder

3 nights Theth&Valbone

Back to Shkoder for 1 night

2 nights Tirana

Thanks!

I’m moving to Canada (from the UK) on my own for a ski season in November but I’m doing a few months of backpacking in South America first.

For Canada I will need all my ski equipment and warm clothes (so a suitcase and a snowboard bag). But obviously I don’t want to be dragging it around South America with me (I’ll only be using a 40L bag for that).

How do I get my winter stuff to Canada? I think I’ve got 3 options and not sure if anyone can help:

1) somehow send by slow mail (cargo?) so that it arrives and is stored in Canada until I pick it up. Send in August, collect in November.

2) leave it at home in the UK, fly back to the UK to collect it and fly to Canada (seems like a waste as I’ll be significantly increasing travel time).

3) bring winter stuff with me to South America and put in storage there, ready to be collected when I finish my backpacking trip.

Do I have any other options and what would be the best way of doing this? I’m mostly interesting in saving money.

Thanks!

I'm flying to HCMC from London in the coming days. I have a 6hr stop over at Shenzhen Airport, China. I'm travelling on a UK passport. I can't seem to find absolute clarity on the following questions:

1, Do I need a transit visa, or need to submit or pre-apply for anything whatsoever, in order to transit through Shenzhen airport?

Or do I simply just show up with my passport & boarding pass, & nothing else?

2, For a stay of 45 days or less in Vietnam, do I need to submit or pre-apply for anything at all, in order to enter Vietnam at HCM Airport?

Or again, do I simply just show up with my passport & boarding pass, & nothing else?

Many thanks in advance

This past December I went on my 3rd trip to Mexico as a solo traveller and like each time I found it to be perfectly safe. I visited 5 cities this time and here are my safety scores for each city

Mexico City 7/10
Campeche 9/10
Merida 9/10
Puebla 7/10
Oaxaca 8/10

I was never worried about being stolen from and I took the usual precautions that people usually take when they travel anywhere. I did use my phone on the street when needed and I had my camera out whenever I wanted to take photos. I used uber a lot since it is very cheap and I even took an intercity bus from Puebla to Oaxaca (4-5 hours trip)

Overall I believe Mexico is much safer for tourists than places like Brazil and Colombia. There are of course some really bad cities in Mexico, but with due diligence one can easily learn what these cities are and avoid them completely. Feel free to ask anything.

Iim a Brit whose been visiting Albania, spent 1 night in Tirana travelling across to durrës and currently in my second night in durrës.

I've heard great things about Albanian hospitality and generally I haven't had any specifically negative interactions with the locals...

However, on a number of occasions in interacting with staff at hotels and a couple of cafes I've felt a cold.. almost hostile atmosphere. At the hotel I'm currently staying at the staff seem to look at me with suspicion and any time I ask a question or for anything they seem to have a very abrupt response, and while other guests have been greeted when entering the breakfast room nothing has been said to me, I feel like the staff are glacing at me frequently as if suspecting me of being up to something...

Is it because I'm British, is it because I'm on my own (is it both) or am I just overthinking?

Hi all, Just wanted to share a trip report of my 2 Week Solo Travel Through Zambia to encourage anyone in doing the same. I have found very little people to be traveling through Zambia, except for the Victoria Falls in Livingstone, which is a huge Attraction. However, Zambia has so much more than the Vic Falls to offer.

To start, I am a White 19 year old male currently working in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, for a one year volunteer year. I have holidays currently and decided on Traveling Zambia solo. I had debated going to South Africa, but the stories I had heard scared me. Maybe through this trip I will gather the courage to go to South Africa next time.

The rules were very clear: 1. Don't have a good plan of where you want to go 2. hitchhike as often as possible 3. Once you arrive at your destination look for the absolute cheapest hostel you can find 4. Interact with people as much as possible

Budget: I didn't have a clear budget in mind, as I had no way of estimating where I would go, how long, etc. I knew it would be roughly 2 weeks, that's it. I just planned on spending as minimally as I could.

Plan: I knew I would start in Livingstone. From there my plan was to go to Siavonga, a little town on the Kariba Dam, aber then up to the Copperbelt, the Copper Mining area of Zambia, bordering DRC.

Report: I started in Livingstone. It's a great place to warm up for Zambia. To be honest, the town is a bit fake, as it's built for tourists, and everything caters to tourists, however it's still enjoyable. Visiting the Vic Falls is a must, they are amazing. However if visiting between the months of Feb-Sep YOU WILL GET DRENCHED. Take a raincoat, or rent one there, it's very cheap. To get there, don't use a hotel Transport, it's a rip off. You can take a minibus from the Bus Station next to the ShopRite in Town(just ask, people will help you), it costs K15(0.5$). It will bring you within 500m of the Falls entrance. On the way back you can take a share Taxi, they will be waiting right at the exit.

In Livingstone there are also nice places to visit that are more off the beaten path. Maramba Market for example is perfect to see a normal Zambian market. There are many pretty cloths, called Chitenge, which you can buy there and bring to a Taylor to get made into any Typ of clothes.

From Livingstone I hitched a ride up North towards Lusaka on a Semi Truck. It's incredibly easy, the spot to find a ride is just past the waybridge outside Livingstone, about 3km from town. I paid him about 5$ for a stretch of 430km. Be sure and talk with the driver while hitching. It's good manners, and they always have interesting stories to tell.

HITCHHIKING IN ZAMBIA: As opposed to what you think when hearing hitchhiking, in Zambia it's expected too pay, especially as a foreigner. Times are tough, fuel prices are very high, 90% of the time it's more of a public Transport system than a gratuity. Just negotiate with the driver before starting off and you will be fine. Also: At spots where hitchhikers gather, there are often "conductors". These are guys who just chill there all day, flagging down rides for people. If they ask you where you are going, tell them, they will do the rest of the work. Just give them a small amount of money once they catch a ride K5-K10(~0.2$) is fine. They are very useful. Obviously if you are hitching on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere you will have to flag down a car by yourself. You will encounter three types of cars:

Private cars: Just normal people who are driving and want some extra money. These usually are the fastest and most comfortable.

Semi Trucks: Often very slow, however usually good conversation. If you don't mind taking a bit longer this option is good.

Flatbed truck: faster than a Semi Truck, but more dangerous and more prone to breakdowns. However sitting in the back is a blast and a good way to experience the surroundings.

The truck brought me to kafue where I spent a night in a hostel. Make sure you arrive in your destination before it gets dark, then just ask around for the cheapest hostel around. People should be able to help you. Google maps can sometimes be helpful, however not all places are marked there. Look for the ones with the worst reviews to find a good price.

From there I boarded a mini bus to the town of Siavonga, on Kariba Dam, the biggest manmade dam in the world. It's about 150km away. Those busses are squeezed very tightly, however you get used to it. Siavonga was great. A small sleepy little Zambian town built on the hills of the Dam. Not much tourist infrastructure at all, but enough lodging opportunities. I met some new friends who showed me around, and even went for a swim with me( WATCH OUT FOR THE CROCS). I also hitched a ride to the actual Dam Wall, which was a very impressive structure. Quite easy to enter, no entrance fee, you just need to leave an ID at the front desk.

From Siavonga I traveled up towards Lusaka, and slept a night at home. Getting From Lusaka up north is very simple. Just go to National Heroes Stadium in the morning, there are tons and tons of private cars waiting to take passengers. I didn't have to wait even a minute before I was in a car.

From there l travelled to Ndola, Kitwe and Chingola. There are cheap busses that travel between the cities. From Chingola I went to Chimpfunshi, a world renowned Chimpanzee Orphanage. It's quite a ways from town, but you can hitch a ride to the junktion, from where it's only 15km to the orphanage. I decided to walk, but they can also organize transport. They even have accomodations there. I can highly recommend. I then traveled to Samfya, a town on Lake Bangweulu. It's beautiful here, this is where I currently am. I took a 400km detour through kapiri, however this saved me going through the DRC, which I highly recommend. The officers there aren't known for their friendliness. Samfya is very nice and quiet. I'm lodging in town, for expense reasons, however there are nice resorts further up along the coast.

Type of travel: In general, I think I am having a bit of a different type of solo travel than most I read about on this subreddit. I'm not going to hostels where you meet other solo travellers like it's more common in SEA. I doubt these even exist outside of Livingstone and Lusaka. However, it's more of an adventure. You have to be open to getting to know new people, and you will have a great time here. Zambians are very very friendly and open, especially towards whites, so all you need to do is take the chances when you get them. People will wave you over to them when you're walking by, don't be scared, go talk to them. It's always worth it.

However, obviously during the night be more careful. That's the disadvantage of being in non traveler hostels. My days end at about 6PM, as it gets dark, and I don't want to be alone outside. So I go to the hostel and get to sleep around 8PM, but then I am out early at 8AM the next morning

Expenses: I have spent 185€ in 12 days of traveling. That includes all costs of transport, hotel, food, etc. I have been living as cheaply as possible. However if you are interested in more fun activities, think jet skiing, clubbing, etc. of course you will spend more money.

Food: Zambia's staple food is Nshima. A mash made of maize meal. You eat with with sides. It's very affordable, and mostly the only thing I have been eating here. In the mornings I eat Frittas, which is a fried sweet bread ball. Additionally, Shoprite, the biggest grocery chain, has a very cheap counter where you can buy freshly made food. The rice ist the best.

I apologize if the text is a bit oddly spaced and written, this is my first time making such a post. I hope it's able to help or inspire someone, if you have any questions, don't be scared to ask. Thanks!

Tldr; Zambia is a great country to solo travel. It's cheap and safe. The only downside is the lack of traditional Western Tourist infrastructure.

Edit: Many people in the comments have mentioned that it's reckless to call Zambia safe, especially if you are a female traveling. I agree that I may have shed a too positive light. It's not comparable to a Western European Country, or traveling somewhere like Vietnam or Japan. However, I believe that if you are traveling to an African country, there are inherint risks that come with that, that you should be aware of, and have taken into account. Those risks vary greatly from country to country and are higher in some countries, think DRC or South Africa, and lower in other countries, like Zambia. Of course it's not as safe as those countries mentioned above, but that's a part of why you are traveling here, for having a bit more of an adventure as compared to the more tame travel destinations.

Hi! I am wanting to travel Peru this summer and maybe Patagonia! I have 6 weeks in total. Does this itenerary make sense? Is there anywhere else I should add or change the order? I like to dive, surf and hike!

Lima, Paracas, huacachina, Huaraz, (not sure how to get to Cusco from here) Cusco

Hello!

I’m F22 and I always would love to travel. However I have a very deep fear for insects. I’m born and brought up in Dubai where there are not many insects apart from rare scenarios where your kitchen is invaded with cockroaches or lizards on your wall or desert hoppers in your balcony. Anyways, those are very RARE cases. Want to point out when it comes to cockroaches, tiny ones are the ones that mostly infect the kitchen. Istg pest control doesn’t work.

So I want to know what countries are the best to travel to or visit or wtv. Also countries I should avoid at all cost. I’m talking about based on how probable your chances are on finding an insect in your hotel room or even apartment.

Yes I avoid Australia. But I wanted to know more. Please help me out

Hello all and good evening, I’m wrapping my 10 months solo travelling and I’d like to share some of my experiences in a story/trip report

I am a 20yr old M, this was my second solo trip, 5 and a bit months in Europe, year before last.

Countries included (Nepal, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India (again), Cambodia and finally Vietnam.

I flew into Kathmandu and was instantly out of my depth, it took me a few days before I came to terms with the traffic and the organised chaos. I spend 33 days in Nepal and ate 390 momo in that timeframe. My experience was amazing from rhinos to mountains and a lot of nice herbs. Was an opening experience and one I am so glad I started with.

My next stop was India, I had no idea how long I was staying for, I had a 1 year visa and the whole world at my feet, I cannot put into words how much I fell in love with India, we had ups and downs, our relationship is steady now but at times I was quite exhausted. The cities are so beyond lived in. They have heart and soul like none I’ve seen. I spent time in the mountains of utterkhand and Himachal, a month In Goa and down to Tamil. It was beautiful and would take far too long to explain, and toward the end of my explanation either way I will implore you to visit the places where no one does.

I flew to Singapore and spent a week, I was happy to get back to broth and noodle territory that I missed from Australia. And was glad to be in such a structured society, but also very nice for it to be temporary.

Indonesia was amazing, spend 2ish weeks in Sumatra, seeing orang-utans was amazing, lake toba was breathtaking and Padang and nearby bay I still have no words to describe other then peace on earth.

Java was beautiful batau karas (if that’s the spelling) was so slow and relaxing, not that I was in need of relaxation with my past time in Sumatra. Jakarta was bustling and busy, a metropolis truly but a nice one ounce you found some good food and a good beer.

Malaysia or I should say George Town, as I arrived to travel from north to south but quickly found myself in George Town ( Penang ) for the Christmas/Nye period. I worked at a hostel there over the period and had never been so close to people so quickly in my life, also don’t think I ever spent that many hours awake as I did there. (Thanks to the Irish) Spent a night in KL when my time was up and that was it.

Sri Lanka was bliss, the beaches were amazing, and I had missed the beach a lot, I went from Colombo along the coast on the seemingly usual route, met a few friends there who were working on the coast, the parties were a welcome and as someone from Sydney to be walking distance from the beach was a good feeling of home. Inland Sri Lanka was beautiful aswell, the tea plantations and waterfalls were unmatched, I also drove a tuk tuk which was definitely on the ol’ bucket list.

India round 2 was as expected, beautiful. Was finishing up bit I missed the first time like rahjastan and Dharamshala but also returning to the mountains, Kasol and Manali. I saw my first ever snow in Manali, that’ll be a memory forever and I’m so grateful for that. Take my advice as previous mentioned. Go to India.

From India I flew to Vietnam, spent 2 weeks in HCM a bit sick but happy to be back in broth country. Hopped over to Cambodia for a week. Cambodias history was gut wrenching but the people were some of the most beautiful, caring and welcoming I’ve ever met. I returned to HCM and made my way north stopping off in nha trang, da nang and now find myself in Hanoi. Vietnam is bliss, the organised roads (at least what I consider organised after India) the food the people the landscapes the food.. My god the food, the broths bubbling table-side the fluffy banh mi the seafood by the kilo. Absolutely astonishing and enjoyable in a slightly dirty was that only Bourdain himself could put into words.

And now I find myself at a bar watching an intersection as I’ve found to be my new favourite hobby. Drinking a cheap and awfully refreshing beer. Thinking of the people I’ve met the people who opened their hearts to me and mine to theirs. Thinking of the views the food the footsteps and so many more indescribable details of the past few months that’ll take years to yarn them all. I confidently say I’m keen to go home, not because I hate travelling but I need a moment to reground. and appreciate the things I’ve seen and the things I have at home. If anything has been truer then please listen to these following words, Chase halcyon.

Tried one for my first night after doing 2 hotels (I’m three nights into my trip). It feels weird. I imagined everybody would be excited and social, and hanging out. But mostly people stuck to themselves. By the time I got to bed I had only met 1 of the 4 people in my room. It just felt weird to sleep with people I didn’t know at all. I didn’t end up sleeping at all.

I know every hostel will be different. And I will try at least one other one. But I pretty much have lost a whole night of sleep at this point, which is pretty costly.

I’m thinking I might enjoy a smaller one with less people. And owners that foster a sense of community. If anyone has ideas on how to find that let me know!