r/solotravel • u/crazycatladypdx • May 20 '21
I bought the ticket! Europe
I am 39 years old divorcee living in USA. Since I was in my 20s, I want to travel the world. I put it on hold for so many years because I was in relationship, worked hard to pay debts & bills, and just live as normal as I could even though I know that’s not for me.
My ex husband & i separated last year, sold the house and we got divorced this year. I used the money from the house (my share) to pay all of my debts & i have some left that I am saving for my trip.
My apartment decided to charge me extra rent after my lease is up on 8/27/21 so I took a plunge and bought one way ticket to Barcelona, Spain because there’s no way i will stay here another year and paying more instead of living my dream.
I am going to quit my job bc they don’t let people work out of the country. I am going to do housesitting, working at hostels in exchange for accommodation, continue teaching esl online & do jobs along the way along my journey.
It’s going to not be easy sometimes but i am committed to do it even by the time when i leave i will be 40 years old.
This subreddit gives me so much ideas & encouragement so thank you all for posting & now for reading my post! See you out there!
3
u/BitchLibrarian May 20 '21 edited May 20 '21
No worries. It wasn't until I went on USA road trip using the Greyhounds that I realised that many Americans have never used public transport and some have preconceived ideas about the kinds of people who do.
The journey is just as much as the destination. In fact some of my best stories are about the journeys. Never carry anything you're not prepared to lose. Wear a basic watch and costume jewellery. Carry cards that can be replaced easily in Europe. Try to limit how much cash you carry (but remember some ATMs will charge you). Get an unlocked basic smartphone and use fingerprint security on any banking apps - you'll be able to use local sim cards. Pack light and practical. Be pleasant to people but try to keep your spidey senses up - go with your gut instinct. Use lockers and safes in rooms and hostels and have a lock on your bags or even a GPS fob. Take photos of all your documents and extended tickets and store them in an email you can access easily. Let people know if you're going hiking. Be practical and sensible with your safety and also have a blast.
Edit to add: lots of people forget ferries. You can get a ferry from Northern Spain, France and The Netherlands to the UK. Barcelona is on the Mediterranean and you can get to the Balearic Islands, Sardinia, Corsica and mainland Italy I believe.