Tag: solo travel

Globetrotters – Beyond My Border

This week we have a real treat with the amazing Daisy from Beyond my Border. By her own admission her site documents tips, advice and bizarre experiences and who doesn’t love reading about a bizarre experience!

One thing I truly admire about Daisy is the fact she is a solo backpacker. The guts and free-spiritedness it takes to wander the world is something I have so much respect for. As tough as it must be and I’m sure it’s not all Instagram worthy updates it would be amazing to go when and where you want and all the amazing people you must meet along the way.

Daisy has had some hella amazing experiences on her travels – watching the balloons in Cappadocia (100% on my bucket list), staying in Abandoned Hospitals and cave rooms, exploring Iceland, Living with bikers in Turkey, making friends with an air traffic controller and watching him land the planes. Reading through her blog you can find so much information about all of these as well as advice on travelling on a budget and so much travel inspo that you just want to book up a flight straight away. This I just one example of her awesome budget travel guides on the diverse California , shes even got one about travelling in Delhi for $3 a day!! Yes, $3 a day.

Here is the inspiring Daisy from Beyond My Border

I am Daisy, a solo backpacker that travels the world budget style. I grew up in 5 cities in China and Canada and have traveled over 20 countries. I’ve slept in teepees, bungalows, beach houses, and cave rooms, hosted by lawyers, professors, hippies, bikers and much more. I’ve cracked my head in France, twisted my foot in Hungry and got chikungunya in India. Yet I’ve witnessed hot air balloons in Cappadocia during sunrise, rode a motorcycle up into the Himalayas, slurped fresh oysters by the harbor of Santa Barbara and would not change my experiences for the world.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
Traveling has taught me so much. From history to culture, I have come to fill my heart with stories of people from places so different from my own. It might be a common traveler’s syndrome, but I love to meet people and hear their experiences, understand their perspective and explore the unknown.

Why do you think travelling is important?
Traveling is important because it truly helps us understand how similar people are. It will stimulate acceptance, understanding and create a more open-minded society. This will play into sociopolitical conducts and minimalize discrimination and diminish prejudice.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?


My favorite photo was taken atop the Himalayas. It took me a 9-hour night bus to get to my host’s city, 3 days for us to bike into the mountains and 5 hours of hiking to reach the peak. But we caught the sunset and it was glorious.

Do you have a pre-travel ritual? If so what?
No ritual is my ritual 😊 A little out of the norm, but I like to travel without much, or any planning at all. It can be a huge headache when I’m lost in a place that speaks a different tongue, but I’ve come out with some amazing experiences.

Who do you usually travel with? I’ve traveled with friends and family but to be honest, my favorite travel companions are strangers I meet on the road. I guess the most suitable answer would be no one, but everyone.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be? Be fearless & have fun

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to? I spent two months in Turkey. While in Cappadocia, I witnessed hot air balloons mid sunrise by myself in the middle of some rocky hills. As cliché as it was, I felt the experience eye-opening. Of course, being the clumsy traveler that I am, I ended up being abandoned by the tour bus and had to hitchhike into the city at 7 am. But it was definitely worth it.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype? After living in Paris for 4 months, I concluded that the city was just not for me. Then again, my memory of Paris was far from romantic. During my stay, I managed to lose my phone and crack my head open, which resulted in a $7000 hospital bill. (Amen insurance). My friend who came to visit me was also robbed.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list? I would love to attend the International Highline Meeting in Monte Piana, Italy. I may be horrified of heights, but what’s better than stinging a hammock on the webbing between a couple rocks and chill out?

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without? My camera!

What can readers find on your blog? Lots of budget travel advice and quirky experiences. I travel on a tight budget and tend to get into bizarre situations.

Do you have a favourite blog post? What is it and why? My favorite is Surviving in Delhi on $3 a Day. While in India, I spent a month living on the bare minimum. My shared apartment had broken windows, doors that didn’t lock and an outside kitchen. Nonetheless, it was such a memorable time since I truly became appreciative of the things I had. Not to mention that I ended up being adopted by a modeling agency and spent two months living with international models!

Find more from Daisy here

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Globetrotters- Always on the Way

Another Sunday and another fabulous globetrotter to introduce you to. This week we have Julie from Always on the Way.

Always on the Way is a huge resource of travel and expat information. There is soooo much for you to discover. Wonderful words, gorgeous pictures, insightful advice and honest reviews, it is a fabulous blog to follow.

As a fellow expat, it’s lovely to read on Julie’s about me page that we share a common feeling that living in a new country allows you to really experience it and see more than if you were just cruising through on a holiday. I’ve been dreaming about visit Canada FOREVER and as Julie has lived there I’ve been reading and rereading all of her Canada posts to just entice further wanderlust for me to get there. It seems every Globetrotter we have had recently has been to Canada. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.

One of my favourite posts is this one about Nazca Lines. I had never heard of these or where to see them but OMG they look amazing. It was so fascinating to not only read about it but also to see the pictures and that you can see them without flying. What a fabulous place to see and explore.

Julie regularly travels solo and I found it interesting about her thoughts on how some places are safer than what the media makes out that they are. You usually read so much about how being a solo female traveler can be very dangerous in certain destinations so its eye-opening to hear a different take on it. I know nowhere is now completely safe and you still need to be smart and have your wits about you but maybe some places are not as scary as we think it might be at first and by giving them a chance you get to experience something different. Check out her thoughts about this in her answers below.

Here is Julie from Alway on the way….

I am Julie, a travel blogger based in Toronto. I have lived in the USA (Hawaii) and Canada for eight years. When I am not traveling and writing, I am learning a new language, reading a book, and staring at the horizon to figure out my next adventure.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?

I love waking up alone in a new place and embracing the excitement of being surrounded by adventure. It feels surreal to visit destinations completely different from home, with people speaking a different language, sharing a different culture, and eating different food.

Why do you think traveling is important?

I believe travel is important for us to get out of our fears and see how things really are. We live in a society where negative news reports and fear are prevalent, and many afraid of traveling to certain countries because of safety concerns.

During my years of travel, I’ve learned that the world is generally a safe place and not every destination is as dangerous as the news media makes it out to be. The countries people are usually scared to travel to are the ones that give the best experience.

Where are you off to next? Or where have you just come back from?

I am currently traveling in Peru and then all the way south to Patagonia.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?

This picture was taken when I walked to the top of Mt. Royal in Montreal. I was amazed by the changing color of foliage in the middle of October. A lady I met at a bus station ended up walking up Mt. Royal with me. She knew I was a traveler and told me to take as many pictures as possible because this was possibly my only chance of seeing such colorful landscapes on Mt. Royal. She was right – I returned to Montreal but never again did I experience such colorful scenery.

Do you have a pre-travel ritual? If so what?

I always write down the address and number of local contacts (embassy, police station, the owner of the accommodation) to be safe.

Who do you usually travel with?

I travel solo. I love the feeling of freedom that comes along, and taking time to explore a place, going where I want to go.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?

Trust your instincts. The world is generally a safe place and people are there to help, but if you feel something is wrong, please listen to it. It is always the best to be aware of your surroundings and be smart on the road.

Tell us the most memorable moment you’ve had whilst travelling?

Watching the northern lights on Christmas Eve. My friend and I went to the Chena Hot Spring resort in Fairbanks Alaska to celebrate Christmas holidays. We waited for the northern lights in the waiting room near a café where it was surrounded by the snowy mountains. At 12:30 am, the northern lights showed up and were dancing around the sky for over two hours. It was freezing cold but we did not care. We stood outside on the snowy and icy ground and watched the northern lights illuminating the northern sky. It was the best Christmas gift I have ever received, and it was magical.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?

USA – Alaska. I am a natural addict and Alaska offers the most beautiful landscapes in the USA. Postcard quality pictures are everywhere and any road trip in Alaska is not disappointing.

Canada – Prince Edward Island. It is the birthplace of Canada and it has a stunning coastline with gorgeous beaches. People there bend their back to help you should you need any assistance. The seafood on the island is freshly made and cheap. I could just eat lobster all day every day.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?

Grand Palace in Bangkok. It is expensive to visit and is filled with crowds. I was wondering why a place every guidebook recommends for a visit looked like a tourist trap. When I shared my experience with my Thai friends and hostel workers, they told me they have never visited Grand Palace because they know the experience would likely be the same. I wish I could have asked my Thai friends earlier, so I would spend my time and budget elsewhere.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?

I would love to take the VIA Rail to visit Churchill Manitoba (Canada). It is the polar bear capital of the world and has the Aurora Borealis show up 300 days each year. Churchill is in the subarctic region, has only 3,000 residents, and is a remote place that is inaccessible by road, which makes the travel experience unlike that of any other place in the world.

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without?

Books. I don’t feel my suitcase is packed up unless I fill it with some books on history, memoir or travel guides I love spending afternoons in cafés, on the beach, and the local park, and sticking my nose in the books.

What can readers find on your blog?

Always On The Way focuses on destination features, personal travel experience, and travel guide and tips from locals’ perspective, and the content on the tourist attractions is minimum. I have lived in the USA and Canada for eight years and had return visits to many places; so many blog posts are geared towards the places most travelers are not aware of unless they live there. I wish my blog will inspire you to explore new destinations beyond tourist attractions and connect deeper with the culture, history, and its people.

Do you have a favourite blog post? What is it and why?

“8 Things I Have Learned After Living in Hawaii” is one of my earliest blog posts I wrote it back in 2012 revealing the thoughts and reality of living in Hawaii. That time, I just started blogging as a hobby. The post got published on another online blog and magazine Bucket List Publications and went viral in just a few hours with Facebook shares and comments. I love this post the most because not only has it received the most engagement and many a-hah moments from residents of Hawaii even to this day, it also inspires me to write more about Hawaii from my own experience and that is how my blog officially started.

For more from Always on the Way check out the below links
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Globetrotters- Tara from Let Passion Unfold

I thought I was brave moving to the other side of the world albeit to an English speaking country but Tara from Let Passion Unfold has taken it up a gear by travelling living and working in Shanghai. What an amazing experience it must be to not only visit a country so different to your own but also to live, work and immerse yourself in the culture. I’m always in awe of people that have the courage to do this.

One of my favourite blog posts from Tara was What Travel has taught me
It covers everything I had felt when I first moved over here and even still now when I venture off on my travels. Travelling is amazing for teaching us lessons about life, about others, about the world and most importantly about ourselves. Reading her answers below I love her answers regarding her top tip for travel advice and you can see how her wonderful outlook on travelling. Reading her posts and her answers below always make me smile both with a knowingness and just feeling uplifted at her view on the world.

You can find more of Tara’s travels, tips, stories and itineraries on her blog (links below) and I strongly recommend you go take a look.

I’ll stop yabbering on and let you hear from Tara herself…


Hi, I’m Tara! I set out on an adventure two years ago to travel while I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I thought I could cross off a few bucket list items, find some direction, and go back home. As it turns out, I was wrong. I’ve spent the last couple of years teaching English in Shanghai and travelling during weekends and holidays. Now my bucket list is growing rapidly, and I’m still not sure what I want to do with my life or where I want to spend the rest of it. The only thing I’m sure of is that I want to explore as much of this beautiful world as I can. In the meantime, I’m enjoying life and writing about my adventures at Let Passion Unfold!

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
I think I’d have to say getting to know the people and their culture. Sure, the change of scenery is always nice and trying new food is exciting, but I really just enjoy interacting with locals. When you see how hospitable and friendly complete strangers can be to each other, it really makes you wonder how any hate exists in the world.

Why do you think travelling is important?
I think travelling is important because not only do you learn about the place you are visiting, you learn more about your home country as well. You begin to see things from a different perspective and can really appreciate what makes each place truly great.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?



It’s not easy to pick one, but one of my favourite parts of my trips to the UK last summer was getting to visit the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. The formation of the rock columns dates back 60 million years, and there’s a cute story about a giant named Finn McCool to explain the history of it all.

Which is your favourite – sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?
My two favourites would be snow and mountains. Living in Shanghai means I don’t see much snow anymore, so when I travel to cold, snowy places, I can’t help but fall head over heels in love. Snow has been my favourite my entire life. However, I did not grow up with mountains. Mountains and hiking are a new love of mine since I’ve started travelling more. It’s great exercise and the scenery never disappoints!

Who do you usually travel with?
Most of the time I travel with coworkers since we all have our holidays at the same time. Every long weekend or break we get, we plan something. Since I won’t be teaching abroad next year, I’m going to try my hand at solo travel. This summer will be my first solo trip and I couldn’t be more excited!!!

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Be flexible and forgiving, especially during your travels. Odds are things will not go perfectly. Don’t let little things ruin your trip. It’s extremely important to be easy-going when you’re completely unfamiliar with a place. Let’s be real, you’re probably somewhere you’ve never been and are away from home to destress and enjoy yourself. You don’t need to make your trip miserable by putting too much pressure on little things. Just laugh when you miss the last bus into town and have to walk 30 minutes instead. Your trip is what you make of it, and if you spend the entire time dwelling about what didn’t go exactly as planned, then you’re going to hate it. And that’s unfortunate for everyone involved.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?
About a year ago, I was in Zhangjiajie, China (better known as the Avatar mountains – yes, as in the movie).  After hiking part way down one of the mountains, my friends and I decided to hike one of the casual paths and take a breather – our legs were jello at this point. We walked around for about 20 minutes and then decided to turn back. The path didn’t loop around, so you had to come back the way you came anyway. On our way back we noticed the path was completely surrounded by rhesus macaques. Like hundreds. And they were ready to fight us for the territory. They came running at us, hissing and screeching. So naturally, we ran away screaming. Realising once again that the only way to get back to civilisation was the way we came, we turned around to head toward the macaques. They were still there and still feisty, chasing us away for a second time. We dawdled for a while, not having a clue what to do. We were surrounded by territorial monkeys with no other route back. Luckily a 9-year-old saved our lives. (So much shame). The kid walked up and basically just showed the monkeys who was the boss. He didn’t back down or go running like we had. He proved he was the alpha. And that was it. All the macaques backed off. We followed the kid back but kept a safe enough distance that we didn’t look as pathetic as we felt. As embarrassed as I was that my 3 guy friends and I couldn’t outsmart these monkeys while a 9-year-old managed to, I can’t help but laugh at the hilarity of the situation. And it was all caught on video (but my friends wouldn’t let me post it).

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
Is everywhere an appropriate answer? I feel like it’s impossible to pick. Each place I’ve visited holds a special place in my heart. New Zealand’s South Island is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and Phuket, Thailand was probably one of my most unforgettable trips. But honestly, every country has something amazing to offer, and each trip is special in its own way. It’s rare that I travel somewhere and am not completely blown away by it.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?
Every time I travel, my bucket list gets bigger and bigger. One thing I’ve always wanted to see but haven’t yet is the Aurora Borealis. It’s been a goal of mine since I was a kid. I think it would be super awesome to rent one of the glass igloos at Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland and just enjoy the view!

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