A girl with a backpack, a questionable ability to stay in one place, and a pretty big love for this world!
I’ve loved traveling for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until my first solo trip that I realized just how much I loved doing things my own way.
One trip turned into another, plans kept changing, and somewhere along the way I ended up building a life around exploring the world.
Fast forward to today, and I’ve visited nearly 100 countries, lived and worked in eight, and collected more stories (and travel mishaps) than I know what to do with.
And while I absolutely love a beautiful beach or an incredible view, it’s usually the unexpected stuff that makes a trip memorable for me. The people I meet, the places I stumble across, and the moments when I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.
So, welcome to my little corner of the internet! This is where I share the adventures, the mistakes, the things I’ve learned, and everything else that comes with spending a slightly ridiculous amount of time exploring the world.
My story starts somewhere between Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, and Cologne, Germany. Growing up between two countries sounds pretty cool (and honestly, it was in a lot of ways), but I also spent a good chunk of my childhood feeling like I didn’t quite belong in either.
I never really saw myself following the path that seemed to be laid out for me. I wanted to see more, experience more, and figure out what life might look like somewhere completely different.
So, when I was 14, I started applying for scholarships to study abroad. And somehow, against what probably seemed like pretty ridiculous odds at the time, I actually got one! That opportunity took me to the United States, where I finished high school.
Looking back, it’s kind of crazy how much that one decision changed my life. It wasn’t as if I suddenly had everything figured out (I still don’t, by the way), but moving abroad at such a young age showed me that I had a lot more freedom to shape my own life than I’d realized.
And I guess I’ve been testing that theory ever since. Over the years, I’ve lived in different countries, worked all sorts of jobs, met people from completely different walks of life, and found myself in situations that 14-year-old me could never have imagined.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, solo travel became a HUGE part of my life. And, well… here we are!
I started this blog because I wanted somewhere to share more than just pretty photos and lists of things to do.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good travel guide! But some of my favorite experiences have had absolutely nothing to do with famous landmarks or must-see attractions.
And I think that’s the side of travel I’d love to share more of. The random conversations, the cultural differences, the things that surprise me, and the moments that make me question something I thought I knew.
Especially when it comes to solo travel as a woman, because I think there’s so much of the world we’re taught to be afraid of before we’ve even had the chance to experience it for ourselves. That doesn’t mean traveling is always easy or that nothing ever goes wrong. Believe me, plenty goes wrong!
But I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can show a slightly different side of the world. One that’s complicated, sometimes chaotic, often surprising, and full of people who have a lot more in common than we might think.
And if something you read here inspires you to go somewhere new, try something different, or simply look at a place a little differently, that would make me pretty happy!
At this point, I’ve spent a pretty significant part of my life living out of a backpack.
I’ve fallen in love with places I knew almost nothing about before arriving, made friends without speaking the same language, and changed my plans more times than I could possibly count.
I’ve also missed buses, gotten hopelessly lost, had some very questionable accommodation experiences, and occasionally wondered why I thought any of this was a good idea in the first place.
But that’s kind of what I love about it. I don’t travel with every hour planned out. I like leaving room for the unexpected, saying yes to things I hadn’t considered, and getting to know places beyond the usual tourist stops.
And the more I’ve traveled, the more I’ve realized how little I actually know about the world. Which, if anything, just makes me want to keep exploring!
Honestly… I’ve never had a simple answer to that.
I never fully felt at home where I grew up, which is part of what pushed me to leave and start exploring in the first place. Since then, I’ve spent years moving, traveling, and trying to understand what “home” even means to me.
These days, I’m based in Arizona, USA, although I still spend a pretty ridiculous amount of time elsewhere!
I’ve always loved traveling, but my first solo trip was a completely different experience.
Suddenly, I could go wherever I wanted, change my plans at the last minute, and spend an entire day doing absolutely nothing if I felt like it. There was something so freeing about being completely responsible for my own adventure.
And once I’d experienced that kind of freedom, it was pretty hard to go back!
Probably one of the questions I get asked the most!
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that traveling doesn’t necessarily have to be as expensive as people imagine. Where you go, how you travel, how flexible you are, and what you prioritize can make an enormous difference.
For me, that’s been a mix of saving intentionally, spending consciously, and working along the way.
I’ve taken on different jobs abroad over the years, from teaching and nannying to freelance work that I can do remotely. I don’t rely on one fixed income stream; it’s more about being flexible and figuring things out as I go!
I also travel in a way that prioritizes experiences over comfort. Which means choosing budget-friendly accommodation, careful planning, being mindful of how I spend, and sometimes making trade-offs that allow me to stay on the road longer. It’s not always glamorous, but it’s worth it to me!
This is always the hardest question. There are countries I love for their landscapes, others for the food, the people, the culture, or simply because of the memories I made there.
And sometimes a country becomes one of your favorites for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with the country itself, but everything to do with what happened while you were there.
So my answer probably depends on which day you ask me!
But if I had to choose one that’s stayed with me, I’d say New Zealand. There’s just something about it; the landscapes feel almost unreal, the diversity packed into such a small place is incredible, and the people made it even more special!
It can be, but I think the way we talk about solo female travel often makes the world seem much scarier than it actually is.
Of course, there are risks, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. I do my research, trust my instincts, and take precautions depending on where I’m going.
But I’ve also experienced so much kindness from complete strangers, including in places I’d been warned about before visiting.
I think being aware of potential dangers is important. Being afraid of the entire world because of them is another thing entirely.
Oh, absolutely. Travel isn’t always perfect moments and anyone who says it is probably isn’t telling the full story!
I’ve missed flights, gotten completely lost in places where I didn’t speak the language, run out of money, and had belongings stolen. I’ve also had a few uncomfortable situations while couchsurfing or hitchhiking that reminded me how important it is to trust my instincts and set clear boundaries.
And especially as a solo female traveler, there’s an added layer of awareness that never really switches off.
You learn to read situations more carefully. To stay alert, trust your gut, and remove yourself when something doesn’t feel right without second-guessing it.
It can be stressful in the moment, but over time I’ve learned that staying calm and adaptable makes all the difference.
Because the truth is, things WILL go wrong at some point. But that’s almost always temporary. And more often than not, those challenging moments turn into the stories that stay with you the longest. And sometimes, they remind you just how kind people can be, especially when you need it most!
That’s the goal! I’ve already made it to over half the amount of countries in the world, but there’s still SO much I want to see.
And I’m also not in a rush to collect passport stamps just for the sake of saying I’ve been somewhere. There are places I’d happily return to a hundred times, and I never want to lose the excitement of actually experiencing a country because I’m too focused on getting to the next one.
So yes, I’d love to visit every country. However, I have absolutely no idea how long that’ll take me 😂
Absolutely! I’m always interested in hearing about collaborations and projects that feel like a good fit for what I do.
If you’re a brand, tourism board, or fellow creator with an idea, head over to my Get in Touch page and tell me a little about it. I’d love to see what you have in mind!
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