All posts tagged: solo travel

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Raaja Nemani

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“I trekked in the Himalayas for two weeks in May 2009. Normally, people do this in large tour groups, but I ended up doing this alone with a guide named Prakash. Prakash and I got to know each other very well hiking for 12 hours a day and since I was on my own, at nights he would take me into the homes of various Nepalis and Tibetans who lived in the mountains to tell stories, drink rice wine/whiskey, and laugh … a lot. I learned that Prakash and I were the exact same age at that time, 27 years old. But while I was in the middle of a trip backpacking around the world, Prakash worked in the mountains 7 days/week so he could make enough money to send home to his wife and two kids in Kathmandu. Near the end of the trip, as we were descending, Prakash mentioned to me very casually that I was lucky. I asked him what he meant, and he said that I was lucky to be doing …

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Tanya M. Odom

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“For me, being a sola woman traveler means that I am often stepping outside my comfort zone. I am often the only woman seated in an area of the plane, in the airport lounge, or at breakfast in the hotel restaurant.  I do it anyway. I enjoyed hearing Gloria Steinem talk about eating out alone. After being in a country for several days, and especially if it is a new project – I often treat myself to a very nice restaurant.  After working on a global project, I remembered wanting to treat myself while in Paris. I remembered reading a review of a restaurant in Paris that talked about how people dining alone were not treated well, and that they did not get a “seat with a view.” I am glad that I went anyway… I was seated right next to the window at Le Jules Verne, and the service, view, food, and wine were all spectacular. I was given a tour of the restaurant, and took tons of photos.  I am glad that I …

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Jenné Claiborne

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“I traveled to Thailand for 6 weeks a few years ago. I didn’t know anyone there, nor did I know the language. Still, I’m always down for an adventure, especially in a beautiful place…  A few days after arriving in Bangkok at the start of the trip, I was hooked up with a friend of a NYC friend who’s been living in the city for a decade. She invited me to stay with her in her beautiful home, and I couldn’t believe my luck. The place was spacious, cool (great AC), and in a quiet and slightly secluded part of the city. The son of one of her American friends was also in town, so he and I went out for some late-night bar hopping. He had been there for months already, and sort of spoke the language and knew his way around, so I felt comfortable letting him be my guide for a few hours on this solo-trip. The night was a lot of fun, but as we got into the wee hours of …

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Cesarin Mateo

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“Music and old classic films have a major influence on how I shoot and edit. It is what made me love photography to begin with. The two coexist within each other, one cannot live without the other… When I decided to travel to Rome on my own, all I had was my music and the classic films I have watched to visually guide me through the city, as well as a map. What made it more of an epic trip was waking up one early morning right when the sun was rising to explore the empty streets of Rome. Nothing is more beautiful and incredibly inspiring than to be in a place where there is so much history and having that all to yourself. Moments like these, that are the most simple and mundane, are what I typically find to be the most gratifying.” – Cesarin Mateo   022/100 of #100DaysofConfessions Instagram Project

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Rebecca Hill

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“I took a quick trip to Morocco in the summer of 2009 while attending a friend’s wedding in Andalusia, Spain. I was the only American on the ferry and got looks in Tangier as a woman traveling alone rolling two big suitcases along the bumpy, narrow sidewalks. This was the first international trip I had taken flying solo, in a country where I didn’t know the language at all but got by with a smattering of French. On my second day there, I got the courage to go to a local cafe by myself and write, as if I were William Burroughs. The waitstaff was a bit confused, waiting for someone to join me, but no one did, and having ordered a fair share of mint tea and pastries, I was left well enough alone. I hope to go back to Morocco this summer, continuing on my journey to learn Arabic and the beauty of the culture.” – Rebecca Hill AKA @lymie16   008/100 of #100DaysofConfessions Instagram Project