Why Does this Blog Have So Many F****** Entries?!: An Introduction

Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine, 2007.

My sister-in-law is planning her first solo trip abroad and asked for my advice.  I sat down to write out a list of my Top 10 tips and tricks to help guide her.  Ha-larious.  After hours on the phone with her, talking through itineraries, tips on changing money, strategies for dropping jet lag like its hot, what to bring on the plane and my top safety tips, I realized I a lot to say on the subject of women traveling alone.  In fact, it is one of my favorite subjects.  Traveling alone and living abroad turned me into the bad-ass lady I always wanted to be, my sister-in-law wanted that for herself and I wanted to help her as much as I could (in addition to traveling, helping others also earns you a bad-ass lady merit badge in my book). 

It was really fun for me to share stories and help her plan and feel more comfortable on her first solo trip.  After two years in the Peace Corps in Ukraine and traveling to more than 45 countries (more than 20 of them by myself), I may not be the most experienced or hardcore traveler in the world, but I have learned A LOT.  I also think I lend a unique perspective to the travel blog world as someone who truly loves to travel, but has not made it their entire life.  I have a husband and a career, and take travel whenever I can.  I decided to write down all of the best advice I have used and learned on my adventures.  I hope this information will help other women to grab opportunities when they can and go see the world as so many others have inspired me.  I created this blog to give the most comprehensive view I can about traveling: the annoying, the necessary, the interesting and the spectacular.  I hope you enjoy the journey!

Why is this blog so f****** long?! Because there is a lot to think about when striking out on one of your first international trips or first solo trip.  

First Step: Don’t be Intimidated by this Super Long Blog! Here is why:

Morocco Bound, 2014

I realize that this blog looks like a long list of recommendations, dos, don’ts and things to buy that might seem discouraging to someone who is contemplating or planning their first solo trip. Here is what I say to that:

1. Taking the right steps to keep myself safe, and to a lesser extent my things safe, is the biggest thing that gives me the confidence to go out and see the world and truly enjoy it! 
2.  There are dangerous people and places in the world (though the world is much safer than it seems on the news) and accidents do happen.  Spending the money on the right equipment, a place you feel comfortable staying and expending some energy on your personal safety will improve your trip immensely, and hopefully make you feel free to go any place you desire. 
3. Once you get set up for your first big solo trip, you will need very little for future trips and you will figure out what YOU truly need to take with you. (Use my list and those from other blogs as a guide.) 
4. The more you travel, the more comfortable you will feel!  You will more data to figure out which of these recommendations are right for you and you will have already spent pre-travel brain space on what to bring and where to go.  
5. I am giving you my best advice from my experiences, if something doesn’t fit for you just don’t follow it.  I respect your choice to listen you your own voice and do what works for you.