If “everywhere” is an unacceptable answer, then perhaps, the arctic circle, Italy, Croatia, France, Iceland, and Poland (to visit Nishe). 

You’re in luck Lisbon (Portugal) is home to some of the best hostels in the world, you’ll have so many beautiful ones to choose from. Here are ones I’ve stayed in: Lisbon Poets Hostel, Goodnight Hostel, Lisbon Lounge Hostel, Living Lounge Hostel, Home Lisbon Hostel, all in the Baixa-Chiado districts. If you like quiet, I would not recommend the Lisbon Poets Hostel, just because of the noise on the streets there. All these hostels are very close to the metro, so you can get to other districts easily. Goodnight Hostel has the best reading nook, between the third and fourth floors. As for Barcelona, Spain, I’ve stayed in one of the Sant Jordi hostels, except I’m wondering if they either closed the one I stayed in, or renovated it, because none of the ones at their site look familiar. It was close to Plaça de Catalunya, and one of Gaudi’s buildings though. Also stayed in the Garden House, which has a lovely rooftop and views, but I wouldn’t recommend as much, because it’s so far from everything. If you’re looking for a good hostel though, definitely check hostelworld.com and hostelbookers.com, and of course, you can reserve a bed or room through them, as well. 

My best tips for travelers: go with your instincts, an open mind, in faith, and out of your comfort zone.

Where to find … Hostels: I use hostelworld.com and hostelbookers.com, but you can use other hostel booking sites or travel guide books, word of mouth, and so forth. Food: ask locals for recommendations, or observe which restaurants, markets, food stands, etc, the locals flock to. The popular ones tend to be the best ones. Jobs: I’ve never formally worked overseas. If you’re willing to work in exchange for things other than money, such as food and accommodation, perhaps, look into helpx.net Fun: well, this is difficult because people’s ideas of fun are different. For instance, diving out of a plane with nothing but a parachute is fun to me, but others would feel faint at the mere idea. I don’t really hunt for fun, I suppose I just kind of make my own fun. Do things you enjoy. Culture: it’s all around you already. If you’re interested in a specific culture though, then you’d have to research where that culture exists or prominent and visit. Humanity: I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking me… humanity is everywhere people are. Nature: If you’re looking for nature abundant places, research where good regions for this are located, if you’re in a city or area, wander until you find some, or ask some locals, or look at a map, etc. Beauty: I see beauty everywhere, even in bleakness. Depends on your idea of and perspective on beauty. 

As far as languages, I’m ashamed to say, not very much, the basics at best. Partly because I either (a) don’t know where I’m going in enough advance, am traveling impulsively (b) in the case of my upcoming summer travels, will be encountering dozens of languages, and will only be in some cities/areas for a few days.

Safety is so grounded in instinct for me that it’s difficult to dissect what exactly I do. I think a great deal of it is somewhat subconscious, observances of surroundings and reading people. I don’t go to bars, I don’t get drunk, I’m aware of myself, my environment, etc. Some of it is common sense I suppose. You know, don’t wander dark alleys at night. Know the difference between fear and paranoia, because the first is a gift, and the second can be crippling. Read The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence by Gavin de Becker, if you haven’t already. In general, there’s many books you can choose from that give traveling advice, and so forth, and discuss safety. 

Perhaps. I do prefer traveling solo, for a number of reasons. I suppose I’d consider it, if I felt someone had a compatible enough traveling style to mine and that I wasn’t going to get sick of being in close proximity to them for months on end. The persisting misconception is that people who travel alone are always alone, which isn’t true at all. I make more conversations and friends by myself, then when I’m with preexisting friends. I’m an introvert, so having to stick with certain people for such a long duration of time, and having no solitude, sounds slightly horrifying. What’s beautiful about making acquaintances and friends as you go, is you can enjoy their companionship, whilst being free from expectations or obligations, and compromises are unnecessary. If you now wish to go there, and they, another place, you can. Furthermore, you can escape them for a breather, whenever you wish.

I am, of course. I have always paid in full for my travels, and probably always will. Yes, I work. Well, on and off. I have to quit jobs sometimes to travel, seeing as I travel for months on end, and most jobs only allow a week or two vacation per year, which I think is cruelly short. I believe U.S. society would be healthier if people indulged in leisure a little more, slowed down a little. In this culture, busyness is a symbol of “success”, people are proud of their stress, and congested schedules. Stress makes me sick, I detest being atrociously busy, and refuse to force myself into it, just to fit in or look successful. But, I digress. I wouldn’t say I even have a “profession”, the longest I’ve stuck with the same job is about seven months. I often thrive on change, I grow restless doing the same thing everyday, in the same place, et cetera. I’m not career orientated, there’s no one profession I love enough to pursue it intensely and individually, furthermore, I don’t crave worldly success or need it to fulfill me.  

Yes, I was mostly in Chefchaouen, sometimes known as the “blue city”, located in the Rif Mountains. They say tourists “flock” here (sometimes for the marijuana), but I only once noticed people who were distinctly tourists. Of course, I was tucked up in the medina, and was also there in a season less popular for tourists, so I imagine this may have had something to do with it. I ended up there, because it looked interesting on Google images, and was not disappointed. I will find the name of the hotel I stayed in, if you’d like. Find a map if you can (I don’t even know if there are maps of the city), because in the medina it is very maze-like, with no noticeable street names or addresses. You can take a bus from Tangier (for about $6), or a taxi (for about $30). I felt comfortable there, the people are lovely, and though the young men and boys definitely liked to start conversations with me, they were much more polite and less aggressive than Americans, in this aspect, whereas, in the U.S., I’ve had guys shout vulgar things at me across the street, etc. For some reason, I most vividly remember once when I was lost, wandering, and came across three children playing in a deserted street. As I went past one of the little girls on the stairs, she looked me in the eye, reached up and combed her fingers through my hair, smiled and then turned away, running to join her friends. It’s a beautiful city, beloved by many. Thank you so much for your kind words! 

Are you look to travel within the U.S. or abroad? Less than a week isn’t much time, so perhaps in the states, maybe a road trip out west to the Grand Canyon, or Big Sur, California, which I’ve heard is magnificent and I’ve been in love with from afar, ever since I read Henry Miller’s Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch. Or perhaps, Pawleys Island, South Carolina, which is beloved to me, all my best childhood memories are there, and it almost makes me weep in nostalgia, but it is a beautiful little island, I believe, and the busier Myrtle Beach is just a bit north of there. If you truly desire to get out of country, somewhere in Central America might be enjoyable, flights are pretty affordable and you won’t waste too much of your vacation on a plane. I knew a group of folks building a tree house hostel in Nicaragua, they’re probably finished it by now, I’m blanking on the name of the place, but I will look it up if you’re interested. Would be a low key, wonderful place to stay, immersed in the Nicaraguan nature and affordable. They were originally offering people free boarding if they helped build, but I don’t know if they’re still doing that. I think they often took visitors on hikes and tours of the area, if desired, as well. If a transatlantic flight is no trouble, Portugal, France, or Spain, perhaps? I can recommend hostels I’ve stayed in, in Lisbon and Barcelona. 

Just minimum wage and low paying jobs, honestly. Please don’t be mislead! Overseas travel is not always expensive as people tend to assume or as its portrayed in the media. Of course, it depends on where you travel to, Europe is even more expensive than the U.S., in general theory, and there are cities like Tokyo that I’ve heard are super pricey, however, in the case of Europe, it has many affordable and wonderful hostels that other continents lack. Continents like Africa and Asia can provide very affordable travel. I just booked a hotel in India that only costs $4 a night! Train travel and food are also unbelievably cheap in comparison the the U.S. If you buy flight tickets in advance and use a travel agent, you can get pretty affordable flights (I think we live in the same state? I can recommend my travel agent if you like? She’s trustworthy, and gets her commission out of any travel packages or flights, etc, you purchase, so you don’t pay anything upfront or directly to her, at all … Do be weary of any travel agents that you don’t know or aren’t recommended by someone you trust, they can rip you off sometimes). Once you’re there, living in other countries can be drastically cheaper than in the U.S. Some people pick up jobs along the way (like teaching English, often in demand, and no degree needed) if they’re looking to travel continuously. Unless you want to travel in luxury, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and can be cheaper than where you live to begin with, so don’t be discouraged. If traveling is your dream, you can definitely make it happen!

I’m so glad to hear this. I was a bit worried I might of come off as too defensive. (To any readers who are lost, this is the previous message in reference). Perhaps, Gavin de Becker’s The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence would be furthermore empowering for you to read.

Truthfully, it’s difficult to give advice on packing, if I don’t know where someone is going, other than pack as light as possible, and you’ll be freer. Leave as much valuables at home as you can, or else you might just was precious time worrying about them. If you’re interested in the dress, jewelry, adornment or so forth of the regions you’re visiting, bring less from home, and collect along the way (although do be conscious of any religious connotations or so forth of local dress and adornment, as some things may be considered offensive for a foreigner to wear). Especially if you’re traveling to a more impoverished part of the world, buying goods is a great way to help support the people within the community. I could say so much about packing, but in a nutshell, it puts a bit of a damper on your travels if you have to carry too much weight around, so less is usually more.

I use hostels.com, hostelbookers.com, and hostelworld.com the most, but you can also consult travel guides (as well as other sites) for accommodation recommendations. Once again, it depends a bit on where you’re going, and what you want out of your accommodation and what you can afford. You may also want to consider helpx.net which offers opportunities to work / volunteer in exchange for room and board and food. There’s also couchsurfing.net

Well, I’ve never not found room and board, so I can’t really give advice there, other than book a place before you arrive, and you should have no worries. If you’re interested in a place that’s very popular, you may want to book well in advance to ensure a room or bed. It might ease any worries to be aware of a few alternative places you could stay before you arrive somewhere, just in case one isn’t working out. In some cultures, hospitality is essential, and locals may eagerly invite you to stay with them, and treat you as a honored guest (of course, they believe you are honoring them by being their guest), and if you’re traveling somewhere remote enough, where there are no hotels, this may become your only choice. Use your instinct on this one, if you don’t feel comfortable staying with someone, don’t.

There are numerous books about traveling alone as a women, perhaps, look around on Amazon or Goodreads (these two tend to have the most reviews, if you want to get a feel for a book), and see which you may like to read. There’ll be much more advice in them, than I can post in this message. And Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts is a wonderful little book, if you’re looking to travel extensively. Hope this can help you some. <3 

Prices and reviews. Obviously, if I can’t afford it, I can’t consider it. It first has to be affordable. Secondly, I stay in places that have been reviewed well, which often include ratings for individual aspects of the accommodation, such as location, amenities, safety, the staff, and so forth.

Do you know how many opportunities a day you have to die? I vividly remember reading in my middle school health textbook, how the average house has more dangers for its inhabitants than almost anywhere else they’ll ever be. Furthermore, I live in one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S., in some neighborhoods here, there is a 1 in 7 chance of being a victim of a violent crime (crimes like rape and murder, not petty crimes like pickpocketing). Being alive is dangerous.

It’s funny how everybody thinks they’re safest where they live, when statistically victims usually know their perpetrators, meaning most are better off in a city full of strangers. And why do people behave like human trafficking, sex slavery, is something that could only happen if they go overseas? It unfortunately happens essentially everywhere, and that includes developed first-world countries like the U.S. What greatly frustrates me about people telling me it’s dangerous to travel by myself, or any other women this, is that — well meaning, or not — it’s patronizing. It assumes I live in the delusional void of “that could never happen to me”, that I’m ignorant and naive about the dangers that do exist, that I need a man or someone else to hold my hand or watch my back when I venture out in the world, and most of all, the unspoken message seems to be, “Instead of fighting to end the dangers, fighting against the evil of exploitation and abuse of women, we should just encourage women to stay home and never venture out in the world.” That may be easier, but it’s the coward’s way out. If I don’t travel because of fear, then I’ve let the “bad guys” win and they control me. If you want to live life to the fullest, you better get out of your comfort zone.

It just upsets me that people seem more passionate about instilling paranoia and fear into women and stopping them from traveling and being independent because of dangers, instead fighting against the dangers, such as human trafficking and rape, and the perpetrators of these crimes, so the world can be a safer place for all.

What precautions do I take? There’s mostly only one: go with my gut instinct. Although, I also don’t go out and get drunk, leaving myself foolishly and unbelievably vulnerable. And yes, I travel alone. I always have. From Europe, to Africa, and now to Asia. But one is never really “alone” per se, I make many new and wonderful friends whenever I travel.

P.S. Sorry, if this comes off as a sort of attack against you, I don’t mean it that way. I’m just very worn down from people telling me what I’m doing is dangerous and that women shouldn’t travel alone. But you should never ever make light or a joke of someone becoming a “sex slave”. You’re talking about atrocious crimes against living breathing human beings, that’s not humorous.

Why, from working of course! Minimum wage jobs, mostly. I don’t have a degree or any fancy credentials, so it’s not like I’m bringing in big paychecks. I just live pretty frugally and sacrifice, so I can travel. Furthermore, traveling is not nearly as expensive as people seem to believe. For instance, when I was in Morocco, accommodation and food was about $6 a day, that’s far less than living in the U.S. If you take advantage of opportunities to work a little in exchange for room and board, you can pay almost nothing. 

With wanderlust. Oh no, I collect them. Four that I have hanging up are a 1970s star map, a world map (intended to be a fold-up map, but instead hung by bulldog clips above my bed, once carried with me to Europe and Africa), a map of Manhattan, and a 1970s ethnolinguistic map of Africa. They signify how vast the world is, I suppose, and travel. You can (sort of) see three of the maps I mentioned above in these pictures, here, here, and here. The rest are folded up and kept somewhere. 

Applying for my India and Vietnam visas (also going to Nepal, Thailand, and Laos), I’m so excited about this trip I could burst into tears of joy. A dream come true. So many have said, “You can’t, you shouldn’t”, but I’m tenacious and I’m passionate, and no one can tame my free spirited and wild heart. I’m hoping to make a little book, to print and sell, when I come back, with my stories from these places, and some photographs, if they’re good enough … I think I best practice my photography chops before then, I’m already hoarding rolls of film.