Go Solo Live

Becky Gillespie was 22 when she moved to Tokyo for a year. After that experience, she was hooked. Now, she’s a permanent resident of Japan and completely in love with the city. On the show, Becky discusses the cultural differences (and the language barrier!) between Japanese and American culture, her trip to New Zealand, and her thoughts about Colombia.   Key Takeaways: *Why did Becky go from living in Ohio to living in Tokyo for a year? How did her family take it? *Becky did this trip in 2004 and travel has drastically changed since then with the advancement of technology. *How has social media helped Becky travel? *What was Becky’s first living abroad experience like? *Becky has been to 53 countries and Japan is the safest one she’s been to. *Did Becky struggle with the language? *Becky loves, loves the food. It’s also so incredibly clean there for the number of people that live there. *What kind of challenges did Becky face while she was there? *Becky accidentally flashed her doctor due to the language bar

Leyla Alyanak has been zigzagging all over the world for the last two decades (actually, it’s been a little bit more than that). As a journalist, she’s traveled into war zones and even got lost in the Amazon rainforest. These days, her solo trips are much calmer and deliver such an enriching cultural experience that she doesn’t plan to ‘cool down’ anytime soon. At nearly 65 years old, Leyla has been to 86 countries, thus far, and currently resides in France. Find out more about Leyla and her travels on this week’s episode!   Key Takeaways: *Leyla is currently living in France; where are some of her favorite places to go? *Why did Leyla decide to live in Europe? *What are some of the pros and cons of traveling all over the world? *How does Leyla manage her time and the logistics of this nomadic lifestyle? *Moving within Europe is so easy, but getting a visa into Europe can be very difficult. *Has Leyla ever been in a situation where she thought she wasn’t safe while traveling solo? *Leyla has had to travel to

BB Peters is one of the founders of Boom Goddess Radio and an Account Executive at Natural Awakenings Magazine. As a daughter of immigrant parents, BB was accustomed to being very independent and traveling solo in her own backyard at a young age. As BB got older, she would often take solo work trips, but even then she would still find herself traveling solo in her own city. On the show, BB encourages you to take baby steps within your own state if you don’t feel comfortable jet-setting 5,000 miles into the unknown.   Key Takeaways: *How did BB get started in solo travel? *When BB was 11, she had to help her immigrant parents with the language barrier when they first arrived in the United States. *There are a lot of women out there solo traveling for work, but because it’s work, they don’t really count it as real solo travel. *You don’t have to be this huge world traveler to reap the benefits of solo travel. *BB shares a story about a quick solo trip she took right in her backyard. *Jennifer loves to take peop

Jennifer Huber won a free trip to Vietnam and got to experience a new culture like never before. She went across the world solo and even got hit by a motorbike (nothing bad happened), but it’s crazy moments like that where you just have to laugh. On this week’s episode, Jennifer discusses her Vietnam experience, how she won a free plane ticket to anywhere in the world, and some of her favorite go-to places that help her save money while traveling solo!   Key Takeaways: *Why did Jennifer decide to solo travel? *Whenever Jennifer took a business trip, especially international, she’d always take a couple of days off just to explore the city. *When you’re traveling solo, you’re definitely forced to get out of your own bubble compared to if you were with a friend or partner. *What kinds of things does Jennifer do when she’s in a foreign country? *Jennifer won a free airline ticket and got to travel to Vietnam. *The motorbikes in Vietnam do not stop for anyone — anyone! *A motorist (going in the wrong direction) ac

Carol Perehudoff, also known as Wandering Carol, is a luxury travel blogger. With slightly over 15 years of experience as a travel writer, Carol has had her fair share of fascinating stories and adventures. Through hard work and sticking with it, she has made a career out of her two favorite things — traveling and writing! On today’s show, Carol discusses how she became a travel writer and also offers advice how you can start building a career for yourself… today!   Key Takeaways: *How did Carol get her start traveling? *Are you scared to travel? Take baby steps. It’s a muscle that gets stronger every time you exercise it. *Carol once had to say to her husband, “You know I am a travel writer, did it not once occur to you that I will travel?” His reply was, “No!” *Carol and her husband have been together for over 9 years, so he is more than used to having Carol jet set off alone to exotic locations by this point. *Keep in mind, when Carol’s husband stays home, he isn’t losing out or missing out. In fact, he’s

Phylecia Jones is a budgetologist, speaker, and world traveler. Phylecia is all about living the life you want as long as you plan accordingly for it. What’s the point of putting extra financial stress on yourself and paying everything off (with interest) from a trip you took two years ago? On today’s show, Phylecia offers simple tips that you can do today to start building a travel budget, stop doing that credit card dance, and to get a better control over your finances for more meaningful travel.   Key Takeaways: *Who is Phylecia and what does she do? *When Phylecia and her husband got married, they had to sit down for about a week to get both their finances straight. *You want to get all the boring financial stuff out of the way first before you budget for travel. *Believe it or not, Phylecia doesn’t use spreadsheets when she does budgeting! *One of the ways Jennifer saves money is by having roommates. *When Phylecia and her husband got married, they discussed what they wanted out of their marriage for the

Talek Nantes has a lot of experience traveling the world and makes five to six international trips every year. Her mother traveled from Cuba to New York while she was still pregnant with Talek and owned a travel agency; this exposed Talek to the world and she does not remember a time where she wasn’t learning about different people and their cultures. On this week’s show, Talek has some age-old advice for the newbie traveler as to what to do when you've stepped foot in a foreign country and things to be aware of so you don’t get ripped off!   Key Takeaways: *What inspired Talek to travel solo? *What was Talek’s big ‘ah-ha’ moment when it came to solo travel? *So many women think solo travel is something only ‘college-aged’ women do. Not true! *The more time passes, the less likely you are to travel alone. *If you’re afraid of danger, start slowly, travel to countries that speak English or travel within the United States. *It’s easier to travel these days with the use of technology! *When Talek travels to a ne

Leah Walker is a Texan woman with a heart for France. Leah first experienced solo travel when she went to Costa Rica as a college student. Fast forward to now, Leah is living in France and works as a brand ambassador and social media expert. Leah knows there’s a lot of blogs out there telling you how to quit your job and travel the world. They make it sound easy, but it’s not! It takes time to build a career and it takes time to save the money you need to see the world. You just have to make it a priority.   Key Takeaways: *What inspired Leah to leave Texas and travel solo? *The first place Leah ever went to solo was Costa Rica in 1997. She and her friends got chased by a guy wielding a machete. It was very rural back then. *Later in life, Leah really loved to travel and didn’t want to wait for her then-husband’s schedule to see the world. She was bitten by the bug and ready to go. *Unfortunately, Leah mother was diagnosed with cancer at 60 and she ended up passing away at 65. This had a profound effect on he

Clara Chorley had always wanted to travel to Africa, but due to fear mongering and stories of it being dangerous, it kept pushing her back. However, her deep desire to visit slowly crept up on her, until one day, and after 14 years of procrastination, she couldn’t ignore it anymore and decided to take the leap. Since then, Clara has traveled the world and there’s one thing that she’s consistently noticed throughout every situation: People are inherently good. Don’t let stories of woe and dread hold you back from solo travel and being transformed!   Key Takeaways: *What got Clara started on this path of solo travel? *The United States is so huge and Clara has noticed that a lot of Americans don’t leave the country. *In Europe, it’s just easier to go to a neighboring country and be immersed in a completely different culture. *Clara has seen that there’s a lot of fear-mongering when it comes to traveling to ‘dangerous’ places. *How does Clara know when a place is going to be okay? *It’s very important that you g

Katrina McGhee took a 20-month career break. Although this might seem scary and like career suicide, when Katrina came back she was rejuvenated and transformed. With a new vision and focus, she then took the next challenge to pay off her student loan debt. Katrina is now in her late 30s and is completely debt-free! Prior to her break, Katrina felt lost and miserable. She was unhappy with her corporate job and was afraid that this was ‘it’ for her. Is this really all life had to offer? Katrina decided no, it wasn’t and put steps in place to change her life around. Find out how she did it in this week’s episode!   Key Takeaways: *Katrina was recently featured on Forbes! *Katrina took a 20-month career break. After coming back, Katrina decided to pay off her student loans. She is currently debt-free! *Katrina quit her job in 2013 and solo traveled when she was 31. *The interesting thing was, Katrina didn’t think travel was possible but she stacked the odds in her favor so that she would travel, by joining an MBA

Before Chantell Glenville quit her job to travel the world, she was working a very, very stressful job. It was so stressful that at the young age of 27 years old, she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Every Tuesday, like clockwork, she would end up crying in her office. Enough was enough. Chantell set in motion a plan to free herself of this lifestyle. She saved up her money, quit her job to go travel the world for what was only going to be for a year and a half. Well, two-and-a-half years later, Chantell is still traveling the world and she is loving every second of it. She set off on her solo journey to rediscover herself, to find out what her wants and desires are but ended up discovering so much more. Learn more about Chantell and her story, on this week’s episode!   Key Takeaways: *Who is Chantell and what was she doing professionally when she decided to travel solo? *How did Chantell prepare for her trip and come up with an itinerary? Well, two-and-a-half years later, she’s still traveling! *How

Mary Beth McCabe’s first solo trip was when she was 15 years old. Since then, Mary Beth has been to every continent (except Antarctica) by herself. She has even written a book, The World’s First Guide to Independent Travel, to help fellow travelers get a better sense of how to travel the world solo. Mary Beth highly encourages travelers out there to even revisit locations you haven’t been to in a while to see how your perspective has changed over the years. She also says that if you ever get lost, don’t panic! It’s all part of the journey and to just enjoy this new adventure you’ve stumbled upon.   Key Takeaways: *What did people think when they found out Mary Beth wanted to travel solo? *Mary Beth’s first solo trip was when she was 15. *What are Mary Beth’s top three travel destinations? *Make sure you pay attention to when tickets go on sale. Mary Beth booked a $29 flight each way to Oakland. *Mary Beth has had a very positive Airbnb experience so far. *Mary Beth went back to China for the first time in 38

Melissa Binkley is the Founder of Intuitive Intelligence Academy, a transformation school for anyone seeking to heal trauma and grow themselves. Melissa went on her first solo trip in 2015 and ever since then she has experienced huge transformations within herself. However, those icky and uncomfortable emotions still pop up inside her every now and again, but instead of ignoring them, she sits with them, journals them, and then moves on. By doing this, she has become a much freer (and happier!) person.   Key Takeaways: *What was going on in Melissa’s life when she decided to embark on her 2015 solo travel? *When Melissa embarked on her solo journey, did she think her partner would come with her? *Melissa went to India for four months and it was a deeply transformative experience. She was 100% solo! *On that trip, Melissa was able to find ‘home’ again. What does she mean by that? *What were some of the highlights of being on this Indian trip? *Melissa went on a backpacking trip to Europe with her daughter, but

Sunni Boehme was 30-years-old when she survived a life-threatening car accident. It was so intense that she had an out-of-body experience. When she finally came to, she realized she’s never taken a real vacation before — never sat on a city bus or a train — and by that point, she had only been on a plane once in her life. This immediately had to change. She went to Europe solo with no plans other than a monthly budget of $1,000. The experience completely transformed her and how she saw life after that. She came back to the U.S. with no money left and started a completely new career path.   Key Takeaways: *Where was Sunni in her life when she decided it was time to go solo? *Sunni had an out-of-body experience from a car accident that nearly killed her. *Even though Sunni was 30 years old, she had never been on a city bus and a train in her life. By that point, she had only been on a plane once — it was for work — and she had only taken one vacation in her adult life (where she didn’t even leave the state). *H

Alicia Rasley is an award-winning author as well as a writing coach and teacher. She loves to travel solo when she is doing research for her books because it means she can explore a new city on her own time. She can soak the experiences in and then later write about it in her books. On the show, Alicia shares why she treasures solo travel so much and also shares some of her tips and tricks to make travel a safer and cheaper experience.   Key Takeaways: *What was travel like for Alicia when she was growing up? Did she do it a lot? *Alicia comes from a big family, so whenever she got some time alone, it was really a blessing. *Which came first? Alicia writing stories/books about England or her travels to England? *When you’re looking for inspiration, you really need to do that alone. *A lot of romance readers are unable to travel, so by reading Alicia’s books, they’re able to get a full foreign experience. *What kind of challenges has Alicia faced while traveling solo? *Alicia loves to drive in England, but it

Rachel Archelaus did not come from a household that openly welcomed wanderlust, but she has always wanted to see the world. In fact, she chose a location-independent career so that she can always pick up and go if she wants to. Despite being afraid of heights as well as hills, Rachel bought a camper van so that she could travel solo throughout the U.S. while promoting her book, Intuitive Art. On the show, Rachel discusses what that experience was like and how that experience has transformed her.   Key Takeaways: *Where is Rachel right now and what brought her there? *How did Rachel’s parents support her wanderlust when she was growing up? *New York City was a very grimy place in the 60s and the 70s and it wasn’t a great place to grow up, which is why Rachel’s parents had their reservations about her traveling. *What was it like taking a solo trip to Europe? *There are no rules as to how you should behave, that’s what Rachel learned the most on her trip to Europe. We don’t have to be so uptight and rigid with

Linda Beach did something bold when she found herself unhappy with her life — she decided to sell her business and move to Belize, a country she had never even been to before. This story is the perfect example of ‘if you can dream it, you can have it,’ because Linda put her three-year plan out into the universe and began putting bits and pieces in place so she could achieve it. Today, she’s built a location-independent business and she gets to live the dream of being close to beautiful ocean waters, sandy beaches, and unforgettable scuba dive trips. Find out on this week’s show how she was able to put all of this in place and live in a new country… solo!   Key Takeaways: *Linda’s solo journey really just snuck up on her. *What did Linda’s life look like before she took her first solo journey plunge? *Three years from now, what would you like your life to look like? *Linda is living proof that the law of attraction works. *You can have a big fat dream and still sit on your sofa without doing anything. That’s n

Janet Hanpeter is a globe-trotting Baby Boomer and has over 80 countries logged on her passport. Janet was bitten by the travel bug at a very young age by her wanderlust mother, who was also a private pilot in college. When Janet turned 50, she realized that she had to take her traveling up a notch, so she traveled to China on a solo trip and it was a life-changing experience! Find out why on this week’s episode.   Key Takeaways: *When did Janet get bit by the travel bug? *Janet’s mom has always had a wanderlust spirit, and she also got her private pilot’s license while in college (this was back in the 40’s). *How many barriers did Janet’s mom have to overcome with traveling? *Do Janet’s siblings have the same passion for traveling as she does? *What was Janet’s solo trip to China like? It was life-changing! *Janet hadn’t traveled much in Asia and she found herself completely alone with visa issues! *Sometimes the stories are better and the memories are stronger when you have that ‘holy cow’ moment. *However,

Jeni Dehn was married to her husband for two years when she decided it was time to take a solo trip. At 44 years old, Jeni left to go to Spain — a place where she knew nobody she personally knew would be there — to take some self-care. She came back more refreshed, happy, and ready to wear colorful clothes again! Jeni believes solo travel is very similar to spiritual work. You come back transformed, changed, and awakened.   Key Takeaways: *Why did Jeni decide to go on her first solo trip? *After receiving support from her family, Jeni decide to go to Spain! *Jeni flew halfway across the world because she didn’t want to be in a place where she could have run into somebody she knew. She wanted to reflect and care for herself. *While Jeni was at the retreat and alone, what kinds of things did she discover and take away about herself? *Jeni was crazy enough to rent a car in a foreign country and she drove a stick shift, something she hadn’t done in 10 years! *When Jeni’s friends found out she was going to Spain a

Traca Savadogo has traveled with her family ever since she was a young girl but had never left the United States. When Traca moved from her hometown in Illinois to Seattle, that’s when new doors opened for her and she was exposed to a new set of cultures and experiences. She never thought traveling to Europe was a possibility for her, but one day, through the encouragement of a boyfriend, she did her first ever big solo trip and left for Europe. The experience was amazing! Shortly after that, she went with a friend to Thailand for a month. On the show, Traca discusses the differences between traveling solo, vs. traveling a friend and why both can have their benefits depending on where you are in life.   Key Takeaways: *How did Traca first get started with solo travel? *Traca’s boyfriend at the time encouraged her to travel abroad for the very first time, solo. *Even though Traca traveled all the time via car when she was younger with her family, traveling beyond the U.S. just seemed so ‘out there.’ *Speaking