Introduction and About Me

Deciding to take the leap on booking your first solo trip can be scary and exciting all at once. I have always been an independent person but the thought of going on a flight and exploring a new country alone was a daunting thought to me. When I graduated university in the summer of 2023, I didn't have a set plan on what I wanted to do after spending 17 years in education. I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue in education, go into employment or pack my bags and head off to the other side of the world. I decided a masters programme wasn't for me at this stage in my life, I felt too unprepared to start a big solo travel so I decided that gaining work experience was the best option. Like many graduates, I really struggled to find work in my field of expertise relating to my degree. This was a bit of a confidence knock for me and I'm sure other graduates feel the same. Working hard for 4 years to secure a job in this area you feel passionate about and to never get your foot quite in the door for work experience is deflating. Saying this, I am very grateful for the jobs I have had an the experience they have given me as I currently work as an administrator in the public sector.

What inspired me to start writing a blog

I am a naturally creative person and I have various forms to express this side of myself whether that is through different mediums of art, dance, sewing and writing. I felt that when looking for advice online with my own questions about travelling, it can take some time to find sound information. I wanted to write about my experience to offer a help guide in a way for those who want to know anything from booking travel, planning, cost associated and how to manage diabetes whilst travelling.

What inspired me to start solo travelling

I have always wanted to travel and in the position I was in making my own wage and more freedom now not studying, it was the perfect time for me to start ticking places off my list. The pandemic also had a lot to do with this. Once it was deemed 'safe' again, I knew I had to take the opportunity to do all the things that were once restricted like travelling. The majority of my university experience was consumed by the pandemic so I feel I lost a lot of time to do the fun aspects of uni life before cracking down in my final year.

Another motivator of mine, embarrassingly is that I felt a quite lonely. After graduation, I moved back home in the hopes of saving more money and gaining a better idea of what I wanted to do with my life. As helpful and great as this was, I didn't realise how hard it would to transition back to living with my family opposed to my friends, who now all live miles away. With all my closest friends also being in either long-term relationships or constantly in relationships, I found myself sitting at home most weekends feeling left behind and that any spare moment they had, they spent in their relationship. I don't think I was prepared for how difficult this transition was going to be, naively, I thought everything would still be the same. But, inevitably, when all your friends decide to do different degrees, different jobs, that means different working days and hours and your schedules never end up aliening. So, for my 22nd birthday I decided to take myself to Rome. I wanted to kick start the travelling bug again. For my 21st birthday, my family and I went to Florence, Italy and I was blown away by how much I loved it. So, I was pretty set on going back to Italy.

Living my Lizzie McGuire fantasy

Once I booked the flights to Rome, it was time to get planning my itinerary. I am the ultimate organiser, and for my first solo trip I didn't feel too comfortable having an open plan. This was actually a lot of fun for me as that was my first time experiencing planning what I wanted to do whilst travelling and not have to consider what anyone else wants.

Click here to read all about Rome!