If you want to see every post I’ve written, starting with the most recent, this is the place to start!
I’ve been traveling the globe solo, and many of my posts share thoughts and resources specifically for other solo travelers. If you’re a fellow solo traveler, or you’re thinking about solo travel, this is a collection you will find of interest.
If you’re looking to read blog posts about specific destinations, click the country of your interest below to go to it’s blog page and get country-specific reviews and thoughts.
Sometimes I write posts where I give insider information on certain cities I’ve visited, which may be more along the lines of places to go, how to save money, etc. If that’s your main interest, check out this compilation of posts.
In 2020, I was traveling in New Zealand as the coronavirus pandemic brewed, and, got stuck there. If you want to read about what this time was like and traveling during this time, check out this page.
At the heart of international travel is learning about the many different cultures and ways of being around the world. The posts compiled on this page speak, specifically, about the cultural observations I’ve had.
Many of my blog posts are about things I’ve discovered about myself or about being, while I’ve traveled. If you’d like to focus on posts that only have self-discovery themes, click the button below.
Accommodations I Stayed In
Below you’ll find a list of all the places I stayed on my adventure. I’ve given my opinions of each, and provided a link to the website of each location (if available) in case you might want to learn more or book a stay!
Scotland
City Break.. Edinburgh, Scotland. Nice little B&B about 25 minutes walk from downtown Edinburgh. Staircase only and I was on the top floor, gulp! Lovely owners, nice breakfast included in your stay, though get there early because the room fills up! I had a room with a shared bathroom, worked out fine.
Pitlochry Backpackers. Pitlochry, Scotland. A cute hostel that has single rooms and private bathrooms and totally in budget! Great location, about 1 block from the train station and center of town.
Portugal
Hotel Alif Campo Pequeno.. Lisbon, Portugal. Near the airport (don’t get ripped off by your cab driver! It should cost about 6 euros by taxi.) Great price for a comfortable room with air conditioning, breakfast included and it was quite a huge variety for breakfast! Easy walk to nearest metro station.
Pensao Flor de Coimbra.. Coimbra, Portugal. Perfectly located near to the old part of the city and just lovely! Tiny room but has everything you need and the owners could not be more lovely people, great find! Great price, too!
Moov Hotel Porto Norte.. Porto, Portugal. A bit outside the city center – they only take cash or debit cards as payment, comfortable rooms.
Spain
Hotel Capital de Galicia. Santiago de Compostella, Spain. Although the walls are a bit thin, loved this hotel! Great staff and large rooms, very comfortable. Friendly breaksfast, nicely located outside city center, but not too far!
Apartamento Estación Tren Ourense. Ourense, Spain. GREAT apartment! comfortable, friendly owners, kitchen so you can cook and feel at home, beautiful bathroom – great find! Great location, too. Book through the travel apps or AirBnB
Hotel Puerta de Burgos. Burgos, Spain. comfortable room and great bathroom. A little far from city center and not much of interest near the hotel, but great staff.
Central America
Hotel Nany. Brasilito, Guanacaste. This was the very first place I stayed in Costa Rica and I am so happy with my choice. The staff is lovely, especially Julio, the manager, and his friend Harvey from Nicaragua. The area is small and the hotel a perfect refuge and you can hear the howler monkeys in the morning! The food at the hotel was also lovely, my favorite dish was the fish fingers!
Hotel Regina. La Fortuna, Arenal. A total bargain! I paid about $30/night. It’s at the edge of town, and weird in that you’re kind of staying in a mini shopping center, but the room was huge, the staff lovely, safe (there is a guard outside at night). They are also very helpful recommending activities and booking them for you. You’re also right near the Soda Mimi which is great and inexpensive.
Casa Jungla AirBnB. Monteverde, Puntarenas. Emanuel is an excellent host, and the room, though simple, is perfect. You’ll have the typical electric shower, and it’s a 5-10 minute walk (depending how windy it is) from the center of town. I love Emanuel’s entrepreneurial spirit, and his mom is awesome, and you get a hearty breakfast included. Emanuel will hook you up with tours, you’ll just be great here, and if you’re a solo traveler, very safe!
Tita’s House #1. Quepos, Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas. First, let me be honest – I did not like Quepos. It’s like a rundown neighbor beach town and I felt like I didn’t belong there. That being said, the AirBnB was lovely! I didn’t get a lot of face time with Patry, the owner of the AirBnB, but she did come and meet my shuttle bus and help me find her place which was super helpful and was available via messaging for any help I needed. The area is small, her place is near the bus you need to get to Manuel Antonio, her place has a lovely shower with hot water and AC, no complaints!
Corcovado Tent Adventures. Drakes Bay, Corcovado, Costa Rica. For a New Yorker, this was quite an adventure! Bad news first – the on site manager was a complete ASS on many levels. I think he’s a good person in a job he hates, and by the time you read this, he’s hopefully moved on to his next job. (I stayed there in February, 2018.) Beyond that, staying in a tent, on the beach, sleeping to the sounds of the ocean and awaking to the sounds of howler monkeys, wow. Not a fan of the whole toilet paper composting thing, and there are many large insects to contend with, but this felt like a real brave adventure into nature! I’m glad I stayed here, food was decent, the interns were lovely, and you have direct access to cool beaches and wildlife!
Hotel Samsara. Uvita, Costa Rica. This was a magical hotel. I had a spiritual encounter in the jungle behind the property and that leads to the beach and a walk to the “whale’s tail” beach. Absolutely magical. Raul and his wife will treat you better than you can imagine, Raul makes fantastic margaritas and I loved eating there every day, as well as just plain relaxing. It’s the perfect place to relax, do nothing, chill, or go for a nice cool swim, or to the beach, loved it here! One of my favorite experiences in Costa Rica.
B&B Hotel Pacande.. Alajuela, near San Jose, Costa Rica. Strange but interesting hotel! I stayed here for one night – was going to take a flight from San Jose but didn’t want to stay IN San Jose. Strange area – felt transient, and I don’t think it’s super safe at night, but the hotel was super interesting! My room was HUGE, 3 beds, quiet, slept great, and it seemed like a clown hotel with more rooms than I thought possible. Breakfast was so-so, but hey, it’s included and the price was right for a budget, so can’t complain! Note – Interbus is not allowed to pick up people in Alajuela so I had to pay $3 for an Uber to get me to Denny’s to meet my bus on to the Caribbean side.
Cabinas Smith #1. Cahuita, Costa Rica. Though I booked into Cabinas Smith #2, I arrived late and got “upgraded” to an air conditioned room in the #1 Cabinas. From what I could tell from walking around, the #2 rooms are newer. I don’t know if they have air conditioning, but the rooms are nicer. But, #1 is closer to town and near the owners apartment. As a female solo traveler, I was happy to be a closer walk back from town center, and right by the owners in case I needed anything. For $30/night, hey, you can’t expect too much, and it was a good refuge for a few nights. There was more cold water than hot, so hard to take a good shower, but, again, for the price, no complaints!
Cala Luna. Bocas del Toro, Panama. LOVED this place! Real shower with hot water, and far enough from the main street that you can have a peaceful night’s sleep. The owners, from Italy, are LOVELY. They encouraged me to go out at night and pretended to be mad at me at night for returning “late”. Room has a nightstand, nice size, comfy bed, loved it!
#2 Volcano view Apartment. La Fortuna, Arenal, Costa Rica. I loved this place so much I stayed twice! I felt like I had my own apartment in downtown La Fortuna. A block or two off the main drag, sort of a nice escape. (Note, if you prefer hotels and people, might not be your style.) You can definitely hear your neighbors through the walls so ear plugs are helpful. Room is clean, well equipped, great shower and AC!
Dulce Vita. San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Though I wasn’t a fan of this town, the hotel was nice and the staff even nicer. I was sick and it was a nice place to sleep much of the day. The staff allowed me to change by reservation, shortening it, without a fee, for which I was deeply grateful, and if I liked the town better, would definitely stay here again!
Adventure Inn. San Jose, Costa Rica. Nice rooms outside the city center. Was not impressed with their to-go breakfast after being told their on site breakfast was so good, but the room was huge, great amenities, and nice pool!