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.
There Are a Lot of Forks in My Road
Heather Markel, Blogger, Speaker, Adventurer
25 October 2018
It feels like I’m living an eternal fork in the road.
Life feels like an eternal fork in the road. I’ve stayed alone much of my trip so far but recently did a homestay in Vietnam where I met some fabulous people. Shout out to Hannah, Paige, Marissa, Damaris, Vanessa, Jamal and Amor if you’re reading this!
Now that I’ve experienced a full day traveling with them, it feels more lonely without them. Hannah and Paige are traveling to the North of Vietnam to a place they will ride motorcycles to see the area. Part of me thinks seriously about going with them – that fork in the road where I have two perfect options to choose from.
The friends I made on my trek through Sa Pa.
Photograph by Heather Markel, Copyright 2018
I decide to keep my current plans (Ninh Binh most likely followed by Danang and Hoi An) and realize that there’s so much joy and possibility in making plans by people you meet. In fact the whole reason I set out on this adventure was to travel and meet people.
“I feel like I constantly have two (or more) great options to choose from.”
In an earlier post I mentioned how getting the boot helped me reconnect to this core part of my journey. Now I’m really focusing on those connections. I’m committed to being more bold and talking to more people. I’ve been outgoing most of my life but that trait was taking a back burner. I’m bringing her back out!
A table set for friends in Sa Pa.
Photograph by Heather Markel, Copyright 2018
As a solo traveler I’ve been fortunate to receive many invitations – to join people for a meal, to conversations, sightseeing and more. I always accept (unless it’s a man that has motives I’m not interested in) and this leads to fascinating conversations and even new friends.
So at that fork in the road when a new friend offers me a diversion from my travel trajectory I am grateful for a wonderful opportunity.
![Could taking time away from work be one of the smartest decisions you make for your career and your life?
In this episode of How to Travel Full-Time, I explore why intentional time away, including a career break, sabbatical, or travel reset, may become an important part of the future of work.
Inspired by the Harvard Business School Managing the Future of Work episode, "Why Time Away May Be the Future of Work," this conversation looks at how longer careers, workplace burnout, artificial intelligence, and rapid professional change are challenging the traditional idea that we should work continuously until retirement.
But taking time away is not only about recovering from burnout.
A well-planned travel reset can give you the space to reconnect with yourself, reconsider what you want from your career, and decide what your next chapter should look like.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why the traditional 40-year career model is beginning to crack • How burnout can be information, not personal failure • Why vacations often do not solve deeper dissatisfaction • How travel creates distance, perspective, and clarity • Why taking time away does not have to damage your career • How a travel reset differs from a vacation or permanent full-time travel • What keeps accomplished professionals from taking extended time off • Why time away could become part of a long-term career strategy
If your life looks successful from the outside but no longer feels aligned with the person you have become, this episode is for you.
🎧 Subscribe to this podcast for more conversations about travel resets, extended travel, burnout recovery, career reinvention, midlife transformation, and using travel as a catalyst for personal change.
🌍 Sign up for my upcoming free webinar (https://heatherbegins.com/future-webinar-interest/) , How To Use Travel To Transform Your Life, Even With A Busy Career [https://heatherbegins.com/future-webinar-interest/]
Link to HBR podcast: Click here (https://www.hbs.edu/managing-the-future-of-work/podcast/why-time-away-may-be-the-future-of-work)
💬 Question for you: Have you ever considered taking one to six months away from work? What's the biggest thing stopping you?
#TravelReset #CareerBreak #FutureOfWork](https://heatherbegins.com/wp-content/plugins/feeds-for-youtube/img/placeholder.png)