Getting Started

It can be overwhelming choosing a country to go to, not knowing where to visit or how to get around. I 'soft launched' into travelling though group volunteering and travel programmes, which has it benefits, but can be limiting in terms of the itinerary and is usually more expensive than planning the trip yourself.

I began backpacking in South East Asia (SEA) which is a common starting point amongst young travellers due to the low cost and touristic appeal. A lot of people I know had been to Asia and although there was concern about me travelling alone, it was relatively low. I found it very easy to navigate as an English speaker and in terms of using public transport, although it can be a culture shock, I very quickly relaxed into it.

Being able to manage my first trip gave me the confidence to tackle my next trip to Central America which was perceived as 'slightly dangerous' (it was not). I didn't know anyone who had backpacked this region before and initially I did not have the intention to do so, however due to the circumstances at the time, I flew into Costa Rica and eventually ended up in Mexico and it was one of the best things I ever did!

My most recent trip to South America was a long time coming and definitely the one everyone (especially my mum) had a lot to say about in terms of safety and danger. Despite this, it was my favourite trip with countless bucket list moments and had me wanting to go back the second I landed back home. South America is considerably more expensive to travel around, and with longer journeys between places, it's more popular among more experienced travellers and for me personally, I would not have felt as confident making this trip without my previous backpacking knowledge.

For more details on where to go check out my Destinations page!