June 19, 2018 5 min read
Kristin Addis left her day job in 2012 to pursue her dream of traveling the world solo. Six years later and she’s one of the most influential female travel bloggers the world over, having hitchhiked alone through China, climbed some of the planet’s tallest mountains, safaried through Africa, and much, much more. We caught up with Kristin recently to chat about her top safety tips for traveling alone as a female (or male), her favorite memories from traveling, and her advice for those wanting to chase their own passions. Here’s the interview…
I find I can say yes more. I often get invited to do more cool things, particularly by locals, because when they see me alone, they take an interest in my reasons why, we strike up a conversation, and often it results in a beautiful friendship. So many times there has been room for just one more and that person has been me and I attribute that to the traveling solo.
It was terrifying! I agonized over the decision for about a year before finally doing it. It’s not easy to leave behind comfort and security for a dream, But I’m so glad that I did it!
That there are always going to be shortcuts and ways to fake it. Now I have the benefit of knowing that people who do these things don’t stick around for that long, but it can be demoralizing to see people growing so quickly by faking influence or taking shortcuts. I just have to remember that it doesn’t pay off in the long run.
A leap of Faith doesn’t have to be irresponsible. Save up enough money first, have a plan in place for how you are going to earn, be willing to put in the work, and have enough savings to get through the beginning when your dream doesn’t pay you yet.
You can always start close to home! You don’t have to go all the way to the other side of the world to have an amazing travel experience. Some of my favorite experiences have been in California, where I’m from.
I wouldn’t say I’m fighting to find balance, it’s more of learning to navigate my personal life with my business life. That’s been the harder balance to strike. To set healthy boundaries between what are working hours and what are just play hours. On the road, it’s actually easier but when I’m at home, the key is having a separate office and bedroom.
Being a lot more efficient with my time. I’ve done a lot of study to help with this, including Essentialism andThe Four Hour Work Week. Both books have been really helpful in this regard.
I can’t answer that! So many places are so wonderful for different reasons. However both South Africa and Indonesia have a very special place in my heart. Though both places are so different, I love them for similar reasons: such a wealth of beauty and activities to do and I have made wonderful connections in both places.
I can think of a perfect example of this: the capital of Mozambique, Maputo, has a reputation of being a very dangerous town and most people told me to get out as quickly as possible. However, I met a Portuguese woman on the bus ride over from South Africa and she told me that perhaps I should give it a chance. That night, I was invited out dancing at an art gallery and the music was so good, and so were the people and the vibes. It was one of the most fun nights I’ve had traveling.
The packing cube, because it makes it so much easier to bring more clothing by compressing everything and it helps a lot with organization. I love my Pacsafe wallet because it has the RFID blocker and I can clip it into my purse. I also love the wire mesh bag protector for the peace of mind it gives me. I have had all of these items on every trip I’ve taken.
After leading my first BMTM branded tour in Peru and finally getting to hang out for a prolonged period of time with the readers of my blog, it finally gave me an opportunity to really understand who my readers are not just on paper but in person. I always thought that they were probably cool but I was just so delighted to find out exactly how cool, Smart, and funny. When I know that’s who I’m writing for and connecting with, I wake up every day excited.
To find out more about Kristin’s travels, including her insights into navigating the world, head to Be My Travel Muse.
Tim Hawken is an Australian writer who enjoys surfing, Indian food and romantic midnight strolls to the beer fridge. He has clocked up visits to 23 countries on 5 continents (and counting). Find out more about his weird world by heading tohis website, or following him onInstagram andTwitter.
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