[email protected] June 27, 2023

Here is how to visit the puffins on the Saltee Islands this summer! Let me tell you all about this trip to Saltee Island in Wexford. It was honestly one of the best days I’ve…

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[email protected] June 14, 2023

First of all, where is Bruges? How to spend a day in Bruges. First of all, Bruges is a tiny little city an hour away from Brussels in Belgium. Here is a full detailed blog…

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[email protected] June 13, 2023

Heading to Europe and wondering how to spend a weekend in Brussels? I gotcha! Here is everything that you need to know from getting to this country, to where to sleep to where to go…

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[email protected] June 7, 2023

First of all, why should you choose Colombia? Okay, before we talk about all you need to know about Casa En El Agua in Colombia, let’s begin with some information about this beautiful country! I…

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[email protected] June 6, 2023

So you’re heading to South America and wondering how to travel around Colombia in 3 weeks? This post will go through; Why did we love Colombia so much? As mentioned above, we loved Colombia so…

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How to travel around Belgium including Bruges and Brussels

[email protected] June 14, 2023

First of all, where is Bruges? How to spend a day in Bruges. First of all, Bruges is a tiny little city an hour away from Brussels in Belgium. Here is a full detailed blog…

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[email protected] June 13, 2023

Heading to Europe and wondering how to spend a weekend in Brussels? I gotcha! Here is everything that you need to know from getting to this country, to where to sleep to where to go…

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[email protected] April 1, 2023

Have a big holiday coming up such as Christmas, Easter, or even the likes of St, Patrick’s Day and you feel anxious about the thoughts of it? Here’s how to protect your energy over the…

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[email protected] January 31, 2023

How to look after mental health while traveling. ‘All you changed while moving was your address.’ This a gentle reminder that although traveling can be such a great way to get out of your comfort…

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[email protected] November 11, 2022

How to calm your nerves before traveling is a topic I’m sure we can all relate to. Whether you’re a frequent flyer as part of your job or whether you’ve never been on a plane…

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Here are 10 tips you need to know for your first solo trip! I’m here to tell you that if you’re reading this because you’re thinking of booking a solo trip or because you’ve already booked a solo trip, both of these are massive steps and you should be so proud of yourself. Solo traveling is daunting and scary and for most people, it’s completely out of their comfort zones. However, the world is too big to be waiting on friends to join you when you’re itching to explore. I feel so lucky and grateful that 99% of the time, I have friends, sisters, or my boyfriend who are just as interested in traveling as much as I do. However, that isn’t always the case.

My first solo trip

I did my first solo trip last November. I was working for myself which luckily meant that I had the money and the time to travel. However, everyone surrounding me had work or other commitments. I could have just scrapped my desire to book flights to Lithuania, a country I was eager to explore, but I didn’t. I went ahead and book a week’s work exchange in Vilnius, Lithuania. To book this trip, I used Worldpackers. Worldpackers is a company that organizes exchange programs around the world. On these exchange programs, you offer a couple of hours of work a day in exchange for free food and a place to sleep. The reason I did my first solo trip as a work exchange was the ease of knowing I had a safe place to stay and also that I could communicate with the host before I began my work.

*Some links in this post contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you use the links at no extra cost to you! Enjoy my post :)*

Me at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, Central America 📍

Is this you?

You’re heading away for the first time by yourself and want to feel more at ease, comfortable, and prepped? Here are my top tips for feeling organized, prepped, and overall at ease and excited to jet off independently!

1. Safe City ( Possibly the most important of the 10 tips you need to know for your first solo trip)

My first tip and possibly one of the most important ones is to start with a safe city. You might be rolling your eyes at this because most cities are notorious for pickpocketing etc and let’s be honest, a lot of cities aren’t famous for being particularly safe. However, most backpackers lean towards exploring busy cities. The more backpackers in an area, the more likely that hostels will be busy and you’ll have no trouble making new friends and finding fellow solo travelers to explore with! It’s important to remember that safe cities that attract a lot of backpackers will naturally be more expensive. I personally think that’s a small price to pay if it means you’ll feel safer and overall more excited about your solo trip.

2. Chose a destination close by

My next tip is to choose a location that is close to your hometown. Not to choose a destination that is 20 hours and 3 flights away from where you’re currently living. Why? If you’re not enjoying it you can make your way home quickly. Personally, I find it much more comforting to be closer to home. Of course, no one wants to be booking an unexpected flight home, but if you’ve never solo traveled, taking small steps is much more feasible than booking something completely out of your comfort zone.

3. Pre-book your airport transfer

This third tip is a small one but can make such a huge difference. They say first impressions are massive and so important. This is also the case when booking all of your trips. Picture this; you land in a new country, by yourself, feeling nervous and anxious about what’s ahead, and then you’ve to figure out what bus/train/taxi to get to your accommodation. Why add another controllable worry to your list? If pre-booking your transfer from the airport takes a weight off your shoulders it’s a no-brainer. Of course, in some cases, it’s as easy to jump on a train then it is to pre-book a taxi, that’s absolutely fine but I would highly recommend figuring out beforehand how you’ll travel to your hostel/hotel.

4. Choose the right hostel/hotel

My fourth tip is to choose the right accommodation. I’m aware that choosing the right place to stay is absolutely not as easy as I’ve just made it out to be. So to begin, make sure that the hostel is central and has good reviews. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that booking the right accommodation can make or break your trip.

It’s hard to put into one paragraph how to choose the right hostel for you so I’ve made a full post on it, here are my top 10 tips for choosing the right hostel. I highly recommend checking out using Hostel World and reading previous reviews from guests who have just stayed in the same place. Hostel World also has a really cool feature where it shows where future guests are coming from so you can pre-connect with them. Another thing to note is that some hostels do female or male-only dorms, if this makes you feel safer it’s definitely worth looking into.

5. Check the time zone of your location

This tip sounds random, but it’s really important. We all get homesick at different stages and some of us way worse than others. If you travel to a country with a similar time zone to yours you can contact home more easily. No one wants to ring home at 4 am scare their family or friends. If you choose a country that works at similar times it’s way easier to connect with loved ones! This is another reason why I chose to travel to Lithuania. I was only 2 hours ahead of Irish time which meant that I could reach home more quickly.

6. On that note, check the currency!

This one may come easy to some of you and if it does I’m very jealous! For some reason, different currencies absolutely throw me and my brain feels like it stops working. I find converting money so confusing. If you’re similar, I recommend traveling to a country that uses the same money currency as you. I also always make sure to have a currency converter app on my phone! Similarly to what I’ve said above to some people, these are tiny little steps but to those who find traveling stressful, choosing countries that are similar to your own can be really helpful.

7. Consider the time of year that you travel

This tip has its pros and its cons. It’s so important to be mindful of the time of the year that you solo travel. The pros of traveling during high season are there’s a high chance that there will be quite a lot of backpackers traveling the same route as you at the same time. There is also a higher chance of better weather.

However, the major con of traveling during high season is that naturally, it’s much more expensive. My first proper solo trip was during low season and I learned from my mistake that it was just too quiet. I was working at the hostel and met friends through this but I can see how traveling during quiet seasons could make it harder to make friends.

8. Are there free activities in the hostel?

This tip is key if you’re looking to meet other people when traveling. Before you book a hostel, check to see if it offers free activities such as pub crawls, volleyball, or yoga classes. Some hostels even run language engagement evenings where you meet people speaking other languages and learn new cultures. I always use Hostel World when booking social hostels, as mentioned above it has so many cool features to help to choose a room easier.

9. Do little things to put your mind at ease (the most important of the 10 tips you need to know for your first solo trip if you struggle with travel nerves)

This tip looks so different for everybody. It could be as small as paying for an aisle seat on the plane so that you’re not stuck beside people you don’t know. It could be booking a bed in a female-only dorm. It could be making sure you’ve good music downloaded for the plane. Ask yourself what makes you feel a little more at ease and apply this to your travels. Find what makes you feel safer, more comfortable, and at ease, and make it a priority to make sure to honor it.

10. Make sure you’ve packed properly

This last tip is possibly the one that causes the most stress for people. I totally get it. It took me years to master how to pack properly and even at that I wouldn’t say I’m an expert. I do know that you can learn from my mistakes. Here are 10 things that I always carry in my backpack. There have been trips where I’ve forgotten to pack some of these things and it’s completely thrown me. Making sure to pack properly is vital for your first solo trip!

10 tips you need to know for your first solo trip:

Extra tips

It’s so so important to be open-minded to meeting other people. More often than not, you’ll be surrounded by people in the exact same situation as you. It’s extremely common to travel alone these days. On this trip to Vilnius, I worked in a hostel and only met two people who were traveling together, everyone else was alone.

Lastly, try to accept that plans will change and things can go wrong. It’s easier said than done, but don’t panic, there’s always a solution.

I hope this helps a little. let me know in the comments what you do when booking a solo trip.

So you’re heading to Central America and wondering how to spend 18 days in Guatemala? Keep reading!⬇️

Map of Guatemala, Central America

How to spend 18 days in Guatemala (the route that we took)

If you read my how to travel Mexico in 3 weeks blog http://mypassporttohappy.com/how-to-spend-3-weeks-in-mexico/, I spoke about the fact that although on the map Central America looks relatively small it is actually so so vast and there is so much to see.

Our time in Guatemala was not always plain sailing, between protests blocking the roads and leaving us stuck in certain places for longer than we anticipated and me catching a parasite infection, our route took a couple of detours and delays.

📍Flores

📍Antigua

📍Lake Atitlan (Panajachel & Santa Cruz)

📍El Paredon

1. Flores

🚐How to get to Flores?

We were traveling from Mexico, so we took a bus from Palenque which you can book online. However, it’s almost €15 more expensive to book online with some companies. We found a much cheaper company if you’re looking to book, message me on Instagram and I’ll send the what’s app number. It takes about 3 hours to get to the El Ceibo border from Palenque.

What’s the border crossing like?

Exiting Mexico is very quick. Just make sure once you arrive in Mexico to keep the entry slip that they give you. From the Mexico border it’s a 1-minute walk to the Guatemala immigration office.

Do I need a VISA to enter?

When you enter off of the four countries; Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, or Nicaragua you’re given a 90-day VISA to be spent in the four counties together. It’s called a CA4 VISA and it’s basically to promote tourism in each country.

How long from the border to Flores?

From the border to Flores it took another 5 hours. We needed proof of vaccine and also a negative antigen or PCR within the last 3 days. (Jan 2022). Overall the bus took about 8 hours.

🛏 Where to stay in Flores?

We stayed in the Natz Hotel and honestly wouldn’t recommend it. I’m not particularly with accommodation and could fall asleep anywhere but this hostel was so noisy and the room was crawling with ants.

Los Amigos Hostel is recommended in Flores but unfortunately was booked up when we were there! https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Los-Amigos-Hostel/Flores/305386?source=ppc_gooads_nonbrand_dsk_search_pn_en_ie&network=g&campaign_id=11826316460&adgroup_id=140510864287&criteria_id=kwd-13885185605&creative_id=600375759079&location_physical_id=9047193&location_interest_id=&adposition=&uniqueclickID=5957569733200323928&sub_keyword=los%20amigos%20hostel&sub_ad=e&sub_publisher=ADW&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CjwKCAjw4c-ZBhAEEiwAZ105RV6Yd9YMyesDlBdZuhMe0lfm_nZ1lAc9I2pVFKnSKzhyru6-U0DQHBoCXQYQAvD_BwE

🗺 What to do in Flores?

The famous Tikal ruins are most definitely the main attraction for tourists in Flores. The Tikal ruins are ancient mayan ruins that are situated in the middle of the rainforests in North Guatemala. Historians believe that the more than 3,000 structures on the site are the remains of a Mayan city called Yax Mutal, which was the capital of one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient empire.

One of the Tikal ruins pyramids

Do I need a guide?

You don’t need to hire a guide, but we did. Would I recommend it? I actually would because there are 8 pyramids to see at Tikal and the guides are so knowledgeable. I don’t always hire guides but sometimes I see it as a great way to give back to poorer countries as you’re helping the locals.

What do I need to bring to the ruins?

Don’t forget ID doesn’t have to be a passport just something with a name on it!

FLores, Guatemala

• Chill on the dock for the day.

🍽 Where to eat in Flores?

‘Al Fogón’ was good for tacos and quesadillas and had two for one on cocktails.

‘San Telmo’ for some good pancakes and smoothies in the morning.

2. Antigua

✈️ How to get to Antigua?

From Guatemala airport or Guatemala City, you can take a shuttle bus. We were coming from Flores so we took a shuttle from here that was to take 10 hours, but with Central America being Central America it took 14 hours. The bus we got stopped at Livingston, which is a popular spot to get off as it’s near the border between Belize and Honduras.

🛌 Where to stay in Antigua?

We stayed at Purpose Hostel for €11.50 each per night for a private room and couldn’t recommend this hostel enough. It was one of our favorite hostels, the staff is so so friendly and helpful. The place is always clean and it’s in a good location too. They lock the front door so it always felt super safe. https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/The-Purpose-Hostel/Antigua/282766?source=ppc_gooads_nonbrand_dsk_dsa_pn_en_ie&network=g&campaign_id=12662089190&adgroup_id=125887318448&criteria_id=dsa-870870202058&creative_id=513739500127&location_physical_id=9047193&location_interest_id=&adposition=&uniqueclickID=4175192303948441160&sub_keyword=&sub_ad=&sub_publisher=ADW&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CjwKCAjw4c-ZBhAEEiwAZ105RUPwEfuHU4V5TfNl662nsKpaA3ZAh_tfQkKFIRB1zFNxdFZ0FUM6YBoCXRQQAvD_BwE

🗺 What to do in Antigua?

• Hike Acetenango (a whole other guide for this).
• Walk up to Cerro De La Cruz, which is the best viewpoint of Antigua.
• Walk through Santa Catalina Arch.
• Spend the morning at hobbitenango.
• Visit Antigua brewery.
• Take Spanish lessons.
• Take salsa lessons.

Cerro De La Cruz, Antigua, Guatemala

🍽 Where to eat in Antigua?

We cooked for ourselves most nights in Antigua but it’s a built-up little city with loads of American fast food diners as opposed to restaurants. There was Mc Donalds, Taco Bell, Dunkin

✅ Extra Tips for Antigua:

If you’re hiking Acetenango don’t book accommodation for that night as you’ll be camping on the mountain. Most companies let you leave your bags in their place free of charge, Tropicana is one of them.

3. Lake Atitlan

Lago de Atitlan/Lake Atitlan is surrounded by 3 volcanoes; Tolimán, San Pedro and Atitlan. There are numerous little towns you can stay on on the lake, we spent our time in Panajachel and Santa Cruz.

Check out my complete guide to Lake Atitlan here;

4. El Paredon

✈️ How to get to El Paredon?

From Panajachel or most places at Lake Atitlan, the shuttles leave at 5 am or 9 am. It takes 2 hours back to Antigua, an hour and a half wait, and then another 2 hours to El Paredon which was €28 each.

From Antigua, the shuttles leave daily at 9 am and 3 pm.

You can also take chicken buses but it takes twice as long.

🛏 Where to stay in El Paredon?

We stayed at Driftwood Surfer Hostel which was €11 each per night for a shared dorm. https://www.hostelworld.com/st/hostels/p/97985/driftwood-surfer-beach-hostel-el-paredon-guatemala/?source=ppc_gooads_nonbrand_dsk_dsa_ds_en_ie&network=g&campaign_id=12736089558&adgroup_id=121447065979&criteria_id=dsa-19959388920&creative_id=516049606979&location_physical_id=9047193&location_interest_id&adposition&uniqueclickID=17655627589409950931&sub_keyword&sub_ad&sub_publisher=ADW&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CjwKCAjw4c-ZBhAEEiwAZ105RUsYFgzjpn5vqwmkAvzbKw_dWS9I7qQtbNBu8o_S5Z-1ngV2pvSvzhoCf1AQAvD_BwE

This was one of my favorite hostels, not only because they have a pet boar but because the dorms are so spacious and have air-con (El Paredon gets super hot). I was super sick when I arrived here, I passed out on the reception couch and the staff there were so good to me, especially Andy. The hostel is right along the beach and they have boards to rent and provide lessons too! It was 150Q for a lesson, 240Q for a lesson and rental, 125Q for a 24-hour rental, and 300Q for 3 day rental. The hostel has a volleyball court and also does family dinners to meet other bag packers. Say hi to their pet Potato.

Meet Potato, Driftwoods Surfers Pet

The Mellow hostel is also recommended here if Driftwood is full.

🗺 What to do here in El Paredon?

El Paredon beach is a black sand beach that is a quiet spot as not many tourists come here.

• The main thing to do here is surfing. If you want to surf in Guatemala we found it’s best to go early in the morning or if you’re more of a pro the waves are unreal before sunset after 5pm. It was voted as one of the top ten surfing spots in the world by the Guardian before.
• Baby turtle season: The mothers will lay their eggs between July and November each year. Then baby turtles will hatch daily between September until December.
• Watch the most incredible sunsets.

El Paredon, Guatemala

🍽 Where to eat in EL Paredon?

We mainly got the family meals and the breakfast in the hostel!

‘SoulFood Kitchen’ has the best Asian food! https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g6554975-d12087259-Reviews-Soul_Food_Kitchen-El_Paredon_Escuintla_Department.html

Let me know by sending me a DM on Instagram! I’d love to know how I can improve my guides!

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Here are my top 10 things that you NEED for backpacking.

So you’re packing for your 6-month trip to Asia or you’re heading to South America for 3 months and have no idea what to bring? Apart from the obvious clothes and medicine here are my top 10 things you must bring with you!

*Some links in this post contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you use the links at no extra cost to you! Enjoy my post :)*

Let’s be honest, packing is super stressful and we all procrastinate until the day before you’re due to jet off. I get it, I’ve been there so many times. I especially found it tough to pack the first couple of times I went travelling and to be honest, have only semi-mastered it recently. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or a first-time traveler, these are items that will make your trip so much more comfortable and help you feel more prepared.

1. Packing cubes

Let’s start with how you’re physically and logistically going to pack, to begin with. The first on the list of 10 things you need for backpacking is packing cubes. Packing cubes have honestly changed the way that I pack. They make me feel one hundred times more organized. I’m a very organized person, everything that I own tends to have a place so these cubes are lifesavers for me.

I bought mine off Amazon and they are so reasonably priced, here are the packing cubes I use and love so much! The main reason why I love them so much is because they’re so compact and easy to grab out of your bag. Instead of rummaging and rooting all the way to the bottom of your backpack or suitcase, they’re handy to get when you’re in a rush. Generally, you buy a set that comes with a variety of different-sized cubes. As shown in the picture below, you can differentiate your items into different sections such as dresses and shorts in one and t-shirts in another. I also love the fact that they have a cube for shoes too. Top tip; Get a dark-colored set of packing cubes so that you can keep them nice and clean while backpacking! You’d be surprised at how hard it can be to keep your stuff clean!

2. Money Belt

This second essential is one that I’ve been using since the first time I ever went backpacking. This item is mainly for safety and it’s a money belt/bun bag or whatever you call it. My top tip is to get one that actually has a decent amount of space in it. Here is a perfect size one and one that is so reasonably priced. This one has 4 pockets which make it easier to separate all of your items. I usually keep my valuables in here so I can keep them safe at all times, I keep my passport, phone, AirPods & money. The pockets on this bag are so handy because I also have other bun bags with just one pocket and I’ve often dropped things out while trying to grab one thing. The main reason I find these bags so handy is that you always have the most important things that you need right beside you, you can even fall asleep on public transport, etc, and know that your stuff is safe.

You can also buy money belts/bun bags from so many stores. The one I’m wearing in the picture below was a gift to me. Decathlon also stores nice & cheap ones, here is my favorite one from Decathlon.

Me chilling on a swing in Mexico with my money belt

3. Microfibre towel

This essential item, I won’t lie about. I have a love/hate relationship with microfibre towels. If you feel the same, please let me know. Here is the one that I use and I’ve used it on so many trips.

The positives about microfibre towels:

• They are so thin so they fit in your backpack very easily.
• They’re very light so don’t add too much weight to your bag.
• They come in a little pouch so that they’re easy to store away and keep safe.
• They dry SO quickly, which is the main selling point of them I guess. The material that they’re made from dries within minutes of getting wet. If you’re backpacking you know this is vital.

The negatives about microfibre towels:

• I’ll be honest. They usually don’t tend to dry as efficiently as a normal towel. Does it stop me from saving space and weight in my bag? Definitely not. Beggars can’t be choosers when you’re a budget backpacker. Speaking of being on a budget, if you’re looking for ways to save money while traveling, check out this post for my top tips. Here I talk about lots of ways of saving money while traveling like using items like the microfibre towel.

4. Eye Mask

This is one that a lot of people I know can not go without, my sister being one of them. If you’ve stayed in hostels before you’ll know they can be loud, noisy and it wouldn’t be uncommon for someone to drunkenly barge into the room at 4 am and turn on the light. Again, it’s the cheap price we pay to save a little money by sharing dorms but most of the time it’s just annoying. If you have an eye mask, it can make sleeping in dorms like this a little bit easier. Here is a blackout eye mask that I bought for my sister for traveling to Costa Rica. My top tip for buying an eye mask is to make sure it fits nicely and isn’t too tight around your head.

5. Earplugs

This item is very similar to the eye mask. Hostels can be noisy, trust me when I say there will come a time when you need earplugs. If you like your sleep and like sleeping in a nice quiet room, trust me on this one. To be honest, I usually use my Apple Air Pods and use the noise cancellation feature on them and it works quite well most of the time. I usually fall asleep to meditation and keep the noise cancellation feature on. The only thing I find is that they’re made from plastic so they’re not the most comfortable thing to fall asleep in and it wastes the battery which can be really annoying if you have a long journey the next day and want your music. I found these earplugs and find them super handy. They’re soft and fit into your ear properly and rarely fall out. Ear plugs are not just handy for sleeping they’re

6. Power bank

This item I really should have put higher up the list because it’s essential when you’re backpacking. For me, it’s so important because one of my favorite things to do when on long bus or train journeys is to listen to music. So many brands and companies sell power banks, if you’re in Ireland, here’s one I recently got on Amazon that delivers to Ireland. I rarely buy a sim card and use data on my phone but my phone runs out of battery so quickly because I use my camera and Spotify a lot. Some power banks can be heavy but they really are so worth it. They’ve saved me so many times when I’ve been away.

7. Filtered water bottle

Filtered water bottles are so especially important if you’re traveling to a country that has contaminated water. Here’s the one that I used in the last year which I liked. It’s Irish owned which I was drawn to.

8. Padlocks

Are you going to be staying in hostels? If you are, you really will need to invest in padlocks. Again, you can get them for less than 10 euros. Here’s a specific travel one that is flexible to lock onto bags etc. The best thing about these is the long string on them so they can fit onto all different-sized lockers. My biggest tip and one that I’ve learned my lesson on is to bring a lock that you don’t need keys for. The reason for this is that if you need a key, you’re only trying to remember and keep another item safe.

Even if you’re in a safe area and your hostel is nice I always recommend bringing a padlock and locking away all of your valuables.

9. Universal Charging Cube

A universal charging cube is a massive must!! If you travel a lot, you will 100% need one of these. Once you invest in it once, you can bring it to literally any country. Here’s the one that I use and I love. You want to invest in one that has multiple charging slots so that you only need to bring USB cables and so that you can charge multiple appliances at once. My charging cube has been used in Europe, Africa, and Central and South America. If you invest in anything on this list, a good-quality charging cube is possibly the most important.

10. Hand Sanitizer or water wipes

This one doesn’t need much explaining. Yes, the dreaded Covid pandemic is more or less forgotten about but some countries have still not released all of their restrictions. Even if they have, I always bring either water wipes or hand sanitizer on a trip with me. There are still multiple viruses and bugs that you can catch while you’re traveling, I’d much rather not.

10 things you need for backpacking: An extra little tip: Bring Sunglasses

Here are the sunglasses I bring pretty much everywhere with me and why I love them. Sunglasses are such a must in your carry-on bag for so many reasons;

• Imagine your check-in bag gets lost in transit and you’re traveling to a hot country, you’ll need your sunnies!
• You’ll need them for when the airplane doors open and the sun is shining bright!

I always buy my sunglasses from ‘Crann’ which is a local Irish company that makes all of its products from recyclable material. I have a 15% discount code for you all to use. Here is where you’ll find all of their amazing products, use ‘ALIMCMEEL’ at the checkout to save on your purchase!

Here are some reasons why I love ‘Crann’ products;

• Their business motto is to “leave the world a better place than we found it, and help people look as stylish as possible.” I love this mission statement as it’s everything that I stand for.
• All of Crann’s products are 100% made with recycled and sustainable materials!
• All of their sunglasses are completely different so there really is a design to suit each individual.
• They support ‘Jigsaw’, an organization in Ireland that aims to make sure that ‘every young person’s mental health is valued and supported.’

Extra tip;

It is so so important to weigh your backpack before leaving your house. They say that a loaded backpacking pack should not weigh more than about 20 percent of your body weight. (If you weigh 59kg, your pack should not exceed 11/12kg for backpacking. Learn from me. I’ve overpacked multiple times and have been left feeling so annoyed at myself but at the same time, I didn’t want to throw any of my stuff away. The lighter, the better!

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How to look after mental health while traveling.

‘All you changed while moving was your address.’

This a gentle reminder that although traveling can be such a great way to get out of your comfort zone and get headspace, it won’t automatically fix your mental health. I know we all make jokes about running away to a foreign country to fix all our problems but traveling can also be hard on your mental health.

Here are my top 8 tips for prioritizing your mental health while still traveling. 👇

1. Practice self-care

How to look after mental health while traveling; For me, this is yoga, meditation, mindfulness, journaling, reading, and listening to music. For you, it could look different, find what works for you and take time to prioritize these things. It can be so easy to get caught up in the likes of sightseeing and socializing with new friends but try your best to carve out time to do the things that recharge your battery.

Yoga class in Mexico

2. Try online therapy

Most therapists can work online now which is handy for keeping up your sessions while traveling. I’ve done online sessions and it works similarly enough. My tip for doing therapy in hostels while backpacking is to book hostels that have co-working spaces, most of the time they have private meeting rooms that you can use for privacy. I also recommend reading through the reviews of hostels and making sure that there is strong wifi. Here are my top 10 tips for choosing a hostel.

3. Stay in social hostels

If you’re traveling alone, making friends and socializing can be a good way to take your mind off things. Check hostel world for the best ones in the country you’re traveling to. I recommend using hostel world to find good social hostels anywhere around the world.

4. Prioritize spending time alone

Contradicting my last point, sometimes you just need time alone. Socializing with new people can be really draining. Taking one night off plans with others isn’t going to hurt.

Yoga practice in Mexico

5. Have a plan

Sometimes being organized can help a lot, especially if traveling stresses you out. Plan your transport, accommodation, and places to eat if it makes you feel more at ease.

6. Bring reminders from home

Bring something from home that brings you comfort. Whether it’s photos, someone’s hoody, or an actual teddy.

7. Fuel your body

Food is literally one of my favorite parts of traveling, but sometimes eating heavy foods and drinking a lot can eventually make you feel sluggish and tired. Try fueling your body with nutritious foods and saying no to drinking some nights.

8. Surround yourself with positive people

Whether that’s the new friends that you make or checking in regularly with your close friends at home. I also think there can be a slight pressure to make new friends when you’re traveling. If you’re not making friends that is also okay too. I’d rather travel alone than force myself to spend time with people that aren’t similar to me.

How to look after mental health while traveling

What helps your mindset when you’re traveling?

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