menu facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube search chevron-down chevron-up
Be My Travel Muse
  • About
    • About
    • Contact Me
    • Press
    • Work With Me
  • Blog
    • Archives
    • Best of BMTM
  • YouTube
  • Solo Female Travel
    • Bucket List
      • The 31 Cheapest Places to Travel in 2025
      • 31 BEST Places in the USA for Solo Female Travelers in 2025
      • 25 Unexpectedly Awesome Destinations for Solo Female Travelers
      • 25 Best Countries to Travel Alone for the First Time
      • 13 Perfect Weekend Trips for Solo Female Travelers in the USA
      • 10 Best Weekend Trips from Phoenix, Arizona
    • Resources
      • How to take the best travel selfies
      • 41 safety tips for solo female travelers
      • The ultimate solo female travel guide
      • Best group tours for solo female travelers
      • Why Every Woman Should Travel Alone
    • All solo female travel blogs
  • Be My Travel Muse
  • Tours
  • Destinations
    • USA
      • Hawaii
      • California
      • Nevada
      • Idaho
      • Arizona
      • Florida
      • Alaska
      • Utah
    • North America
      • Mexico
      • Costa Rica
      • Canada
    • Asia
      • Thailand
      • Philippines
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Aruba
      • Chile
      • The Galápagos
    • Europe
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
    • All Destinations
  • Trip Planning

The Solo Journey Begins

09/27/2012 by Kristin Addis 28 Comments

Day One

With about a million emotions flowing through me and my thoughts racing a mile-a-minute, I decided to live-blog this time (lifting the suggestion from my buddy Rob), to give you the full range of ups and downs this solo female traveler went through during her first day abroad:

1am at LAX: I was dropped off about an hour ago after needing a pep-talk about not feeling stressed about this trip.  Though I didn’t cry this time (I did when I moved to Asia the first time), I feel a good amount of fear of the unknown – mostly about landing in Bangkok and having no idea what to do next, coupled with fear of doing this alone.

An announcement comes over the loud speaker; it’s time to board.  Thank goodness, because I’m exhausted.

6am in Taipei: After getting a full 10 hours of sleep on the plane (even I’m surprised), I wake up to a hot breakfast and finally feel calm and ready for what’s next. I booked a window seat months ago knowing that it would be worth the 13 hours shoved in a corner just for the chance to see Taiwan again as I landed.

Almost exactly 5 years ago, as a scared 21-year-old girl who was traveling by herself for the first time, I arrived here with no idea what kind of adventure laid before me.  It’s funny how life tends to come full circle.

Oddly enough, it looks different to me today than it did back in 2008.  Yet, as I exit the plane, a familiar and pacifying smell greets me: humidity mixed with wet concrete, beef noodles, and the perfume of the duty-free shops in the airport.

Now, I wait at my gate in what must be a newly revamped terminal. It’s beautiful and lined with Gucci and Prada shops. Lying here in reclined seat, enjoying the free wifi (I’m not even in a fancy lounge, this airport freaking rocks), and gathering my thoughts, my heart hurts a little to know that I’m only passing through what was once my home. It is becoming more and more clear to me that I’ll have to return to this beautiful island in the very near future.

11am in Bangkok: I land and start following the masses out of the terminal.  I wander around a bit like a lost puppy trying to figure out if I need to purchase a visa or not.  I decide to just try for immigration and find that it was the right choice.  An unsmiling female agent hands my passport back to me with permission to stay for 30 days (I vow not to overstay my visa this time) and I make my way to the taxi station.

I have nothing booked, and no idea what exactly to do next.  So, I ask the taxi driver to take me to Khao San Road – a place I’ve heard is a backpacker’s haven.

Though I’m a little jealous of those who get to ride in the Barbie pink taxis (mine is a boring yellow/green), I settle in my seat and happily watch out the window.

Pink taxis in Bangkok
Dude, seriously, have you ever seen a taxi this pink?!

It’s nice to be in Asia again.

1pm Khao San Road: Waving off the aggressive tuk-tuk drivers, I take a right and find a cheap guesthouse at around $10 per night. Though unsettlingly reminiscent of Leonardo DiCaprio’s guest house in The Beach (you know, the one where a murder takes place), I do a quick bed bug check, find none, and decide I like the price and reserve the room for the night.

I come to realize I have no idea what people do in Bangkok and, since I left my Southeast Asia guidebook in the car back in the states on my way to the airport, genius that I am, I’m not going to get any closer to finding answers.

Resolving not to let my solo-ness get to me (I told y’all before, I’m not good at being alone), I walk around Khao San Road aimlessly for a few hours hoping to find some friendly tourists in the same boat.

I’m unsuccessful as most people are either in a pair or absorbed in their phones or computers.  I waffle between being OK with walking around alone and freaking out just a little.  I elect to return to my guesthouse for a much-needed shower and resolve to try again in the evening, when people will be a little more liquored up and (hopefully) friendlier.

6pm Khao San Road: I surprise myself by walking up to a group of friendly-looking tourists at a pad thai vendor and asking how the food is.  We get to talking and I say, “I’m traveling alone and need some friends, have room in your group?”  Works like a charm. Perhaps my jet-lag has me in a state unlike my normally-shy and awkward self, but I like this new person.

I spend the rest of the night wandering around my new surroundings.  Despite the occasional overly-touchy ping-pong show hecklers, I feel overwhelmed with joy at being back in Asia.  I hadn’t realized how much I had missed it.

I finish the night with a Thai massage for 100 Baht (about USD$3), get invited by my new friends to tour the islands, but decide I’m simply not done with Bangkok yet.

I return to my guesthouse to see full-on construction carried out in the male bathroom, just down the hall from me. I stick in my ear plugs and fall asleep almost immediately.  I awake with a start around 4am, almost forgetting where I am.  It scares me at first, but then I feel OK about it.

It feels right to be here.  I have been waiting for so long to make it happen, and now here I am.

Day two, I’m ready for you. 

Get the guidebook for solo female travelers!

About Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

« Prepping for Long-Term Travel: How to Sell a Household of Furniture on Craigslist in One Week
A Slice of Tattooed, Pierced, Rainbow-Haired Pai »

Hello There!

headshot

Welcome to Be My Travel Muse, one of the top female travel blogs in the world, welcoming over 5 million readers annually.

I'm Kristin, and my vision of a better world is one where more women are empowered and living out their dreams. Solo traveling is the best method I've found to become the best, bravest version of me. This site is all about how YOU can have the adventure of a lifetime in an easy, fun, approachable way, so that you can feel empowered, too. Want to learn more about me?

Click here!

Get the Solo Female Travel Guidebook

Popular Posts

I am currently in:

The USA!

Check it out on Instagram Stories!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Traveling 9 to 5 says

    10/01/2012 at 6:58 am

    Bangkok was one of our favorite cities – mainly for aimlessly walking and eating everything on the streets we could find! Good Luck with Day 2 – looking forward to hearing more!

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/01/2012 at 7:09 am

      I’ve been doing so much aimless walking! It’s great though – there’s so much food I can’t even do it justice. Love this country already.

      Reply
  2. Priscilla says

    10/01/2012 at 9:22 am

    You go girl!

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/02/2012 at 5:22 am

      🙂

      Reply
  3. @thevacationwanderer says

    10/01/2012 at 1:57 pm

    If you get too lonely and need to be near people, come swap with me and I will take your place! 🙂 You are NEVER alone. Just know people like me would donate a kidney to do a long term solo trip! I am excited for you. Just remember, when you look at the moon, your loved ones see i too. That got me through 4.5 years in Iraq. The world is actually quite small. ENJOY! ENJOY! ENJOY! 🙂

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/02/2012 at 5:22 am

      Thank you 🙂 That’s a really beautiful way to think of things. Much respect to you for your time in the service. Thanks for your bravery.

      Reply
  4. Britany Robinson says

    10/01/2012 at 2:18 pm

    That feeling of walking around by yourself and wanting to approach those groups of fellow backpackers is so familiar. Good for you for being so open to introducing yourself!

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/02/2012 at 5:22 am

      Just had to do it!

      Reply
  5. Tim & Nat says

    10/01/2012 at 7:50 pm

    Great first day! Can’t wait to read about day 2.

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/02/2012 at 5:21 am

      Yay! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  6. Ava Apollo says

    10/02/2012 at 5:22 am

    I think we may meet up in Cambodia!

    Reply
  7. Julia Hudson says

    10/02/2012 at 8:12 am

    Good for you! I am in love with Thailand and I think you’ll have a hell of a great time!

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/03/2012 at 2:37 am

      Thanks, it has been great! Except I left. Going back in a couple of months.

      Reply
  8. Alexa Hart says

    10/02/2012 at 11:21 pm

    Good for you for being so “go with the flow” and meeting new people. I really liked Bangkok when I was there. So much to do and see! Def recommend eating in lots of different areas. My buddy Mike lives in BKK and has some great posts on eating in Bangkok. http://www.gopowerkick.com/category/travel__eat/street_food

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/03/2012 at 2:37 am

      Oh, I ate in lots of different areas. SO much amazing food. Thanks for the URL 🙂

      Reply
  9. Ian mac says

    10/03/2012 at 12:12 pm

    Sounds like your fears were unfounded,you`re already into it and i`m looking forward to Blog 2

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/03/2012 at 10:17 pm

      Thanks so much for reading!

      Reply
  10. Ayngelina says

    10/05/2012 at 8:41 am

    I don’t know if I have ever felt such an adrenaline rush as I did my first day of travel. Cherish it because it doesn’t get much better than this.

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/06/2012 at 5:12 am

      It really doesn’t get much better than this. Quite the rush, indeed.

      Reply
  11. baopuANDu says

    10/19/2012 at 10:03 pm

    I just found your site and have read two articles so far. I’m looking forward to reading more. I know that indescribable yearning that Asia saddles you with. I’ve lived in and tried to leave China four times.

    Oh, by the way, the Leonardo DiCaprio movie is called “The Beach” and the book it was based on was written in the Philippines – a place I highly recommend, if you are looking for places to go.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      10/23/2012 at 2:42 am

      Thanks for correcting me. I confuse those two movie titles all the time! Thanks for reading 🙂

      Reply
  12. Gigi Griffis says

    10/25/2012 at 11:46 am

    Congrats on getting out on the road! 🙂

    Reply
  13. Chana S says

    09/27/2013 at 11:28 am

    where did you find a massage place for 100 baht on Khoa San!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      09/28/2013 at 12:21 am

      You gotta barter, son!

      Reply
  14. Mike says

    06/30/2015 at 11:03 am

    Hi Kristin,

    I’ve been reading your blog for a long, long time and I’ve came back to read this post a bunch of times. I like seeing the emotions you felt on this very first day of the adventure, and how far you’ve come to where you are now, in your present posts.

    As I prepare for the start of my own adventure, I just wanted to say thank you for showing me that this is possible, and for helping to make it not so scary.

    Cheers!
    Mike

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/01/2015 at 8:11 am

      Hi Mike,
      Thanks so much for this. It’s comments like this that totally make my day and help me feel like there’s a reason why this blog exists. Have an amazing time and I hope you’ll let me know how it goes!

      Reply
      • Mike Dietz says

        10/03/2016 at 5:08 pm

        Hey there,

        I ended up spending a bit over three months in SE Asia, and had an absolute blast. I left in February and came back in May. My girlfriend even joined me for 2.5 weeks (all her vacation time). I saw so many things and meet so many interesting people, and just got to see a part of the world I never thought I would.

        I expect you’ve heard this before, but before I read your blog, I didn’t know it was possible to travel like this. I had just entered the workforce after grad school and thought I was forever doomed to see the world two weeks at a time, and even then, only when I had the time saved up. Now, there are countless other travel blogs that show people that that’s not the case, but yours was the blog I found first, and yours was the one that inspired me so much. Not just because I found it first, but because of the humanizing touch you put into your posts. You feel more like an old friend who knows what she’s doing than just a guide.

        Anyways, I came back to California in May, moved to SF with my girlfriend, and got another office job. And to be honest, I’m quite satisfied with this lifestyle for now. But I haven’t forgotten the inspiration I felt from reading this blog a couple years ago. So if you ever feel burned out or like you’re just going through the motions, I hope you can remember what you’ve done for me and others like me. THANK YOU!

        Mike

        Reply
        • Kristin says

          10/06/2016 at 9:35 am

          Wow Mike, that’s such a wonderful, heartfelt message to read. I’m on cloud nine now. Thank you so much for coming here to say that! I’m so glad that you took the chance to explore and I also love that this is proof for others who are worried that they’ll kill their job prospects and lives back home that you can maintain relationships, and you can come back to a steady job, apartment, and life back at home. Good for you man!

          Reply

Stay Connected

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Archives
  • Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

© 2025 · Be My Travel Muse. All Rights Reserved

footer-icon