What it’s like to Travel Solo.

First things first, this is my story, these are my thoughts and they are a product of my own personal experiences. No two journeys are the same, and any thoughts that I am sharing here are not absolute. As a consequence, the title of this article is arguably misleading, because I can only share with you what it’s been like for me to travel solo. But nevertheless, I’ve decided to put into words my answer to something I continually find myself being asked, and that is the million dollar question of what it’s actually like to travel solo. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by this question, after all, right now I’m mid-way through a 3 month solo adventure, and last year I spent a month alone in Europe, so travelling by myself isn’t exactly new, but I always find myself stuck for words after I explain my travels and when people inevitably ask the above question.

See, it’s not particularly easy to just put into a few words what it’s like to travel solo. It’s an extremely complex, varied and utterly extraordinary experience. I could use an infinite amount of words to describe solo travel, but essentially I’ve never found something as rewarding, fulfilling and inexplicably amazing as solo travel, and for that reason I love nothing more than to talk about what solo travel is like in the hope that I might convince someone out there to give it a go themselves. But, from my own experiences and through speaking to people about the topic, I’ve found that unless solo travel is something you’ve personally done, there so many myths, misplaced beliefs and doubts about what it is really like, and because of that, many people get scared away from the idea of heading out into the world alone.

Maybe it’s a little odd to say this, but for me, travelling solo has become extremely normal, and I actually find the thought of travelling with others somewhat strange. That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy going places with people and doing things with others, because I do. Both types of travel are great, and I think that it is very difficult to say that one way is better than the other because they are both incredibly different experiences that each deserved to be equally valued. That said, I am a huge advocate for hitting the road alone and I absolutely believe that solo travel is extraordinarily unappreciated by many young people and is often feared because of assumptions that solo travelers like myself spend our days wallowing in lonely sadness wishing as hard as we can for a friend. I won’t lie by saying that there are not moments of loneliness, because there definitely are, but as an overall experience, I find being solo a truly amazing way to see the world, and, for me, the solo travel experiences that I have had thus far have definitely not been defined by loneliness.

So, here’s a few things that I’ve learnt, experienced and realized whilst solo travelling.

1. Just because you’re alone does not mean you have to be lonely.

I’m here to dispel some myths, so firstly I’m going to absolutely kill this whole belief that solo travellers are lonely. Wrong. So, so wrong. I am not lonely, I rarely get lonely, and loneliness has only been a tiny part of the 4 months I’ve spent travelling solo. Yes, there are moments I do get lonely, and that is an inevitable part of being alone. But in my experience, these moments have always been fleeting. See the thing is, for me, while solo I am a lot more confident to talk to new people and to make new friends than I would be if I had a friend/friends with me. This is totally a thing because when you have people you know already around you, you generally fall into a trap of being content talking to them so you don’t prioritize or often even think about talking to new people. Conversely, when you’re alone, there is no safety net of friends, so if you fancy having some social interaction, you have to speak up. Luckily this is an exceptionally easy thing to do and all you really need is an open mind and the ability to say ‘hello’. After realizing this, I’ve since spent many days with people from all walks of life. My travel friends range from fellow young solo travellers to retired married couples to young families to local residents on their day off and everything in between. If you keep an open mind and a friendly demeanor you’re almost certain to make friends, and I promise that you won’t be lonely!

2. Just because you’re alone does not mean that you’ll be a target to be taken advantage of.

Another big myth is that solo travel is dangerous because people will take advantage of you while there’s no one around to watch your back. I deal with this misplaced belief a lot because I’m a young female and unfortunately that probably does make me more of a target than if I were a 6 foot 5 male champion weightlifter. But, let me just share an arguably surprising fact with you; in the 4 combined months of solo travelling I’ve done, I’ve not ever had a serious personal safety or security issue. That’s not to say bad things can’t happen, because they can, and it’s foolish to think they won’t, but when you’re prepared, aware, and conscious of yourself and any situation that you’re in, risk is generally relatively low. In any situation and at any time, being safe is about making smart decisions, being prepared and not doing careless, risky and stupid things, and just because you’re travelling solo does not mean risk is any greater than it would be if you were with someone else.

3. When you’re alone, the significance of budgeting takes on a whole new meaning.

Ahhhh money. How lovely it would be if it actually grew on trees. But sadly it does not, and this means you have to budget. I’ve found budgeting has been particularly important while I’m solo mostly due to the fact that when you’re travelling with friends and you go to pay for dinner and then realize that you don’t actually have any cash in your wallet or your paycheck hasn’t come through yet, there’s usually someone willing to let you borrow some cash and you can just pay them back later. You can also split meals, accommodation and transport costs when you’re with friends. But when you’re alone, there is no splitting and there is no lending, meaning you really need to be on top of all your costs and cash. Sometimes it’s cheaper when you’re alone because hotel rooms generally charge less for one guest than two, but sadly it’s often a little pricier because you’ll end up paying 100% of transport (like taxi’s) and meals. At the end of the day though, this is all incredibly dependent upon how you travel, because hostel beds would cost the same if you visit alone or with a friend, as will a bus ticket. Essentially being aware of these things and the cost of getting around, sleeping somewhere and doing stuff is particularly important when you’re alone. Also, just a friendly hint - always make sure you can afford to pay for your meal BEFORE you eat it. This also applies to hotel/hostel beds before you sleep in them. It’s rather awkward/impossible to talk your way out of not paying for something after you’ve already used it…

4. You can still go out and party even though you have *no friends*.  

People often assume that because you’re solo you can’t go out or party or have fun. Again, this is a myth. I’ve met many solo travellers who are completely content to head out to a bar for a beer and see who they meet while there, which is totally something you could do and that’s cool. But personally this isn’t my style and if I’m heading out I like to know I’m meeting someone there, and have therefore prearranged that, or someone is going out with me from wherever I’m staying. This has never been a problem, and whenever I’ve wanted to spend an evening out, I’ve simply kept an open mind and said hello to people. Particularly so when staying in hostels, I’ve found that other people staying there have had similar ideas, and we’ve spent the night out together. As a consequence, I’ve had evenings out with all sorts of people, I’ve had all sorts of fun with lots of new friends and I certainly have not spent all my evenings feeling lonely and bored.

5. You can also not go out and party, and instead adopt a nanna life, and no body will ever know unless you tell them so.

I’ll be straight up honest with you all and openly confess my love for Netflix, chocolate and a comfortable bed. My friends are fairly well aware of these loves because they sadly often find themselves behind these three things in the list of priorities in my life after 9pm. Basically I am bit of a nanna. I like being lazy, I like chilling out, I like sleeping, I like going to bed at a reasonable time and I like quiet evenings in. I’m totally going to own my appreciation for all these things, but if you’re too shy to do that, when you’re solo travelling, you can totally have a closeted love for these things. No one needs to know you actually went to bed at 9:45pm last night after eating an entire block of chocolate. Also, no one needs to know that’s actually how you’ve spent 9.8/10 evenings for the past two months unless you want them to, which leads me straight to my next point…

6. GLORIOUS FREEDOM.

YOU CAN QUITE LITERALLY DO ANYTHING YOU WANT AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY AND NO ONE WILL BE THERE TO TELL YOU THEY’D RATHER DO IT A DIFFERENT WAY OR TIME. So many choices, and they’re all yours! Where you want to eat dinner, when you want to eat dinner, do you even want to eat dinner or will 6 servings from the gelato truck on the street count as sufficient, do you want to go to the museum or the beach, do you want to catch the 10am bus or the 2pm bus, do you want to stay in the Old Town or next to the beach – SO MANY CHOICES. And guess what? You get to make every single one of them all on your own. SO. MUCH. FREEDOM. Do what you want when you want and how you want. GO TOTALLY NUTS. THERE ARE NO RULES. Can you tell I am completely obsessed with the freedom of solo travel? It is the best. It is glorious. Travel solo and you’ll understand the beauty yourself.  JUST DO IT.

7. Corny as it may be, you’ll legitimately find yourself.

I always get super shy talking about this point because I feel like it is so cliché and corny and people think I’m being sarcastic but I mean this entirely genuinely; I’ve learnt more about myself, who I want to be, my goals, my dreams, my life and every aspect of my personality in 4 months travelling solo than I have in the other 21 years of my life. It’s kind of inevitable when you spend any length of time with only yourself for company that you’ll do a fair amount of thinking about yourself. Add to that the fact that when you travel you put yourself in unfamiliar and unpredictable situations that require you to adapt, problem solve and carry responsibility you wouldn’t necessarily normally have, and you grow a lot as a person. You’ll also experience new places, people, cultures, religions, traditions, languages and customs, and all of those things will shape you as a person and create new directions and open new doors that your can venture down and through. Who you are as a person is a never-ending story though, so I guess you could argue that you never really ‘find yourself’ because you’re actually constantly evolving. But for me, I’ve definitely found more direction, connectivity and purpose in my life since deciding to travel solo, which has been an incredible help when making any decision or choice in my life.

8. You’ll become best friends with yourself, and that’s totally cool and is actually a really great thing.

Potentially an embarrassing thing to admit to the world, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that I’ve become my own best friend. This dawned on me around a month ago, and since then I’ve decided that this is totally not at all a bad or weird thing, but rather quite the opposite. Initially it was kind of weird and a little unsettling, but after spending so much time with myself, I’m now 100% comfortable in my own company. Again, this is an entirely legitimate point and I am not trying to be corny or sarcastic, but accepting who I am was an incredibly beautiful moment in my life and definitely part of the whole ‘finding myself’ journey. It was incredibly freeing to totally accept myself own mind and a massive part of connecting with myself. Like I said, I was initially embarrassed by this, but the more I think about it, the more I think it’s really a beautiful and freeing thing to totally accept yourself for who you are which is something that wouldn’t have happened to me if I had not made the choice to travel solo.

9. People will think you’re insanely brave.

Moving away from deep and philosophical thoughts, if I could have a Euro for every time someone has called me ‘brave’ after hearing about my travels, I would almost certainly be significantly richer than I currently am. I always get so surprised when people react by labeling me as brave because I’ve truly never thought about my travels or myself that way. I don’t exactly like this label though, because I feel like it automatically assumes what I am doing is dangerous, and my choice to travel solo regardless is therefore some kind of heroic act, which in my opinion, it totally isn’t. I don’t think you need to be brave to travel solo, but if that’s the general opinion, then be brave, cause you’ll actually need significantly less bravery in practice than many people seem to think you’ll need!

10. You’ll have the time of your life so much so that it will be difficult to put the journey down into words.

I’ll continually make the choice throughout my life to travel solo. I am completely addicted to the solo journey and I do not think there are enough words in the English language for me to express how much I love it and how much I encourage others to do the same. Travel is a magical experience in any way, shape or form, and I will always take any opportunity to see new places. But, I’ll always have a particular fondness for solo travel because it’s been such a rewarding, fulfilling and worthwhile experience and I truly would not be the person I am today without the solo adventures that I have had. Every single journey is so individual, and there are an infinite amount of moments, memories, lessons, realizations and experiences that I’ve had whilst solo that I cannot adequately put into words. Quite simply, to travel solo has been the best decision I have ever made, and I cannot recommend solo travel enough.

So, like I said, it’s kind of really hard to answer ‘what’s it really like to travel solo?’ in just a few words, so you get a bit of an essay answer instead. I hope it’s answered a few questions and basically as my parting comment, all I’d like to say is TRAVEL SOLO. You’ll love it!

How To Travel with a Particular Dietary Requirement or Preference.

This is literally my favourite sight in the world - looking out the plane window over the clouds and the undiscovered places below. I'm definitely a window seat girl to the core.

I have two addictions in life that become quite strikingly obvious within the first five minutes or so after you meet me; food and travel. But, sometimes those two loves don't exactly cooperate nicely given that I have a dietary preference for vegan food. Whilst I will go to fairly great lengths to only eat vegan friendly food, for some people, eating a certain way can mean life and death - such as for a coeliac. I'm fairly blessed to have travelled quite a lot in recent years, from Europe, to Asia, back to Europe and closer to home in the Pacific, so I kind of like to consider myself a bit of a pro when it comes to finding places to cater to niche food requirements and preferences. For many, this is the nightmare of travel, but it need not be that way because finding food you can and will eat isn't as hard as you might think! Here's a few tips and tricks that I've learnt along the way;

1. Ask your Friends who've Travelled There Before/Friends who have the same Dietary Requirement/Preference as you.
Without fail the easiest way to travel with a dietary requirement or preference is to ask for advice from others in the same position as you who might have been to the city/country you are heading before. See, usually your gluten intolerant friends who've been to Paris themselves will have battled the food scene there and they'll know exactly where you ought to head to get your gluten free fix. The benefit in friends advice is that they've obviously been there beforehand, so if it was god-awful then they're the unfortunate souls who had to eat the food, and they'll likely tell you it is or isn't worth the trip!

The spread at Sadhana Kitchen in Newtown, Sydney. I had a friend who had been here before and she insisted that I absolutely MUST go. That raw vegan lasagne was the actual next level. I'm still dreaming about it and its been 5 months....

2. Ask Google.
In the place of having no friends who might've been to the place you're heading (hello trip to Riga earlier this year...), ask everybody's best friend, Google. As the famous proverb goes, Google knows everything, including where the good vegan restaurants are and whether gluten free is a thing that exists in Thailand. The downside to Google? Well, it won't always tell you if the restaurant is good or bad as a friend might, so sometimes its a bit of a gamble, but half the fun in travelling is the stories of failure you can share later on!!! Happy Cow is my go-to website for all things vegan and veto - 11/10 would recommend! You simply search the city/town you're in and voila - there's a lovely little list with all the places you could go!

Cheers to Google for enlightening me to the fact that in Krakow one can get vegan ice-cream and sorbet. LIFE IS GOOD.

3. Check Instagram, particularly Hashtags.
A lot of people aren't aware that Instagram is actually kind of like a food encyclopaedia to basically everywhere and anywhere on the planet if you know how to navigate your way through the various insignificant hashtags to the ones that matter when travelling. In actual fact, I think I've probably found more places to eat through Instagram than friends, books and Google combined! See here's how it works. Say you're going to travel to Greece and you'll be in Athens and you're a vegan. What you want to do is jump on Instagram, chuck a sneaky follow to me over at @young_rebecca and then jump on the search page and type in #veganathens and see what comes up. Sometimes you'll be inundated with home chefs who coincidently call Athens home, but frequently you'll also find pictures people have posted from restaurants around the city, and, if they're really helpful, they'll have also tagged/checked in at the restaurant itself, so all you have to do is click on the location tag and voila! You have yourself a vegan or a vegan friendly restaurant. Oh the power of social media!!! Also keep in mind that if you have found somewhere vegan or vegan friendly and you post a picture of the meal there, also tag the location and #vegan__ <-- city you're in so that other people can use this trick too! Helpful hashtags include; #vegan(name of city), #glutenfree(name of city), #(name of city)vegan, etc.

4. Ask the Locals!
No body knows a place like someone that lives there. So, the best people to ask for food suggestions, especially if they're a little less common, are going to be the locals. Determining who is a local and who is not is probably the hardest part to this, but you'll never know unless you do ask. Speaking the language is also potentially a barrier here but when you have nothing to lose you may as well be polite and ask if they speak the same language as you and if the answer is yes then proceed with asking where the best vegetarian food in town can be found!!!

I'm that strange person that asks the hotel receptionist if they can recommend their favourite supermarket juice to me. Weird? Yes. Good juice? YES. Would recommend 'Giraffe' juices for anyone ever in Lithuania. 11/10.

5. ASK.
In addition to asking the locals, also just ask anyone and everyone, even if they're also carrying about a massive digital camera and guide book with a large neon flashing sign saying 'tourist' on their head just like you - who knows, maybe they share your funny dietary quirks too. I recently travelled for over a month across north-eastern and central Europe completely alone. Yep, just me, myself and I for company. And, if there is one thing that I learnt in the whole experience it was that you just need to ask! I've always had a fear of asking strangers things, which is becomingly increasingly enhanced the more and more we rely upon the Internet, but when I found myself completely alone with no one to give me judge-y side eye (a fear of mine), I suddenly found myself asking people everywhere for things and some of the best experiences, restaurants, day trips, transport options and more were shared this way! The worst that someone can do is either say 'I can't help you', not understand you in whatever language you ask and give you a kinda funny look (but hey, you never have to see them again) or say no. No one grows a second head to eat you, no one yelled at me (in my experiences) and 9.8 times out of 10, people gave me advice and answers that were actually helpful! So, if you are after a gluten free restaurant, politely ask a passerby if they know where you might find one, and if they don't know, then ask the next passerby, or your hotel receptionist, or a tourist information desk, etc.!

So I really wanted this falafel wrap this one time in Helsinki but I wasn't sure if it was vegan and it was all very stressful and then I was just like 'Stuff it! I'll ask!' So I did ask, and as all good happy endings go, it was vegan, so I ate 8 in the space of 2 days.

6. Google Translate your Particular Needs/Preference BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE WIFI.
This one day not too long ago, I found myself in Northern Thailand, and, you guessed it, I was hungry and eagerly attempting to hunt down a restaurant that could make me something vegan. But, I do not speak Thai, and the small town I happened to find myself was not overly Westernised, meaning that English was rarely understood and spoken. In Thai, (as far as I am aware) the word 'vegan' roughly translates to sound something along the lines of 'Mangswirati' - i.e. NOTHING AT ALL LIKE THE ENGLISH WORD. With the gift of hindsight I can tell you this, but at the time I had no idea at all, so I actually ended up eating some plain rice and stir-fried veggies, which was fine, although I very much believe that had I been able to accurately express what I wanted, I could've had many more options. So, the moral of the story here is that Google Translate is your friend, and if you are travelling to a country where you do not speak the language, always translate your dietary requirements/allergies/preferences and save them as a note in your phone beforehand so they are easily accessible when you're out and about without wifi!


7. Hit up the Local Farmers Markets and Supermarkets.
I LOVE FARMERS MARKETS. I feel this is part of the reason I am so in love with Europe because they always just seem to pop up all over the place and it's honestly one of the best things ever! Farmers markets usually stock a whole heap of fresh, easily identifiable, and, most importantly, CHEAP, produce meaning that if you are intolerant of something, because the markets haven't yet crafted something into a dish with about 50 different ingredients, you can be certain that the raspberries do indeed only contain raspberry whereas the meal in the restaurant could be hiding things. One of my top tips for all travellers, not just those with food fetishes, is the classic picnic - first stop always being the famers market. I mean, look me in the eye and tell me with full conviction that there is something better than fresh berries grown in the countryside, a crusty loaf of fresh sourdough and some other bits and pieces under a shady tree in the summer. You cannot. No body can. Because there is nothing better. And, if you're doubting me then you evidently have not been to the farmers market in summer, in which case I refer you to this little paragraph!

Fresh German raspberries at the market in Bamberg? YES PLEASE.

Being the curious mind that I am with the never-ending desire to see more and go to more places, these points will no doubt be added to in the future, although I do think they make an excellent starting point!! Travel freely fellow wanderlusting souls!!! Not all who wander are lost.

How to Stay Healthy when Travelling.

I am a firm believer that travelling is absolutely one of the best things ever. I’m personally afflicted with a serious case of wanderlust and seem to find myself in a perpetual cycle of either saving every cent that I can for an adventure or spending all my money on plane tickets to far-flung destinations. I’ve just returned home from my most recent adventure; a 5-week solo trip in Europe through the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Sweden and then 10 days in Thailand with my dear mother. Yes, I’m quite well aware of the fact that my travel itinerary is extremely random but I wanted to really go off the beaten track and see some parts of the world that are unique and less travelled. I also have a personal interest in Post-Soviet States, so I’ve been hanging out to visit the Baltics for quite some time now. I had the absolute time of my life wandering about, but from the outset one of my biggest worries was that all my hard work in being healthy and losing weight would go out the window when I was on the road. I didn’t want all that hard work to go to waste but at the same time I was absolutely not going to deprive myself of the culinary delights of Europe. Here’s a few tips and tricks and tidbits of advice for the health conscious traveller that are tried and tested because I’ve managed the mean feat of returning home without any unwanted extra baggage (aside from all the clothes…)!

1. Fresh Fruit is your Friend

I honestly cannot put into words how much I love all the fresh fruit that seems to be available whenever and wherever I have travelled. If you’re in Europe in the summer, berries are absolutely everywhere, which is basically a dream come true! In Asia, you’ll find mango and banana and other tropical delights on effectively every single street corner and whilst I’ve never been to the Americas, I can only assume they too have their fair share of food markets and street vendors with fresh produce. When you’re on the road, fresh fruit is not only quick, easy and inexpensive, but also really good for keeping up all those vitamins and minerals which you’ll need if you don’t want to get sick. When I was in Europe, I would head out every morning and wander the streets (usually for not very long) before stumbling upon a local grower selling their produce. In actual fact there is a high possibility that I single handedly sustained the European berry industry whilst there because German/Finnish/Swedish strawberries are pretty much the most delicious thing ever.

Fresh German raspberries in Bamberg. YUMMO!

2. There is Nothing Better than Being Outdoors

Sure museums and exhibitions and castles and shopping malls are fun and absolutely worth visiting, but there is simply no better way to see the world and learn about a new place than being outdoors in the streets, in parks or sitting outdoors in a café observing the local people go about their life. People-watching is one of the best ways to just absorb and learn about the local way of life and the best place to people watch would absolutely have to be the local park, which is conveniently also a fantastic source of fresh air. I spent many afternoons eating fresh berries whilst sitting in the sunshine in the various parks of Europe which was a fantastic way to get outside, get some fresh air, partake in some casual people-watching and most importantly, get a dose of Vitamin D!

3. Walk Whenever and Wherever you Can

Whilst it is incredibly tempting to jump on the metro, catch a bus or hail a cab, you will almost always find that the extra time and effort to walk instead will be worth it. This is especially true for big cities such as London where you will often find that walking between major sights instead of catching the tube is not only cheaper and better for you, but also quite often quicker! Obviously it is far better health-wise to walk and you would be surprised how easy it is to walk a few kilometers in a day whilst sightseeing. And, because the sights are so interesting and there are so many new things to see and do, you’ll rarely realize just how far you’ve actually walked! Walking between sorbet shops is also an excellent way to simultaneously indulge in some delicious food whilst burning some calories! Win-win situation!!

4. Indulge in some Treats Every now and Then Because Moderation is Key

Speaking of sorbet, you should absolutely indulge in some treats when you’re on the road. So much of the experience travelling is in sampling the local food which often tends to be on the not-so-healthy side of the spectrum, which is unfortunate, however a simple reality of life. But, life is no fun without some treats, so go ahead and indulge in whatever the local delicacy is, but keep in mind that moderation is key. If you try and avoid all the treats, you’ll almost always find that one day you will lose your willpower and binge eat all the bad stuff at once and leave yourself feeling sick. Indulging every now and then in smaller amounts is a far more sustainable and healthy way to eat.

It wouldn't be a proper trip to Europe without some sorbet!

5. Start your Day with a Walk or a Run

This is absolutely my number one piece of advice for anyone travelling. A lot of people consider a morning walk/run off-limits when on a holiday but I discovered that getting outdoors for some morning activity was the best way to stay fit whilst on the road and also had the added bonus of effectively allowing me to go on a city tour without all the tourists. I usually did a quick scan of Google Maps the night before to get an approximate idea of the direction I wanted to head off running the next morning and then I’d wake and head off the next day. So many people sleep in and then head off to the tourist hotspots along with all the other tourists, meaning they get stuck in a crush of people. By getting up a bit earlier, I not only got some quality exercise into my schedule, but I also managed to see large parts of the cities I visited before breakfast meaning I had a better idea of what was worth visiting and dedicating time to later that day. I also got some of the best pictures whilst running by stopping for a few moments at major sights to snap a picture and enjoy the moment before any of the tourists arrived.

See all those tourists? NOPE BECSUE I WOKE UP BEFORE THEM AND BEAT THEM TO THE SIGHTS. 

6. Always Eat a Quality and Wholesome Breakfast

BREAKFAST IS KING. There is truly nothing more important than having a quality, wholesome breakfast before a day of travelling, sightseeing or activity. This is especially true if you are travelling on a budget because if you skip breakfast you’ll inevitably find your money being poured into buying snacks all day long because of constant hunger. Many hotels and hostels include free breakfast these days and even if yours does not, breakfast is one of the easiest meals to find at an affordable price. I always started my day with a feast of fresh local fruit, which is the perfect source of energy for a day of exploring.

Breakfast in Lithuania.

7. Shopping = Cardio

I have a shopping addiction that I’ve generally always considered a bad habit, however this is not necessarily so because when you add up all those steps taken around the shops hunting down the perfect pair of shoes, you’ll often find that you have done a fair bit of walking. This not only justifies the need to buy a new pair of shoes because you wore the other ones out but is also great exercise! Additionally, whilst it may seem a pain, lugging all those extra clothes around in your suitcase is also good weights training. I know this because I left with effectively no upper body strength but after 6 weeks dragging my 30kg suitcase up and down flights of stairs in apartment buildings, I think I almost rival the Incredible Hulk in terms of my arm muscles.

8. Walking Tours are the Best Things Ever

Last but not least, in most major towns and cities around the world you will find that the local tourism board offers free walking tours that take in the major sights. Even when the tours are not free, they will pretty much always be very cheap for what they are. A walking city tour is a great way to tick of all the must see sights, hear a guide explain the local history, get some great pictures and sneak in some exercise. Often walking tours take place in the morning, which is perfect when travelling in the summer because you will avoid the heat of the day. Tour guides are also usually very knowledgeable about the best food destinations, so if you head off for a walking tour in the morning, you can get the low-down on the best restaurants in town for lunch!

House of the Blackheads in Riga, Latvia. I took this whilst on a free walking tour simultaneously getting some exercise and my dose of local knowledge for the day.

Maintaining an Exercise Regime.

I've been thinking about writing this post for a while now because this is a topic lots of people always ask me about and if I'm entirely honest, exercise was the biggest reason that I not only lost weight, but that I kept that weight off. I've been in a solid exercise regime for 12 months now, which I'm extremely proud of because this is the longest period of time that I have ever maintained, and actually genuinely enjoyed, exercising. These days, I do quite a lot of running and people often see me either heading off (looking fresh as all heck) or coming back (looking not so fresh/slightly dying/very sweaty) and because people are lovely, they often encourage/compliment me and that truly feels fantastic, but it has taken a long time for me to reach the point I am at now. I thought I'd share a few tips that I learnt along the way because, if you do it right, exercising is actually a whole heap of fun, and, if you do things the right way, can be very easy and enjoyable to maintain.

1. You have to do something/find something that you genuinely enjoy doing.

I'd say that the fact there are thousands of people in the world trying to do exercise they hate and expecting it will work/they'll go the distance is surprising, but it isn't, because for a long time I tried (and failed) maintaining an exercise regime because I was forcing myself to do things that I hated. It's so funny telling people that this is my number one piece of advice because they either laugh, claim they don't have a favourite because it all sucks, or look at you like you're a moron because who in the world would ever actually enjoy running... Big confession here - I hate the gym. I cannot stand working out in gyms. So, I don;t go to the gym. Simple as that. Instead, I much rather to be outdoors, whether that be running by the lake, bike riding, or sometimes I go swimming. There's no doubt in my mind that if I forced myself into a gym to get my exercise, I would not be sitting here a year later telling you that I was still exercising. Find something you get enjoyment from doing and avoid forcing yourself into activities that society tells you are 'fun' or 'healthy' or 'good for you' because the reality is that if you don't enjoy what you do, there's a strong chance that you won't stick with it or you'll resent exercise and activity.

2. Variety is the spice of the exercising life.

This one kind of works hand in hand with point number 1 in that more often than not, if you do something every single day/every couple of days, etc and it is the same every single time, you will get bored. When you get bored, you'll find yourself not wanting to get up and get active and then next minute, you'll realise you've been binge watching Netflix for 3 weeks straight and haven't left your house aside from a trip to the supermarket to get some ice-cream. Whoops. I've been there my friends, and I have done that, and then I have dealt with that horrible guilty feeling you get afterwards. I don't think there are few many people in the world who can say they genuinely enjoy going for the same walk/run/ride at the same time, on the same days, week in, week out. That is why variety is fun and changing your routine is a good thing. 

My parents actually won this bike (who is called Gertrude the Green Bike). Shout out to them and their winning raffle ticket. Love ya!

3. Get Outside and Enjoy Some Fresh Air.

Following on from my gym hatred, I do not like exercising indoors. Now, it is quite possible that I am alone in that strong dislike and that's fine, but have you been outside lately?! Nature is so nice man! My friends used to laugh at me so hard when I would go all crazy about how cool and amazing and wow nature is (and by used to laugh, I mean they still do laugh) but I am just genuinely so amazed and I actually get so excited about being outside and being able to watch the sun rise or the leaves change colour in autumn or the weird duck-like bird things by the lake try and run away quickly when they cannot run very fast at all. I also like people watching, and being outdoors in new environments is a very good way to have a solid stalk. I have also worked out the schedule for the local mens rowing team. And when the good-looking boys run around the lake. Perks of being outside ladies. 

Here is a picture of me looking out over my kingdom deciding where I would like to build by dog palace.

4. Get your Friends in on the Act too.

If you're the only person you know that exercises, one of two things will happen. Number one, you might realise that you are amazing and become filled with your own self-importance and feelings of utter success, or, two, you will simply give up because if no one else is out and about exercising away, then why should you? Sadly, the second option seems to be the one that most people fall for, and the easiest way to stop that from happening is to get your friends up and exercising too. Go for a walk together, ride your bikes on a sunny afternoon, etc and have a good chat while you do it, catch up and enjoy the company of other people. Bonus here is that they'll likely thank you for getting them exercising too because exercise realises happy endorphins and usually after you've been active they'll be all happy and full of warm and fuzzy feelings that will make you feel good too!

5. Dogs are love. Dogs are life.

I am 150% a dog person. Just ask anyone I've ever spent more than five minutes with and I bet you they'll be able to tell you all about how in love I am with the doggie that lives down the street. if you don't love dogs, then please re-evaluate your life because you're doing something wrong. I love running with my dog for two reasons; one, I just like doing anything with a dog involved and two, she makes me run faster and that's always a good thing to have a bit of a challenge. Sadly, when I am at uni I don't have any dogs, but I have devised a genius plan to overcome this; I cleverly ask my friends who do happen to have dogs if they would like to go walking with me because basically what this means is that I am asking their dog on a date and then requesting that they third-wheel. It's a win-win situation because I get to see a dog and also catch up with my friends and also do some exercise because at the end of the day, the dog has to have a walk! 

This is my best buddy, Red the Dog who is very, very cute and my favourite running friend.

6. Don't Burn Yourself Out.

Maybe about 6 months after I started regularly exercising I fell into a trap that seems to catch quite a few unsuspecting people - I got stuck in the mentality that if I didn't go every day, then the world would end. Obviously the world is not going to end, but it did take me a while to realise that some days you simply have to give yourself a break. You shouldn't feel guilty about taking a day off activity, which took me a while to get used to. Running every single day, every week of the year is just not a sustainable option. I have at least one day off a week where I literally do nothing. Sometimes I don't even get out of my pyjamas or leave the house. It's fantastic. But it also means that the day after rest-day, I have more energy and I get more out of the activity I do that day. Very few weeks I have a couple of rest-days all bunched together, otherwise referred to as a Netflix-week. Those weeks are so fantastic I tell you. Give yourself a break every now and then and always be careful that you don't do too much, too soon, too often.

20 Things About 20 Kilograms.

I reached a massive milestone this morning which I am super, super, crazy happy about. You guessed it - as of 22nd November 2014, I have lost 20 kilograms. Here's a few thoughts, lessons, realisations and bits of useless and occasionally useful information from the journey so far!

1. 20 Kilograms is a Very Large Amount of Weight.
Okay, so this is kind of blatantly obvious, but nevertheless it is a huge realisation. I honestly don't think it will ever sink in that there is now 20 whole kilograms less of me.

2. It's Embarrassing.
Since I lost 15 kilograms a few weeks ago now, I've been quietly thinking to myself how embarrassing this is. Obviously given point 1 and the fact 20 kilograms is a lot of weight to have lost, people are commenting that I look fitter/healthier/slimmer/skinny, etc. That's great, don't get me wrong, I love the encouragement, but it always brings the inevitable question 'So how much have you lost?' And, I'm actually so embarrassed to confess it's 20 kilos because that means that I am admitting to myself and the world that I had 20 kilos to lose - cue embarrassment!

3. It's Scary.
Following on from point 2, it is also terrifying that I once was 20 kilos heavier. It's funny, I've found that I seem to have subconsciously forgotten what it felt like to be that big. I'm terrified by the fact that I let things get so far out of hand and I'm terrified of the negative effect that my weight would have had on my health and my body.

4. Not Having to Buy the Largest Size on the Rack is Delightful.
In some ways shopping was easy when I could generally choose the largest size in the shop (a 16) or select it if I were internet shopping, but more so, that was somewhat humiliating and upsetting because the number one issue that has, is that if something doesn't fit, what then? Time and time again I found myself in love with a piece of clothing, I'd try on the XL or 16 and it wouldn't fit and I would be humiliated and upset that I then couldn't buy that. See now, whilst I have to try absolutely everything I ever want to buy on first because I've lost some dress sizes and changed body shape, it is absolutely delightful to only take a size 12 or 14. Ahhhhhh this alone makes everything (all that running) SOOOOO worth it!

5. The Scales Are Not Everything.
Perhaps this one is a wee bit contradictory given the title of this post, but over the past 6 months I've come to realise that the scales are not everything. In general, for the past 6 months I have consistently maintained the same eating habits and exercise habits. Knowing that, one assumes that weight loss each week would be fairly even but that has certainly not been the case. Some weeks I wouldn't lose a gram and then suddenly I'd lose a whole kilo. Reason? I was losing fat, and gaining muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so theoretically I was actually gaining weight. But! Those weeks where I lost nothing according to the scales were actually, in hindsight, the best because they were the weeks that my legs became more defined, or my arms less flabby. So in essence, I lost less, but to the naked eye, I looked fitter/healthier/slimmer, and that is more satisfying than seeing the numbers drop!

6. It's Annoying When Your Favourite Clothes Don't Fit Any More.
This is, without a doubt, my number one gripe about losing weight. I am a creature of habit. I have my favourite clothes and I pride myself on my ability to wear these favourite clothes at least 5 of 7 days of the week. See, those black shorts you always see me in, they're comfortable, they go with everything, they don't seem to get stains or marks on them (like 90% of other articles of clothing) and pretty much I just like them. A lot. But now I have issues because they fall down when I wear them, they bunch up when I put a belt on and they make me look baggy, daggy and silly. All in all, this is a most frustrating situation, especially so when one does not have spare time to get dressed in the morning before uni and you put on those trustworthy black shorts only to realise that unless you wish to parade about uni all day holding onto their waistband, you'll require a different pair of shorts. But, who thought of that particular scenario at 11pm the night before when the decided that they definitely only needed 15 minutes to get ready in the morning. Not me. Sadly.

7. Buying New Clothes is Fun.
I like shopping. I do however have a problem, because my whole family think I own too many clothes. However, following on from point 6, when none of those clothes you already own fit you anymore, of course you should/need to buy some more! And this my friends, the act of shopping, is extraordinarily fun (and also a great means to procrastinate uni exam study).

8. Buying New Clothes is Annoying.
I know, it appears that I am talking nonsense because point 7 and 8 contradict each other but let me explain. Okay, so I love shopping right, but I only seem to like shopping when I can purchase clothes that look cool, make make me feel like I am Beyonce and that I am conquering the world. I also find it preferable when the cash monies used to purchase said clothes, do not exit and deplete my own bank account. Additionally, I prefer to not pay for parking. These elements combined, equate to a bloody superb shopping trip. Few issues here though. One; losing weight changes your body shape meaning clothing and styles you previously liked/looked good do not always look good/you don't like anymore. This is most frustrating. Two; I am not Beyonce and therefore find it highly difficult to feel like I really am Beyonce conquering the world. Three; money does not grow on trees and my parents do not seem to share in my opinion that I require monies to purchase many new, nice clothing items. Four; parking is usually not free and this is annoying.

9. Having Knobbly Knees is Not Conducive to Comfortable Sleeping.
This is my second biggest gripe about being slimmer. I can no longer sleep in my preferred side on, spooning one, perhaps two pillows, with my legs bent in a right angle and crossed over because now I have less knee fat (which is apparently a thing) and when I do sleep like this, my knee bones dig into each other and this is uncomfortable. This complaint may seem trivial, however adopting a new sleeping position after 20 years is most annoying and very much trial and error (currently more error, and therefore early morning awake time, than success).

10. Chafing is the Devil.
At one point, I reached a disgustingly convenient size that chafing ceased to be an issue. I will freely confess that this period of time that my thighs were so flabby and close together to physically prevent movement and friction was highly convenient. Then, I started running, and my leg muscles decided to grace me with their presence. At first, this was most pleasing, however I soon came to realise that shrinking thighs permitted increasing movement and increasing friction. Also, thighs that are changing shape tend to, at the drop of a hat, stumble upon new friction points. The result? Well my friend* chafing re-entered my life (*note that chafing and I are actually arch nemesis' and greatly dislike each other). I will let you in on something. It is not fun to have chafing, especially when running because that is very painful and not advisable. It is also not fun to have no powder immediately available (although I soon remedied that situation).

11. Foot Fat is a Thing.
I've always have enormous feet which I sometimes like because it gives me a false sense of security that I have a good grip on the world and my life. At times inconvenient to source size 9/10/occasionally 11 shoes, I've simply come to accept my monster feet. In actual fact, I love shoes, and therefore own many pairs that I certainly do not require however feel happy about owning (and admiring in my wardrobe). But apparently I had foot fat 20 kilos ago and now I have the double issue of clothes AND shoes being too big. I'm 99.3% sure that my toes have not decreased in length which means foot fat is the only plausible explanation. Until recently I did not realise foot fat was a thing, however I've just copyrighted it because it is legit guys, and it is a pain in the heel.

12. Owning/Wearing/Buying/Wearing Bras is Extremely Complicated. 
At one stage, when I was at my heaviest, I wore a size E bra. It's pretty commonly accepted that boobs are mostly fat, so I guess it makes sense that when you're carrying extra weight that you probably shouldn't be, you most likely have some on/in your boobs. I should also probably mention at this point that for reasons I absolutely cannot explain nor justify, I own literally 30 bras. I generally only wear maximum 5 of those bras, but still, I own 30. And, they're 98% DD/E. Fast-forward 6 months and minus 20 kilograms, I now seem to only have a humble C/D cup. But I still have 30 bras that are now far too big and only 2 bras that actually fit. I also have zero draw space now but it feels too wasteful to just throw out that too-big bra collection. Ahhhh the dilemmas.

13. Life and Movement is a Bajillion Times Easier.
Bajillion is a word I have just invented but it adequately sums up how much easier just living is now that I am minus 20 kilos of unneeded baggage. Picture it like I have unnecessarily been carrying around a 20 kilo pack all day, every day with me and you kind of get the picture. See, now that I have abandoned said useless pack, walking is easier, talking is easier, running, jumping, sleeping, sitting, thinking, knitting (jokes, I don't knit but if I did, I am sure it too would be easier) are all so much simpler and require sooooo much less energy. Pretty much life is easier, which is bloody brilliant. More energy for important things like cooking and enjoying myself! Expending less energy also means I need less sleep so I've actually gained an extra hour or so in my average day which is an added bonus!

14. It's Easy to Judge Others But You Should Always Remember Where You Were Once.
It's a really sad reality that obesity is extremely prevalent in society nowadays which means that when you are out and about, you will pretty much always see some big people. It's also really sad that a lot of people are quick to judge and quick to label. I'm guilty of this and it's a trait I absolutely hate in myself because I feel that of all people, I should be the last to judge. I have been heavily overweight and I know first hand how easy it is to stick your head in the sand and pretend that obesity isn't so. For me, it's really important to remember that I was there once and that judgemental thoughts and actions from others did absolutely nothing to help because change had to come from within. This is a thought I often hold onto when the instinct to pass judgement comes along. It's definitely something worth remembering.

15. Some People Are Really Strange About Weight.
I've found that there have generally been two different reactions to my weight loss; those people that acknowledge it out loud and congratulate you profusely very loudly usually in the presence of others upon which the entire vicinity will also join in congratulations (this feels bloody amazing and does wonders for the ego) and those people who give you the lingering look but say nothing. Now, I'm not trying to advocate a fan club for myself here, but I've been told that the ones that give you the look and say nothing do so because they fear that you might be embarrassed if they comment or might take offence. I personally find it so strange that people would worry that I'd take offence! Like man, if you'd ran a mile with me to earn those chocolate coated strawberries, you'd realise that honesty is a beautiful thing and that secretly, I find the encouraging comments incredibly motivating and helpful! It does wonders to hear from others that they think you look good!

16. I Have A Newfound Appreciation for Vegetables.
I had honestly forgotten what good vegetables taste like. Perhaps that's attributable to 4 years of boarding house goulash for dinner, a year of gap year travels where chocolate is a food group and then back to college institution food (that sometimes isn't identifiable as food). All in all, vegetables didn't rate very highly. But I soon came to the realisation that you can't really claim to eat healthy whole foods unless you eat vegetables so I was left with no choice but to try them again and can I just acknowledge how sad I am that I've deprived myself of such veggie goodness for the past 6 years?! Many regrets. Many.

17. Cooking Healthy Food is Fun.
Healthy people, in particular those with flair for cooking, are very clever. They have many gadgets that do fun things to food and they are very good at making things look (and taste) pretty damn delicious. These particular people are my inspiration. I feel like society has everybody believing that carrots and corn and cucumber are all very boring. Society is not commonly acquainted with a spiralizier. Society is also not creative. And, society does not seem to recognise that eating foods that literally represent the colours of the rainbow (try some tomato, carrot, corn, lettuce, avocado and red cabbage) is a pretty sure fire way to put a smile on a face. I mean, its the goddamn rainbow guys! (I may or may not have a lifelong love and fascination with the rainbow, but still!)

18. Social Media is an Absolute Godsend.
I love Instagram. Just ask some of my friends. I'm a proud Instafreak because I am in an Instalove-affair (p.s. you should follow me @young_rebecca). Out of the 400 odd 'friends' on Instagram, only two have voiced objections to my visual food blogging. 2/400 represents 0.5% of my total followers, so in order to continue pleasing the majority, I shall continue posting. You wanna know why? For me, posting pictures and hash tagging has connected me with so many like minded people and if that isn't something that motivates you to cook something fun and healthy every day, then I don't know what will! Plus, I like taking pictures and food combined with pictures inevitably leads to Instagram. I also like blogging, which, funnily enough, is why you are reading what you are reading right now. Social media, which is so often blamed for unhealthy ideals about body shape and type, can be, if used the right way, a huge motivation, outlet, inspiration and also a lot of fun. I attribute my increased presence on social media as one of the main reasons I have lost weight and kept it off.

19. It Does Not Matter How Slowly You Go So Long As You Do Not Stop.
Ahhhhh, everybody loves some Confucius. He seems to have a great talent for speaking the truth. I won't continue my analysis of ancient wisdom because I feel like point 19 speaks for itself.

20. It Is Never Too Late.
For literally 10 years I have been telling myself in various ways that I was going to be skinner, be fitter, eat healthier, love my body more, be happier, etc. And for 10 years, absolutely nothing changed. But one day the stars aligned and things suddenly clicked into place and now here we are. I honestly believe that it is never, ever too late to start something new, try something different, to chase after your dreams or to fulfil a goal. Some things are worth waiting for - losing 20 kilograms is certainly one of them for me!