Double Chocolate Strawberry Tart.

Since my return from Europe, I've been getting a little more adventurous in the kitchen. Sometimes my kitchen adventures end in utter disaster, which is hilarious though not so fun. I'll probably jinx myself by saying this, but lately I seem to be on a lucky streak, and most things I get busy whipping up seem to be exceptionally tasty, a case in point being this tart which is a solid 15/10.

This tart is delicious. It's similar to my Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tart though, curtesy of having a chocolate base, also quite different (but still equally as tasty). This tart also keeps really well in the fridge - in actual fact is probably best when it's been allowed to sit for a day or two (haha, who am I kidding, what kind of self-control freak could ever let it sit that long?!) and would absolutely 110% go down a treat at a dinner party, for midnight snack, a fancy afternoon tea or also as a pre-breakfast appetizer (yeah, I've been there, done that...). Today though, I won't rabble on, rather just leave you with the delicious chocolatey goodness that is this tart!

Oh! And this is also nut free, which is something some people have been asking me to create for a while! Whilst I love nuts, some people don't/have allergies, so if that's the case, this is the dessert for you!!

Ingredients;
The Base

12 medjool dates, pitted (preferably the softest, gooiest ones you can find)
1 cup oats
2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1. Place all the base ingredients into a high speed blender. Blend on medium-high speed until well combined, gooey, and sticky enough that the mixture will form a ball and hold its own shape. If it won't (this will depend on the softness of the dates you use), add a few extra dates and blend again until it will!
2. Take a baking tin/tart tray and, if it doesn't have a pop out bottom, line it with some baking paper. Scoop the base mixture out from the blender and press it down evenly across the bottom and sides of your container. When evenly spread, place in the fridge to cool whilst you make the filling.

The Filling
2 cups soy milk
100gm high quality, dairy free dark chocolate
Pinch salt (optional)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp cornflower
2 tbsp coconut sugar

1. In a saucepan, heat the soy milk, salt and vanilla bean.
2. While the milk is heating, roughly chop the dark chocolate. Before adding to the pan, take a small cup/mixing jar and remove approx. 1/4 cup the warm soy milk.
3. Turn the heat down to low and add in the chocolate and coconut sugar.
4. Take the 1/4 cup warmed soy milk you removed and add the cornflower to it. Mix well with a spoon.
5. When the chocolate has completely melted, add in the cornflower and stir through until the mixture is totally combined. Remove from the heat.
6. Remove the base from the fridge and gently pour the filling over the top. Place in the fridge and allow to cool overnight.

To serve (the following day/minimum 8 hours later), take a sharp knife and slice the tart up into your desired serving size. Chop some fresh strawberries in halves, and if you have some, cut some star shapes using cookie cutters. Serve garnished with the strawberries and, for some extra cheekiness, a sprinkling of some shaved dark chocolate. * mouth waters* *enters food coma* ENJOY!

Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic and Green Pea Guacamole.

Arguably a rather unconventional sounding recipe, this is in actual fact probably one of the most genius dishes I have ever created. I mean, sweet potato fries in any format with any dipping sauce/side dish are always a mighty fine option, but garlic and green pea guacamole (sounds very strange, I know), has definitely taken things to the next level.

Ever since sweet potato became somewhat mainstream a few years ago, inevitably whenever I am eating out with my mum and 'sweet potato ____' food item features on the menu, my mum will want to, no, rather will STRONGLY INSIST (n.b. demand) that we order that thing. She's apparently obsessed, which is generally okay with me because hey - sweet potato is tasty. No complaints here.

So, sweet potato fries aren't exactly new in my house/family/recipe collection, but garlic and green pea guacamole definitely is, and in my opinion is about to be the new 'it' thing. WHAT. A. COMBINATION. Like, avocado is always 11/10, so it goes without saying that anything 'guacamole' will be good, but garlic and green peas really take things to the next level. The green peas give a subtle flavour (and an extra veggie hit!), yet a brilliantly vibrant green tone and garlic adds a flavour twist that is unexpected, though extremely complimentary to the potato. Topped off with some chilli flakes, this is a side dish/share plate/dinner that is sure to go down as tasty in anyone's books!

Ingredients;
(serves 1/side dish for 2)

2 medium sized sweet potatoes (Kumara if you're one of the lovely NZ folk!)
1 tsp minced garlic
Approx. 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs
Approx. 1/2 tbsp sweet paprika
Approx. 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
Approx. 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat an oven to 180 degrees Celsius (fan-forced).
2. Peel the sweet potatoes, then cut into fries (depending on your personal preference, you could also make wedges, though I personally prefer fries approx. 1cm square and around 10cm or so long).
3. Lay the fries out on a lined baking tray.
4. In a small container, combine the minced garlic, herbs, paprika, chilli flakes and oil. Mix through well and then pour over the uncooked fries. Use (clean) hands to make sure all the fries are well coated.
5. Cook the fries for approx. 20 minutes before flipping them over. Cook for a further 15-20 minutes, or until they just start to brown.

Guacamole
1 ripe avocado
1/4 brown onion
1/2 cup green peas
Small handful fresh coriander
1 tsp minced garlic
Juice from 1/2 lime
Chilli flakes (to serve)

1. In a blender, scoop the avocado flesh out, and add in along with all the other guacamole ingredients.
2. Blend on high speed for several minutes until smooth and fully combined.
3. Serve alongside the cooked fries, topped off with some chilli flakes.

To serve, plate the fries up alongside a bowl of the Garlic and Green Pea Guacamole. Enjoy!

Rainbow Singapore Noodle Stir-Fry.

I grew up eating stir-fry almost weekly. My mum (bless her), has never been much of a chef, nor has she ever had much time to unnecessarily spend in the kitchen making dinner. She's also always had the arguably ambitious view that as a family, we ought to eat more vegetables. As a child, I could not have disagreed with her more on that point, which is incredibly ironic given I'm now a vegan, but at the time, being told I needed to eat more vegetables was not exactly what I, or the other members of my family, wanted to hear.

Anyway. Mum persisted, mostly through routinely producing either a casserole (which I despise to this day) or a stir-fry (present-day favourite meal). Despite the presence of a deceptively large amount of vegetables, I LOVED her stir-fry's. So tasty. So much noodle. SO GOOD. Also, most importantly for mum (and now me), stir-fry's are like, the easiest, least time-consuming yet still incredibly nutritious and delicious meals you can make. Essentially the stir-fry wins on all fronts.

Ever since moving into my own place a few years ago, stir-fry has been a staple on my menu. It's an incredibly versatile meal, with almost endless options for sauces, proteins, vegetables and even noodles. I've long been in the pursuit of the perfect, 11/10 stir-fry, which has been a surprisingly elusive target, with getting the sauce-to-noodle ratio correct, the veggie composition spot-on or, as I have only recently discovered, the perfect noodles. My (very) recent addiction in life is Singapore noodles, and they've quickly become my noodle of choice for stir-fry's. I don't know what I've been doing my whole life till this point in not consuming Singapore noodles, but oooooo boy am I making up for all those Singapore-noodle-free years now. If you haven't tried this noodley goodness, remedy that ASAP. Singapore noodles are officially life. So. DAMN. TASTY. And, beautifully, they make the PERFECT base for an exceptional stir-fry!!

Ingredients;
The Stir-Fry
350gm Singapore noodles
125gm marinated tofu (I like to marinate mine overnight in tamari/soy sauce + garlic and chilli)
4 tbsp cornflower
3 tbsp (approx.) sesame seed oil
1 brown onion, diced
1 tsp mined garlic
1/2 head broccoli
1/2 red capsicum (pepper), finely sliced
1 cup sugar snap peas
1/2 cup finely sliced red cabbage
1 cup bean shoots
3 shallots, finely sliced
1 cob raw corn, kernels sliced off
Handful fresh coriander (cilantro)
Sesame seeds (to serve)

The Sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce (make sure you get a fish-free one!)
3 tbsp tamari/reduced salt soy sauce
1/2 tsp minced chilli (optional)
Zest and juice of 1 lime

1. Slice the marinated tofu into strips and coat in cornflower all over.
2. Heat a large fry pan on high heat. Add in the sesame seed oil, and then the coated tofu. Cook on both sides for several minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Remove and place on some absorbent towel.
3. Turn the pan down to a medium heat and add the diced onion and garlic to the pan. Slice the broccoli into small florets and add to the pan, along with the capsicum. Cook for approx. 10 minutes, then add the sugar snap peas, red cabbage, shallots, corn and bean shoots.
4. Remove the Singapore noodles from their packet and, using your hands to break them up gently, add to the pan. Mix through with the veggies and cook for a few minutes.
5. While the noodles/veggies are cooking, take a small container/glass and add all the Sauce ingredients. Use a fork to whisk them together well.
6. Add the tofu to the pan, along with the sauce and fresh coriander. Mix everything through well.
7. Serve garnished with some sesame seeds (and fresh sugar snap peas for some extra fanciness!)

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Tart.

First things first; this tart is devilishly delicious. I mean, take what you perceive as delicious and abandon that standard to be replaced by this particular tart.

Secondly; I'd like to disclose that this tart is not super healthy, nor is it trying to be. It is trying to be a yum and delicious dessert, and it is truly succeeding in that mission. That said, it is however, comparatively healthier than it's non-vegan alternatives as it does not contain any refined sugar or dairy. I also do not advocate eating the whole tart in one sitting because aside from essentially being physically impossible, that would also be most unhealthy. BUT, all things in moderation are good!!!

Anyway, in other related news, today my housemate declared that until he had met me, he though 'vegan dessert' meant something inherently healthy, namely fruit salad or, his words and not mine, 'lettuce' (for dessert? Really?!). Apparently he's one of those people that thought vegans only eat vegetables and fruit. WRONG. Anyway, he's lived with me for nearly 4 years and I guess you could say we know each other quite well now and that he is now 106% aware that vegan food doesn't have to be healthy, boring or tasteless. Anyway. I produced this tart to him for an impartial taste test (obviously I'm likely to be a little biased myself) and he declared it a winner and very much not fruit salad or lettuce!

This would make for the perfect dish to bring to a dinner party or friends house to impress all you (assumedly) non-vegan friends, and also because it's the kind of dish that you'd be best to share rather than give yourself a sugar coma by consuming alone! It's deliciously decadent, oozes chocolate and caramel and is essentially culinary perfection!

Ingredients:
The Pastry
1 1/2 cups plain flour
150gm vegan butter (I used Nuttelex)
2 tbsp coconut sugar
Water

1. Place the flour and coconut sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. Dice the butter (make sure it's room temp.) and add it into the bowl. Use clean hands to massage the butter into the flour/sugar mix until it resembles bread crumbs.
3. Add in some water 1tbsp at a time, until the mixture sticks together like cookie dough and can be rolled without crumbling.
4. Roll it into a ball, cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Turn the oven to 180 degrees and allow to pre-heat.
5. Once chilled, roll the pastry to 1/2cm thick and line the tin. Trim and excess off and use of fork to prick the pastry all over.
6. Bake the pastry weighted for 15 minutes (I line the tin with some baking paper and fill it with rice). After 15 minutes, remove the weight and cook for a further 10 - 15 minutes, removing when the pastry is a light golden brown and cooked through.
7. Allow to cool while preparing the caramel and chocolate layers.


The Caramel
1/2 cup coconut sugar
3/4 cup coconut cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Pinch of salt
1 tsp cornflower

1. In a saucepan over low heat, combine all the caramel ingredients. Continually stir until smooth, well-combined and golden brown in colour.
2. In a small bowl/cup, combine the cornflower with 1tbsp water, whisking together with a fork until it is completely smooth.
3. Add the cornflower to the caramel and stir well. Place the thickened caramel in a bowl in the fridge.

The Chocolate Layer
250mL soy milk
3 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
200gm dairy free dark chocolate (I use Lindt)
1 tbsp cornflower

1. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the soy milk, coconut sugar and vanilla bean paste. Stir over low heat until the sugar has melted in fully and the mixture is smooth.
2. Take a small bowl/cup and combine the cornflower with 2 tbsp water, whisking together with a fork until it is completely smooth. Add to the milk mixture and stir through well.
3. Roughly chop the dark chocolate and add to the mixture. Stir well until fully melted, then remove from the heat.

To assemble, take the cooled pastry and pour the caramel layer over the bottom, spreading it evenly. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so (I usually make the chocolate layer while the caramel is cooling). After the caramel layer has set, pour the chocolate layer over the top and refrigerate overnight (or for a minimum of a few hours). Serve with some sneaky garnishing of some extra chocolate - my personal fav is Loving Earth Salted Caramel!

Thai Beef(less) Salad.

I love Thai food. Hands down, the best cuisine that there is. So tasty. So delicious. So many noodles. All of the herbs. 

In actual fact, I love Thai food so much that I even took my mum to Thailand in 2015 under the guise of cultural enrichment though really I was just there for the culinary experience. I mean, I did get kissed by a baby elephant, which was obviously amazing, so it wasn't all just food, but still, food was the whole reason I found myself there in the first place and I have zero regrets about that reality. 

Fortunately, a lot of Thai food can very easily be made vegan. But, one of my all-time favourite Thai dishes has always been the classic Thai Beef Salad and I've always felt somewhat troubled by the fact that if I take the beef out of it, and thereby make it vegan, can I really call it a Thai Beef Salad anymore...? But, I am not easily deterred nor was I about to abandon being able to enjoy of my my favourite dishes ever, so for a while now I've been working on creating my own interpretation of a vegan Thai Beef Salad and delightfully I've come up with this mighty fine dish, which goes down absolutely perfectly for lunch, dinner, as a dish to share at a party and also as a very random pre-breakfast snack on a Sunday morning, as it has just been for me...

It may not have any beef, but alas, in my opinion it perfectly captures the flavours of the famous original!

Ingredients;

The Salad

9 large Cos lettuce leaves, roughly chopped

Handful mixed coloured salad leaves (I use a baby spinach and baby red beetroot leaf mix)

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Handful Thai basil, roughly chopped

Handful fresh coriander leaves

Handful fresh mint leaves

1 cup bean shoots

1/2 continental cucumber, thinly sliced into strips 

1/2 avocado, thinly sliced (optional, non-traditional, though nevertheless a tasty addition)

125gm tofu
4 tbsp tamari (or reduced salt soy sauce - but use tamari if you're gluten intolerant)
Approx. 4 tbsp cornflower

The Dressing

1 tbsp tamari/soy sauce

1 tbsp water

1/2 lime, juiced

1 clove of crushed garlic

1 tsp minced chilli

2 tsp sesame seed oil

1 tbsp hoisin sauce (optional, though a very tasty addition)

1. Remove the tofu from the packaging. Use a sharp knife to slice the tofu into pieces approx. 0.5cm thick and 1cm wide. Take a plate and lay some absorbent paper towel on the plate. Lay the pieces of tofu onto the towel and cover with another piece of absorbent towel. Place this in the fridge for about two hours with something heavy sitting on the top (i.e. a skillet or bottle of milk, etc.). Using something heavy is important in helping to drain the tofu of any excess water which will inevitably be stored in the tofu from its packaging. Soggy tofu will never go crispy and will not absorb flavour as well as properly drained tofu.
2. After two hours retrieve the tofu from under previously mentioned heavy object. Grab a container that has a lid and lay the tofu strips into the container, then pour the tamari over the top. Depending on how large your container is you may need more tamari, because you should use enough to cover all the pieces so that they all absorb some of the sauce. Place the lid on and put the container in the fridge for at least 2 hours. 
3. When the tofu has properly marinated, remove it from the fridge. On a chopping board, sprinkle the cornflower generously. Taking one strip of tofu at a time, cover it well in the cornflower, before gently dusting off any excess. Repeat for all the strips.
4. Take a fry pan and place it over the heat. You want quite a hot pan, so turn the heat towards the higher end of the spectrum. Pour approx. 2 tbsp sesame oil into the pan and allow to heat. To check whether the pan is hot enough, flick some water into the pan and if the water sizzles and spits, then you're good to go! Do not use olive oil as it doesn't handle such hot temperatures as well as sesame oil (coconut oil is also another option that will work well, although you will end up with quite a different flavour). Carefully place all of the strips into the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side until they are a light golden brown. When cooked, remove from the heat and place on a new sheet of absorbent towel to remove any excess oil.

5. In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients and mix through together. 

6. In a small bowl/glass, combine the dressing ingredients and whisk together using a fork. 

7. Plate up the salad as per desired servings size and top with a generous drizzle of the dressing. Enjoy!

Choc-Raspberry Muffins.

HELLO!! Remember me?! Probably not....it has been a mighty long time since I've been around here sharing a new recipe after all.

Well, the good news is that I am alive and well. In actual fact, I am very much alive and very very well indeed. See, I've been off an a 7.5 month adventure around the world, finding myself waking up in the middle of the Jordanian desert in the heat of summer, licking fruity gelato off my fingers in the Serbian sunshine, throwing snowballs in the snowy hills of Austria and dealing with 3pm sunsets in Stockholm, as well as a whole heap of other wild and crazy places and adventures in between. The one downside of all that is that I've been having so much fun out in the world and living out of a suitcase that I haven't had a whole lot of time in the kitchen creating new and tasty things. BUT, the upside of that downside (#confusing) is that my head (and my stomach) are now full of lots of inspiration from around the world, and I plan on using the flavours of the places I've been to create some new and exciting recipes!

First things first, cake. More specifically, chocolate cake.

This recipe isn't exactly inspired by anything or anywhere in particular, though I must confess, every time I eat fresh raspberries I am taken back to wandering cobblestone streets in the European summer and sunshine. I only realised that retrospectively though, so I can't exactly claim it as inspiration...

Anyway. It's exceptionally fitting that one of the first things I've created since been back home is cake. I do love me some good cake. I also love me some cake batter, and it would be very much a lie to say that I did not have a few cheeky spoonfuls out of the bowl pre-oven. Chocolate and berries will forever be one of my favourite combinations, especially raspberries, which are arguably my favourite berry.

I'll stop telling you about my culinary preferences now though and get on with the real reason we're all here; CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY MUFFINS!

Ingredients;
125gm vegan butter (I used Nuttelex), softened to room temp.
1/2 cup raw sugar/coconut sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flax meal + 6 tbsp water, mixed and allow to sit for 5 mins)
2 cups wholemeal flour (I use spelt flour)
2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, butter and vanilla using an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add in the flax eggs, flour, baking powder, maple syrup, almond milk and cacao powder and mix in gently until just combined. Then mix together using an electric mixer on medium/high speed until well combined. Add in the chocolate chips and the raspberries and carefully fold them into the cake mix using a spoon.
4. Take a lined muffin tin and scoop approx. 2 tbsp of mixture into each muffin patty (depending on the size you're using, you may need more or less mixture). When all the patties are full, gently tap the tin on the table top to get air bubbles out.
5. Bake the muffins for approx. 15 - 20 minutes, keeping an eye on them that they do not burn. When cooked they should be firm to the touch.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
7. Serve with some raspberry-chia jam, some fresh raspberries and some extra vegan chocolate!

The Best Countries to Travel Solo.

I like travelling, and I like travelling solo.

Don't get me wrong, it's super nice to travel with other people, but there's also a great amount of enjoyment to be had travelling with yourself as company. I've been to 20 countries so far completely on my own, meaning that almost half my travels have been solo. I've absolutely loved the experience of being alone when travelling, but some places have definitely been better than others for a solo traveller. Here's my list of top picks, which isn't to say anywhere else isn't good, rather to highlight some of the best places that I've been when solo!

N.B. I have only included actual places that I have been with no one for company. Many places I have been when with others would also be great solo destinations, but having not experienced them alone yet, I don't want to put them on this list as this is a collection of tried and tested places!

1. Turkey
Arguably an unexpected pick for first place, I honestly could not rate Turkey higher. I travelled for 3 weeks completely alone in July and August of 2016 throughout Turkey and quite simply, I had the time of my life. Lately Turkey has had a few political problems, which I won't comment on here, but in my personal experince of having actually been in the country, for a tourist, and a female, red-headed one at that, I could not have felt safer in Turkey if I tried. Everywhere I went, everything I saw and did and everyone I met was amazing! There's so much to do and see in Turkey, it is relatively cheap, I never felt like I was in danger, the people were super helpful and friendly, it was really easy to speak and communicate with people despite speaking very minimal Turkish and there were heaps of options for day trips if I felt like doing something with other people. Perhaps not somewhere people typically consider for a solo trip, but defintely one they should! Turkey = AMAZING.

Dancing around like a lunatic outside the Blue Mosque, Istanbul.

2. Poland
I love Poland. I fist visited in 2015 and fell completly in love with the country. I have recently been back and discovered that I am no less in love with Poland. Essentially it is a truly fantastic place. My recommendations for must see places are Poznan, Wroclaw, Krakow and Warsaw. There are a heap of other places too, but these are some that I've visited and have fallen hopelessly in love with. Poland is a super cheap destination, making it great for a solo traveller with no one on hand to split costs with. There's a heap to see and do, getting around is both cheap and easy with mega-cheap trains and public transport options, it is a realtively safe country and it was easy to get around only speaking minimal Polish. 11/10 would recommend.

On top of the Cathedral in Wroclaw, south-west Poland in the summer of 2015.

3. Slovenia
I feel like this is an emerging pattern, but I must say, I absolutely LOVE Slovenia. There are few places that I've been where I've immediately stepped off the plane/train/bus and thought 'oooooo, I could defintely live here', but Slovenia is 100% one of those places. Aside from being quite seriously the prettiest country I have ever seen, Slovenia is super friendly, super safe, super diverse and fairly cheap. They also love bike riding, mountains, lakes and castles, which is always a great set of things to both appreciate, but also have plenty of in your country. Hot tip - Lake Bled is a must see, along with the capital, Ljubljana (pronounced Lub-lee-ahhh-nahh) and Vintgar Gorge.

This is Vintgar Gorge, which I can confirm, looks a hell of a lot like a magical fairyland/Narnia in real life. 

4. Croatia
Croatia has a bit of a reputation as a party place, so why then do I put it on the solo list when partying generally requires friends? In summer 2016 I spent 3 weeks in Croatia and let me tell you, it was a truly fantastic 3 weeks! I visited Zagreb, Zadar, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Kornati Islands, Nin, Trogir, Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik and I did all of that alone and oh boy was it an amazing time. There's so much to see and do, there's a whole heap of day trips on offer if you ever feel like making some fast friends and doing something with other people, there are plenty of hostels where you'll find lots of travellers after a good time and a few drinks, so if you'd like to head out on the town but fear doing that alone, you need not worry! Croatia isn't the cheapest country in the summer, so at times it was pricey not having someone else to offset costs with, but being Eastern Europe, it was still cheaper than many other places. It was also worth every penny I spent there, because everything I did, saw and ate was great!

One of my favourite solo photos I've ever taken - on the rocks in Dubrovnik watching the sunset over the ocean. I was so fulfilled and so happy and this picture always brings a huge smile to my face when I think back on the moment it was taken. 

5. Germany
I've spent a lot of time in Germany, both with others and also alone, and I think it's a great option for all travellers. In my experience when being solo in Germany, I have always found that there is plenty to do, there's lots of other solo travellers, so making new friends is super easy, it is relatively cheap, especially in the East and Berlin, it is very safe, getting around is quick and easy and there's an endless amount of stuff to see and do, so you'll never be bored! My top recommendations for Germany are Berlin, Potsdam, Munich, Bamberg, Nuremburg, Hamburg and some day trips to some smaller, lesser-known towns. Also, visit as many castles as you can. Germany has lots of them and I haven't been to a bad one yet!

This is one of my favourite scenery pictures, captured in January 2017 in Berlin overlooking the Berliner Dom and River Spree. One of my favourite moments from one of my favourite cities and countries. 

6. United Kingdom
As with Germany, I have also spent significant time in the UK. The UK is a fantastic place to be a solo traveller for many of the same reasons as Germany - lots to do, lots of other solo travellers, fairly low cost, easy transport, GREAT ACCENTS, very safe and amazing shopping. My top picks for the UK are London (obviously!), either Cambridge or Oxford, Bath, Edinburgh and Brighton. If you have a car, the Lakes District is also well worth a trip!

Contrary to initial assumptions you may make, this beautiful building is in actual fact, located in Brighton on the British seaside, and yes, it is indeed possible, on occasion, to wear shorts and sleeveless tops in the UK. 

7. Czech Republic
The first time I went to Prague, I was with a bunch of friends, I got exceptionally intoxicated and essentially had a wild night on the town and actually don't remember anything that happened. The second time I went to Prague, I was 100% sober and solo, I remembered everything and I had a wildly amazing time. Whilst having only been to the Czech capital, this country makes the list because Prague is one of the greatest cities in the world (in my opinion). As a solo female, it was cheap, safe, super friendly, has great summer weather, lots of doughnuts (#important) and was cheap. I plan on heading back there as soon as I can so I can czech out some more of the country (see what I did there? Sorry...I couldn't help myself), in particular, Cesky Krumlov and Karlov Vary.

8. Singapore
Singapore has the great honor of being the only place in Asia that I've been whilst solo. If you're interested in seeing Asia and you'll be alone, Singapore is a great place to start. It is a very developed and organised city, so culture shock won't be as dramatic as with some other places. Singapore is exceptionally safe, in actual fact, it's one of the world's safest countries, it is reasonably priced, they have amazing public transport, great food options and also a forest of trees that light up in fancy colours with an accompanying soundtrack of dramatic music. What more could you possibly want in life?

The traditional Peranakan Houses in East Singapore.

9. Ireland
First things first, Ireland is SUPER CUTE. Maybe this sounds like a stereotype, but it's true; everything is green, everyone is friendly and they have FANTASTIC accents. I have been known to engage Irish people in conversation purely for the pleasure of hearing them speak and indulging my love of Irish accents. I have no regrets. So why is Ireland great for solo travellers? Well. It's cheap, there's so many super fun day trips that you can do to meet other people, they have utterly outstanding nature, Irish people love drinking and going to the pub, so if you're wanting to meet some people, especially the locals, that's easy done and also they have great accents, which is reason enough for going there. A must see is Connemara National Park, which is huge and remote (by Irish standards), but can be seen by either renting a car or jumping on one of many day trips or short tours. There's also a great falafel restaurant in downtown Dublin called 'Umi Falafel' which deserves a special mention.

Kylemore Abbey, in the wild remoteness of the Connemara region. 

10. Sweden
I've been to Sweden three times in four years, so I guess you could say that I like the place. I've twice been as a solo traveller and had a great time both times, so it rounds out my top ten best places. Being Scandinavia, things can get a little expensive in Sweden, which isn't great when you're alone as there's no one to share costs with, but Sweden is still well worth considering as a solo destination. I can only speak two words of Swedish, but I've literally never had a problem getting around, there are a heap of museum, castles, galleries, a super cute Old Town in Stockholm and an incredible amount of beautiful lakes, national parks and green spaces to see. There's also this place in Stockholm called 'Herman's' which is a vegan, all-you-can-eat buffet. I would literally go back to Sweden again solely to eat at Herman's again because that place is HEAVEN. I quite seriously ate 4 times the normal adult intake of food when I went and they also had a snicker's cheesecake that I've dreamt about two nights in a row. In all honesty, go for the vegan buffet, stay for the great sights (including all the beautiful looking Swedish people...).

I plan on adding to this list over the next few years as I continue to take on the world as a crazy solo vegan traveller. I'm planning on heading to Asia, North America and Africa next to hopefully make this list a little less Euro-centric, but like I said, this list contains only places I have personally experienced whilst solo and till now, most of my time has been spent travelling in Europe. Let me know any recommendations you might have for good solo destinations because I'm always on the hunt for some more places to see!! 

Frequently Asked Questions. 

Who are you?
Hi. My name is Rebecca, and I'm a commercial lawyer practising in banking and finance law. Outside of professional life, I'm a great lover of good food, fresh herbs, my dog, spending time outdoors and enjoying the company of good friends.

Where do you come from?
I was born in Canberra, Australia's capital city. I spent my childhood in Griffith, in regional New South Wales and my teenage years at boarding school in Canberra. Since leaving school, I've lived in London, United Kingdom, Berlin, Germany and my hometown Canberra. 

Who's in your family?
Aside from my mum and dad, I have one older brother, my dog (Red, who is the actual love of my life and hands down the best dog ever) and a fish (called Fish because #creativity). 

What's better, cats or dogs?
This is a very, very important question. With zero hesitation, dogs. I am 110% a dog person. In actual fact, I'm so obsessed with my dog that I frequently Facetime home simply so I can talk to her, and not my parents. As you might imagine, they appreciate this order of priorities a lot...

Why do you travel so much? 
I love to travel. It's my greatest passion in life and my biggest love aside from my dog. I love seeing the world and honestly cannot imagine anything worse than being stuck in only one place.  

Where have you travelled?
Asia;
Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Cambodia, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Japan

Middle East;
United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Jordan

Europe;
Portugal, Spain, France, Monaco, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy, the Vatican, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, United Kingdom, Slovakia, Luxembourg

Oceania;
Australia, New Zealand 

South America;
Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Africa;
Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia 

All up, 58 countries and counting!!

What's a random fun fact about yourself?
Ich kann Deustch sprechen!! (I can speak German) 

I have no close German family, just some distant heritage from the 1800's, so there's no real reason for me to speak German aside from the fact that I love the German speaking world and apparently like to battle my way through extraordinarily complex grammar...

What's on your travel bucket list?
Lofoten Islands - Norway
Mt. Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar - Tanzania
Bishkek, Osh, Tian Shan Mountains - Kyrgyzstan 
St Petersberg, Moscow, Lake Baikal, Kazan - Russia
Kiev - Ukraine 
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Schloss Hohenzollern - Germany
Quebec, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Ottowa, Banff - Canada
Seattle, San Francisco, Hawaiian Islands, New York, New Orleans, Yosemite National Park - USA
Jellyfish Lake - Palau (Google it!!)
Zhangjiajie National Park - China
Galapagos Islands, Lake Titicaca - Ecuador 
Cancun, Tulum - Mexico
Muscat - Oman
Gobi Desert - Mongolia
Seychelles
Uganda to see the mountain gorillas 

+ EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD 
(as you can see, I'm quite the fan of some rather random and 'weird' places) 

Where in the world are you off to next?
When I have some annual leave banked up at a very imprecise and undeterminable point in the future, the dream is to go to Kyrgyzstan to hike in the Tian Shan Mountains. I also have lofty ambitions of spending a white Christmas in a cute mountain hut in Colorado, USA (mostly for the snowboarding, though I'll also get round the hot choccies because #balance), hiking some of the multi-day trails in NZ's South Island and I'd quite fancy an overland tour through Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Ultimately though, courtesy of being a real adult with a job and also the whole global pandemic thing, all of this is but a dream. One day! 

What is your spirit animal?
Unequivocally, a wombat. Absolutely the cutest, funniest, most random animal ever. I love them! 

Do you have any special skills?
1. I rarely, if ever, use an actual recipe. I have a bit of a sixth sense when it comes to cooking and just sort of know if that's the right amount of flour, or sugar or whatever else it is that the thing I'm cooking requires.

2. I like to think I'm good a remembering somewhat random and generally useless fun facts about most things, so if you give me a topic - any topic - there's a strong likelihood I can provide you with a tidbit of random information on that topic. 

3. I'm  a geography nerd. If challenged, I think I could name all the countries in the world, every capital city in Europe, all the states of America, flags (if you show me pictures) and other fun geographic stuff. 

4. I also love planes and can tell you with a disturbingly high degree of accuracy all the regular international departures from Sydney International Airport (approximate time of day, airline, aircraft type and destination) (yes I know how nerdy this is but I'll make no apologies). 

Do you actually frequently get asked these questions?
No. Well, in part actually, because sometimes people ask the odd question and I find it hard to answer properly on social media, so I thought I'd make a page of questions here instead. But truthfully, I like answering questions and I am also an ace procrastinator, and I should be doing work right now, but instead consider it much more fun to ask and answer questions... 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask away! As I said, I like answering questions, so I'm happy to tell you more random and semi-useless information about myself, Harry Potter, bike riding or anything else that takes your fancy!

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!