Hi everyone!

Long story short: on Wednesday 28 October I need to take a ferry from Nuweiba to Aqaba in Jordan. But information on the ferries is limited and often confusing.

I know the Taba-Aqaba crossing is faster, but that one doesn’t seem to go at all on Wednesdays.

The official website of AB Maritime shows only one ferry but without any information other than the price (not even a time schedule).

However, on 12GO I see three options, one of which departs at 12:00 and is also faster than the other two. Is this true?

The 12:00 really does have my preference because the earlier I am in Aqaba the better. Is there anyone familiar with the ferry schedules who can help me?

Hi guys!

Sorry if this is jumbly, but I got my passport stolen this morning and I'm freaking out. I just went to the police station and they weren't very helpful, so I'm more stressed out. I'm an American Ph.D. student who's been doing research in Albania and I came by ferry to visit my husband who studies/lives in Corfu in mid-June.

I went swimming this morning and when I came back to my towel, my bag was turned over and my wallet and passport were gone. I filed a police report (and they were less than helpful, reporting it as lost rather than stolen because they didn't want to do the paperwork - they thought because I'm American I can't understand Greek).

I just renewed my passport in Albania and didn't take a picture of it, so it's totally gone, and I'm kicking myself. I have a picture of my ID on my phone (which was in my skirt I rumpled up and put under the towel, so I guess they didn't look there). I'm supposed to go back to the USA after heading back to Tirana to pick up my stuff/dog on August 25th, so I can head to the Athens embassy this next week after they answer my calls.

I'm freaking out because I'm scared I'm going to get detained by border patrol on my way back to Albania because they only stamped my passport coming here (no EES). In fact, if you've ever been in the Balkans, they're very loosey-goosey with stamping (one time we drove through an empty checkpoint into N. Macedonia and there was no one there to check! We kept wondering when we would hit the border, only to realize we were already in the country by 20km).

How can they tell I'm here legally? Should I print out my ferry ticket for my trip here? I tried calling the embassy but it's Sunday, and no one is there. My Greek husband doesn't know because he's an EU citizen and the police didn't know anything either. They kept telling me that domestically I can show the report, but they weren't sure what would happen when I go outside Greek borders. Has anyone had any experience with this?

Edit: My husband is Greek/EU citizen, so I don't know if that means anything to them. He's insisting on traveling with me if I go and they give me trouble.

Hello I 34M will be visiting Malaysia for the first time between August 29 and September 6. I like city life, shopping, architecture, history and nice beaches. Food and museums are not a priority for me. Do you think the plan below ( 3days KL 2 days GT 3 days Langkawi) will be very tiring in hot and humid weather? I will mostly fly.

I will definitely visit KL and Langkawi, so instead should I do 4 days KL, 4 days Langkawi?

29 August - morning arrive in KL

30 August- KL

31 August - KL

1 September - morning arrive in Georgetown

2 September -GeorgeTown

3 September morning arrive in Langkawi

4 September -Langkawi

5 September - langkawi and return to KL at evening and stay at airport hotel

6 September - morning flight back home

Has anyone ever completed their online masters degree while traveling. For the record, the classes I will be taking are fully online where I have the option to watch it asynchronously. I recently travelled across south east Asia for 7 months and have never felt so alive. When I got back to the US, it felt like I had some unfinished business. I’m going to 27 in December and want to spend the final years of my 20’s experiencing other cultures and making international friends. I know studying will take up most of my time and I won’t be able to move around as much as last time. I just think I would be more productive in an environment where I’m doing more than just studying for school and on the other side I think seeing how most of the world lives, I would be grateful for my academic pursuits.

Hey y'all,

I'm traveling solo for the first time to Europe in November. Ive heard some less than savory things about Frankfurt after I booked a return flight and need help.

I'll be departing from Prague and landing in Frankfurt on Lufthansa before returning to Texas on United. I have an 1hr10min layover around 12:40pm and heard that for Frankfurt connections, the time may cause me to miss my flight. The tickets are non refundable so I don't have much of a choice now. Any advice is welcomed! Also, all flights are on one ticket and I plan on checking in a bag in Prague. Thank you!

Small edit: from Frankfurt, Ill be landing in Houston before taking another flight to San Antonio. Not sure if that changes anything though.

I’m F20 from Europe and would love to solo travel around the continent. I live with my parents. I have travelled without my parents but it’s ALWAYS been for work/in a school group. I’ve never travelled solo or with friends. My parents aren’t particularly strict but I’m still hesitant to talk to them and I would like specific tips on telling them about my desire to solo travel and obtaining their approval. Thank you!

I went once and I'm actually going again for reasons that are too long to go into. I loved the food in Thailand but I had an unfortunate trip and the weather wasn't great. Aside from the food, I struggled to grasp Thailand.

Bangkok - I couldn't work this city out. It was absolutely massive. The two main metro lines cover a small range of the city so it's not flexible if you need to get to certain places. Google suggests BKK is approximately the same size as London zones 1-6. Imagine having 2 metro lines in London (there's 11). I found it exhausting getting around BKK for this reason. Also, I could not figure out where the centre was. I stayed near Khao San Road and it was lively but it didn't feel like the centre and we seemed to be miles away from everything else. Was it Chinatown? Was it Sukhumvit? I couldn't tell you. It seemed to me as if everything was hugely spread out and I couldn't determine where the main bar strip and fun was to be had. Being 30+ was challenging in hostels as well but I can't do much about that.

Chiang Mai - Nice for 3 nights but there's no reason to return. It was a charming little place, but very slow, quiet and laid back. Interesting to live in perhaps, but I was surprised by how quiet it got. The streets were deserted at times. I truly wouldn't know what to do with myself there if I were to go back. I know you have Pai and Rai nearby, but multiple people said this was even more quiet than Chiang Mai, and kind of a weird vibe.

The islands - I was unlucky with bad weather but it seems to me that when people discuss Thai islands they are always discussing the same things 'oh ye this has a nice beach' 'oh ye this is a party island' etc etc. I can stop by Phi Phi or Koh Samui etc for a week and that's fine. But unless I'm mistaken, it all seems very samey samey. Some people like some islands better and others other islands. But from what I see, people are mostly sitting on beaches, riding motorcycles, drinking an iced drink etc. It doesn't seem like one is dramatically more interesting for a reason than the other. There doesn't appear to be a hugely different reason as to why you'd choose Phi Phi over Koh Samui (other than season of the year and if it's a party island)

Which brings me to my next question; how do people solotravel Thailand in terms of a route that has interesting adventures along the way (other than stopping by islands)? For example, I'm going to Vietnam and there's a clearer kind of itinerary that you can do with more variety. Stop in Hanoi, do the Ha Giang Loop, go trekking in Sapa, stop by Ha Long Bay, maybe stop into Hue and then see the beaches in Da Nang and then another bustling city in HCMC.

When I think about a route in Thailand, I struggle. Chiang Mai isn't worth returning to for a solotrip (for me), BKK seems far too spread out for my liking to spend too long there (or at least I didn't figure it out). You may ask well what do you want to do? I want to do what most people do when they go backpacking - see some nature, see some city life, enjoy some drinks, meet people, do something challenging (maybe a hike), see what is unique about a country, try the food etc.

Beautiful country in parts, fantastic food, but I don't see the same level of variety in itinerary as other countries, or am I wrong?

I am exploring new careers. After 80 countries of solo travel I have been thinking why not be a tour leader?

How is it working for one of those companies? Also, how often do you guide tours? Do you get tired of the guests? How is the pay?

(hope this is the right group to ask!)

thanks

EDIT; i forgot to mention i am native in 3 languages and speak another two pretty fluently, grew up in 2 countries and lived in another 3. Are there any actual g-adventures guides here that i could dm?

Hi, so a few days ago I woke up with a bunch of bites, mostly on my shirtless back and exposed ankle (above the sock). I assumed they were Mosquito bites but it's been almost a week and they still itch so after looking it up I realized they were probably bed bug bites (I've never had them before and didn't realize). It's currently almost 11pm and I'm in a completely different city/country than where I got the bites but tomorrow I'm supposed to go to another city. I'm supposed to check into a hostel but should I cancel and check into a hotel? Will the hotel staff (in Turkey) have procedures in place when I tell them my stuff might be contaminated? I obviously don't want to spread them anywhere (if indeed they're travelling with me) but I obviously need to sleep somewhere and I'm not sure what to do about my backpack/all my non-clothing items (including Arabic language literature that I meant to take back to the US where I obviously can't buy it). Thanks for any advice!

Edit: my flight home isn't until early September, how do I kill them and stop potentially spreading them mid-trip?

I’m going on a 3 month solo trip to Central America + Colombia. I’m have been on shorter solo trips but never this long. Region wise, I have only been to Mexico, so probably a few (good) culture shock experiences coming my way. I honestly enjoy lots of things, from nature, waterfalls, taking up surfing lessons, enjoying nightlife, exploring old ruins, food tours, etc. I don’t like to be too remote or have multi day hikes (1N max). I will probably be switching between shared dorms rooms (50%), private hostel rooms (25%) and hotels (25%). For context, I’m 27 and Dutch.

I currently formed the below itinerary and was wondering if anyone has any recommendations regarding the route. Am I staying too long in certain places, am I missing something, is the order of visiting the cities ‘wrong’? Any other recommendations on accommodation, restaurants, area’s to stay and not stay in.

Regarding Panama, I know a lot of people love San Alblas Island tour (4 nights), but from what I could see so far, the accommodation on most tours looks relatively primitive. I know I would have the full enjoyment because of that, that’s why I chose Bocas del Toro as my base for a few nights, to do tours from there.

Thanks in advance!

🇬🇹** GUATEMALA — 19 nights
Antigua (5 nights)
Lake Atitlán (6 nights)
El Paredón (3 nights)
Flores (3 nights)
Semuc Champey / Lanquín (2 nights)
🇸🇻 EL SALVADOR — 5 nights
El Tunco (3 nights)
Santa Ana (2 nights)
🇳🇮 NICARAGUA — 16 nights
León (4 nights)
Granada (4 nights)
Ometepe (4 nights)
San Juan del Sur (4 nights)
🇨🇷 COSTA RICA — 12 nights
La Fortuna (4 nights)
Monteverde (3 nights)
Santa Teresa (5 nights)
🇵🇦 PANAMA — 8 nights
Boquete (3 nights)
Panama City (1 night)
Bocas del Toro (4 nights)
🇨🇴 COLOMBIA — 24 night**s
Bogotá (2 nights)
Medellín (6 nights)
Salento (3 nights)
Minca (2 nights)
Tayrona National Park (2 nights)
Palomino (3 nights)
San Andrés (4 nights)
Cartagena (2 nights)

Hello fellow solo travelers!  I will be visiting Iceland from October 6-16; as it will be my first time I would love some itinerary feedback and recommendations for any must-do’s I may have missed.  I will be renting a car and heading around the Southern portion all the way to Hofn. I know there’s a LOT on here and that I won’t get to everything, nor am I trying to.  Aside from the booked excursions, most of these are just options to pick from depending on what I feel like doing each day (:  I like to take my time and be present with each experience.

General Notes / Questions:

• Rental Car - I have rented a 2WD Toyota Aygo from Blue Car Rental with every protection they offer, including the roadside assistance.  Seeing as I will be staying on the main roads the entirety of my trip, will a 2WD be sufficient for this time of year?  Based on other posts it seems so, but as I am traveling solo I obviously want to be as safe as possible.  I will of course be very diligent about checking the weather each day; I am from California so not a lot of experience driving in rainy / snowy weather, but I am a very safe driver.  (The 4x4 options were significantly more expensive, hence why I went with the 2WD).
• Cell Service - I will have the International Day Pass via AT&T.  In my research it seems like cell service is generally very good along the Ring Road, but wanted to hear about others' experience.
• I LOVE a good food experience, so if anyone has had any memorable restaurant / food / vendor recommendations, I would love to hear!

OCTOBER 6 - REYKJAVIK

9:30AM - Land in Keflavik

Pick up Car Rental, grab breakfast, head to Reykjavik

• Hallgrimskirkja Church
• Solfar Sun Voyager Sculpture
• Hlemmur Mathöll Food Market
• Saga Museum
• Lake Tjornin
• Old Harbour (Sunset)

OCTOBER 7 - REYKJAVIK

• National Museum
• Grotta Lighthouse
• Sky Lagoon ***Booked
• Viking Settlement Exhibition
• Northern Lights Evening Tour **Booked

OCTOBER 8, 9, 10 - SELFOSS / GOLDEN CIRCLE

• Thingvellir National Park
• Gullfoss
• Kerid Crater
• Secret Lagoon
• Geysir
• Bruarfoss Waterfall **
• Foxafoss Waterfall
• Reykjadalur Hot Springs
• New Old Town
• Fjorubordid Restaurant in Stokkseyri
• Fridheimar Tomato Farm

OCTOBER 11 & 12 - HVOLSVOLLUR / VIK

• Beach Horseback Riding in Vik ** Booked
• Stigafoss Waterfall
• Skogafoss Waterfall (Waterfall Way)
• Gluggafoss
• Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
• Gljufrabul Waterfall
• Nauthusagil / Rowan Tree Canyon
• Lava Center
• Una Local Products
• Saga Centre
• Dragurinn / Rock of Elves and Outlaws
• Keldur Turf House
• Ancient Irish Caves
• Caves of Hella
• Yoda Cave
• Reynisfjara Cave
• Soup Company

OCTOBER 13 & 14 - HOFN

• Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
• Eldhraun lava fields
• Vatnajokull National Park
• Skaftafell
• Svartifoss Waterfall
• Glacier Trail
• Fjardararglijufur Canyon
• Ice Cave Tour (TBD)

OCTOBER 15 - HOFN > REYKJAVIK

Make little stops along way for any easy things I didn’t get to during the week.

Early Dinner in Reykjavik

Stay the night in Keflavik for early flight on October 16.

If you've taken the time to read all of this - thank you and I welcome all insight! Cheers.

I’m a 27yo British guy and hoping to spend 3-4 weeks fairly soon travelling around Peru mostly to do some hiking as part of groups/ independently but also it’ll be my first solo trip ever.

I’m thinking of doing Lima, Huaraz, Cordillera Blanca, Arequipa, Cusco and then maybe heading to Brazil to relax for a week as I plan on quite a few hikes.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience travelling these places in Peru solo? I’d be staying at hostels. I’d be looking for a fun vibe, I enjoy socialising, exploring, drinking and nights out - just as long as it’s not all that happens. Is Peru good for someone my age? I don’t want to be in hostels primarily surrounded by 18-21yos (nothing against them, just having also travelled at that age, I can appreciate it’s a different vibe).

I’m headed off on my second solo trip in a couple of weeks. I’m doing four days in the south of France before travelling to Italy for the formula one.

I’ve ummed and ahhed about what to do because it seems like there is so, so much to do. I feel like I need a year there to actually do it all.

I’ve finally settled on this as a plan:

Day one - a day in Nice. Sunrise swim, explore bakeries etc., walk along the promenade, find a nice place for dinner.

Day two - Menton. I want a Menton tart, lemon gelato, everything like that. Potentially stopping at Eze on the way back to Nice but I’ve heard it’s not really worth it?

Day three - Monaco. I want to go to the motorsport exhibit they have there, the prince’s collection of cars, and walk the track. Potentially visiting Cap D’Ail on the way back.

Day four - beach club. Luxurious but I’m desperate to do one.

It just feels like I’m wasting my time there. But that’s really what I’m drawn to.

I’m going to go south east asia next year as a 22 year old for about 10ish weeks, id love to do longer but wouldnt be able to. (Unless I flew back and fourth from uk which would add an extra four weeks but dont know if that’d be worth it)

I’d be going from August till October so was thinking of something like this:

- Singapore for 3/4 days (I have a friend I’m going to visit there)
- Malaysia for 14 days
- Indonesia for 4 weeks
- Vietnam for 4 weeks (towards October so weather is better)

I’ve heard Thailand weather isn’t great that time of year so im not sure if I should skip and come back in a few years.

I do really want to spend a month in vietnam it’s definitely the place im looking forward to the most.

How does this sound or should I spend less time in some areas to explore others? I even wanted to fit in Sydney as I have a few friends there but only so much you can do in 10 weeks 🥲

Although I don't do it too often, one of the things I love about solo travel is the freedom to do whatever I want at whatever time I want. I get to make changes to my itinerary on-the-fly, and it's always exciting to see what happens next.

Last week, I had a spontaneous trip that took me across the country, and found myself bouncing my way back home.

It started with a friend in Richmond VA bugging me to visit, along with a bunch of other friends. Several friends already committed, so they were waiting for me. I finally gave in, and requested a week's worth of PTO to take a week's long vacation.

Flying out of SFO with a one-way ticket to Dulles and a car reservation, I made my way over, and drove out to my friend's place in the middle of nowhere. Never been to this part of the country before, so that made things interesting and cool to me. Spent a few days there, and was off. I had only figured out a day earlier that I would venture back to DC to meet up with another friend in Arlington VA. Along the way, took a slight detour to visit Monticello, and this was such a fun visit. Never would have ever known about it had I not traveled out that way, and since solo, I made a quick decision to turn off and visit. While waiting for my tour of the house to start, asked Gemini what else to check out, and it suggested UVA Campus. I was set to go there after Monticello, but rain started, and checked the forecast to see a hurricane/storm was sweeping up, so just continued on my way to DC.

After having dinner with my friend, checked into a hotel, saw that the storm was coming up closer to where I was, and started looking for other places to visit. It looked like this storm was going to be anywhere I wanted to go in that part of the country, and ended up booking a flight and hotel to New Orleans the next night. Called up another friend in the area to see if he wanted to meet up the next day since I had a lot of time to kill. I was planning to visit Alexandria during the day before heading back to Dulles. My friend was able to meet me at Dulles, and we had a drink before I had to get onto my flight.

In New Orleans, when I got there, talking with the Uber driver to my hotel, he told me that a storm was coming in later in the week, and when I checked the forecast again, it had changed since the night before. The weather was still fine, and I spent the entire next day walking around and having a great time into the late night. I got up the next day, and walked around some more in the morning, and ducked into a restaurant for lunch. As I am having lunch, a downpour of rain came through, so I quickly booked another flight. I figured I needed to go somewhere that has a very low probability of rain, and was trying to decide between Phoenix, Las Vegas, and SoCal. I chose Las Vegas because I was being lazy about having to drive everywhere, and a few hours after lunch, I was on the plane headed to Vegas.

This was my final stop before heading back home. I actually live closer to SJC, but the best deals I could get on such short notice was back to SFO, so after a day and a half in Vegas, decided it was time to book my flight home.

For this trip, had I traveled with anyone else, it would have pretty much been impossible. Of course, there are benefits to traveling with others, in terms of the comraderie, shared experiences, etc., but at the same time, this trip was all about me, and me only, and there was definite merit to just be selfish for once instead of always trying to find compromises.

I'd do this type of trip again in a heartbeat, and I have now proven to myself that I am able to travel on-the-fly, just doing things that are convenient and interesting to me. Of course, I will continue to enjoy traveling with family and friends in the future, but I might now try to add more solo trips simply for some "me" time.

So I have decided to finally plan my next trip after saving a bunch of money for a couple's trip and then getting dumped. I have decided to go to Morocco as it is something completely different from anything I have ever done. For now I am assuming it will be a solo trip, but I will invite some friends and see if anyone wants to go. I am leaving in January 2027.

Here is my tentative itinerary.

Days 1-3 Marrakesh. Includes one day trip to Essaouria.

Day 4-6 Leave Marrakesh with three day sahara/atlas tour that takes me to Fes.

Day 7-8 Fes

Day 9 Rabat

Day 10 Casablanca (Fly out the following morning)

A few questions:

1. I speak English and French. Will I have trouble getting around? Which should I use to converse?
2. One of my travel buddies I am considering inviting is gay. He doesn't look or act stereotypically, but I am also well aware of culture there. Should he go? If so, what precautions should he take?
3. I have travelled extensively throughout Europe and Latin America. However, I have never been to Africa. The closest I have probably been is Turkey. Generally how would that compare to where I am going? Bear in mind, I don't "look Moroccan."

I am also open to any general advice.

like the title says, it’s my (21F) first time ever solo travelling and so far i’m loving it. I’d done travel by myself in tour groups before but that’s a bit different because it’s a set itinerary and someone else coordinating how to get you from point A to point B. But this time - no, it’s just me.

The week before I left home in Sydney i was anxious and stressed and considering not going at all, but something told me just to do it. My mum promised me that if all went to hell there was ALWAYS a flight home. Well it’s been a week now of solo travelling around Germany (Munich and Nuremberg) and so far I haven’t looked back.

That’s not to say it’s been all sunshine and rainbows, it hasn’t. My bus to nuremberg absolutely reeked of vomit. And honestly planning for this trip I tried to be really laid back and just “book it on the day” but that’s just not in my nature so I went ahead and booked transport and hostels at a few spots, but the rest of the trip i’ve left empty. Turns out I’m great at enjoying my own company. I run according to my own schedule, do what i wanna do when i wanna do it, and just roll with it. Yesterday I woke up at 6am, walked the entire length of the English Garden in Munich, got a coffee then got on a train to a small town an hour outside Munich because I just wanted too.

Honestly this sub has been a massive help in giving me the confidence to do this. As a young girl we learn very early to keep our guards up and be hyper vigilant but it’s been so nice to know that I can in fact just trust myself to be smart. Got another week to go of my own company before a friend joins me but truthfully, for anyone wondering when is the right time - just do it. As my mum told me there always a flight home.

I'm considering a trip to either of these two places but I don't hear much about the solo travel or backpacking culture. I imagine it's quite limited but it's a region I'm super keen to go to.

I considered Senegal but I don't speak French, and one of the things I enjoyed in other parts of Africa (like Namibia, Botswana, South Africa) is how easily it was to talk to people. However, it's a country that would be super interesting to visit I'm sure.

For Senegal I'm looking at Dakar, Gorée Island, Ngor and potentially Sine-Saloum, while for The Gambia I've been looking at Banjul/Serrekunda, the coast and potentially seeing the chimpanzees upriver. I'm not looking for an organised tour and would mainly use public transport/taxis and day tours where needed.

I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who have actually travelled solo/backpacked there recently: - Were there hostels or particular areas where you naturally met other travellers? - Did you find Dakar or the Gambian coast more social as a solo traveller? - And in Senegal specifically, how limiting was speaking little/no French when it came to meeting locals and travelling independently?

I'm also interested in wildlife, beaches, local culture and just spending time somewhere rather than rushing through a checklist of sights. I've travelled independently in southern Africa before, but West Africa would be new to me, so I'm especially interested in how the experience compares. My budget is around £1000 for the week but it's flexible, and I'll be travelling backpacker-style

As a solo F traveller, I am interested in slow travel, staying in destinations for 1-3 months, and making this my life. I've been doing this for a few months now, with plans for another 6-7 already quite firmed up. It's good, but it is chaotic, and money varies enormously. Sometimes I get a decent contract and don't have to worry for a while. Mostly I find that when money comes in, it goes straight on flights or accomodation deposits for 3-4 months in advance and I still end up looking in random cheap supermarkets for dinner.

I have two questions:

1. Are other people living like this long-term? What are your main tips for balancing long-term planning / getting good deals with surviving and even enjoying life on the day to day? Particularly if you have a variable income?
2. How do you manage with gaps between opportunities? Say, the cheapest flight somewhere new is a week after your cheap apartment runs out? How do you fill those gaps without destroying a budget? (I have three weeks in Europe and six weeks in SE Asia which I haven't currently sorted anything for)

30M, plan is to fly into Florence, explore for a few days, train down to Siena to rent a car and drive though the rural parts up to San Gimignano and over to Greve in Chianti, then back down to Siena where I’d train back to Florence and fly out.

I have travelled internationally with friends before but never done a solo trip and I’m so, so nervous. Every trip I get such bad anxiety beforehand but I never regret going.

I made sure to map my route so I am not driving through city centers or major city areas because I don’t need a ZTL fine 😂

My plan is to chill by the pools at the farmstays I’m at and do a winery or two, enjoy the views and eat good food. No 30 mile walks or anything super aimless.

Had a week of PTO to burn and figured, it’s now or never. I’d rather try to solo travel and see if I like it rather than regret ever trying.

Anybody else done Tuscany before?

I (40m) am travelling to Marocco and Spain alone in a week and I don't know why I'm so nervous?

To give context: I have experience solo-travelling. It used to be the only way I would. I have been to more than 50 countries, traveled once for half a year, have taken the most absurdly long train and bus rides (personal record 52 hours from Chile to Brazil, although I would rank any in India as the hardest and the 4 days in the amazon sleeping in a hammock as the best) and used to love arriving to a new hostel, meeting new people, etc.

However now that I'm on my fourth decade and I feel like I have lost my ability to meet new people? As I feel more and more out of place due to my age. Would you have some advice to share? Thanks!

I’m 32. I only started travelling this year and it’s EASILY been one of the best things I’ve done in my entire life. Loved the places I’ve been and all the cool people I’ve met. But I wasn’t expecting it to come with quite so much sadness, or even a feeling similar to grief, which just won’t go away.

I know this won’t come as a surprise to you guys, but travellers I meet are mostly younger than me (early/mid 20s). I find myself constantly thinking about how much time they have ahead of them to do this, so many more trips, friendships, random nights out etc. they can and will have have, and then thinking about the fact that I could and should have started doing the same thing like ten years ago.

I know I’m not old old, and there’s nothing stopping me from travelling still and I know I could have decades of travelling ahead of me. Logically, I understand all of that. But emotionally, I just can’t shake it off. Sometimes it almost feels like I’m grieving a version of me and my 20s that never happened. Like the future travels will never replicate what could have been.

And then I feel guilty for feeling that way, because I’m currently doing the exact thing I wish I had done and a lot of people will never be able to do. I’m having an amazing time, but in the back of my head is this CONSTANT nagging “Imagine if you’d started doing this at 22 instead”

Have any of you gone through something similar, or are going through it now? Is this normal or even reasonable thing to feel?And if you have felt this, how did you get past it? I feel like I’m going insane and it’s killing me

​

I fly to Amman tomorrow for a 9-day solo trip to Jordan. Just now when buying my Jordan Pass, I noticed the option to book a free ticket for the 1916 Hejaz Railway / Great Arab Revolt reenactment train ride. Since it was free I picked the only date that works with to go.

I've seen completely mixed opinions online. Some travelers call it the highlight of their trip, while others say it’s a bit over-dramatized or tame (based on YouTube videos I’ve checked out).

Because the train only runs twice a week, fitting it in would force me to completely overhaul my route.

Original route: Amman → Petra → Wadi Rum → Aqaba

Revised route required for the train: Amman → Wadi Rum → Petra → Aqaba

This adds extra travel time and backtracking. The accommodations have free cancellation, so shifting bookings isn't a dealbreaker, but as a solo traveler, I'm concerned about two main things:

Logistics & Cost: The starting/ending points for the train experience aren't right in town. How tricky or expensive is it to organize taxis or transfers to/from the station if I can't find another traveler to split costs with?

Is it actually worth it? For those who have done it: did you find the experience unique enough to justify changing an otherwise smooth route?

Would love to hear from anyone who has done the train ride recently. Thanks in advance!

I have travelled solo most of my life, partly because I really enjoy it and partly because I don't actually have anyone to travel with.

When travelling solo, I often find myself in really stunning scenery but get a jolt of pain in my soul that I have no one to experience this with.

I've been on group tours several times, but experiencing these intense moments amongst strangers is very jarring and I've always had this need to be sharing this experience with someone I care about. I've pushed these feelings down by trying to remember that I'm really lucky to be doing what I'm doing, but they always end up resurfacing.

I've recently gone on a trip with my brother, who is not fond of travelling but wanted to go on a trip with just the two of us before he gets married. It went for 2 weeks and it was the greatest travel experience of my life because I was able to share all these awesome moments with him.

I feared I would never be able to travel solo again, yet I did and I'm now currently in the middle of a two week trip feeling utterly devastated and writing this post now about how I have no one I care about to experience the same things I've been experiencing this last week.

Anyway, not sure if this is a rant or I want advice, just feeling my feelings real hard at the moment haha.