How Being a Solo Female Traveler Has Changed Me

I'm a big advocate for women traveling solo. Sure traveling with others is wonderful too. Having a boyfriend/partner at your side can make you feel safer and it gives you someone to share those unique travel experiences with. Traveling with friends ensures a lot of laughter and fun will be had. However, there is something special about traveling and seeking out new experiences on your own. It changes you.

I am now wrapping up my fifth year of living abroad. I have lived in five countries on three continents and my travels have brought me to nearly forty countries. Many of the countries I have traveled have been solo trips. Originally when I started traveling solo it was mainly because I didn't have anyone to go with. Friends would back out of trips, timing was off, or it just wouldn't work out. I refused to miss out on a life adventure and sit at home just because I didn't have anyone to go with. So... I went anyway. I went and I explored and I was forced out of my comfort zone time and time again. The more I traveled solo, the more I grew and the more I realized I love traveling alone.

The reaction I often get when I say I'm about to embark on another trip alone is usually one of shock or surprise. I often get that sympathetic look saying "But you don't have someone to go with?" or the concerned "Are you sure it is safe to go alone?".  All well meant intentions no doubt, but what people don't realize is that traveling solo as a female is so much easier than it appears.

I do admit there are more challenges traveling as a solo female than there probably are as a male. You constantly have to be conscious of your surroundings and you have to take extra steps in planning things like a night out. How will you get back to your hostel/hotel safely? Do you have enough cash on you in case you need a cab? Should you really go to the bbq that the local guy invited you to at his beach house? Am I dressed appropriately for this culture? There are always extra precautions that you need to take - especially when traveling alone. But, don't you already take these precautions when you're at home?

When you travel solo you see the world through your own eyes. There is no one there to influence your views. You make your own judgements and opinions. Without meaning to I think many people get wrapped up in others negative view points. I've seen this happen. Someone is unhappy in their new place and it slowly rubs off onto their friends. Traveling solo allows you to fully appreciate a place on your own without the unintentional influence that others traveling with you may pass on.

Traveling solo makes you stronger. One negative aspect of travel is getting scammed. I can't tell you the amount of times someone has attempted to rip me off. The taxi driver that charges double or drives in circles knowing you don't have a clue where you are going. The tour agency that hikes up the price because you're a young female who probably doesn't know any better. The airport worker who tries to force you into handing over a wad of cash for your luggage - knowing full well he's about to pocket your money. I have a long list of people who have attempted to scam me over the years. This is sadly the reality of travel. It's frustrating for sure, but you quickly learn that if you're traveling alone you better know how to stand up for yourself... and so, you become stronger. You're not about to let some guy in the middle of Vietnam rob you. You learn little tricks along the way and you learn how to carefully get out of situations when people try to take advantage of you. The main tip to prevent being scammed is to do your research. Print out maps and taxi costs prior to getting into a cab. Google known scams for that region so you can anticipate them and avoid them. Researching a place goes a long way and can save you a great deal of hassle. At the end of the day, the trials and challenges that may have exhausted you have also made you stronger than you were before.

Traveling solo allows you to make your own decisions. Feel like spending six hours in museums? Don't feel like getting out of bed till noon? Want ice cream for breakfast? Interested in saving money by taking a 5am flight or an overnight 12 hour bus ride? These are just some of the luxuries of traveling alone. There is no guilt when it comes to making a decision. You do what you want, when you want. This is one of my favourite aspects of traveling solo. I can come and go as I please and do whatever I want! The nice thing about meeting people as you travel is you do not feel obliged to make a ton of plans with them. I normally make plans to meet up in the evenings for dinner/drinks but do my own thing during the day. When I was in Prague last month I spent three hours touring the museum of Communism. I literally read every thing posted in the museum and stayed to watch a full documentary. If I was with others I would have felt guilty about spending so much time in a museum that others may not be interested in. When you travel solo you have the freedom to make your own itinerary. You can be as selfish as you want because it is your trip!

Traveling solo makes you much more patient. When you travel you are pretty much guaranteed to run into unplanned interruptions or delays. It's easy to become frustrated and angry, but I think the beauty of being alone is that the stress is only on you. You're not worrying about your fellow travelers getting upset. Being alone means you can choose to just accept the situation and let it be. Just last week I was at an airport in Milan and was certain I was about to miss my flight. It was one of those awful mornings where everything went wrong and everything was out of my control. My taxi showed up late, I missed the bus to the airport and had to wait for another, I got yelled at for putting my luggage on the wrong side of the bus, the ques at the airport were worse than Christmas time. I had already checked in online and only had a small carry on bag, but still had to wait in line to do a visa check. I waited and I waited. A few years ago when returning to the Bahamas after Christmas I had a very similar situation. The difference - At that time my heart was beating uncontrollably fast, my stomach was doing flips and I was feeling major anxiety. This time? This time sure I was slightly annoyed, but I knew it was all out of my control so what was the point in getting worked up? This was when I realized how far I've come. When you travel you pretty much run into a daily occurrence of something going unplanned. When you're alone and there is nobody moaning and groaning about the stress of the situation, you can choose to just let it be. It's out of your control. You learn that things aren't done like they are in your home country. You learn that trying to complete paperwork for visas, health insurance, banking, etc has its own calendar and this calendar is nothing like the calendar you're used to at home. You learn that when someone in customer service says 'they'll be right back', they probably aren't coming back. You learn that ordering food and waiting for that food also has a different schedule in each country. You learn that the world doesn't revolve around your schedule and why should it? You leave your North American home and concept of time behind when you travel. And so, the more you travel, the more patient you become.

Traveling solo makes you more independent. When you travel with others you have them to rely on. When you travel alone, every aspect and every detail is up to you. You are forced to figure situations out and you only have yourself to rely on. At the beginning traveling solo (especially in third world countries) can seem daunting. Knowing you only have yourself to rely on can seem scary and overwhelming. But when you are forced to figure things out for yourself and you have no choice, you somehow manage. You do it and in the end you feel like a stronger, more independent person because of it.

My first solo trip was almost six years ago. I had just turned 23 and was in Italy for one month as part of a University teaching program. This was my first taste of solo travel. During my first week I had ventured into the city several times on my own. I often went to McDonald's or grabbed a sandwich from a cafe and ate as I walked. I would pass beautiful Italian restaurants with incredible smells seeping from their doorways. I wanted so badly to sit inside and order myself a delicious three course meal. But, could I eat alone? Would that be weird? Would people stare at me and think that poor pathetic little Canadian? Well, the smells won me over and there I sat alone, enjoying every carb I put into my body. Over the years and through my travels I have found myself sitting alone in many restaurants. No book to read, no phone for texting... just sitting and enjoying my food and watching my surroundings. Something that seems so simple is something I often hear other women my age say they could never do. Travel forces you to enjoy your own company and it teaches you to be happy being alone. You don't need a phone in your hand to distract you. Sit, eat and enjoy watching the world happen around you. I'm not saying I prefer to go out by myself, but travel has definitely taught me how to really do things alone.

Traveling solo makes you a more social person. The friends you meet on the road often turn into lifelong friendships. There is a lot of judgement and criticism towards hostels. I'll admit the older I am getting the more I am realizing that hostels are for younger people. But, the beauty in a hostel is that you automatically meet new friends. This is such a great opportunity for the solo traveler. Sure you might end up in a room full of 21 year olds and at times feel like their mother and want to yell at them to pick up their clothes off the floor and to throw their beer cans in the garbage. But, you also meet what I like to call the 'Peter Pan syndrome travelers" - those are the late 20's, early 30's travelers who are seeking adventure by exploring the world, rather than being tied down with a mortgage and car payments. Every hostel I have stayed in has had a good mix of both. You meet the young partiers who are more interested in the nightlife than the culture, but you also meet like minded people who you automatically click with. Traveling solo gives you the opportunity to meet these new people and to spend time with them. When you travel with others it is natural you stay with your group. When you travel alone, you become more approachable to others and you are more likely to approach others. You meet people on buses, trains, in bars, on the beach, when asking for directions, etc. When you're alone it is so much easier to be social and meet new friends.

 

Traveling solo can change you in so many ways. The unique experiences you gain on the road allow you to grow. The more you travel out of your comfort zone, the more open-minded you become. When you see how others live, how other countries function, how other cultures view life, you begin to think on a deeper level. You question your own values and you also gain a greater appreciation for what you have. You learn that your way is not always the right way and being open to new ideas and experiences is probably the greatest gift you can give yourself. Most importantly, you learn to see the world as a beautiful place waiting to be explored, rather than a dangerous, scary place. Of course there are dangerous and bad people everywhere - including home, but I always say for every person who has tried to scam me, hurt me or harm me there have been a dozen who have helped me. The world is wonderful and having an optimistic attitude helps make it an easy place to travel!

Lisbon, Portugal

After a busy few months of visitors, travel and a typical chaotic school year coming to an end, I am finally getting around to blogging about some of the travels I have done in the past two months.

In early April my school sent me to Lisbon, Portugal for three nights to take part in an IB (International Baccalaureate) workshop. The workshop was hosted in a beautiful hotel not far from the city center. I spent three days working with and learning from other international teachers and admin from around the globe. Our workshop was quite small with only eleven participants. This allowed us to get to know each other a little better.

Each day after being truly engaged and inspired by other international educators, we set off to explore the city and taste some local cuisines. My first night out was with a group of interesting people who work at International schools throughout the world (Qatar, Russia, Lebanon, Croatia, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, etc). After what seemed like a never ending walk through the city, around winding roads and up many hills, we finally arrived at the restaurant someone had suggested. I couldn't wait to try some Portuguese seafood - something I had been drooling over since I found out I would be going to Portugal.

The long walk through the city had really made me build up an appetite. I could smell the delicious aroma as we entered the blue mosaic tiled building. A quick glance at the buffet and a sudden odd sensation hit me. Something wasn't right. Something was missing. It suddenly all hit me like a crashing wave into my heart (and stomach). "Where's the meat? WHERE...IS...THE...MEAT?"

Side note: Lisbon is known as the city of seven hills. Legend has it that a serpeant Goddess awaited for her love to return from sea. When he never returned she felt betrayed and slammed her tail against the ground creating a ripple through the city and thus creating seven large hills.

We had spent the last three hours (okay, maybe thirty minutes) walking up hill to eat some vegetables...???  This did not sit well with me. I tried to be polite and calm and agreed with everyone when they all boasted about how delicious everything looked, but in my heart I truly longed for some lobster and mussels.

I told myself I could do this. I've dove with sharks, played with grown tigers, and even drank whiskey with a dead cobra in it. Surely I could have one meal that was made up purely of...vegetables. Thankfully the presentation of the food was beautiful. This was point number one for the veggie restaurant. Point two came in a tall bottle of white wine. After letting go of the fact that this would not be the seafood meal that I had so been looking forward to, I decided to dive in and try a little bit of everything. 

Something that amazes me during each and every trip that I take is how much I love all food. Sure, I love meat more than vegetables, but through my travels, my taste buds have adapted and matured and I really do love almost everything. When I left home five years ago I was still very much a Kraft Dinner and chicken nuggets type of gal. The idea of plain white rice scared me. Now I crave exotic dishes and after my first truly vegetarian experience, I have realized it's something I'll do again (without such heartache). This truly is one of the best parts of traveling - meeting new people who get you to try new experiences. Thanks to my new friend for suggesting this restaurant!

Having supper with an international crew was really entertaining. We compared the difficulties we face in teaching internationally, swapped travel horror stories, and shared what some of our best moments abroad have been. It was great to be sitting at a table with such like minded people.

After another couple of days of workshops and some extremely decadent lunches provided by the hotel, we managed to squeeze in a bit more sight seeing. We headed to the Old City and enjoyed dinner and sangria at a traditional Portuguese restaurant, where I finally had my seafood - a traditional cod and cream Portuguese dish. We had more drinks at Hard Rock, made a quick stop at the city beach, used the 'world's sexiest toilet' (you get to choose any colour of toilet paper you like), we took a 'Hippo' boat/land tour where we saw the monument of the discoveries, monument to Christ statue, Belem Castle and the famous Belem tart bakery - Café Pastéis de Belém (with incredibly delicious custard tarts!).

After a whirlwind three days in Lisbon and new contacts made from around the Globe - including new friends I plan to visit in Qatar, it was time to pack up and leave this beautiful and vibrant city behind. Lisbon was a city I could easily see myself visiting again or even living in for a short time. There is a ton of green space, live music everywhere, and everything is so colourful and alive. I will definitely be back someday!

Check back soon to read about my European road trip through seven countries with my parents and friends.

30 COUNTRIES BY 30

I set out to see the world, explore new places and meet new people. I set myself a goal to visit 30 countries before turning 30 years old. Just a few months after turning 28, I have reached my goal. I have visited, toured and even lived in some amazing corners of the world. Each time I explore a new place I fall more and more in love with travel and I become more and more confused as to where and if I will ever make one place a home. My long term goal is to settle in the Caribbean...I just have no idea when this will happen. I have days where I think for sure I want my Island lifestyle back asap and I will go next year after my contract in Italy is completed. Other days I can’t imagine leaving Europe and at times I miss the complete foreignness of living in a country like Indonesia where everything is so unfamiliar. This brings on the desire to move somewhere drastically different like Kenya or Nepal. Other moments I'm drawn to life in the Middle East. See why I’m confused? The only thing I do know is that I will never stop looking for adventure and I can't wait to see where my next 30 countries bring me!

Check out my photos below to see the thirty countries I have traveled through (in no specific order) and the highlights of each adventure.

CUBA
A Spring break trip during University with one of my best friends. A week of fun and sun! We explored Havana, toured a rum and cigar factory and danced our hearts out at a local club on my 22nd Birthday.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
My first taste of the Caribbean at the age of 15. With close family friends I spent a week enjoying an all inclusive resort. My first trip outside of Canada and the US. Possibly where I was infected with the travel bug!

SWITZERLAND
A High School trip at 18 years old and my first time visiting Europe. We made our way to the top of Mount Pilatus where we had views of the Lucerne Region. A second trip brought me from the South to the North on a beautiful drive through the Alps and countryside.

AUSTRIA
A High School trip at 18 years old. We visited the Swarovski Crystal Factory and sang loudly and proudly on a bus as we drove through the Hills.

SPAIN
A solo trip to Barcelona which easily became one of my favourite cities. I befriended a group of teachers at my hostel and ended up spending the weekend with them. We saw the main sights, enjoyed some tapas and soaked in the sun on the beautiful Spanish beaches. A second trip to Spain with my family was spent sight seeing and experiencing local cuisines. Barcelona is a strong contender for a possible future home!

IRELAND
A road trip with an old friend brought me around most of the country stopping in the bigger cities as well as smaller villages. A truly authentic Irish experience made for a memorable trip and one that can't be recreated by being a tourist. Sampling Guinness in Dublin, hiking the shores of Galway, driving the twisty roads of the West Coast and enjoying small town life in Cork were just a few highlights of this trip.

BAHAMAS
The best two years of my life were spent living on the beautiful Island of Grand Bahama. A beachfront condo, terrific friends, boating, island hopping, countless days of sunshine and living my life outdoors. This was truly the time of my life and shaped what I want and will work towards for my future. Diving, tanning, friendly locals and sipping rum on Island time is definitely my type of happiness!

THAILAND
From Bangkok to Chiang Mai to the Islands in the South. A trip that brought me to a floating market, a visit to the Bridge over the River Kwai, a cobra show, a lady boy show, a trip to the Golden Triangle, a boat ride down the Mekong River, visiting the hill tribes of the North, standing at the border of Burma, working with sick elephants, island hopping and visits to beautiful temples made for one of my best solo trips yet! 

LAOS
A short but sweet stop in Laos. A day spent shopping in the markets, chatting with locals, lunch on the river and sampling various types of local whiskey (including one with a dead cobra floating inside). 

MEXICO
An ATV ride through the jungle, climbing ancient Mayan Ruins, walking the beautiful streets of Playa Del Carmen, a riffle shooting class, swimming and crawling in some of the largest cenotes in the country, zip-lining across jungle canopy, meeting a local bush medicine man, kayaking through mangroves, abseiling a cliff, and beaching in the beautiful Mayan Riviera. 

AMERICA
I've had multiple trips to the States over the years. Numerous shopping trips to NY with my Mom, several weekend getaways to Florida while living in the Bahamas. A fun few days in California and a day of sightseeing in NYC. I know many trips back to my old neighbour are in my future.

MALAYSIA
Two fun filled weekends in Kuala Lumpur visiting a friend and touring the Batu Caves, eating stingray at the Jalan Alor night market, getting attacked by a monkey, touring the city by motorbike, visiting the Petronas Towers and sharing fun party nights with great friends.

SWEDEN
A weekend visiting a friend from home and sharing in traditional Swedish meals, walking the city, drinking at the ice bar and dancing to Abba at a local bar.

ENGLAND
Almost six months of living and teaching in London and meeting some amazing people. Day trips to Bath, Windsor, Stonehenge, Canterbury, Dover, Brighton, Leeds, Oxford and enjoying all that London  has to offer. High tea, bike rides through Hyde Park, shopping on Oxford St. Christmas markets throughout the city, local pub nights, Sundays touring museums and the list goes on. This is definitely a place I may call home again one day. 

ICELAND
A winter trip to the beautiful, cold, dark and majestic land in the North. A day spent whale watching, a night soaking in the Blue Lagoon, a hunt for the Northern Lights and few hours of day light each day touring the cozy city of Reykjavik. 

SOUTH KOREA
I don't count countries that I've had layovers in unless I'm out of the airport and have time to explore. In the case of Seoul I was lucky enough to have a 12 hour layover and meet up with a childhood friend I hadn't seen in about 17 years. We ate traditional Korean food, climbed to a look out point where we had amazing views of the city and enjoyed walking around the beautiful and clean streets of Seoul.

FRANCE
My first trip to Paris was with my friend Kelley and her husband, Jean Marc. We stayed with JM's Mom who was an amazing hostess. We took a ferry from London and drove through a snowstorm to the incredibly beautiful Versailles. We spent a snowy and cold weekend enjoying Versailles and Paris and I absolutely fell in love with the city (another possible contender on my list of places to live!). A recent trip through France with my parents and their friends brought us to Mountpellier for a night and three nights in gorgeous Nice where we enjoyed the sunny French Riviera.

Hungary
I celebrated my 28th birthday with friends in the beautiful city of Budapest. We enjoyed a morning at a fish market, an afternoon of relaxing in the outdoor thermal baths, an evening on a river cruise and a night of partying at the incredibly fun ruin bars. This is a city that ranks high on my list of favourites!

GERMANY
Germany is one of my favourite countries and I've had four fantastic trips to this place I love so much. A High School trip brought me to Frankfurt, Munich, The Black Forest and Heidelberg amongst other places. We toured the Dachau Concentration Camp, made a trip to the Rhine Falls and toured the Neuschwanstein Castle. Another trip brought me to the best Christmas markets ever! A weekend of Christmasy adventures with great friends in the magical small city of Nuremberg. My most recent trip was the best one yet. Along with my parents and their friends we spent a few days in Baden Baden - my parents' ol' stomping grounds. We stayed on the old Canadian base, visited my parents' old landlords and I got to see all of the places I had heard so many stories of growing up.

SINGAPORE
Three separate visa trips and a Birthday weekend in one of my favourite places. I spent time touring Little India, exploring the fancy Raffles Hotel and Marina Bay Sands, market shopping in Chinatown, spending fun filled days on Sentosa Island and celebrating my birthday in the beautiful outdoor nightlife scene. 

BELGIUM
A Christmas filled weekend of markets, mulled wine, Belgian beer, mussels, chocolate and exploring Brussels and the fairytale city of Bruges.

POLAND
A trip to visit one of my closest friends in Warsaw. We drank mulled wine while walking around the Old Town. We ate delicious perogies at the Christmas markets and we got caught in the pouring rain. A beautiful place I would love to visit again someday.

NORWAY
A weekend of sightseeing in the very expensive city of Oslo included as many free activities as possible - walks through parks, touring museums and seeing the famous 'Scream' painting, a stop to see Viking ships, trying local Norwegian food and enjoying the nightlife.

CANADA
My True North, Strong and Free. I spent almost 23 years in this beautiful place and no matter where I am in the world, Canada will always be my home. I have lived in Manitoba, Nova Scotia and various parts of Ontario. I have family scattered across the country and am incredibly proud to call this peaceful country my home.

SCOTLAND
An Autumn trip brought me to Northern Scotland where I took a boat ride in search of Nessie, toured castle ruins, ate haggis in Inverness and enjoyed Scottish music at local pubs.

INDONESIA
Twelve months of living in Jakarta allowed me time to explore some of this amazingly diverse country in South East Asia. I explored the Island of Java that was my home for the year with trips to ancient temples, hikes through the jungle, a visit to an exotic baby animal nursery, and experiencing the daily excitement of life in Jakarta. I also had trips to the famous Krakatoa volcano, had surf lessons in Bali and met with Ketut the medicine man in Ubud.

VIETNAM
One of my all time favourite countries and one I would go back to in a heartbeat. Some of the many highlights on this solo trip included a stay in Ho Chi Minh where I ventured through this incredible city and toured some very interesting markets. I almost lost my life countless times trying to simply cross the road. I toured the Cu Chi war tunnels and shot an AK-47. I sailed along the Mekong and stopped at various islands to fish, eat, and take a local boat on a crocodile hunt. I met victims of Agent Orange and toured their Art factory. I helped make coconut candy in an Island factory and I rode a horse and carriage through a tiny fishing village.

ITALY
Italy has been my favourite country since my first trip when I was 18. Now that I live here I have fallen even more in love with the culture, food and landscapes that surround me. I have traveled fairly extensively throughout the Northern and central part of the country and cannot wait to start exploring the South.

                                                             

PORTUGAL
I was very fortunate to be sent to Lisbon for a three day IB education workshop. Not only was the workshop incredible, but it was hosted in such a vibrant and exciting city. Although my sightseeing time was somewhat limited, I manged to check out the city beaches, try local cuisines, have sangria with new friends, participate in a 'Hippo Hippo' boat/land tour and made connections with teachers/admin from around the world! I also had my reoccurring thoughts of "I could easily live here!"

ANDORRA
Andorra is a majestic little country sandwiched between France and Spain. This was my 30th country and I was lucky enough to visit this beautiful place with my parents and their friends. We drove up through twisty mountain roads that soon turned snowy and then drove down the other side until we reached a valley where this little country is nestled. We spent time walking around the capital of Andorra la Vella, found a local beer tasting pub, enjoyed sangria and paella and took a tour of Europe's largest spa. 

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The past five years I have traveled solo, with family, with friends and with strangers who turned into friends. I've had adventures that were incredible, tiring, frightening, eyeopening and life changing. I've gained such a deeper appreciation for where I come from and the opportunities I am presented with. I have also become a much more open minded person and aim to surround myself with positive, open minded people.



What have I sacrificed to have this lifestyle? Mainly, time with my family and friends. I've missed out on holidays, weddings, baby showers, births, and milestones in loved ones lives. I've also faced some of my own milestones alone. These are the only sacrifices that have been incredibly difficult. Thankfully I’m able to get home an average of twice a year and I’ve also had many visitors during my time abroad.


Much smaller things I've missed out on are the iPhone craze (in fact, I went two years in the Bahamas without a phone and my current phone I won in a costume contest in Jakarta), I have yet to independently buy my first car, have never owned a home, I don't own a television, I am still paying student loans and I really don't own anything more than what will fit in a few suitcases. I am always behind on music, TV shows and movies and am shocked every time I go home and see the changes in my small home town. I choose plane tickets over expensive gadgets, I choose hostels/cheap hotels over luxury and I choose entering the unknown instead of staying in the familiar. I do all of this because it's what I love. In place of all of the 'things' that I don't have, I do have countless memories and experiences from around the globe. I have yet to learn about mortgages, car payments, taxes (bonus to living in tax free countries over the years) and retirement savings. Let's be honest, I would be lost if I was forced to settle and figure out how to live a life at home. I'm sure those lessons will find me in time, but for now I've learned/am learning not to sweat the small things,  be patient, live more simply, enjoy life, worry less, accept that things don't always go as planned and be thankful daily for what I have. I've also learned that there are negative people everywhere, but, for every unkind person I've met on my travels I've probably met ten or more with welcoming arms. A friendly face and kind heart can be found around every corner and the world is not nearly as scary as some may believe it to be.

Seek adventure in whatever form makes you happy!

Cheers to my next thirty countries! Where do you think I should travel next? Comment below and don't forget to follow me for the latest travel updates.

                

Cooking in Florence

One of the best things about traveling is meeting new people. Last Fall I was at the Italian consulate in Toronto waiting for my visa. While waiting I met a girl the same age as me who would soon be moving to Rome. We kept in touch and this past weekend met up in Florence for a weekend of touristy adventures, shopping and an exciting cooking class!
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I am all for traveling on a budget. Finding the cheapest flight or train and sacrificing luxury for saving money is A-OK with me. Making sacrifices in certain areas of travel allows me to travel more frequently and spend my money on memorable and unique experiences. Because of this I usually opt for staying in hostels when traveling throughout Europe. They aren't always the cleanest or quietest, but as long as I feel safe and am in good location for a good price, they are what works best for me. In fact, this summer I will be spending a whole month traveling and staying in hostels! Check back to read my reviews on the good, and hopefully not too much of the bad and the ugly.

While in Florence we stayed at Plus Hostel. This is a hostel that offers a bit of something for all ages. Rooms with balconies, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, Turkish baths, a rooftop bar and tanning area, a disco/bar, a great buffet breakfast and many organized tours. This is definitely a hostel I would recommend to any travelers on a budget and I will certainly be staying with them again at their other locations throughout Europe.

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We spent most of Saturday walking around Florence and soaking in the 25 degree temperature! Florence is a city with so much beauty. This was my second trip to Florence so instead of trying to jam in all of the sights I had seen on my previous trip five years ago, we instead took our time strolling the streets. We enjoyed lunch outside where I got my first little sunburn of the season and then spent the afternoon walking and shopping.

We had hoped to do a wine tour in the Tuscan countryside, but were too late trying to sign up, so instead, we participated in a cooking class with the Food and Wine Academy of Florence through Florencetown. This was roughly a three hour course which included making pizza from scratch, making chocolate gelato and drinking some local wine! Our chef, Giovanni taught us the importance of each step in making pizza dough. Boy, is it a lot of work! It requires a lot of muscle, time and love to make it just right. We were given tomato sauce, dry mozzarella, spicy salami, garlic olive oil, regular olive oil, and basil to choose from for our toppings. Giovanni encouraged us to make our pizzas original and unique. I decided to shape my dough into a heart and using little pieces of basil wrote 'Italy' (apparently this doesn't make for a very traditional looking Italian pizza). After putting it in the wooden oven I decided to name my pizza "Amore" and told Giovanni he should sell it in Florence as surely it would be a top seller! With Italian music playing, wine flowing and great company, another unique experience and memory has been gained.

After receiving our certificates for passing the course, we headed to the bar district. We grabbed some mojitos and sat outside meeting locals and tourists and talked about all the places we hope to travel to!

The next morning we took an hour long train ride to Pisa. This was my first time in Pisa and although it was a short stay, it was lovely. Despite the place crawling in tourists and despite only really seeing the main tourist sights, it was an enjoyable day and somewhere I imagine I will return to again while I am still living in Italy.

A sunny weekend in Tuscany came to an end, but it was hard to feel sad as so many more exciting adventures are ahead.

Next stop: Portugal!