Solo in South America: an Interview

The Northern Wander Women are proud to present the very first episode in a brand-new series of interviews. Even though we know that you love to hear from us, we thought it would be fun to hear from friends, family and fans of the blog about their very own adventures. We hope that perhaps hearing a few more stories for fellow wanderers will inspire you to finally take that trip you’ve been saving up for.

In our first interview, we talk with Daphné; an avid traveler, a Northern Wander Women guest blogger, and an all-around inspiring woman! She has been traveling around the globe for personal and academic reasons. When we decided to interview Daphné, the biggest worry we had wasn’t to run out of material but selecting a specific topic and focus on that! We finally decided on asking her about her solo trip in South America since it is becoming a more popular destination every day, especially for solo female travellers. So, join us as we get to know Daphné and her trip in South America.

Q: As a seasoned traveller for both personal and academic reasons, what motivated you to take this extended solo trip to South America?

A: I had been thinking about going on a long trip by myself since I was a teenager. It had been a dream for such a long time and during my last year in my undergrad, I realized that if I didn’t do it then, I might never do it. It was quite a simple decision to leave for me and good timing in terms of jobs, so it worked out easily.

Q: What drew you to completing this adventure in South America. And why did you pick the countries you did to visit?

A: The Latin American culture has always fascinated me. I imagined South America as warm, welcoming, sensual, intriguing. In the end, it was all these things and more. I also wanted to practice my Spanish since I had taken a few courses in university. Another amazing perk of South America: little to no time difference with Canada (depending on your province). Skyping family becomes easier. You also land ready to travel, not having to take a few days for jetlag. All of that made me feel a lot more comfortable for my first big solo trip and made South America the perfect destination.

Q: How long did you prepare for this trip. Did you have to speed up your timeline? What were some of the elements that took more time than you had planned? What were some of the elements that you spontaneously figured out as you went along?

A: I researched for months, but did not plan much ahead. I bought my travel books, read blogs, printed maps and started writing down everything I wanted to do. I pushed myself to pick the dates, booked the tickets and I figured everything out from there: itinerary, budget, travel insurance, who could come visit me along the way, what I needed to book ahead, and what I could leave unplanned. The only things I booked ahead were my round-trip flight tickets, my three first nights in a hostel, and the Inca Trail hike (because you have to book months in advance). I had nothing else planned and it felt amazing.

What was exciting is that at the same time I was planning my trip, my roommate/best friend was planning her own solo trip in South East Asia. We helped each other a lot along the way, cheering each other on, bouncing ideas off of each other, and reminding ourselves that we were totally capable of going on our own. It was great to have support in a project like that.

Q: What were some of your biggest worries going into this trip, and how were you able to overcome them?

A: I won’t lie, I had massive anxiety leading up to the trip about traveling alone. I had done only a few weekends traveling on my own before this trip. This time I was leaving for almost five months, it was a big jump for me. I was scared for my safety to be honest. To respect that fear, I chose to go to Chili first, which was known to be quite safe and politically stable. It was a great choice and I did feel very safe traveling in that country. To stay safe abroad, I also never take more than one drink a night and I never walk at night by myself. I would encourage any woman traveling on her own to read about other women’s experiences in various countries. Not every woman feels safe in the same destinations. Respect your own needs, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

Q: What was one of the most enjoyable countries for you? Why?

A: Chili, by far. I highly enjoyed the other countries as well (Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia). However, Chili is the first country I visited on this trip and it thus represented true freedom. It was where I really found my inner strength to deal with so many challenges on my own. On top of that, this country truly has everything to offer nature lovers: the Atacama Desert, the Andes mountain range, the Pacific Ocean, beautiful islands, national parks, volcanos, lakes. It is a very well developed country with easy transportation system, which is a plus for travelers. It is still the #1 country on my list to this day, even after 27 countries visited!

Q: What was something that you discovered about yourself on this trip?

A: That I could figure it out on my own. It built my self-esteem so much and that benefitted me personally and professionally later on in my life. I also love feeling technologically disconnected while I travel. When I travel for pleasure, I don’t purchase a local sim card and I only check messages or social media at the hostel. When I leave for the day, I am not distracted by messages or news and I am fully in the moment and focus on whatever activity I am doing that day.

Q: How did this trip compare to the others you had taken?

A: Other trips I had taken had been for studies, placements, or work so I received a lot more support. This was the first one that I was planning completely on my own, it was on a continent I had never been to, and it was completely and only for my own pleasure. This one was a bit more selfish: I was leaving solely to discover the beauty of South America, to reflect on my career options, and to open my heart to different people and cultures.

Q: What is an item that you have to pack every single trip, no matter the destination (other than the absolute necessities)?

A: I have a few essentials: a travel battery for my phone, a good book, a lip balm with SPF and a super long charging cord for my phone (the outlets in hotel/hostel are often far from the beds).

Q: What are some of the ways you were able to afford this trip? Did you budget, did you work, did you take local transportation or budget airlines?

A: I worked a few jobs in the year leading up to this trip, and I had a small translating job while I was traveling which kept the money flowing in while I was abroad. While traveling, I stayed in dorms in hostels, I often shopped for groceries and cooked with other travelers and I always walked or took the local buses to visit cities. Those are all great ways to save money along the way! Finally, I also stopped and volunteered in a hostel for one week, in exchange for food and board. This way, I was able to get to know locals, practice my Spanish and save money. There are so many ways to save for a trip!  

Q: What is a travel expense that you don’t mind splurging on?

A: Travel insurance!! And comfortable shoes.

Q: What advice would you give to fellow wanderers who’d like to embark on a similar adventure?

A: Always follow your gut feeling. Read blogs (for all my South American adventures go to traveldiarydr.wordpress.com). Remember that you will never be truly alone on the road. And I promise you will never ever regret traveling. So just go.

Q: What’s your favourite travel quote?

A: To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world. - Freya Stark

A big thanks to Daphné for time, advice and support! It’s always a pleasure to catch up and to have you featured on the blog!

  

Daphné cannot stay in one place for too long. That’s why she’s taken every opportunity to study, work and travel abroad. Having visited 27 countries and counting, she knows she’s not done exploring this world. With an undergraduate degree in criminology and a master’s degree in international development, she temporarily left her field of study to work for an active travel company where she gets to lead biking and walking trips in Canada and in Europe. She shares her travel adventures for her family and friends on her blog: traveldiarydr.wordpress.com.