In South America is a film by Vincent Urban showcasing his trip to “Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay and Southern Brazil”. It’s stunning visuals and cinematographic genius is well worth a watch.
In South America – 2012 from Vincent Urban on Vimeo.
“It’s too dangerous.” “You’ll get kidnapped.” “Who will protect you?”
The all too common questions and comments that are said to the upcoming breed of traveler, the solo female.
Solo female travel is hot right now and gaining popularity by the day. Women feel empowered to take charge of their lives, especially in their travels. No corner of the world is too far out of reach for them, no culture too obscure, no adventure is off limits.
Although still somewhat considered uncharted territory, solo female travel has a great community of travelers who are willing to share advice, to disclose tips and secrets and who are an excellent source for all female travel related questions.
There are women, who just like you, worked in a job everyday and came home to do the same things over and over. They all just wanted a change. In a recent poll, solo female travels were asked why they started. 40% said they traveled solo to gain a sense of adventure or to boost their confidence. But what was most surprising was only 11% did it for the feeling of freedom.When asked what they got from their travels, freedom was actually at the top with 28%.
Most solo female travels are anywhere from 1-6 weeks and visit at least 3 different places.
There are solo female travel bloggers who document everything from the pre-trip preparation and planning to the little quirks and adventures that they come along while abroad. It’s interesting to watch someone take on a new culture or location head on while you’re reading along. Some really great and in depth bloggers can be found here, here and here.
Just like any other traveler, there are precautions and concerns while traveling but being a female alone while abroad, some say that they modify their behavior in order to keep themselves safe. In the poll, 46% limited their alcohol intake, 54% act more confident as to deflect being a target and over 30% go home early, just in case.
These females are adventurous, free-spirited and wayfaring. No reason you can’t be either.
Thanks to Victoria Keech for the photograph. Visit her Facebook page here.
This beautifully made video was created by Amish Solanki. He and his wife quit their jobs and traveled around the world. Take a look!
driven to explore from Amish Solanki on Vimeo.
The Antarctic used to seem as unreachable as the moon. Only few would go, and of those few, even fewer would come back. It seemed like a dark and vast wilderness that wasn’t the kind of wild that could ever be tamed. But now, it still sits and is becoming increasingly more accessible.
Tour to the Antarctic are nowhere near cheap. Starting at $4000 for a couple days, you can say you’ve been and see the impressive glaciers and the untamed wildlife. But for those who actually want to explore and truly say that they’ve been there, there are tours offered that last as long as 15 days. Starting at the southernmost tip of Argentina and take off towards the unclaimed land.
Once there you can see places such as; Tierra del Fuego, the Drake Passage, the Beagle Channel, South Shetland Islands and end with the colorful city of Punta Arenas. What’s most visually stunning is the glaciers that calve into the crystal clear blue waters below, the mountains that are reaching towards the sky as if touching with their fingertips. It’s almost surreal. 
For those who love wildlife, the Antarctic is your opportunity to get extremely up close and personal to a few of the world’s cutest animals. On South Georgia Island, there are hundreds of thousands of King Penguins milling about and are completely oblivious to you. Obviously you can’t pick them up and pet them, but you can get as close as physically possible without harming them.There’s also a huge array of baby Sea Lions with their glassy eyes and rotund bellies, they make for one of the cutest animals ever.
They’re not shy either, they’re probably more curious about you than you are of them. Let them investigate but again, don’t harm them.
Depending on your budget, you can see Antarctica and many of the surrounding islands on a 2 week journey or briefly visit the main points that you’re interested in a 5 day journey. Whatever you can afford, the Antarctic will not disappoint.
London has this enigmatic allure that draws people from all over the world to come and witness it for themselves. It’s bustling city life and historic buildings make it one of the top destinations in the world.
Flying into London-Heathrow is an experience in of itself. The bustling airport is gigantic and has estimated walking times from terminal to terminal that can be up to an hour. But once you step out of the airport, it’s like walking into a new world.
London is thriving, busy, exciting. There are endless things to get into while visiting and you could easily spend a month here and not see everything you wanted to. Start by seeing the whole city on a double decker bus tour to get a feel for what you really want to visit while there. Seeing everything from a distance gives you a chance to reconsider your options. Maybe the museum you were so excited to see didn’t look so great after all but the pub you passed by on the way looked like a great place to stop instead.
The main stops are a must: Big Ben, the London Eye, Parliament, Winchester Abbey and the Tower Museum. Payless Flights tip: purchase a hop on-hop off tour. You pay a small fee for a two day pass and you essentially have free rides to all of your desired destinations with commentary on the way.
One of the newest places to see in London will excite the avid readers: Leavesden Studios has opened it’s Harry Potter tour as of April 2012. Walk through all of the sets used in the films and get up close and personal with all of the props. Music from the soundtracks plays in the background and there are short videos of the actors telling you funny stories of things that happened right where you’re standing. If visiting in the summer, try the Butterbeer! Not only is it cool to drink what was used in the movies, but it’s actually delicious!
Another quirky destination is a multiple stop “Oldest Pub in London Pub Crawl”. Since over 15 pubs claim to be the oldest pub in London, there is a pub crawl that stops at every one, just to say make sure that you can say that you visited the oldest pub without lying.
Buying a hotel room can be quite expensive if you want to stay centrally located so you should make it worth it. Payless Flights tip: stay at the Premier Inn at County Hall. It’s literally right behind the London Eye and across the street from Big Ben. There are lots of music festivals and restaurants that line the street below so there’s always something to get into if you don’t want to sight see anymore.
London’s allure is world famous and it lives up to it’s name. The best time to visit is definitely late spring or early fall, the middle of summer can be unbearably crowded.
The following is a post from our website’s Destination Guide.
Alaska, part of the United States but located north of Canada is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The fresh, clean air fills your lungs and the ever so slight smell of pine fills your nose. Mountains seem to line the horizon in every direction and hundred year old trees sway ever-so slightly in the breeze. Every second seems to be like a moving postcard.
When you fly into Anchorage, the town itself seems rather small but the mountain range behind it illuminates the town with a regal glow. If visiting for the first time, it seems as though time has stopped and this is the last place of true beauty left on earth.
Paragliding in Alaska
There are many ways to navigate throughout Alaska. The Alaska Rail Road has been in service for almost a decade and has routes that curve all along the coast and into the heart of the wilderness. You can start in Anchorage and go as far north as Kantichna before turning back around and heading as far south as Seward. The all-glass roofed cabins make for panoramic views without ever having to leave your seat. Payless Flights secret trick: head the the caboose cabin and look at unobstructed views and feel the wind rush past you. It’s one of the most calming and beautiful experiences.
If you would rather navigate it on your own, rent a car and drive on the Denali or Sterling Highway. Be aware that not all of Alaska’s main roads are paved and may be cause for a bumpy ride.
There are multitudes of things to do while in Alaska, it just depends on what your preferences are. If you’re the adventurous type; there’s white water rafting, paragliding, skiing, heliskiing, glacier traversing, mountain climbing or rock climbing. If you would rather have someone show you around from the comforts of a vehicle, there are hundreds of tour companies that are more than willing to perfect your dream Alaskan vacation.
No matter where you go in Alaska or what you choose to do, don’t forget to take a moment and enjoy the absolute beauty around you.
