Latest / Travel Mug Podcast / Pros and Cons of Being a Solo Digital Nomad with Anna

Transcript

Pros and Cons of Being a Solo Digital Nomad with Anna · Travel Mug Podcast

• 0:00
  Hey everyone and welcome back to the Travel Mug Podcast.
• 0:04
  Today we are joined by Anna and we are so excited to chat with her about long-term solo travel and making connections while traveling.
• 0:14
  So, Anna is a Canadian full-time traveler, content creator and digital nomad.
• 0:20
  Who is passionate about solo travel, experiencing local culture, and creating affordable trips.
• 0:26
  We love affordable trips here.
• 0:29
  So she is also the founder of Your Travel Friend, which is a community connecting international folks to fulfill the need of a go-to travel friend who possesses all of the like insider knowledge.
• 0:41
  So the community allows humans to connect, support each other, share stories, uncover local hidden gems, and support to understand cultural nuances, and we'll definitely be chatting about that a little bit later.
• 0:55
  Welcome to the show, Anna.
• 0:56
  Thank you so much for having me join, and join two other Canadians and talk about travel.
• 1:01
  My favorite combination that is sometimes hard to find.
• 1:06
  Yes.
• 1:07
  Yeah, that's so exciting.
• 1:08
  So how did you fall in love with travel?
• 1:11
  Like was being a digital nomad a goal for you, or how did that sort of happen for you?
• 1:17
  Oh yeah.
• 1:17
  So I think the, the bug I say for travel started, um, when as a kid, we lived in the Netherlands for three years, and I think that was when I got the taste of obviously hearing a different language even though it's, you know, many Dutch people speak English, the taste for other food, getting to travel around Europe.
• 1:35
  And then when I decided to go to university, although I stayed in university in Canada, I decided to go to a different province.
• 1:40
  So I think that kind of like just wanting, a change of environment.
• 1:45
  and I was living in Vancouver and as many of us post pandemic, uh, we kind of were like, what are we doing with our lives?
• 1:51
  Should we change it up?
• 1:53
  I think Jenn you had something similar happened.
• 1:55
  So, um, yeah.
• 1:57
  My story goes, at the time I was in a relationship, I wondered, okay, where's this going?
• 2:01
  Going nowhere.
• 2:02
  Got it.
• 2:02
  Uh, had a career at that wasn't really an exciting job position.
• 2:07
  And I had freelance clients already at that time, it was probably about five years already.
• 2:11
  I had some freelance work, and I told them, I think I'm gonna like do this from other places in the world.
• 2:17
  How does that sound?
• 2:18
  Um, you know, I had ultimate control.
• 2:20
  So I knew I wanted to leave Vancouver.
• 2:24
  Moved my base back to Calgary and then I thought, I don't know where I wanna be in Canada, so I'll just travel for a bit.
• 2:30
  And here we're over three years later and I think I learned about the term digital nomad during that trip.
• 2:37
  So that first trip and meeting people who were more working a full-time remote job.
• 2:43
  And since then I've got such exposure to the variety of digital nomads, and Mm-hmm.
• 2:48
  still a new term because I definitely meet people who are asking me like, what is that term you call yourself?
• 2:54
  So I sometimes call it just like working as I, as I travel.
• 2:57
  It's not a vacation for sure, but yeah.
• 3:00
  So I just take my freelance work with me and it's worked out so far.
• 3:05
  Yeah, I would, I would call it vacation, uh, adjacent, I would call it.
• 3:09
  I like that.
• 3:10
  I like that.
• 3:13
  No, and I, I think that it is a relatively new term, but I think it is something, people are getting a bit more used to hearing.
• 3:19
  And it certainly is one of those things that a lot of people won't do, but it's still probably like, oh, I would, you know, that would be my dream job.
• 3:26
  So just think about that.
• 3:27
  If on days that are tough for you, be like.
• 3:29
  I'm living the life that people do dream of.
• 3:31
  So that's something a little nugget you can take away.
• 3:35
  , because so many people do dream of long-term travel.
• 3:39
  So guess, you know, to get to the meat and potatoes of it, can you share some tips for someone who's hoping to start traveling more long-term?
• 3:47
  Like.
• 3:48
  I know you're working, but still, how do you manage your budget and plan your destinations?
• 3:53
  Because a lot of times when people have like the three or four weeks of vacation, they put so much time and effort into that one trip, and that's sort of what you're doing all the time.
• 4:03
  So, or more frequently I should say.
• 4:05
  So talk us through sort of how you travel long term.
• 4:09
  Yeah, definitely.
• 4:10
  And also I love that you said meat and potatoes of it.
• 4:12
  'cause that is such a Canadian slang.
• 4:15
  And then I thought, you're vegetarian, so I probably should have said like beans and potatoes.
• 4:19
  But No, for people who dunno.
• 4:24
  It's so funny because, uh, I got a, I gotta digress of how I found you both and, and I was looking for other travel podcasts just to like stay inspired.
• 4:33
  And then I heard car, one of you said Car and I was like, that is an East Coast accent.
• 4:40
  And I just got so excited.
• 4:42
  So it's interesting 'cause since coming back from one of my longer trips, um, just coming back to my base in Canada for a little bit of time, it's so funny the slang that you don't realize is Canadian slang until you.
• 4:53
  Come back and then so meat and potatoes as well.
• 4:56
  Um, but back to your question.
• 4:58
  . I guess I've kind of stumbled upon it in the sense of like, I didn't wanna go home.
• 5:03
  Yeah.
• 5:03
  I'm having fun, um, working it out.
• 5:06
  And I think there's, I always preface there's no right way to do it.
• 5:09
  So I do think there is some social comparison happening with digital nomad lifestyles.
• 5:14
  there's such a mix of people, so I've met folks that really base themselves like.
• 5:18
  Three months of the year in four different places.
• 5:20
  That's how they live their life.
• 5:22
  They go three months, three months, three months.
• 5:23
  Um, some people do six months and six months.
• 5:25
  You know, we have the classic snowbird as we call it in Canada.
• 5:29
  , and then there's friends of mine who work remote jobs in a nine to five in their time zone of wherever their job is located, yet their travelers at heart.
• 5:38
  So the first priority is like still exploring and somehow they figure it out,
• 5:42
  like taking calls at 5: 00 AM in Kyrgyzstan because they're on like Pacific time.
• 5:48
  like taking calls at 5: It's crazy.
• 5:48
  like taking calls at 5: So for me , it's a lot about energy levels in terms of social battery, in terms of how I'm feeling, not trying to get burnt out.
• 5:55
  like taking calls at 5: So often if I find myself in a very social environment, a co-living or surrounded by other digital nomads, I usually follow it up with a bit of solo time.
• 6:04
  like taking calls at 5: And that's also a bit more work time.
• 6:07
  like taking calls at 5: So if you can plan ahead, if you have control in like owning your own business or being self-employed, you can kind of play with that.
• 6:14
  like taking calls at 5: If you know that one week's gonna be event focused and then the next you can kind of, you know, you literally just live in a city as if you were at home.
• 6:23
  like taking calls at 5: So.
• 6:24
  like taking calls at 5: I think it's like breaking down that because I don't know for you both if I'm, correct me if I'm wrong, we're planning more vacations and like really tight pack trips, whereas this, we might do one week of a really tight pack trip or the first week we arrive somewhere, we're doing walking tours and exploring the city, and then the next week I'm just kind of like.
• 6:44
  like taking calls at 5: I dunno.
• 6:44
  like taking calls at 5: I wake up, I get a coffee, do a couple hours there, do lunch, maybe go for an afternoon walk a little bit more work, have dinner, and that's my day.
• 6:52
  like taking calls at 5: And people are like, why didn't you explore more?
• 6:54
  like taking calls at 5: And you know, you have to remember, it's like I always think too, you have to, if you want to keep traveling longer term, you have to build habits and be sustainable 'cause you don't have that, oh, I'm gonna go home on Friday.
• 7:08
  like taking calls at 5: Like, let's push ourselves to the very end and we can sleep on the flight home.
• 7:11
  like taking calls at 5: You know?
• 7:12
  like taking calls at 5: So, I dunno.
• 7:13
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, it's um, it's kind of a, an experience like that.
• 7:17
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, it's definitely.
• 7:18
  like taking calls at 5: oh, go ahead, Jen.
• 7:19
  like taking calls at 5: Sorry, I, it's definitely a different mindset for sure, like when you're, you're essentially, you know, living there that you, you have to switch out of that, like vacation I have to see everything mode and switch into like, this is where I'm living for this period of time, and so I need to balance like things that I need to get done in my life.
• 7:41
  like taking calls at 5: Like work and you know, like regular stuff like cooking meals and laundry and getting groceries as well as the like sightseeing and like getting out and exploring type stuff too.
• 7:52
  like taking calls at 5: For sure.
• 7:53
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, I definitely think for me it's a mix of, I usually would do like a work hard, play hard kind of analogy.
• 7:58
  like taking calls at 5: So maybe, you know, I love working in Europe because actually I don't usually start diving into my laptop till like two or 3:00 PM So I spend the mornings, if I'm seaside, I go to the beach, I enjoy the daytime, and then I kind of dive into the evening, or I do that walking tour and then I dive into work.
• 8:15
  like taking calls at 5: So it's a nice like.
• 8:17
  like taking calls at 5: So you're not doing a full day of activities, you're only kind of doing that maybe 30%.
• 8:21
  like taking calls at 5: So you can like break it apart over a couple days.
• 8:24
  like taking calls at 5: And sometimes you hear about things more too.
• 8:26
  like taking calls at 5: So like being there longer term is better because someone might say, oh no, no, no, let me like help you get on this boat.
• 8:33
  like taking calls at 5: Or like just come with me and it's cheaper and it's a better experience'cause you're with the local.
• 8:38
  like taking calls at 5: So that's kind of how it works out.
• 8:41
  like taking calls at 5: yeah.
• 8:42
  like taking calls at 5: I'm, I'm taking my first like, working trip, soon in, in May, and so I, it's, I mean, it's only 10 days.
• 8:51
  like taking calls at 5: It's like a much shorter trip, but I am working my regular like nine to five job while I'm there and I'm already feeling some like anxiety about how I'm balancing everything, and I'm sure it'll be fine, but it's just a, it's a totally different mindset for sure.
• 9:06
  like taking calls at 5: Do you feel like your, what is your like big fear with taking, trying to vacation or experience while also stay focused with your job.
• 9:16
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 9:17
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, I am, honestly, I am like anxious about not being able to see everything that I want to Mm-hmm.
• 9:24
  like taking calls at 5: um, because I do have to spend those eight hours, you know, like on my laptop.
• 9:28
  like taking calls at 5: So hopefully I'll be able to balance that by like, working from a local cafe and like going for a walk at lunch.
• 9:35
  like taking calls at 5: But yeah, it's, it's just, it does shorten the time that you have to like, see things.
• 9:41
  like taking calls at 5: Definitely, I think, yeah, just you, you maximize the time.
• 9:44
  like taking calls at 5: So your lunch break is gonna be probably a little bit more exciting of a lunch break than perhaps in your day.
• 9:48
  like taking calls at 5: Your, you know, your home base.
• 9:50
  like taking calls at 5: But also it's so cool that you don't have to take vacation time and you can do this, Yeah.
• 9:55
  like taking calls at 5: remotely and once you're done work, you get to like step outside to a whole new environment.
• 10:00
  like taking calls at 5: So I think that's my favorite thing is you know, you're like, wow, it's so cool.
• 10:03
  like taking calls at 5: Like, you know, your laptop's a familiar space.
• 10:06
  like taking calls at 5: You close your laptop and you're like, wow, look where I am.
• 10:08
  like taking calls at 5: Like, you kind of come back to your, your present self, and you're in a really epic place.
• 10:13
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, for sure.
• 10:15
  like taking calls at 5: agree.
• 10:15
  like taking calls at 5: And I think, know, we also wanted to talk about how you sort of balance traveling and working, and I think you've covered that a bit, but I, I did wanna go back on one thing that you mentioned about how sort of like overstimulation, when you're cohabitating with people in the next week needing to be you know, a more quiet space or just by yourself, do you find that doing this, uh, or having this type of, you know, work life lifestyle, you've really gotten to know who you are and what your boundaries are and what you need for yourself?
• 10:44
  like taking calls at 5: Because I think when you're in your home and your own space, it's pretty easy to, to do what you wish and you know what works for you.
• 10:51
  like taking calls at 5: But have you really sort of had to get to know yourself differently by living this type of lifestyle?
• 10:57
  like taking calls at 5: Oh, for sure.
• 10:57
  like taking calls at 5: I, I feel like I'm hyper aware of myself, almost like it's a detriment now because I'm like so in tune with my emotions and I've always attested it to, like, I grew up dancing and like as a dancer, you're like hyper aware of your body and every tiny movement and how one thing's gonna make the next move happen or how you feel in your body.
• 11:16
  like taking calls at 5: And I feel like that's come to like my mind and just my, my workflow.
• 11:19
  like taking calls at 5: So I, I'm used to being in control of my day-to-day as well, which I say that in the sense of like, I really have ultimate control over like what my energy levels are.
• 11:27
  like taking calls at 5: But yeah, I'm, I'm definitely an extroverted introvert, so I get so excited meeting new people and I'm like, in there, in there, in there, and then like one week later I'm sick and I'm like, what happened?
• 11:36
  like taking calls at 5: And I was like, oh.
• 11:37
  like taking calls at 5: So I call it like, everyone needs to schedule Netflix breaks in.
• 11:41
  like taking calls at 5: I need to go have my reality TV binge.
• 11:43
  like taking calls at 5: That's kind of like, that just brings me back to this like calm, just kind of taking that break from people.
• 11:49
  like taking calls at 5: And I've also learned like naturally we're attracted to extroverted people when meeting, new people, whether that's like a short-term engagement with someone, or like you meet a friend and you hang out with them for a month.
• 11:59
  like taking calls at 5: So I think for me, I'm attracted to the extroverted people to bring me the energy, but then I usually end up hanging out with more of like the quiet, more introverted people because I can sustain that relationship or like those engagements throughout a longer chunk of time, whether it's a month, two months.
• 12:15
  like taking calls at 5: Even if it's just a day, it's like, okay, your energy is a lot and at the end of this day, I know I'm gonna be really burnt out.
• 12:20
  like taking calls at 5: So how about we just do coffee and then I'm gonna go by myself.
• 12:24
  like taking calls at 5: So I think you have to learn too, like, I dunno if you've ever met someone where you've had to, like, you deny their friendship, you know, you do a walking to, they're like, let's have lunch together.
• 12:33
  like taking calls at 5: And you're like, um, no thank you.
• 12:37
  like taking calls at 5: I good, but I appreciate the offer.
• 12:39
  like taking calls at 5: Walk the direction to the restaurant and then yeah.
• 12:42
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 12:44
  like taking calls at 5: I'd rather eat alone.
• 12:45
  like taking calls at 5: Thank you.
• 12:47
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 12:48
  like taking calls at 5: So the balance of travel and working is so hard.
• 12:50
  like taking calls at 5: Like it's um, it's a constant like battle of Yeah, like you wanna see things you have to eat and you have to do laundry at some point.
• 12:58
  like taking calls at 5: So I think it's always prioritizing.
• 13:01
  like taking calls at 5: I think that's a big thing, is learning what is a priority, what's the fun priority and what's the you can get it done quick, but you know, a laptop at a laundromat is a great workstation.
• 13:10
  like taking calls at 5: Just saying, so you birds.
• 13:15
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, yeah.
• 13:16
  like taking calls at 5: I mean, work life balance is a challenge no matter where you are.
• 13:20
  like taking calls at 5: Like, it literally doesn't matter.
• 13:22
  like taking calls at 5: So yeah, we, we all struggle with that.
• 13:24
  like taking calls at 5: I wanna circle back to the budget because feel like when I am exploring a new place, I want to do all of the things, I want to eat at all of the restaurants.
• 13:37
  like taking calls at 5: So how do you sort of, you know, budget to make sure that you are getting to do those exciting things, but also like not eating in restaurants every single day.
• 13:48
  like taking calls at 5: For sure.
• 13:48
  like taking calls at 5: So I think different to, so we can use your upcoming 10 day trip and as, as an example, of course we said that you're working, but in 10 days you might have put aside money or you have an expected budget that you're going to spend.
• 14:01
  like taking calls at 5: So maybe you're like, okay, it's like, you know, flights and everything included.
• 14:04
  like taking calls at 5: It's $2,000 for this 10 day trip.
• 14:06
  like taking calls at 5: I'm totally pulling a number out of Sure.
• 14:10
  like taking calls at 5: But you kind of have like, okay, I can spend however many dollars a day on food, but with longer term travel.
• 14:17
  like taking calls at 5: And in my situation, I have a fluctuating income, so I, I can't really base that.
• 14:21
  like taking calls at 5: And if you're changing countries too, it can very much vary.
• 14:25
  like taking calls at 5: Going from France to Turkey is gonna be a way different eating budget.
• 14:29
  like taking calls at 5: So my rule of thumb is I always try and have one meal in, at least if it's somewhere where I can't properly cook and have a stock of groceries, which is usually like a one week stay or more, I usually do, I think like an easy yogurt and granola.
• 14:45
  like taking calls at 5: Like if you're staying somewhere for two, three days and you have access to a fridge, grab a couple of those in like single yogurts a bag of granola and a couple of bananas, bam, you got breakfast.
• 14:55
  like taking calls at 5: And then you can have less guilt about lunch and dinner.
• 14:58
  like taking calls at 5: , or if there's a really not Michelin star, like I've never been at that budget level, but there's like, you know, some kind of restaurant they're really interested in.
• 15:07
  like taking calls at 5: Or you want to have that kind of three course wine pairing kind of experience maybe that you do find just that street sandwich shop for lunch.
• 15:15
  like taking calls at 5: So I think kind of that street fast food combined with a sit down eating.
• 15:19
  like taking calls at 5: Um, that's kind of how I balance it out.
• 15:21
  like taking calls at 5: Honestly, it depends on the work schedule too.
• 15:24
  like taking calls at 5: So sometimes I'm like, I'm in a really great workflow.
• 15:27
  like taking calls at 5: I'm just gonna literally go and I can be, I remember being in, um, in Prague, in the Czech Republic and there was like a great just like kind of sandwich, um, salad shop that, I don't know what we would call it in Canada, like almost an Extreme Pita or a Subway, which I hate.
• 15:41
  like taking calls at 5: And you guys talked about subway.
• 15:43
  like taking calls at 5: I haven't been in a subway in so long, but, you know, it wasn't the fancy thing.
• 15:49
  like taking calls at 5: It's not like prague's traditional food, but I do feel like it was busy, like people eat there, you know, it is part of their culture and their life now.
• 15:56
  like taking calls at 5: So kind of finding it, yeah, budget's really hard and I think it really depends on what, um, it sounds like, Jen, you're, you like food a lot, so you're gonna, yeah, you're gonna budget heavy on the food side where someone might b budget heavy on the activity side and not care at all what they're eating, so.
• 16:14
  like taking calls at 5: Before we get to the next question, I'm gonna interrupt and say.
• 16:18
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 16:19
  like taking calls at 5: You say Canada in sandwich and I know exactly where you are from, so I'm just gonna, just gonna put that out there.
• 16:26
  like taking calls at 5: Maybe we say car differently, but Sandwich in Canada the way you say it tells me you're from the Western part of this country.
• 16:33
  like taking calls at 5: If there's any native English speakers, they might pick up on this.
• 16:37
  like taking calls at 5: But for any international friends listening, if you don't understand what we're talking about, that is a okay because.
• 16:43
  like taking calls at 5: For me, they say car, like really hard emphasis on the R almost like an Irish accent, which of course makes sense with the history of the East Coast, but I didn't know Sandwich, I sounded different.
• 16:53
  like taking calls at 5: So.
• 16:55
  like taking calls at 5: you are heavy on the "and" yeah, yeah.
• 16:58
  like taking calls at 5: We would say sandwich like and.
• 17:01
  like taking calls at 5: And yeah.
• 17:03
  like taking calls at 5: And you say, and which like, like your fancy um, we're just more, we're more laid back with that.
• 17:10
  like taking calls at 5: I love that though.
• 17:11
  like taking calls at 5: I. I, I couldn't control it any longer.
• 17:14
  like taking calls at 5: I was hearing it and I'm like, I can't, I can't not say it.
• 17:16
  like taking calls at 5: Um, so in terms of downsides or a downside, they have to exist of what you are doing.
• 17:25
  like taking calls at 5: Nothing is perfect.
• 17:26
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 17:27
  like taking calls at 5: I'm just looking for you to share with our listeners.
• 17:29
  like taking calls at 5: things or something to keep in mind when considering possibly being a digital nomad or a long-term traveler, because I think, you know, it's great to talk about, you know, all of the lovely things that are involved, but I think it's important to give realistic snapshots as well.
• 17:45
  like taking calls at 5: A hundred percent and I am like maybe a little bit more on the pessimistic side because I think, of course Instagram gives a highlight reel.
• 17:53
  like taking calls at 5: YouTube gives a highlight reel, but there's so many, I wouldn't say downsides, but you know, challenges that come up that are different.
• 18:01
  like taking calls at 5: Primarily if you are solo traveling.
• 18:02
  like taking calls at 5: I can't speak from a longer term travel time of, um, traveling with a partner.
• 18:07
  like taking calls at 5: I've traveled with friends or lived with a friend for apartment, often another digital nomad friend.
• 18:13
  like taking calls at 5: But, um.
• 18:15
  like taking calls at 5: I think the biggest thing is just kind of when you need those breaks or you're, you know, you're really, really heavy in work and you want something that from your home base that feels really comforting and like that doesn't exist.
• 18:27
  like taking calls at 5: There's been many times where I'm like three or four months into a trip and I just want to teleport myself to my couch and just like know that I have this big comfy couch and I can watch tv and it's definitely like a North American.
• 18:40
  like taking calls at 5: Um, comfort and I wanna be zapped right back.
• 18:43
  like taking calls at 5: Like I just want two days of this comfort where we have a pantry, which is also such a Canadian word.
• 18:49
  like taking calls at 5: Um, instead of always trying to have to find food and like, 'cause you're doing adulting while working, while traveling, while mixing culture and.
• 18:58
  like taking calls at 5: To speak openly.
• 18:59
  like taking calls at 5: It's like as a female too, sometimes like you don't want to go out when it's dark, so you're like, okay, so dinner's a granola bar.
• 19:06
  like taking calls at 5: Unless I want to take myself out in the dark and try and find food.
• 19:09
  like taking calls at 5: Well, I don't really wanna sit alone because I'm just, maybe sometimes it's about a confidence thing too.
• 19:14
  like taking calls at 5: Like I'm not really in a good space to like sit and eat by myself and just really enjoy the meal.
• 19:18
  like taking calls at 5: I'm, you know, I'm really hyper aware of my surroundings, so I can't just sit, eat, and enjoy my meal.
• 19:24
  like taking calls at 5: So I think that's a, a big di downside.
• 19:26
  like taking calls at 5: And you're constantly a travel agent.
• 19:28
  like taking calls at 5: So different again, to this kind of like one week to four week even trip where you know you have a return date if you're consistently going, going, going, even if you have breaks between, like you start to travel one week and then you're like, oh, where am I gonna live the next week or the next month?
• 19:43
  like taking calls at 5: So I've left it pretty tight sometimes about where I'm gonna live and I'm quite an organized person, but.
• 19:51
  like taking calls at 5: Um, especially in Europe, I'm a bit too risky with the, like, oh, where am I gonna sleep in four nights?
• 19:55
  like taking calls at 5: Uh, we should figure that out.
• 19:59
  like taking calls at 5: Oh my God.
• 19:59
  like taking calls at 5: I think that just gave me, attack.
• 20:01
  like taking calls at 5: Jen literally just had a heart attack.
• 20:04
  like taking calls at 5: But it's so funny because I'm like, I'm quite a planner.
• 20:07
  like taking calls at 5: Like I, you know, I like to have everything.
• 20:09
  like taking calls at 5: I'm like Mary Poppins, big kind of gal. But yeah, maybe in other, in other, um, continents or other places I'd be different.
• 20:17
  like taking calls at 5: But in Europe, I'm a bit slack with it, so.
• 20:21
  like taking calls at 5: Jen, is that like giving you anxiety, not knowing where you're gonna.
• 20:24
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 20:25
  like taking calls at 5: Uh, it does.
• 20:26
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 20:28
  like taking calls at 5: I could not operate like that, and I don't like, I. When I started, so I have a travel blog that I started, I, I think in 2017.
• 20:38
  like taking calls at 5: So like, it's been quite a while, um, Will Save For Travel.
• 20:42
  like taking calls at 5: And so at that point in my life I was kind of like figuring what I wanted to do for work and, um.
• 20:50
  like taking calls at 5: I really wanted to be not necessarily a digital nomad, but at least location independent, which I am now essentially with my work.
• 21:02
  like taking calls at 5: Um, I do work full-time for, you know, like a corporate company.
• 21:06
  like taking calls at 5: There is some restrictions about where, like, countries that I can work from, but essentially I can move around.
• 21:13
  like taking calls at 5: Uh, on the flip side of that, I have three animals.
• 21:17
  like taking calls at 5: And a house from the 1850s.
• 21:18
  like taking calls at 5: So Wow.
• 21:19
  like taking calls at 5: I'm not location dependent in that way because I've really tied myself down to this house.
• 21:26
  like taking calls at 5: but yeah, it's, uh, I don't remember where I was going with That's, I just wanna know, you don't, you don't have any like down, you can do trusted house sitters too.
• 21:36
  like taking calls at 5: You can have someone come and care for your pets in.
• 21:38
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 21:38
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 21:40
  like taking calls at 5: And, and we had, we do have people that, um, you know, come and, and stay with our animals when we travel.
• 21:47
  like taking calls at 5: Um, but I, I don't, oh, I remember where I was going now.
• 21:50
  like taking calls at 5: I don't think that long term travel is for me, like I do, like having my home base, my home office, my home couch and my, my animals around me.
• 22:04
  like taking calls at 5: Yes.
• 22:04
  like taking calls at 5: just really interesting that I kind of set out to be location independent and then decided that I don't know if that life is for me.
• 22:12
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, it's interesting because obviously not everything is for everyone and it, it's all about your comfort level and like what you want, and I can completely agree with that.
• 22:20
  like taking calls at 5: I think for me like.
• 22:22
  like taking calls at 5: I don't think long-term travel while working is for me, but I do think we have a bit of a plan in place where, you know, by the time we're not old but older, that that's what we want to do.
• 22:33
  like taking calls at 5: So that my husband and I, we don't have any kids.
• 22:35
  like taking calls at 5: So I think that that is sort of, I our plan.
• 22:38
  like taking calls at 5: 'cause I think, and not to be morbid, but our parents may not be here by that point.
• 22:42
  like taking calls at 5: We won't have that to worry about as well.
• 22:45
  like taking calls at 5: So I think, you know, that's definitely in life can throw you curve balls, of course.
• 22:49
  like taking calls at 5: But that is sort of definitely, a longer term plan for us.
• 22:53
  like taking calls at 5: So we'll Yeah, it's, Yeah.
• 22:54
  like taking calls at 5: Check back in 10 years, guys.
• 22:56
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 22:57
  like taking calls at 5: it's really not for everyone.
• 22:58
  like taking calls at 5: I met a, a gentleman, a Swedish gentleman, and um, he set out on this like six month nomad journey.
• 23:04
  like taking calls at 5: He had it quite planned.
• 23:05
  like taking calls at 5: And after the six months, he wrote a really awesome Instagram post that I like should share more, because he said, it's not for me.
• 23:13
  like taking calls at 5: He said, and this is why it's not for me, and I should read it back.
• 23:16
  like taking calls at 5: But it was just so nice to hear from someone too who you know, we think, oh, it's like trendy and cool to be a digital nomad.
• 23:23
  like taking calls at 5: But he said, I love traveling.
• 23:24
  like taking calls at 5: I would sometimes work remotely, but like the nomad lifestyle is not for me.
• 23:28
  like taking calls at 5: And I will say, like those nuances of wanting a home base returning to a a, a location again, is kind of how I fix that problem.
• 23:37
  like taking calls at 5: So, for example, in Europe, I have some extended family in Germany.
• 23:41
  like taking calls at 5: I've spent a, a chunk of time in Sophia, a chunk of time in the country of Montenegro as well.
• 23:46
  like taking calls at 5: So.
• 23:47
  like taking calls at 5: The familiarities of those places sort of become that like one, I dunno how to, it's not like one whole aspect, but you're like, oh, I know what to expect a little bit.
• 23:57
  like taking calls at 5: And then you just have that side of your nervous system a little bit calmer, and you're like, I know what I can expect for food and I know where a good bakery is, at least.
• 24:07
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 24:07
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 24:08
  like taking calls at 5: That's a key.
• 24:09
  like taking calls at 5: I mean.
• 24:09
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 24:13
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 24:14
  like taking calls at 5: So I would love if you could talk to us about a place that you've traveled that maybe you went with some like lower expectations and then it like was super amazing or like really exceeded your expectations and what maybe would've changed your mind about that destination.
• 24:29
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, it's like everyone always asks, what's your favorite place?
• 24:32
  like taking calls at 5: And I always say, for what purpose?
• 24:34
  like taking calls at 5: Like, give me a second context to plan it with.
• 24:37
  like taking calls at 5: Um, my last trip was mostly in the Balkans for a longer period of time, and overall, it surprised me a lot about the Balkan countries because I think perhaps coming from Western Canada, and I wanna speak like lightly on this, but I think there is a little bit of a stereotype of them being behind in technology or just kind of rougher or, um, not as economically stable and like just I don't know if messy is the right word.
• 25:05
  like taking calls at 5: And I would just, I wanna like break those stereotypes because for sure we have some things that are like in technology or advancing and maybe our economic, our economic state, well I don't know right now, but in normal times is a bit more stable and the government is less corrupt.
• 25:21
  like taking calls at 5: So I'm not getting political or economical'cause those are not my strong suits.
• 25:25
  like taking calls at 5: But I think what I like about the Balkans and what surprised me, and I'm speaking more in like Montenegro, Bulgaria.
• 25:32
  like taking calls at 5: Um, also, I mean, Hungary is a little different 'cause Budapest I think is a world in itself, in, in, . Hungry, but like some of the, uh, yeah.
• 25:40
  like taking calls at 5: Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, they're just chill.
• 25:43
  like taking calls at 5: Like they are a mindset in my experience of like, we make money, we spend money, we have coffee, we have coffee, multiple times a day with people.
• 25:53
  like taking calls at 5: You just call up your friend and they show up at the coffee shop.
• 25:55
  like taking calls at 5: Whereas Western Society is like in three weeks at 2:00 PM um, are you available?
• 26:02
  like taking calls at 5: Can you make it?
• 26:03
  like taking calls at 5: And the day before, oh, suddenly I can't make it.
• 26:05
  like taking calls at 5: And then it's like, why do I even schedule it in?
• 26:08
  like taking calls at 5: So I think what surprised me about the Balkan culture and I really do like, is just, it is simple.
• 26:13
  like taking calls at 5: It is a little bit of that, like less of that hustle mentality maybe because they don't have the opportunities we have.
• 26:22
  like taking calls at 5: It makes me more relaxed.
• 26:23
  like taking calls at 5: Like I don't feel that pressure, you know, in Montenegro.
• 26:25
  like taking calls at 5: This one town I lived in, they built one story of the house and they left the rebar in for the second story.
• 26:31
  like taking calls at 5: And the joke was kind of, we might finish it one day, maybe the next generation will, if we get enough money, but me, we don't really need to.
• 26:41
  like taking calls at 5: I love that for them.
• 26:42
  like taking calls at 5: I love it.
• 26:43
  like taking calls at 5: I was like, oh, cool.
• 26:44
  like taking calls at 5: Like, and they just, it's content, like it just feels.
• 26:48
  like taking calls at 5: Even tone.
• 26:49
  like taking calls at 5: So I think overall the Balkans are really surprising, but I did, I had Slovenia written down in my head because um, I didn't know anything about Slovenia and it is gorgeous there and it is absolutely beautiful.
• 27:01
  like taking calls at 5: It's so easy to get to country surrounding it, but it was more expensive, um, than I was expecting, but a huge push for sustainability there as well.
• 27:10
  like taking calls at 5: And wow, just like stunning nature and would love to explore there more.
• 27:14
  like taking calls at 5: I.
• 27:16
  like taking calls at 5: Excellent.
• 27:18
  like taking calls at 5: Now, we've referenced this already, so you are a vegetarian, so I'd love for you to talk to us about any shifts you've seen in accommodation of your eating preferences from maybe when traveling.
• 27:30
  like taking calls at 5: I. To now if there have been any, like where have you found maybe the best vegetarian food in your travels?
• 27:36
  like taking calls at 5: Like sort of talk to us how that's evolved.
• 27:38
  like taking calls at 5: As you know, societies' evolved to understand that it isn't all just about meat and potatoes.
• 27:45
  like taking calls at 5: I need some context here because I have a feeling you two may be meat and potatoes people.
• 27:50
  like taking calls at 5: No, um, the ver very opposite.
• 27:54
  like taking calls at 5: So I, I eat like 80% vegetarian.
• 27:58
  like taking calls at 5: Um, I grew up in a very meat and potatoes household and yeah, I think Megan's the same.
• 28:04
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, we, uh, we are definitely, I would like to be more vegetarian, but, yeah, my husband has some food allergies that make ve vegetarianism, like a little bit difficult.
• 28:15
  like taking calls at 5: Um, but yeah, so it, it can be challenging.
• 28:19
  like taking calls at 5: I've found like when we're traveling to, in some places to, find vegetarian food, like specifically at restaurants, obviously if you're going to the grocery store and, uh, and cooking for yourself, it's a lot easier.
• 28:33
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, and I was a pescatarian for five and a half years.
• 28:35
  like taking calls at 5: I just, uh, I started eating meat again in 2022, but I would say eat compared to me prior to 2017, which is when I started as a vegetarian and then moved to pescatarian.
• 28:46
  like taking calls at 5: I, I eat a lot less so, and we still eat full meals without meat.
• 28:49
  like taking calls at 5: So yeah, it's, uh, it's definitely not all meat and potatoes.
• 28:54
  like taking calls at 5: I mean, I grew up in Alberta, which is like for those listening is a heavy, heavy beef industry and we had steak like almost every Sunday in the summer.
• 29:04
  like taking calls at 5: So I think, um, there's a reason I'm not vegan just to preface, and that is because that is way more difficult when traveling.
• 29:11
  like taking calls at 5: And I was spending a month in Albania with a very strict vegan to the point of reading the back of chip labels.
• 29:18
  like taking calls at 5: And as much as I respect that, that was her choice and that was what it is, I just found it such a break in how we could enjoy ourselves.
• 29:26
  like taking calls at 5: So I find vegetarian quite easy because it's such a single thing on a plate.
• 29:33
  like taking calls at 5: So it's like I'll have all the sides.
• 29:35
  like taking calls at 5: I don't care if there's cream, sauces, I don't care if there's anything else.
• 29:38
  like taking calls at 5: Just don't gimme that piece of chicken.
• 29:40
  like taking calls at 5: And I do find it hard at times to find a direct replacement protein, and I'll say that in the sense of like a chickpea, any kind of bean or legume, any kind of soy product.
• 29:51
  like taking calls at 5: Again, going back to the Balkan, some of the countries don't have soy products.
• 29:54
  like taking calls at 5: It's just not in their, you know, in their grocery stores.
• 29:58
  like taking calls at 5: Um, so protein, like granola bars are kind of my backup plan in terms of like, if I'm grabbing a snack, I'll always grab that, but I never really found an issue.
• 30:08
  like taking calls at 5: I guess it's just part of my lifestyle that it's really easy for me not to, I always find there's grilled vegetables and potatoes on a menu.
• 30:15
  like taking calls at 5: Um, but Germany I think is kind of at the top for veganism.
• 30:21
  like taking calls at 5: Um, I was in Hamburg and there was like a Korean vegan restaurant and I was like, I went there twice 'cause it was so good.
• 30:28
  like taking calls at 5: Like two nights in a, she's like, you were here yesterday, weren't you?
• 30:31
  like taking calls at 5: And I was like, yeah, it was good.
• 30:33
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 30:33
  like taking calls at 5: it was 10, it was 10 euros.
• 30:34
  like taking calls at 5: It was like such good food.
• 30:37
  like taking calls at 5: tomorrow.
• 30:37
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 30:38
  like taking calls at 5: I dunno if you both, have you both been to Berlin in like maybe the last five years?
• 30:43
  like taking calls at 5: no.
• 30:43
  like taking calls at 5: No.
• 30:44
  like taking calls at 5: It's been a while since I've been in Berlin, but I know that that is just a hype place for, for veganism.
• 30:49
  like taking calls at 5: And veganism, I say that because of course then there's vegetarian food, so I think Europe is definitely winning there.
• 30:55
  like taking calls at 5: I find Canada super accessible for vegetarian and vegan eaters.
• 30:58
  like taking calls at 5: I find most restaurants, um, I'll say in France there's very good vegan food, but I find it to be a whole restaurant that's vegetarian versus, how do I explain it?
• 31:09
  like taking calls at 5: Like there's a whole restaurant dedicated to it.
• 31:11
  like taking calls at 5: Easy to find.
• 31:12
  like taking calls at 5: But a normal restaurant won't have an alternative.
• 31:15
  like taking calls at 5: Whereas my experience in Canada is many restaurants have at least one or two vegetarian alternatives.
• 31:22
  like taking calls at 5: So if you're hanging out with meat eater friends, then they're like, oh, can we go to like a normal restaurant tomorrow?
• 31:29
  like taking calls at 5: So, Yeah.
• 31:30
  like taking calls at 5: Do do you mind?
• 31:32
  like taking calls at 5: yeah, and I don't mind people eating meat around me.
• 31:34
  like taking calls at 5: I think that's like a choice too, that.
• 31:37
  like taking calls at 5: It doesn't bother me.
• 31:37
  like taking calls at 5: 'cause then you are limiting yourself to meeting cool people and like understanding people's purpose of eating meat.
• 31:44
  like taking calls at 5: Um, it's been interesting.
• 31:46
  like taking calls at 5: I've, I've spent more time with Muslim people, so of course they don't eat pork.
• 31:49
  like taking calls at 5: So like sometimes it's actually, um, it makes it easier to find food.
• 31:54
  like taking calls at 5: 'cause if a restaurant's all pork, then we both won't go there.
• 31:57
  like taking calls at 5: So.
• 31:57
  like taking calls at 5: Right yeah, yeah.
• 32:03
  like taking calls at 5: Cross it off the list.
• 32:04
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 32:04
  like taking calls at 5: There is one restaurant though in Prague that I, I wanna like, and I cannot remember the name, but it is a vegan restaurant making traditional Czech food, but fully vegan.
• 32:15
  like taking calls at 5: So you've got like a hearty, um, sitan, like the gluten, the wheat, kind of a beef.
• 32:23
  like taking calls at 5: Like a pork beef roll.
• 32:24
  like taking calls at 5: And then you got like the, it was so good, but I was like, this is crazy.
• 32:28
  like taking calls at 5: It's like hearty fatty food, but it was fully, yeah, so it's.
• 32:34
  like taking calls at 5: would do, I would totally do that.
• 32:35
  like taking calls at 5: Like my, my husband when I was pescatarian was very open to eating whatever I ate.
• 32:40
  like taking calls at 5: He didn't care.
• 32:41
  like taking calls at 5: He's not a huge foodie anyway.
• 32:43
  like taking calls at 5: So if we are in a place and we see a cool vegetarian or vegan restaurant, we'll definitely go there because a. If your entire restaurant is focused around this one style of cooking and eating, you know that it's, and they still exist 'cause restaurants are fickle.
• 32:58
  like taking calls at 5: So, you know, that it's, it's going to be most of the time.
• 33:01
  like taking calls at 5: Good.
• 33:01
  like taking calls at 5: So I love going to those as well, and we'll definitely add those to my itinerary if I see them For sure.
• 33:06
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, I try and like I, I create map list as well, so I, I'm constantly like saving and writing notes at each place and I always try and make sure to include if it's vegetarian friendly or like, what does that mean?
• 33:18
  like taking calls at 5: Like, is it just a potatoes and veggie place or there's, you know, obviously Indian food's really great because it has all the curries and you've got the lentils and legumes, so.
• 33:26
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, finding out like certain soups are surprising.
• 33:30
  like taking calls at 5: They might have, um, lentils in them, but in Turkey I found, I was like, why does it taste so good?
• 33:35
  like taking calls at 5: And someone's like, well, it's made with like chicken fat broth, but it's a lentil soup.
• 33:40
  like taking calls at 5: And I was like, oh.
• 33:41
  like taking calls at 5: Of course it is.
• 33:43
  like taking calls at 5: was like, I definitely ate too many of them to like be, I was already too far in, so I was like, Yeah.
• 33:50
  like taking calls at 5: just keep eating it.
• 33:51
  like taking calls at 5: You So, eating it and looking around.
• 33:53
  like taking calls at 5: You're just like, I'm gonna continue.
• 33:55
  like taking calls at 5: yeah.
• 33:56
  like taking calls at 5: I was like, that's why it tastes so like rich, kind of.
• 33:59
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 34:00
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 34:00
  like taking calls at 5: We're all just doing our best, Anna.
• 34:02
  like taking calls at 5: That's all Yeah, That's why I'm not vegan though, so I was like, there's no chicken chunks.
• 34:07
  like taking calls at 5: So Yeah.
• 34:08
  like taking calls at 5: That's right.
• 34:09
  like taking calls at 5: It's just essence of chicken.
• 34:11
  like taking calls at 5: yeah, I was just, I was just trying to get some soup.
• 34:15
  like taking calls at 5: It's all you were doing.
• 34:16
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 34:17
  like taking calls at 5: Yes.
• 34:19
  like taking calls at 5: All right.
• 34:19
  like taking calls at 5: Let's switch gears a little bit and talk about solo travel and meeting new people.
• 34:25
  like taking calls at 5: Mm-hmm.
• 34:25
  like taking calls at 5: And I feel like it can be tough sometimes to make new connections and especially if you're moving around often.
• 34:31
  like taking calls at 5: So how do you find that experience and what tips do you have for some other solo travelers who want to like meet people and uh, yeah.
• 34:43
  like taking calls at 5: Uh, this one is like, I feel like I finally cracked the code last September, so we're already like two and a half years into travel and I feel like I've finally.
• 34:52
  like taking calls at 5: In Europe, again, I'll give context of like how to meet people.
• 34:56
  like taking calls at 5: Um, so one, I'm gonna definitely plug my travel community because even this past week we had two people meet up in Columbia.
• 35:03
  like taking calls at 5: One who I had met in Albania and the other I met in Serbia.
• 35:06
  like taking calls at 5: And they're not from either of those countries, but they met in Columbia and um, some others met up in Serbia this week.
• 35:13
  like taking calls at 5: So that's a great resource to meet people, but.
• 35:16
  like taking calls at 5: I always say, if you wanna make friends, you have to show people you wanna make friends.
• 35:21
  like taking calls at 5: So in a hostel situation is a classic, like if you feel, and as a female as well, if you're like in a mixed dorm room, you know, be cautious and like approach with the intention that you wanna receive back.
• 35:33
  like taking calls at 5: So if you wanna be flirty and you're looking to like get romance and like you put that out there, if you're looking to meet like a very cordial friend, then you just say hi to someone.
• 35:44
  like taking calls at 5: So we have to remember, like there's such a variety of personalities and cultures.
• 35:47
  like taking calls at 5: Extrover, extroversion, that's not the word.
• 35:51
  like taking calls at 5: Being extroverted, Yes, yes.
• 35:54
  like taking calls at 5: being introverted.
• 35:55
  like taking calls at 5: Um, so my first step is to say hi.
• 35:58
  like taking calls at 5: Um, that being said, I have learned as a Canadian, we are nice and our hi and our niceness can be taken accidentally for flirting.
• 36:06
  like taking calls at 5: So that is unfortunately like a downside in a way now.
• 36:10
  like taking calls at 5: So I often might be a bit colder in the way I approach people just to make sure, like I'm just looking for a friend or I'm looking to have dinner with someone tonight.
• 36:18
  like taking calls at 5: And you're also solo.
• 36:19
  like taking calls at 5: So I'm looking to have dinner with the right type of people.
• 36:22
  like taking calls at 5: Um.
• 36:24
  like taking calls at 5: Hostel world has a great chat.
• 36:26
  like taking calls at 5: So if you're staying in the hostel, you get access to that chat 10 days in advance.
• 36:30
  like taking calls at 5: And a lot of people are like, Hey, I wanna grab a beer tonight.
• 36:34
  like taking calls at 5: Um, I wanna have dinner.
• 36:36
  like taking calls at 5: And I find group settings are good because then if it's a mix of international people, then chances are one of them will be cool, even if the rest are weird or creepy, like they'll be one what you define as normal.
• 36:49
  like taking calls at 5: Um, but I think it's, it's a mix of.
• 36:53
  like taking calls at 5: I think you have to join activities in a way, whether that's a walking tour, a biking group, um, going for local events.
• 37:04
  like taking calls at 5: Um, I once did a walking tour and then afterwards I wanted to have lunch but not alone.
• 37:09
  like taking calls at 5: And I approached these two Irish girls and I was so bold and I was like, girls, you wanna have lunch with me?
• 37:15
  like taking calls at 5: And they were like, um, uh.
• 37:20
  like taking calls at 5: You the weird one in the group, and they're Yeah.
• 37:23
  like taking calls at 5: we don't wanna No.
• 37:24
  like taking calls at 5: Well they were, they were on like a two, three day vacation.
• 37:26
  like taking calls at 5: This was in Romania too.
• 37:28
  like taking calls at 5: We ended up hitting it off.
• 37:29
  like taking calls at 5: I'm telling you, the next day they were like, girl, we're getting brunch at 11 o'clock.
• 37:33
  like taking calls at 5: Like, you should come.
• 37:35
  like taking calls at 5: They're like, when are you coming to Ireland?
• 37:37
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, so it's getting like, let me tell you that first 30 minutes hanging out with them, I was like, I'm so stupid.
• 37:43
  like taking calls at 5: Like, I was like, I've ruined their day.
• 37:46
  like taking calls at 5: You know I forced myself into a lunch with them.
• 37:48
  like taking calls at 5: One of them seemed to maybe not hungry or was uncomfortable eating, you know, just with a stranger kind of thing.
• 37:54
  like taking calls at 5: And I'm vegetarians.
• 37:55
  like taking calls at 5: We add that in the mix and then it's just like, I was like, you know what?
• 37:59
  like taking calls at 5: We are having lunch and there's an exit.
• 38:01
  like taking calls at 5: So if they don't wanna hang out for the rest of the day, we both can leave.
• 38:04
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 38:05
  like taking calls at 5: I think it's just putting yourself out there and.
• 38:08
  like taking calls at 5: You know, doing it with caution and, and knowing what you want.
• 38:11
  like taking calls at 5: So I think we, we said this before Megan, but, uh, understanding who you are and like what you're looking for in that moment.
• 38:19
  like taking calls at 5: Um, and also if you're solo traveling, like don't be afraid to call people from home.
• 38:23
  like taking calls at 5: Like a walk and a talk can do great things to just feel that connection with people.
• 38:27
  like taking calls at 5: Just saying hi to the bake, the bakery, the coffee shop, the chatting up with your waiter.
• 38:33
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 38:34
  like taking calls at 5: There's like, but you really have to put yourself out there and it can be hard and it can be to get that confidence and that extra energy when you're on top of things already working and traveling and moving.
• 38:43
  like taking calls at 5: So, Yeah.
• 38:45
  like taking calls at 5: And a follow up to that actually, because you just sort of brought it up a little bit about calling home and whatnot.
• 38:49
  like taking calls at 5: Do you get lonely?
• 38:51
  like taking calls at 5: Oh, oh my God.
• 38:52
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, let's just like, that's a for sure a downside.
• 38:56
  like taking calls at 5: So.
• 38:57
  like taking calls at 5: As much as I said Slovenia was beautiful.
• 38:59
  like taking calls at 5: I was in Ljubljana the, I believe it's the capital of Sylvania.
• 39:02
  like taking calls at 5: I hope I have that right.
• 39:03
  like taking calls at 5: But it's like one of the major cities and gorgeous, gorgeous place.
• 39:07
  like taking calls at 5: I had a beautiful apartment that I was able to rent from someone within my community, but I was so lonely.
• 39:14
  like taking calls at 5: Like honestly, I was like, it was definitely a downtime for me and it was summer and it was gorgeous.
• 39:20
  like taking calls at 5: Um, but in those moments, I wish I had these tips, like even just the hostel world or like just trying to find some kind of expat meetup or, but I took myself for a solo date to the castle.
• 39:33
  like taking calls at 5: They were doing outdoor movie nights and I was like, okay, I'm just gonna go enjoy this movie.
• 39:37
  like taking calls at 5: So I at least tried to put things in my schedule as well.
• 39:41
  like taking calls at 5: Um, it didn't lead to meeting anyone, but yeah, I gotta like go up and watch cool movies under the stars and the castle and um, yeah, I definitely get lonely and I think for me it's about navigating what is the loneliness.
• 39:56
  like taking calls at 5: So if it's just boredom or is it I'm needing some support, I'm needing some emotional connection, uh, I need a hug, you know, physical connection.
• 40:06
  like taking calls at 5: I think too, let's not even in the romantic sense, like just the idea of sitting close to someone.
• 40:11
  like taking calls at 5: You know, you're meeting strangers all the time, being able to sit next to someone on a couch and not like, have to have your hands to yourself like sitting comfortably.
• 40:18
  like taking calls at 5: These little things can like, make a big difference.
• 40:21
  like taking calls at 5: So, um.
• 40:23
  like taking calls at 5: I mean, find the cultures that you bond with as well.
• 40:27
  like taking calls at 5: That just brought back a core memory for me.
• 40:29
  like taking calls at 5: So I spent a month in France in 2004.
• 40:32
  like taking calls at 5: I won a work contest and Ooh.
• 40:34
  like taking calls at 5: was the prize.
• 40:36
  like taking calls at 5: And uh, but I went there for the first three weeks by myself, which was magical and wonderful.
• 40:42
  like taking calls at 5: But then for the last week, when I was back in Paris from the mountains, my father joined me and I remember the first hug.
• 40:49
  like taking calls at 5: And it was only three weeks, the first hug of someone I knew and I was just like, this is exactly what I was missing.
• 40:57
  like taking calls at 5: And it, I, it hadn't clicked into that moment, but Yep.
• 41:00
  like taking calls at 5: as I was able to touch someone and feel comfortable doing it, it made such a huge difference.
• 41:06
  like taking calls at 5: So when you said a hug, and that sounds like such a small thing, but it really isn't.
• 41:11
  like taking calls at 5: It's, I, I'm like, I can be an affectionate person, but I can remember a similar feeling.
• 41:16
  like taking calls at 5: I was in Portugal and I just wasn't feeling, I wasn't having like the best day everyone else was going surfing.
• 41:22
  like taking calls at 5: I didn't really just, I just didn't really wanna go surfing.
• 41:24
  like taking calls at 5: I just, I wanted that homebody.
• 41:26
  like taking calls at 5: I wanted my couch at that moment.
• 41:27
  like taking calls at 5: And, um, my friend Sam, a Belgian guy, he's, he is the nicest kid in the world, and he's like, are you okay?
• 41:34
  like taking calls at 5: And I was like, no, I'm just having, like, I'm just down.
• 41:36
  like taking calls at 5: And I was like, actually, Sam, would you be open to giving me a hug?
• 41:39
  like taking calls at 5: Like just, it was very much like a friend hug.
• 41:43
  like taking calls at 5: And I just remember being like, that was so nice, just to have a hug.
• 41:47
  like taking calls at 5: And that's all I needed.
• 41:48
  like taking calls at 5: He was like 10 seconds and I was like, I feel seen or something in that moment, I guess.
• 41:53
  like taking calls at 5: And I was like, that was just so nice of him to do that to me too.
• 41:56
  like taking calls at 5: And.
• 41:58
  like taking calls at 5: It's just you don't know what you're missing.
• 41:59
  like taking calls at 5: So I think sometimes if you feel loneliness, you have to sit in your thoughts and like, you gotta do the journaling.
• 42:04
  like taking calls at 5: You gotta do the, the thinking through of like, what is it I'm missing?
• 42:08
  like taking calls at 5: Go to McDonald's.
• 42:09
  like taking calls at 5: If that's your thing.
• 42:09
  like taking calls at 5: Like, I don't know, what, what is it?
• 42:11
  like taking calls at 5: You need an iced coffee?
• 42:12
  like taking calls at 5: Like, you know, those little things that might just make you feel comfortable again.
• 42:17
  like taking calls at 5: Definitely.
• 42:19
  like taking calls at 5: yeah.
• 42:20
  like taking calls at 5: So talk to us about Your Travel Friend.
• 42:23
  like taking calls at 5: How did that start?
• 42:24
  like taking calls at 5: How does it work?
• 42:25
  like taking calls at 5: How can people join?
• 42:26
  like taking calls at 5: definitely.
• 42:26
  like taking calls at 5: Um, so it's my little baby project.
• 42:29
  like taking calls at 5: It's not a baby.
• 42:30
  like taking calls at 5: I, I, my goal is like, to speak more confidently about it 'cause it's such an epic, um, group to be a part of.
• 42:38
  like taking calls at 5: And the idea that came was I would have friends, for example, one of you could ask me?
• 42:43
  like taking calls at 5: Like I. What tips do you have for Thailand?
• 42:45
  like taking calls at 5: And I'd be like, oh, I don't, I've never been to Thailand.
• 42:48
  like taking calls at 5: But let me ask my friend Sally.
• 42:50
  like taking calls at 5: I don't have a friend Sally, but we'll just call her Sally.
• 42:53
  like taking calls at 5: Sure.
• 42:54
  like taking calls at 5: And I'm asking Sally, Sally's messaging me.
• 42:56
  like taking calls at 5: I'm messaging you two, and then you two are being like, oh, can you ask Sally one more question?
• 42:59
  like taking calls at 5: And I'm like, oh, this is kind of annoying.
• 43:02
  like taking calls at 5: But I'm also learning.
• 43:03
  like taking calls at 5: I love learning from Sally.
• 43:05
  like taking calls at 5: So my idea was putting all my friends in a group chat where I can learn from the discussion you have with Sally while you can get the answers you need, she can support you.
• 43:14
  like taking calls at 5: And that's how your travel friend kind of came to be.
• 43:17
  like taking calls at 5: I found like I was meeting more people, people from home, not only digital nomads, but folks going on those 10 day trips wanting to test out remote working.
• 43:27
  like taking calls at 5: Um, so I've made it into a community on WhatsApp because most folks are on WhatsApp, although a lot of Canadians are not.
• 43:33
  like taking calls at 5: Let's just, uh, if they have an iPhone, I'm like teaching people how to get on WhatsApp.
• 43:39
  like taking calls at 5: It's crazy.
• 43:40
  like taking calls at 5: So Canadians download it, it's a great app.
• 43:43
  like taking calls at 5: Um.
• 43:44
  like taking calls at 5: And there's a community within there.
• 43:46
  like taking calls at 5: And then there's groups within there too, of connecting locals and internationals with travelers.
• 43:51
  like taking calls at 5: So if you've been to a place or you're local or knowledgeable, I ask you to join the groups.
• 43:56
  like taking calls at 5: And then if you're curious or you have questions, then you can join the groups as well.
• 44:01
  like taking calls at 5: And um, yeah, some people have met in person, which is like so exciting to see around the world as people share you know, eSIM tips or hostel tips, or do I need cash in this place, or I'm only here for these kind of days.
• 44:15
  like taking calls at 5: Anyone know of local events happening?
• 44:17
  like taking calls at 5: of course, AI is a huge part of travel now and travel planning.
• 44:21
  like taking calls at 5: But there is just this component of a friend, of a human, of a trust factor that I just don't think the robots right now are replacing for us.
• 44:31
  like taking calls at 5: Um.
• 44:32
  like taking calls at 5: So, yeah, that's how it came to be.
• 44:33
  like taking calls at 5: And you know, I'm, I'm looking to grow it, so to have some, some meetings in person.
• 44:38
  like taking calls at 5: There's a future trip in the works for the fall.
• 44:42
  like taking calls at 5: I don't say too much because by saying that enough, I'm holding myself accountable.
• 44:47
  like taking calls at 5: Um, but yeah, I hope too, I, I host a community call once a month too, which will always be free because I want it as a chance for people to get to know the community.
• 44:56
  like taking calls at 5: And just like we're chatting now, it's like so great how people are helping each other.
• 45:00
  like taking calls at 5: One person was on a train just this past Sunday, was on a train in Italy with their dog helping someone in Canada who wants to fly to Italy with their dog.
• 45:10
  like taking calls at 5: And I'm like, you two would've never crossed paths.
• 45:12
  like taking calls at 5: So Yeah.
• 45:13
  like taking calls at 5: Travel Matchmaker, I don't know what to call it.
• 45:15
  like taking calls at 5: Something like this.
• 45:16
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah.
• 45:17
  like taking calls at 5: Well, it sounds to me like your little baby's growing right up, so congratulations on that.
• 45:23
  like taking calls at 5: Obviously you've helped many, many people and I'm sure it will continue to do so.
• 45:26
  like taking calls at 5: We'll of course, link your website, um, which we'll talk about as well in a moment and wherever else people can find you.
• 45:33
  like taking calls at 5: But before we talk about that, what destinations do you have coming up?
• 45:38
  like taking calls at 5: Do tell us where you're headed so we can live vicariously.
• 45:42
  like taking calls at 5: So after a decent break, being back in Canada, which has definitely subsided my burnout, um, I will stay in Canada for most of the summer, heading to British Columbia, visiting a lot of, um, old acquaintances, some family, some old family friends.
• 45:57
  like taking calls at 5: I have a wedding to attend, so trying to maximize that and road trip out in BC 'cause it's just amazing.
• 46:03
  like taking calls at 5: And cross our fingers that the forest fires are, you know.
• 46:07
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, Controlled, but it, it will be what it, it will be, I mean, Canada's gorgeous in the summertime, so I don't know why I was here in the winter.
• 46:15
  like taking calls at 5: I should have just come home in the summer.
• 46:17
  like taking calls at 5: But, uh, yeah.
• 46:18
  like taking calls at 5: No.
• 46:19
  like taking calls at 5: and then my goal for the fall, again, like you're gonna freak out that I don't have anything booked, but my goal is to get back to Europe, to make my way to Southeast Asia for the first time.
• 46:29
  like taking calls at 5: So I'm excited to explore Thailand and Vietnam and a lot of the digital nomad hubs.
• 46:35
  like taking calls at 5: I think I'm gonna take it slow there, kind of living like a month, a time at a place.
• 46:39
  like taking calls at 5: Um, yeah, it would be much different to have a hot, hot winter.
• 46:43
  like taking calls at 5: So, but that'll be my first time properly in Asia.
• 46:46
  like taking calls at 5: I've been in Turkey, which is part of Asia, but um, more of the continent.
• 46:51
  like taking calls at 5: Yeah, so that's the plan.
• 46:53
  like taking calls at 5: Amazing.
• 46:54
  like taking calls at 5: So where can, uh, we and the listeners follow along on your travels you can find me anywhere, um, at your travel friend Anna.
• 47:02
  like taking calls at 5: I have a YouTube channel.
• 47:03
  like taking calls at 5: I'm on Instagram.
• 47:04
  like taking calls at 5: Unfortunately, there's nothing going on TikTok because I'm personally addicted to it, so I've had to step away from TikTok.
• 47:12
  like taking calls at 5: Um, fair.
• 47:13
  like taking calls at 5: website's also your travel friend anna.com.
• 47:15
  like taking calls at 5: I've a free packing list on there.
• 47:17
  like taking calls at 5: You can find the community there as well.
• 47:19
  like taking calls at 5: And yeah, that's how you can find me.
• 47:22
  like taking calls at 5: Excellent.
• 47:24
  like taking calls at 5: And um, you know what, that is it for this week's episode, but thank you again, Anna, for joining us on this episode, and I'm positive that you have done a lot to inspire others to think differently about how they might want to travel or at least maybe even give them the courage to actually do something they've been considering or join your community if they do have questions about travel so that they can share maybe what they know, but also learn from other people.
• 47:49
  like taking calls at 5: I think that that's amazing and I see that going big places.
• 47:53
  like taking calls at 5: 'cause you're right, AI is excellent.
• 47:55
  like taking calls at 5: We all use it, but I think the human, the human touch is, uh, still so necessary.
• 48:01
  like taking calls at 5: Um, and as always, you can find us, uh, on our socials at Travel Mug Podcast on our website at travelmugpodcast.com.
• 48:07
  like taking calls at 5: If you can leave us a review on Spotify or Apple or support the show through by me a Coffee, the link is in our show notes as well.
• 48:14
  like taking calls at 5: We will include Anna's links too.
• 48:17
  like taking calls at 5: And until next time, bye everyone.
• 48:20
  like taking calls at 5: Thank you.