Stop waiting, start packing: How solo travel changes you with Melissa Byron

You don’t need a significant other, bestie, or bachelorette invite to see the world. You simply need the desire (which you’ve got), the confidence to take your dreams seriously, and the courage to act on it.

In this episode of Most Self-Improved, hosts Bhavana Chilukuri and Erin Jensen chat with Melissa Byron of A Solo Woman Traveling — an expert who curates luxury European tours for women. She’s here to tell you that freedom, fun, and self-discovery don’t require anyone else’s permission. 

“I was about to turn 30,” Melissa remembers of her first solo trip, “and I hadn’t really done any traveling. And I thought, ‘Okay, I can just keep waiting, or I can go on a trip by myself.’”

If you’ve ever dreamed of booking the flight, making pasta from scratch in Italy, or sipping espresso in Paris without explaining yourself to anyone, this episode will have you fired up like a jet engine.

In this episode:
1:35 Bhavana and Erin’s experience with solo travel and their hesitation

5:23 Melissa enters the chat: Solo travel “changed my life in so many ways”

6:15 What keeps us waiting: “In the early days I was saving destinations until I had someone special to go with, and then I realized, 'This is silly. I can always go back.’”

10:48 Avoid Melissa’s travel mistakes 

12:30 How to make friends on trips

13:30 Melissa’s tips for solo travel: Start local and “pay for convenience over anything else”

16:18 Preparing for solo travel

19:00 Your sign to just go: “Look and book”

More:

If you’re interested in learning more about Melissa, her tips, and her trips, make the journey over to her website. Connect with her on Instagram: @ASoloWomanTraveling

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