Last week ended with a tearful goodbye. This week’s adventure started even before reaching customs. Leaving my home country felt daunting, especially as a solo woman. Unfortunately, customs officials seemed overly cautious about my solo travels. They put me through a series of what felt like unnecessary procedures, likely to ensure my safety. While it was a bit frustrating, I understood their concern.

Thankfully, everything was eventually cleared up, and I even managed to change my flight for free, gaining some extra time at the airport. I found a quiet corner to work productively for a few hours, a surprisingly positive turn after the initial customs hurdle.

Landing in this city felt strangely familiar, like a forgotten memory coming back to life. Everything seemed known, yet this time I was here alone.

My days were a mix of relaxation and exploration. I spent some peaceful moments poolside with a fantastic book The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho. I ventured out for some exciting Geocaching adventures, where I got my first Trackable cache, which was super exciting and I am going to take it back to China. Thanks Lee!

I treated myself to delicious local food. However, without a daily plan, the weeks seemed to blur together.

The nights, however, were a different story. My cool quiet hotel room turned into a nightmare hell. I dreat about my best friend die and my family die and all the most horrible nightmares could ever happen to me. Woke up later at night sweating was another real life nightmare.

With a new week on the horizon and a trusty pen in hand, I’m determined to get back to my New Year Resolution on track. Maybe a well-planned day will make solo travel feel a little less lonely. After all, being alone doesn’t have to be synonymous with loneliness, right?