Deadlines are comforting until you realize they’re imaginary. After a week of health scares in our circle, we talk candidly about why travel plans so often stall—and how to turn intention into action before time makes the choice for you. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect companion, perfect price, or perfect timing, this conversation hands you permission and a plan to go anyway.

We start by naming the big dream—the destination that keeps tugging at you—and reframing it as a Masogi-style challenge: a bold, defining trip that stretches your limits and resets your sense of what’s possible. From there, we break the process into practical tracks: money, time, knowledge, and logistics.

Then we get tactical. We share how to build a mock itinerary in Wanderlog so ideas become maps, not just wishes. We outline a saving plan you can stick to, and the exact tools we use to catch deals—Google Flights, Skyscanner, Booking, and Going—plus how to set fare alerts that quietly do the work while you live your life. You’ll learn to pick dates, star neighborhoods, and make quick decisions when prices dip, all while staying out of debt and in control.

By the end, you’ll have a clear first step, a destination to claim, and the confidence to travel solo if that’s what gets you moving. Put your goal on the wall, start the alerts, and take one small action today. If this sparked your next trip, subscribe, share the show with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review to help more travelers find us. Where will you go first?

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The year winds down, but our maps are just getting interesting. After a warm reset in Florida, a birthday pilgrimage to Iceland, canyon time in West Texas, an Austin do-over, and a passport-stacking cruise, we took a hard look at what actually made 2025 travel feel good—and what didn’t. The frenzy cooled, flight deals quietly returned, and a new mindset emerged: go with intention, spend smarter, and skip the crush.

From that lens we reveal seven destinations we’re excited about for 2026, all chosen with solo women in mind: Albania’s affordable Riviera and rugged Alps, Taiwan’s festival-rich culture and flawless transit, Uzbekistan’s Silk Road splendor stitched together by high-speed rail, Poland’s overlooked mix of medieval squares and Baltic breezes, Slovenia’s lakes-and-Alps perfection anchored by walkable Ljubljana, South Korea’s Seoul where palaces meet neon and late-night eats, and Mongolia’s vast steppe, monasteries, and wild horses that reward guided exploration. Each pick balances safety, value, and texture, offering big experiences without elbowing through the usual lines.

We also share why revenge travel finally ran out of steam, how to spot mistake fares without chasing noise, and when shoulder seasons stretch budgets while keeping the magic. If you’re ready to trade overdone itineraries for places that still surprise, this guide is your green light. Listen to map your next move, then tell us where you’re headed. Subscribe, share with a friend who travels solo, and leave a review with the destination you want us to tackle next.

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The glossy photos don’t show the jet lag, the missed connections, or the quiet nights when you’re not sure where to eat. We’re opening the guidebook to the pages most people skip and exploring five unglamorous truths about solo travel that can actually make your journey richer: the physical toll of transit, plans that unravel, waves of loneliness, decision fatigue, and the pressure to perform for social media. None of these are dealbreakers. With the right mindset and a few practical tools, they become the parts of the trip that teach you the most.

I share how I build buffer days to recover from long-haul flights, why flexible itineraries beat rigid spreadsheets, and the small rituals that turn solitude into nourishment—journaling, reading, music, and low-stakes social plans like walking tours or cooking classes. We talk about designing “zero days” and “minimal days” to reset your brain, ditching the urge to “see it all,” and creating simple defaults that cut through choice overload. We also unpack the pressure to capture flawless selfies and how batching photos—or sharing later—protects your attention for what matters: the people you meet, the neighborhoods you drift through, and the moments you can’t stage.

There’s a reality check too. Expectations shaped by edited images can set you up for disappointment, like the famous view that’s grayer than your feed. I revisit Rainbow Mountain as a case study in embracing the journey when the postcard doesn’t match the sky. The takeaway isn’t to lower your standards; it’s to widen them. Let the detours count. Let the small wins land. Let gratitude keep you grounded when plans bend. If you’ve been craving a more honest, sustainable approach to solo travel, this conversation will help you prepare, adapt, and savor the road you’re on.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s planning a trip, and leave a review—what truth about solo travel has taught you the most?

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https://www.cherylbeckesch.com

hello@cherylbeckesch.com

Instagram @solotraveladventures50