HI FRIENDS! 😊
This is my little slice of internet to share everything I’ve seen and learned in my four years of traveling the world solo. Here you’ll find destination guides full of practical advice, bucket list experiences, travel tips, and more! I’m all about unique travel experiences – finding the best local eats, wandering off the beaten path in big cities, and seeking out lesser-known destinations.
I work online and travel most of the year, so I’m pretty good at this whole seeing the world thing by now! I’ve been to 36 countries across 6 continents and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
But I didn’t grow up having an expensive, cool, or particularly exciting life. I was born in the Bay Area, California, to an Iranian immigrant father & a small-town Illinois mother. I went to university, graduated, got a job, got promoted, took a lot of subway rides, ate, slept, drank a lot of coffee, repeat. I was BORED AF.
I didn’t start traveling until I was 26 – when I quit my job, packed my bags, and followed my then-boyfriend to Sydney, Australia with no job, no friends, and no plan.
When we broke up soon after, I decided to stay in Australia anyway. I’d spent my entire adult life in that relationship and I honestly didn’t know how to be alone, so I started learning. I went to lunch by myself, then dinner, then a party. I moved to a new city. Pretty soon, without realising I’d changed at all, I was booking a solo trip to Southeast Asia.
Everyone thought I would get the post-breakup-solo-girl thing out of my system, but the opposite happened. I was invigorated. Staying safely in my comfort zone had gotten me nowhere in life, but exploring and pushing my own limits made me stronger.
For the first time in my life (thanks, depression) I was excited about the future. And after that I was totally ruined. I realised travel was the missing piece I’d been looking for, and that the life I’d been on track to live wasn’t the right one for me. So I hustled, started working online, and started creating the life of my dreams.
I haven’t spent more than a month in one place since September 2017. Since then I’ve explored 30+ countries across Asia, Europe, and Northern Africa. I’ve trekked with Komodo dragons, swam with Manta rays, climbed the Pyramids of Giza, eaten fondue in the Swiss Alps, stayed in luxurious 5-star hotels and the most disgusting hostels you could imagine, fallen in love, gotten my heart shattered again, made some of the most incredible friendships. It’s been a wild ride but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
It’s not lost on me how lucky (and how privileged) I am to have these experiences. And I know solo travel, full-time travel, or even frequent travel aren’t options for everyone. But I believe there are ways for EVERYONE to get out there and see the world, find things that bring them happiness and fulfillment, and feel like they’re truly living the life they’re meant to live.
I hope my posts help some of you get there 🙂 Thanks for following my journey and feel free to drop a line at jalehmichelle@gmail.com for advice, questions, or just to say hello!
And don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Bloglovin if you’d like to see more of my travels!
