Anyone who has ever planned a trip to Thailand knows how important each individual temple is in regard to its culture, religion, politics and overall way of life. One of the highlights that many travelers look forward to is the visit to the Royal Temple in Bangkok, otherwise known as Wat Phra Kaew that houses the Emerald Buddha. I for one couldn’t wait to catch a glimpse of the statue carved from a single piece of green stone and gain a sense of peace or enlightenment that many others who have visited before shared.

Unfortunately, the universe had other plans with the death of one of the most respected members of the royal family, Princess Barjrakitiyabha, lovingly nicknamed “Princess Bha” or the “Prosecutor Princess” (for her legal background). Parts of the Grand Palace restricted visitor access or were closed during my three-day stay in Bangkok in order for the family and foreign dignitaries to have space for the royal funeral rites. 

I won’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed. Seeing Wat Phra Kaew had been at the top of my Bangkok bucket list. My heart goes out to the Thai Royal family for their loss. Even though I missed my spiritual moment in awe of the Emerald Buddha, I did gain something more valuable: an introduction to Thailand’s monarchy, shrouded in mystery and questions about its future succession. 

Before my time in Thailand, I knew as much about the Thai monarchy as I do about aeronautical engineering – nothing. With the fear of sounding totally ignorant, I had no idea that Thailand still had an operating monarch system until the news of the Princess’ death so that made me naturally curious to their current structure armed with questions.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as King Rama X ascended to the throne almost 10 years ago. He is the most recent king of the Chakri Dynasty that started back in 1782, so one could say they’ve been around the block. Like most monarchies, who would step up and take control over the throne in the event of the king’s passing has been an important part of maintaining continuity. That succession typically involves a direct offspring that my Thai Tour Director referred to as “blue blood” or a child born into the royal family (not a child from a girlfriend or a commoner, like myself).

King Rama X’s first marriage brought forth only one child. Princess Bha, a true royal member of the Chakri Dynasty. She would eventually become a lawyer, diplomat, military officer, and one of the most respected members of the royal family, but the princess was just that – a princess not a prince.

Historically, Thailand’s succession has favored male heirs, but Princess Bha’s education, military service, legal career, and public standing made many people see her as far more than “just another princess.”  

The King’s first marriage, like many, eventually ended. He moved on to his second wife, a famous Thai actor and entertainer whom according to sources he was absolutely infatuated with even from a young age. Your classic romcom, “She’s always been the one and now I have to run to her.”

King Rama X and his second wife had four sons together, seemingly securing a male line of succession and allowing Princess Bha to continue serving the Thai people in a different capacity. But like all good things, they come to an end. 

In 1996, the King publicly accused his wife of disloyalty. There were talks of adultery, abuse of power for personal gain, fraud, you name it. And I’m not talking about a few whispers here and there. I’m saying that the King straight aired that dirty laundry out for everyone. It was so bad that she collected herself and the future heirs of the monarchy, hopped on a plane and said goodbye because she was scared of what would happen next.

King Rama X allowed it and matched her with disowning the whole lot of them, the sons who once appeared to secure the dynasty’s future included. Stripped of their titles, exiled from Thailand, and was completely done.

I’m skipping over about three seasons’ worth of royal family drama here, but this is the version relevant to understanding why Princess Bha mattered. I also know that on occasion the family, both ex wife and sons included, have been back to visit Thailand but my knowledge on that content is limited.

Here’s where Princess Bha’s role in the story becomes especially significant. Remember, she’s already a badass and the people love her, but pair that with the fact that now she’s really one of the few remaining members of the royal family who could succeed the king. Would it have been better if she were a male? Based on history, for sure, but many royal watchers viewed her as one of the strongest potential successors and assumed she would carry on the legacy. 

When Princess Bha collapsed in December 2022 and never regained consciousness, a question immediately came forward that had largely stayed in the background for years. If she didn’t get better or survive, who would succeed King Rama X?

To be clear, she was not the publicly designated heir, just widely viewed as the strongest potential successor. To be crystal clear, King Rama X has never publicly designated any heir – male or female.

Officially, nobody seems eager to speculate. Unofficially, everyone has a theory.

The king’s son, Prince Dipangkorn, is often mentioned as the most likely successor. Others point out that royal succession in Thailand has never been as straightforward as outsiders assume.

It’s been almost two weeks since Princess Bha’s death. There is an official 15-day mourning period, with ceremonies happening at the Royal Temple for the family, world leaders, and close friends. Because she was royalty, there will be an extended 100-day period of funeral prayers and royal rites. Yet at no point is the King expected to name an heir and it probably won’t happen any time soon. 

What was wild to me was the atmosphere.

Many people were in mourning and it wasn’t just confined to the Royal Palace. What struck me most wasn’t a funeral procession or crowds dressed in black. It was how her presence seemed to follow me through Bangkok. Large portraits of Princess Bha stood outside buildings, elaborate shrines appeared in public spaces, and even the airport displayed memorials honoring her life. 

But you couldn’t even speculate who would take over the throne in public. In the conversations that I had while traveling through Bangkok, conversations about the monarchy ended almost as quickly as they began. Some of that silence felt rooted in respect. Some of it may have reflected Thailand’s strict laws surrounding discussion of the monarchy. Either way, it became clear that this wasn’t casual dinner conversation. For now the focus is mourning for their beloved Princess, rather than succession.

Travel has a funny way of reminding you that countries aren’t museums.

They’re living stories.

Every destination has its own joys, heartbreaks, celebrations, and moments of uncertainty happening whether tourists are there to witness them or not.

Sometimes you arrive expecting to learn about the past.

Instead, you accidentally witness history being written in real time.

About this essay

This is a personal travel essay based on my experience visiting Bangkok during Thailand’s royal mourning period following the death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha. Historical events are summarized to provide context for the story and are not intended as a comprehensive history of the Thai monarchy.

Further Reading & Sources

• Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha dies after more than three years in coma (BBC, 2026)
• Thai king Maha Vajiralongkorn’s ex-wife in exile: 5 insights into Sujarinee Vivacharawongse’s life and legacy (South China Morning Post, 2019)
• Thai Bluebloods Must Work for a Living : Asia: Royal family is huge because of its history of polygamy. Their ranks include prime ministers, plumbers, movie stars and taxi drivers. (Los Angeles Times, 1995)
• Exclusive: Thai Princes Banished Again as Eldest Says ‘I Did Nothing Wrong’ (Time, 2025)
• My Thai tour director and conversations during my travels in Bangkok

The post THE ROYAL STORY I NEVER EXPECTED TO FIND IN BANGKOK appeared first on Sarah Travels Alot.

I know I can’t. 

Judge away if you will, but that cigarette… excuse me, baray… changed the course of one night.

Quick update for the readers – I have a type. No, not the cigarettes. Honestly, I’ll smoke whatever brand you put in front of me. I have a type when it comes to men.

This is not groundbreaking information. It is not new information. It is, in fact, information that has followed me around several countries and at least two different continents.

I like older men.

Not “slightly older.” Not “a few years older.” I mean older enough that my friends occasionally stare at me, do the math in their heads, and ask if everything is okay.

Everything is fine.

At least I think it is.

It was that first puff of the cigarette outside of a Cambodian hotel when I asked if a seat was taken that I realized the pattern had officially become undeniable.

Now, before anyone gets the wrong idea, Cambodia was supposed to be about culture. About history. About community engagement. About temples and understanding. All about this country that had already captured my heart within hours of arriving.

It was not supposed to be about a French hotel general manager.

And yet.

Travel has a funny way of laughing at your plans.

One minute you’re discussing ancient civilizations and trying to understand how an entire community came together to build something like Angkor Wat. The next minute you’re wondering how a Frenchman managed to make eye contact feel like a competitive sport.

The thing is, it wasn’t really about him.

That’s the easy version of the story.

The harder version is that somewhere over the last few years I stopped feeling particularly visible. Not invisible, because that would imply that you weren’t seen at all and that was not the case. I was being seen by coworkers, customers, family, responsibilities, bills, deadlines, by everything… except by me. 

I started feeling more practical, responsible, and busy. When you decide to pick up your whole life and move across the country, things can start to add up and you don’t tend to have time for the shenanigans you once had.

I became the woman answering emails, trying to keep her head above water at work with a new territory and ripping as many outbounds as I could. 

I was the woman now struggling to pay the bills, because how in the world did gas increase by a dollar fifty?

I was the woman who thought maybe moving was a mistake and it was time to formulate a new plan. What’s my next step? How can I keep from being stagnant? What is my purpose in this world?

Life became one spreadsheet after another. You should see my Google Drive right now with the number of different sheets I have for specific purposes in regards to what you just read. Drowning.

Now suddenly I’m halfway around the world, asking to borrow a lighter on the back patio of a Cambodian Hotel, talking to a Frenchman with silver at his temples and the confidence of someone who has stopped apologizing for taking up space.

And I remembered something. I remembered that I’m still a woman before I’m a professional. Still adventurous before I’m practical. Still curious before I’m sensible. Still capable of being completely and utterly distracted.

Travel does that.

It strips away the version of yourself that was built for efficiency. The version optimized for meetings and schedules and productivity. It leaves behind the person underneath.

The person who gets excited.

The person who flirts.

The person who says yes.

The person who isn’t entirely sure what’s going to happen next and is strangely okay with that.

Maybe that’s why I keep falling for older men. I don’t think it’s because of the age itself, although I am drawn to their knowledge and wealth of experiences. But I believe that they have something figured out that I long for. 

They’re comfortable being exactly who they are.

No performance. No audition. No panic. No pretending.

Just certainty.

And maybe that’s what I’m really attracted to. It’s not age. It’s freedom. 

Freedom.

The freedom to stop asking permission to become yourself.

The freedom to walk into a room and belong there.

The freedom to build a life that doesn’t need constant explanation.

The Frenchman wasn’t the story. 

Cambodia wasn’t even the story. 

The story was realizing that somewhere between the temples, the conversations, the humidity, and the long flights, I had started becoming that woman too.

The one who takes up space. 

The one who books the ticket. 

The one who starts over when she has to. 

The one who falls in love with countries faster, and far more often than she falls in love with people.

Although, to be fair, the French accent certainly didn’t hurt. 

Neither did the cigarette.

The post OLDER, BOLDER & FRENCH appeared first on Sarah Travels Alot.

I was 32 when my job gave me the opportunity to spend time in Italy and I thought, “if Lizzie McGuire could have all of that in one summer, under “careful and strict chaperoning” then why couldn’t I?” At least I was a grown ass adult. I was so grown that even as I tossed a coin into that same Trevi Fountain, whispering to myself can I please have a Lizzie McGuire summer, I knew there’s no way that it’s ever going to happen. I haven’t experienced much cosmic magic in my life and to be sure it wouldn’t start happening now.

Boy, was I wrong.

The Greek Titan, Oceanus had much different plans for me.

It started with a pinot grigio out in front of Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major on a very traditional, hot Roman day. I had a guided experience at the basilica and happened to be early for the first time in my life. Also, I was looking so fire (much like the weather). Curled hair, cute little black dress, actually took the time to put makeup on, who did I think I was?

I had been coordinating with one of the staff for the tour to make sure I had the correct meeting point for the group, a very proud, northern Italian man who I will not name. I will say I did find it quite strange that as we were communicating via WhatsApp that he commented on my profile picture of me enjoying a Swiss Fondue evening from a previous trip with a winning smile, glass of wine, living life with the statement, “You look like a good eater!” What does that even mean? Is that a compliment? Who even are you? I’ll come to find out later that he was trying to admire my smile.

I’m so glad he made that weird, flirty, semi-compliment, because when he walked up to introduce himself I chugged the rest of my pinot and thought, “There’s no way I’m learning anything about archeology.” Short king, voice of a Roman God, a posture and wardrobe that didn’t scream, but whispered in your ear because it knew that he meant business and would take care of anything you needed. But I’ve heard the stories, I knew it would be dangerous to reciprocate. Although I also tend to lean very heavily into the phrase, you only live once and I wouldn’t be in Italy forever. 

I think the moment I was head over heels for this man was when he basically told me I was not walking to the next destination, I would be riding in the bus with the rest of his group because he couldn’t have my legs hurting before my next walking tour. On the bus he breaks out in Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer”. He didn’t care what he sounded like, although I would have bought front row tickets no matter the cost, and the rest of the group was also melting in their seats along with me. That was the moment I knew I was in trouble.

It didn’t take long for him to send me another WhatsApp message teasing me about how he could give me a better food walking tour of Italy and hopefully they had a glass of pinot grigio along the way, as he noticed that was my drink of choice. I don’t know that before this moment I’ve ever been in a situation where I’ve been completely consumed by someone, but I do relate to those who have said it’s more like floating instead of falling and I was on cloud nine.

Later, he asked me to join him for a rooftop drink near the Pantheon, ordered a bottle of his favorite white and we spent well over a couple hours talking about complete nonsense. How we grew up, what brought us to Italy (Rome specifically for him), what six movie posters we would put on the wall if we had a home movie theatre, and shared a cigarette or five. I’ll never forget towards the end of the night, he looked at me and said, “ask me something that you would never ask someone the first time you met them?” I knew what he was trying to do, but I decided to give him a curve ball to see if I could crack the suave demeanor and asked if he had ever been arrested before. After a good laugh and a very determinative no, I continued to probe with what were you hoping that I had asked? And like King Neptune himself, commanding every part of the scene around him, he asked why had he not kissed me yet. Done. It’s over. I’m literally so close to experiencing falling in love in less than 24 hours for the first time in my life.

We continued to chat, laugh, he even moved to be sure he was able to put an arm around me and told me he wanted to show me the Trevi Fountain. Little did he know I had already seen it and made that wish for a Lizzie McGuire summer that was unfolding right before my eyes, but his eyes showed so much excitement and passion for seeing this through me, I couldn’t say no. I learned more about that fountain in those 20 minutes than I had the hour the day before and I knew throwing in another coin, according to Italian lore, meant that I would get married in Italy. 

The next two days we found excuses to meet up with one another, stealing moments within Rome’s crowded streets. But the time came for my trip to continue on to Malta and I had to say my goodbyes. “I’ve always wanted to marry an American”, were the last words he said to me. Too good to be true, yet I clung to those words like a life raft as I floated along the Mediterranean Sea. 

I’ve met men before when I’ve travelled. We had good times, we took our pictures, and then when it was time to say goodbye I just left. Of course there are the conversations of, “I’ll keep in touch”, but that never happens. My life is in America and while I’d love to pretend that it is so easy to pick up and move to Europe, it isn’t that simple.I’d also be heavily relying on a man for help and I’m definitely not doing that. But me and this Italian man, we did keep in touch. Every day. I even cut my Malta trip short to fly back to Italy to spend 32 hours with him before going home. 

There were daily bungiornos, pet names like tesoro and bb, plans to see each other again, once in Spain and then he would come to America. But as distance does, it can either make the heart grow fonder or cold. For him, it was the latter. You can call it being an empath, a Gemini rising, or a woman in her 30s with ADHD, but I have a knack for seeing minute changes in behavior and reading the tone behind messages. I can tell when the vibe is off or someone is pulling away. While I was on the fonder end of distance, he was switching jobs, helping his parents, and living a life 6 hours in the future. 

Each time that we saw each other after my Italian summer it was a little different. It wasn’t as magical as before and I was even trying to convince myself that this is exactly why when I say goodbye, I mean it and I don’t continue to reach out. I knew I was falling harder than what he was for me and it wasn’t until our trip to Arizona were we finally honest with each other. A real conversation that I typically try to avoid at all costs.

I also had some pretty significant changes happen in my life by the time I saw him again in the United States, like moving across the country for a job, not knowing anyone. That can change a person or add layers to someone. I was still that same girl from Rome, but she was only a piece of me now that didn’t always show up. 

He confirmed my feelings saying he doesn’t usually date women that are not concerned with their looks like I am. That I tend to be a very open human being and that maybe he already knows everything about me. I’m too independent, that I’m just not characteristically a normal girl. I don’t act how girls are supposed to act. Things that I had heard over and over again in my life but for some reason it shattered my heart into a million pieces that day. 

This man, who was truly unlike anyone I had ever met before, made me believe that I was something special, one of a kind in three days where I knew my clothes were wrinkled, hair damp from sweat and maybe a little too obsessed with the Italian vino blanco. He had me believe that I could and actually did hang the moon in the sky and dissolved that power in one conversation. It was the first time in my life that I realized that I had let a man give me value and I only found out by him taking it away.

The only bandage that I provided was a joke since laughter is the best medicine. Because how does a girl who never let herself fall, explain there is more to her?

Almost a year of communication across timezones, international connecting flights when we’re both in the same area, counting out the days to make sure a package arrived in time for a birthday, all seemed to blow away with the dust of the Arizona desert.

I wanted him to see me the way he did before, more than anything. I wanted to go back in time to when we first locked eyes across Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore. I wanted to be that girl he asked why hadn’t I kissed him yet, because there was so much chemistry that we could have burned Rome down to the ground in one day just like the old phrase. But that ship has sailed, leaving me with a grief that I can’t quite explain to anyone else unless they’ve been in this same, super specific situation. 

You may be wondering, where is he now? How am I doing?

We still talk. It may be the one person that I can have an honest conversation about who I am with, because I know that it’s not going to change his mind and I’m not trying to impress him anymore. We share a similar vibe in our life right now, where sometimes we feel as though our compass is not pointing towards a solid north but there are external magnets constantly changing its course. That we’re constantly traveling and that there isn’t a person who would quite understand this lifestyle enough to want to settle down with us, but do we even want to settle down. 

I’m coming to terms that the Italian summer was exactly what it was at face value, al pan, pan, y al vino, vino. Two lonely people who found an interesting partner and lived their best lives for three days without a worry for the future. 

There are times when he’ll tell me that I keep him grounded when he feels overwhelmed, because he knows that I’m someone he can count on even though he may not express that in the same way I do for him. Little videos or memes on instagram show up in my messages that made him think of me. And that he realizes he doesn’t know the full picture of who I am, but he shouldn’t try to change me and he doesn’t want to. All things that prevent me from ever having him truly leave my heart.

Maybe I did get exactly what I wished for when I asked for a Lizzie McGuire summer. I had an Italian romance. I was on top of the world. It also came with her heartbreak, following the plot to a T. Disney failed to mention just how long that would last. Now all I have to do is wait for my come up. If the fountain could give me all of that over a span of 3 days, my dreams must be too big for it to happen immediately. 

So ask me why I absolutely love and hate Italian men? I’ll only give you one name.

The post WHY I LOVE AND HATE ITALIAN MEN WITH A PASSION THAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS… Well, Italian. appeared first on Sarah Travels Alot.

where the sunlight threads the pines

drawing bright paths through the needles

as though the forest remembers

exactly where it belongs

and perhaps i do too

The post belong. appeared first on Sarah Travels Alot.

Solo travel doesn’t start with confidence. It starts with a decision to go anyway. This guide is for beginners figuring it out in real time.

Start Small:

• One city, not multiple
• 2–4 days max for first trip
• Pick somewhere walkable

Safety Basics:

• Share your itinerary with someone you trust
• Keep important documents backed up digitally
• Trust discomfort over ignoring intuition

What Surprises Most People:

• You eat better alone than expected
• You notice details you normally miss
• You don’t feel as “alone” as you think you will

Emotional Reality:

There may be moments of discomfort. That’s normal. It usually passes faster than expected when you stay curious instead of rushing to fill silence.

Solo travel isn’t about independence. It’s about learning how you move through the world when no one is adjusting their pace for you

The post Solo Traveler Starter Guide appeared first on Sarah Travels Alot.

Italy is not a checklist country. It’s a pacing country. This guide is for first-time travelers who want structure without rushing the experience.

Cities to Consider:

• Rome: history, walking-heavy, layered chaos
• Florence: art, compact, extremely walkable
• Venice: surreal, best early morning or late evening

How to Move Between Cities:

• Train travel is easiest (book in advance when possible)
• Keep luggage light if you can
• Don’t over-schedule transfers

Food Approach:

• Eat where it feels local, not staged
• Don’t rush meals
• Coffee is quick, food is not

Simple Travel Flow:

• 2–3 nights per city
• One “planned” activity per day
• Leave room for wandering

Italy rewards presence more than planning. The less you try to control it, the more it gives you back

The post Italy Travel Notes (first-timer friendly) appeared first on Sarah Travels Alot.

Austin Weekend Itinerary

A simple 3-day Austin itinerary designed for easy exploring, good food, and a flexible weekend pace.

Whether you’re traveling solo or with friends, this guide focuses on walkable areas, relaxed scheduling, and places that actually feel worth your time.

Day 1: Arrival + Downtown Rhythm

• Check into your stay (Downtown or South Congress is easiest)
  • Looking for discounted rates? Shoot me an email at hello@sarahtravelsalot.com and I can get you booked at some of the best places for less.

• Walk along Lady Bird Lake

• Grab dinner on South Congress Avenue

• Sunset stop at Congress Avenue Bridge (bat watching if you’re lucky)
  • They always come out around sunset, so double check the time.
  • Typically they appear nightly from late March to early November, but the best months are July-September.
  • If it’s been raining a lot they may be delayed or no show.
  • Get directions to the best spot here!

Day 2: Food + Local Austin Energy

• Breakfast tacos (any local spot, no overthinking)
  • Veracruz All Natural – Convenient location downtown close to the river. I highly recommend the Migas Taco, a Texas classic.
    • Get Directions
  • OneTaco Taqueria – Located on the famous 6th street, it’s fast, reliable, with good tortillas, making it an easy breakfast stop before wandering South Congress or the lake trail.
    • Get Directions

• Explore South Congress shops
  • Allen’s Boots – Want the official “Texas look”? Stop by to browse hats, boots and clothing. While they can be pricey, there’s always a sales section to the left when you walk in and the coolest taxidermy raccoons.
    • Get Directions

• Afternoon coffee break + people-watching

• Dinner at a local BBQ or Tex-Mex spot

• Optional night: live music bar hopping

Day 3: Slow Morning + Departure

• Brunch café morning
  • Toasty Badger – This is the one for vintage-diner warmth and “rainy Sunday with nowhere to be” energy. Wood paneling, funky ‘70s styling, fluffy pancakes, smoked salmon Benedicts, and hash browns people debate like sports radio.
    • Get Directions
  • Revolución – Tiny cozy coffeehouse vibes near the water. Better for a slower morning than a huge brunch spread, but it pairs beautifully with a walk downtown afterward.
    • Get Directions

• Light walk or museum stop
  • Texas Capitol Building – Free entrance and free guided tours daily. There’s some sick details in all of the architecture that you don’t want to miss.

• Last-minute souvenir or snack run

• Easy checkout

Austin works best when you don’t overpack it. Leave space in your schedule for wandering.

Feel free to reach out to me via email (hello@sarahtravelsalot.com) or instagram (@sarahtravelsalot) for more tips or recommendations.

You can also find me on fiverr where I can build out an entire custom itinerary specific to you and/or your group!

Happy Traveling

The post Austin Weekend Itinerary appeared first on Sarah Travels Alot.

Whether I’m sipping coffee in Madrid or soaking up the sun in the Dominican Republic, there are a handful of travel accessories I never leave home without. As a solo female traveler and journaling obsessive, I’ve learned that the right gear can make or break a trip — and the best part? You don’t have to spend a fortune to travel well.

Here are my absolute favorite travel accessories all under $25 that I personally use and love on every single trip!

1. Portable Charger

There is nothing worse than being lost in Madrid with a dead phone and no map! A portable charger is hands down the most important travel accessory I own. I never leave for the airport without it fully charged.

• Keeps your phone alive on long travel days
• Essential for solo travelers for safety
• Lightweight and fits in any bag

VEGER Portable Charger with Built-in AC Plug and Cables – Check Price on Amazon

2. 3-in-1 (or 4-in-1) Multi Charging Cable

One cable that charges everything? Yes please! I discovered this game changer before my trip to the Dominican Republic and I will never go back to carrying multiple cables again.

• Charges multiple devices with one cable
• Saves so much space in your bag
• Perfect for international travel

Multi Charging Cord for Travel Essentials – Check Price on Amazon

3. Packing Cubes

If you are not using packing cubes yet — this is your sign to start! They completely transformed the way I pack. I went from an overflowing suitcase to fitting everything perfectly for my week in Madrid.

• Keep your suitcase organized & tidy
• Makes unpacking at your hotel so much faster
• Compresses your clothes to save space
• Color code by outfit or category

BAGAIL 8 Set Packing Cubes – Check Price on Amazon

4. Travel Pillow

Long haul flights are no joke — especially when you’re traveling solo and there’s no one to lean on! A good travel pillow makes all the difference between arriving exhausted and arriving ready to explore.

• Perfect for long flights & bus rides
• Supports your neck so you actually sleep
• Compact & easy to attach to your carry on

napfun Neck Pillow for Traveling – Check Price on Amazon

5. Turkish Towel

A Turkish towel was honestly one of the best discoveries I made traveling through the Dominican Republic. It’s lightweight, dries super fast and takes up barely any space in your bag — but it works as a beach towel, a scarf, a blanket on a cold flight and so much more!

• Lightweight & compact — fits in any bag
• Dries incredibly fast — perfect for beach & travel
• Works as a beach towel, blanket, scarf or sarong
• So much more versatile than a regular towel
• Comes in beautiful colors & patterns

BAY LAUREL Turkish Beach Towel with Travel Bag – Check Price on Amazon

My Honest Take

These five accessories have saved me so many times on the road — from long layovers to navigating new cities alone. As a solo female traveler the right gear gives you confidence, keeps you safe, and lets you focus on what really matters — soaking up every magical moment of your adventure!

Ready to Pack Smarter?

Want more solo travel tips and inspiration? Join The Writing Wanderers and grab your free journaling prompts for solo travelers — perfect for your next adventure!

Newsletter link to come soon!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Sarah Travels Alot! Read my full affiliate disclosure here.

The post Top Travel Accessories Under $25 Every Solo Female Traveler Needs appeared first on Sarah Travels Alot.

Looking for the best travel journal? Here are my top picks based on years of solo travel journaling — from classic lined notebooks to dotted journals perfect for ticket stubs and souvenirs.

This post contains affiliate links. See my full Affiliate Disclosure for details.

Introduction

I have a journaling problem. And I mean that in the best possible way.

Over the years of solo traveling I’ve filled hardcovers, softcovers, planners, dotted pages, lined pages, and everything in between. I’ve journaled on trains, in airport terminals, in tiny hotel rooms, and on beaches where the wind kept flipping my pages.

What I’ve learned? The type of journal you travel with matters more than you’d think. The wrong one sits untouched in your bag. The right one becomes part of the trip itself.

Here’s my honest breakdown of the best journals for solo travelers based on real experience, not just research.

1. Classic Lined Hardcover My Personal Favorite

If you’re new to travel journaling, start here. There’s a reason lined hardcover notebooks have been around forever… they just work.

The hard cover means it survives getting tossed around in a backpack, sat on in overhead bins, and shoved into overstuffed day bags. The lined pages mean you can just open it and write. There’s no thinking required, no setup, no system.

For me, writing in a lined hardcover feels professional. Like what I’m writing actually matters. And when you’re processing the emotional experience of solo travel. The loneliness, the wonder, the moments that catch you off guard. That feeling matters.

When traveling solo I always go for a smaller size — something that fits in a crossbody bag or jacket pocket so it’s always with me.

Leuchtturm1917 A5 Hardcover — Check price on Amazon

Moleskine Classic Hardcover — Check price on Amazon

2. Softcover Journal Best for Ultralight Packers

When every gram in your bag counts, a softcover journal is your best friend. They’re flexible, lightweight, and surprisingly durable if you choose a good quality one.

I love softcovers for shorter trips or as a second journal. I’ll usually have one hardcover for my main writing, one softcover for quick notes, poem drafts, or random thoughts throughout the day.

The flexibility also means they bend and squish into tight spaces in your bag without taking up precious real estate.

Papier Softcover Travel Journal — Shop here

3. Planner-Journal Combo Best for the Organized Traveler

This one is underrated and I will die on this hill.

A planner that doubles as a journal is an absolute game changer for solo travel. Instead of carrying a separate planner AND a journal, you have everything in one place:

• Your itinerary & bookings
• Daily reflections & memories
• Travel goals & bucket lists
• Budget tracking
• All your thoughts and feelings in between

I used one on a particularly long solo trip and it completely changed how I organized my travels. Being able to flip from “what am I doing tomorrow” to “here’s how today made me feel” in the same book is incredibly satisfying.

For solo travelers especially, where you’re making all your own decisions, having your planning and your processing in one place just makes sense.

Clever Fox Travel Journal — Check Price on Amazon

4. Dotted Journal Best for Creative Travelers & Souvenir Keepers

Oh, the dotted journal. I resisted this one for a long time. I was a lined journal purist, but then I tried it and understood immediately why people obsess over them.

The dotted grid gives you just enough structure to write in straight lines, but it also gets out of your way when you want to:

• Sketch a quick map of a neighborhood you wandered through
• Draw the view from your hostel window
• Paste in ticket stubs, museum receipts, metro cards, and paper souvenirs
• Create little layouts that are half journal, half scrapbook
• Draft poetry in any direction you want

That last point is what converted me. For solo travel specifically, you collect so many little paper memories like boarding passes, café receipts, museum tickets, pressed flowers. The dotted journal is the perfect home for all of them because you can design each page however you want around whatever you’re sticking in.

No two pages look the same. It becomes a truly personal artifact of your trip.

Leuchtturm1917 Dotted A5 — Check price on Amazon

5. Blank Journal Best for Artists & Free Spirits

No lines. No dots. Just pure white space and possibility.

Blank journals are not for everyone — and that’s okay! If you need a little structure to feel comfortable writing, skip this one. But if you’re someone who sketches, paints, does watercolors, or just wants total creative freedom on the page, a blank journal is everything.

I’ve used blank journals specifically for trips where I knew I wanted to draw and write in equal measure — where the destination was so visually stunning that words alone weren’t enough.

Moleskine Blank Classic — Check price on Amazon

My Honest Recommendation by Traveler Type

What I Always Look For in a Travel Journal

After filling more journals than I can count, here’s my non-negotiable checklist:

• Small enough to carry everywhere — if it doesn’t fit in your bag it won’t get used
• Durable cover — it needs to survive a backpack
• Good paper quality — no bleed-through
• A closure — elastic band or clasp to keep pages safe
• A back pocket — for storing ticket stubs and little mementos
• Feels inspiring — because you want to open it and write

Final Thoughts

The best travel journal is the one that makes you want to write in it every single day. Whether that’s a classic lined hardcover that makes you feel like a serious writer, a dotted journal full of ticket stubs and sketched maps, or a planner combo that keeps your whole trip in one place — trust your instincts.

Your journal will become one of the most treasured souvenirs you bring home. Not because of what it looks like on the outside, but because of everything you poured into it on the inside.

Start there. The rest will follow.

— Sarah

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