Why Group Travel Might Be the Best Solo Travel Hack

Travel writer Katie shares why group trips can be one of the best ways to experience solo travel. From a polar bear safari in Canada to exploring Tasmania, we discuss friendship, independence, confidence, and why traveling solo doesn't have to mean traveling alone.

https://www.instagram.com/katherineparkermagyar/

Transcript

Kelli Wall (00:01.583)
Katie, I'm so excited to have you here to dive deeper into this topic. Thank you so, so much for joining me today. You've experienced so much on your travels and I'm really excited to hear your thoughts on how group travel can enhance solo travel experiences. Welcome to Solo Travel Unpacked.

Katie (00:04.163)
Yes.

Katie (00:24.578)
Thank you. I'm so excited to be here. When you reached out, was like, obviously in. Can't wait.

Kelli Wall (00:30.163)
Thank you for responding to my DM and coming on the show. really, really do appreciate it. And we will talk so much more about travel. But outside of that, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? And I did give everybody a tease at the beginning of your intro and all your amazing accolades, but I would love to hear it from you.

Katie (00:48.046)
Like about my career or outside. Yeah, so I live in New York and I love to, I mean guess this is relevant for the topic we're gonna cover, socialize. Like spend time with my friends, family. I love to read, although I feel like it depends what book I'm on at the moment. Right now I'm off a couple good ones. And then...

Kelli Wall (00:50.257)
Yeah, outside of travel.

Katie (01:11.062)
I mean, running, skiing, being outdoors, going to get to dinner and drink with friends. Pretty basic, I don't know. Watch Bravo occasionally.

Kelli Wall (01:21.405)
That sounds like the perfect mix to me. I love it. So we'll dig deep into solo travel and specific, the specific topic, but I'm curious before we do that, how did you get into solo travel?

Katie (01:23.511)
you

Katie (01:35.222)
So I had always wanted to be a travel writer and...

I, the second I started out as a writer and then when I sort of broke into travel, that's really when I started to explore more solo travel because, and I think we're talking about solo travel in terms of groups and making friends on trips, because for me a huge part of the experience is meeting people. And sometimes if you're solo you actually can make friends easier and get more immersed in the culture. Other times though I think if you're solo it's hard not to, you know, you're tired, you want to scroll your phone on Instagram or whatever.

Kelli Wall (01:52.979)
Mm-hmm.

Katie (02:10.538)
It's easier to drop out, I think, in some ways. But I got more into solo travel just through experience. I've been solo in Nepal, New Zealand, Peru, Dominica, Barbados. And it's funny because I look back on those trips, I'm like, well, they weren't solo. But usually it's either someone I met along the way or befriending my hosts or one person scheduled to meet you for cocktails and then you've swindled them into entire weekends.

Kelli Wall (02:36.241)
Yeah

Katie (02:38.986)
Yeah, I also think this space can be...

sort of played out in some ways because I feel like that women travel more than men, women are more adventurous than men and women book more trips than men. So obviously there's gonna be more solo women travelers than men. But I also feel like there's, there can be an image of it that's sort of off putting, you know, the person who's like in one backpack has one backpack going all around Europe for months and like, yeah, it doesn't need to be as intimidating. It's almost like if you really wanna go somewhere, there's never gonna be like the perfect amount of time or the perfect amount of like moments in your life.

Kelli Wall (02:47.379)
Mm-hmm.

Kelli Wall (03:13.085)
Mm-hmm.

Katie (03:13.221)
And if you want to go somewhere solo, you want to go somewhere badly enough, you know, take yourself.

Kelli Wall (03:18.363)
Yeah, yeah, you don't have to wait around. That's one of the biggest perks for me. Yeah, so you and I have something in common because I have traveled solo in these group trips. So I'm curious, why do you think group trips are such a great option for solo travelers?

Katie (03:32.942)
So I think that it depends. You want to select the correct group, but I almost feel like it's the best of both worlds. So this winter, I had the absolute joy of actually joining two group trips where I didn't know a single person. One was in.

was in the sub-Arctic in Canada in Churchill on a polar bear safari and the second was in Tasmania on a backroads trip. And what I think is great about joining group trips as a solo traveler is that you have the option, as we mentioned, dropping in or out. You can carve out as much time alone for yourself as you want. Like particularly with these trips, like they're so different. But, you know, with the polar bear safari, was more forced togetherness, which I found to be like amazing because I felt like I had a community after like the very first

You know, we took a Tundra buggy out into these train cars. The Tundra buggy lodge in the middle of the Tundra. And there's an immediate sense of camaraderie. While in Tasmania, everything with back roads, you know, could go at your own pace if you wanted to really book it on a hike or if you wanted to, you know, bike 30 miles versus like 10, you could do so. But what I loved about Tasmania, the Tasmania trip too, is the people became part of the story for me. And...

I think if you're going somewhere you're passionate about or a really unique destination, like it's a certain type of person. It's not their first trip if they're going to find polar bears in the Hudson Bay in Canada. You know, I was with these amazing people who had so many different life stories and different age groups and same with Tasmania. Like it's not your first trip to be like, I'm going to go, you know, biking through the back roads of like.

you know, this island south of Australia. So it's self-selecting and you get to be around like-minded peers, but also people who are so much different than you are in ways that you wouldn't normally interact with aside from, you know, a group trip experience. I mean, was hanging out with people my parents' age too and I was really enjoying their insight and wisdom. And I guess at first I was thinking, who's in their 30s, who's in their 20s? So was like, how often do I actually get to like hear the life stories of people in their 60s or like early 70s and like have them give me unfettered advice?

Katie (05:41.9)
on what I'm doing in my life, you know, and it was just really fun.

Kelli Wall (05:46.066)
You hit on so many important points that I have thought about and others have pointed out as I'm doing these episodes, one being all the different options, right? I think when I first got into it too, I'm like you, I'm thinking to make the backpack around Europe, I'm like, that doesn't appeal to me. You know, there's, but that could be if you wanted to, you know, there's so many different companies, there's so many different options. Another thing you hit on is getting to know the people that you're with every day, day in and day out through these experiences. And I think certainly,

while independent solo travel might be the right answer for some, that is something that the group solo travel offers that it doesn't.

Katie (06:20.716)
Yeah, and things are taken care of and arranged in a different way.

Kelli Wall (06:23.186)
Mm-hmm.

Katie (06:23.79)
I think what's funny is some people say they love to travel but they don't actually love traveling because traveling things go wrong. Like maybe there's some issue with your passport or your bags or you you have to book the hotels and be on top of everything. You sort of can't tune out in the same way versus with group travel. Like it's really things are taken care of for you. Like and I never went hungry. Do you know what mean? Like in Tasmania like I mean there were so many revelations about Tasmania and this back road trip in particular that I really loved.

Kelli Wall (06:40.307)
Mm-hmm.

Kelli Wall (06:47.132)
Yeah.

Katie (06:53.9)
but just like the food was delicious. I also, I'm adventurous, but there's no way I would have been able to hike and bike and explore all throughout this wilderness without, I don't even know, having my own sprinter van full of material supplies. It's really, it's seamless in that sense. And because you don't have to worry about some of the other stuff that can sort of bog you down, you get to really feel free and enjoy for me the wilderness I was in in Canada, seeing the polar bears.

Kelli Wall (07:02.259)
Mm-hmm.

Kelli Wall (07:16.765)
Mm-hmm.

Katie (07:23.864)
like you can barely hear them approach at night, like they move so softly and then it's just like the subarctic itself is so beautiful, the light is gorgeous, know, drink a Tundra Chino, which was like cappuccino, hot chocolate and like Kahlua, and you know, just vibe. And then in Tasmania, just being able to really explore and see the whole country ends.

Kelli Wall (07:39.698)
Yeah.

Katie (07:47.052)
And be around people. It's nice because you make friends. And I felt really lucky with both groups, but then I was sort of hearing, it's also the look at, look towards the outfitters, like Frontiers North Adventures is family owned and they specialize in adventure trips and like the kidney. It's like their tagline is find your true north. They're based in Manitoba. So, you know, they have these trips in Churchill, like a Beluga whale safari, which I really want to do. And Northern Lights, Northern Lights safari experiences. And then the iconic polar bears.

Kelli Wall (07:58.9)
Mm-hmm.

Katie (08:17.076)
and then back roads is really like elevated but adventurous and I feel like sometimes with group trips I can be quick to think it's students or it's like retirees because my parents they do more group trips now they're older and they have amazing experience like adventure travel blah blah blah

Kelli Wall (08:35.559)
Yeah.

Katie (08:36.172)
You don't want to be the youngest person by 50 years necessarily. So I was really impressed with how both of these, the age range was from 21 to 80, 81.

Kelli Wall (08:48.221)
Yeah, I was thinking too, when you're talking about all these different examples, just, there are so many different places you can go right as well. I think that that opens up a world of experience because when you're traveling with friends, right, you might not all want to go to the same place, but it's just such a nice option that you can go exactly where you want to go. And I wanted to ask too, and you started to talk about this, but.

How, when you're on these groups solo trips versus going independent, does that really create a space for connection and really opportunities to connect in a deeper way than we might in everyday life?

Katie (09:21.784)
Completely. think, I mean, there's this thing called the airplane effect, which is like you'll tell the passenger in the middle seat next to you more, you know, of your life story or some devastating truths than you might tell one of your oldest friends because there is something about being separated from your daily life and your daily reality. mean, travel in itself, it's like a journey for you're looking beyond, but the hope is that you sort of get closer to like what you want or your perspective of the world.

And I feel like just naturally that environment, like you feel like a kid, there's curiosity. I feel like your spirit is a little bit more open and it's easier to make fast friendships because also it's like the memory that there is made forever. Like I'm in touch with people I've met over the past seven years, like all around the world because you have that like core memory. And I think group trips can be great. Number one, you have a built-in.

group of comrades that you can associate with if you want to, don't need to, I don't love dining alone. You know, like you can like get adopted into groups, whatever. If there are like other people traveling in couples or families or groups of friends, it's really easy to infiltrate. But also I think it's helpful for people who want to have that sort of connection during their trips but they're a little bit more shy or introverted. Like I feel like I've really...

Kelli Wall (10:18.195)
Mm-hmm.

Kelli Wall (10:38.419)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Katie (10:42.062)
Part of it is for my job, but also my personality type I think I've mastered like being like I need to make her friends here like I Want to have fun number one I want to like you know I don't want to be alone on the other side of the world I need I need someone who knows me you know and also I think that's safe if you have like befriend like your cab driver or anything people are gonna be like you're gonna get abducted but on a group trip you don't have to like put yourself out there as much like make friends I know I'm very trusting but

Kelli Wall (10:56.114)
Yeah.

Katie (11:09.678)
I also, think that one downside that would be is that if you are on a group trip, it's really cool because you get to meet people from all over the world and like, but I found that when I'm truly alone and I make friends and like they're all locals usually, obviously, it's more of a cultural immersion I would say. So with that growth, was a nice balance because our, you know, I would spend a lot of time with our Tasmanian guides as well. And then.

Kelli Wall (11:26.867)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Katie (11:35.726)
For Frontiers North, the guides were from crazy Canadian adventurers and polar bear international people. And also there were only 600 people living in the town we were in and 1,000 bears. So was really more wildlife.

Kelli Wall (11:50.612)
That's absolutely insane and sounds amazing. Somebody too that I was recording with last week said something very similar to you and they were speaking on how you become connected really quickly in these groups. And the point was he's making is you have this really condensed timeline and you're seeing each other at, you're grumpy, at you're happy, at you're emotional. You're seeing everything in this window that you're together versus when you're...

know with your friends you don't always see this kind of intense for a few days where you're seeing every side of somebody so it really creates this connection very quickly.

Katie (12:25.484)
And if you're traveling solo within a group, you also have the freedom to drop. I I had two ladies that really adopted me on the back roads trip, which was so fun. And a Canadian family too that I hung out with a lot, I was able to move through the groups easily. know, like you don't, versus when you're traveling with a friend, know, it bonds you for life, but there's always the moment on the trip where you're like, my God, this person's driving me nuts. So.

Kelli Wall (12:43.367)
Yeah.

Kelli Wall (12:53.117)
and then there's more people you can go talk to or you can just take a break. Well, I know that you've gone on all these amazing trips and we've specifically been talking about a few of them. So I'm curious, can you share a cultural or adventurous moment either from the Tasmania trip or another one that really stuck with you and reminding you why you like traveling with others?

Katie (12:55.106)
Exactly. For sure.

Katie (13:16.022)
So for the Tasmania trip, I had wanted to go to Tasmania forever. the first couple days I was hiking and like, I mean, I even feel guilty saying this at some point, but like at one point I even put in like one headphone and was just like really powering through around, we were at Pump House Point, so we were.

Okay, so we went from Pump House Point. We'd started near like Fatal Mountain and then we ended up near like Freycinet, which is beautiful national park. And it was one of the midway through the trip and I just remembered I was like, I'm just gonna start chit chatting and I'm just gonna walk with various people. I'm not gonna like actually focus on hiking.

And it's so dumb, but I just had this revelation. It's not dumb, but by the time I got to lunch, I probably had amazing conversations with about 15 of the people. And I was like, God, I love people. I love talking to people. It's not just about losing and finding yourself in the woods. Even though the guy from Into the Wild decided happiness isn't real unless it's shared, that was his tragic conclusion. So I came to that without dying. But yeah, it sounds so small, but I just remember sitting down

having lunch and being like, God this is like so meaningful and fulfilling and interesting to have all of these life chats with people I've never, I didn't know four days ago, you know about everything in life like heartbreak, death, whatever you can think of, you know?

I also remember that it takes some energy to do that. Like it's easier to just sort of put in, maybe put in half of a podcast or like something, just, you know, keep to yourself because it is like more work on your ends. But then it's like the most pleasurable type of work and like that type of connection.

Katie (15:05.261)
That's what stays with you and it brings the place alive too. So that one hike, I would say. It was just like really majestic but it was really the people I was with. So it was interesting, like we did the highs and lows or what we wanted from the trip and I had said surprise, which is so vague. I had wanted to go to Tasmania forever, I didn't know what to expect. And then the surprising part was how much I really loved being part of the group and the people and the experience in general.

Kelli Wall (15:14.749)
Yeah.

Kelli Wall (15:32.531)
So what drew you to Tasmania? Why has it been on your list for so long?

Katie (15:37.782)
When I was in college, I was going to Porto with my college boyfriend. I was studying abroad in London, and there was this Ryanair Inflite magazine, travel writing, inspiring. I'm sure that magazine, I don't even know if exists anymore. I don't know the name of this hike, but it was like this dangerous hike in Tasmania where people die on the hike, which I guess is like kind of, you can die on any hike, but I remember being like.

What is Tasmania? Looking at the photos and then it just became this really romanticized thing in my mind. if you ever Google Tasmania, there are so many books written by these people who've walked across Tasmania and it's just supposed to be this very wild and it is a very wild, majestic, beautiful place. It's stunning. And then it's almost, would say, because I've done New Zealand and Australia and Fiji and that part of...

Oceania, I guess we're calling that continent. Although I feel like that's such a weird name for that part of the world. But I would say like Tasmania almost felt like a Scotland because it's rainier a little bit and cloudier and then

I was shocked, like some of the best food I've ever had in my life because it's like very expensive to ship things from the mainland. So like, and there are all these farms. So like the best oysters I've ever had, cheese, like milk, like everything was delicious, sparkling wine. And then the people were just like amazing. Like Australians are famously friendly and I feel like Tasmanians, like Tassies take it to another level.

So, I just, it was just, yeah, was this unbelievable mix of like really stark, dramatic, pristine wilderness, you know? And even though Tasmania was settled, like it was the second, I feel like it was Sydney and then, I mean Hobart was one of the earliest established, earliest settlements. They're like, we come from great convict stock, because a lot of convicts, more convicts were sent to Tasmania, but it was never as industrialized or.

Katie (17:33.8)
as Australia was, so you still get this sense that you're on a small island, but that just has like insane beauty around every corner. So.

Kelli Wall (17:44.529)
It sounds amazing. I'm sold. I'll add it to my list.

Katie (17:48.43)
No, you have to go. It's really cool. It's really great for solo travelers. Everyone is so friendly. So friendly. It's very safe. I mean, it's... And it's like, I don't know, it's beautiful. I spent almost two weeks there and I felt like I could have spent more time there. So... And I feel like it's still very... I didn't hear a lot of American accents. Canadians are on to it. Because the Canadians love the outdoors.

and Germans I think are somewhat onto it, but it's still definitely like under the radar.

Kelli Wall (18:23.323)
It sounds incredible. Well, Katie, I'm curious. If we've got somebody listening who's hesitant about these solo group trips because they think it might limit their solo experience or independence on these trips, what advice would you give them?

Katie (18:41.154)
would look into the type of trip and then also, I mean, read reviews, read travel writing, I guess, but I mean...

Every different, like the other group trips I've done, like REI, they have amazing, adventurous group trips that you can, that I've done like in Peru, but I know they're focusing on domestic. I would say look at the itineraries, because some trips, if it's group travel, you aren't gonna have that alone time. Like the Polar Bear Safari, I couldn't walk on the on the ground for like...

four or five days because polar bears are swarming everywhere. So you're really like moving through it, the experience together, but that's like the only way really even to see it. And that's sort of part of it. It almost felt like this like bucket list, luxurious sleep away camp vibe. But then back roads, it's very much like you can decide how, what you want to participate in and what you don't. Like it's not like forced, everyone's hanging out at every meal. Like.

What I found to be really fun was that we ended up, the group ended up really coming together and really coming together as a unit. So when there was free time, people would just sort of congregate together. every activity is optional and then you can really take the strenuousness of the activity to your own limits. I I was really shocked. I I think I'm in pretty good shape. There are people in their 60s and 70s who are insane.

surprising to me because I'd sort of made that assumption like I wouldn't be able to like explore as much as I wanted to or you know maybe the hikes will be catered towards an older demographic and the bikes but no and the guides are also young like younger as well and super fit so they have you know there's a whole range of options for activities

Katie (20:35.534)
I think that it depends too on where you're going, how safe it is. A cruise is gonna limit if you're doing like, because there's expedition travel, which I've also enjoyed, but just by the sheer, the fact that you're on a boat is gonna constrict you. But I would say really look into it. Backroads in Frontiers North, feel like if I'm speaking to the adventurous traveler, the outdoorsy type, an REI, I would really highly recommend.

Kelli Wall (20:41.971)
Mm-hmm.

Kelli Wall (21:06.385)
Yeah, all good options. And I was laughing too when you said that about being in shape. Those hikes and some of those trips humble you really quick. You're like, I'm good. I can do this. And you're like, wait a minute.

Katie (21:15.918)
Oh my god, you can't do it. Yeah.

Kelli Wall (21:20.563)
Well, we're getting close to the end, but to wrap things up, I'm curious, how has solo travel for you, whether in a group or on your own, taught you something important about yourself?

Katie (21:34.252)
So I think solo travel, what's, I mean it's so.

I mean it's self evident but like you do get closer in touch with yourself. Like I feel like the first couple days of a solo trip sometimes I feel like I almost crash out. Because like you're suddenly like you're your only company, you're in this foreign place and like you can spin out over dumb things. And I think it's interesting how like geography, like a culture impacts you as well. So like I mean I was just in Botswana for a couple weeks and I remember the first two days I was sort of like spinning out over like drama, stupid stuff back in New York.

Kelli Wall (22:01.799)
Mm-hmm.

Katie (22:09.912)
and even like my work assignments and then I feel like I achieved like a sense of nirvana on the third day. can't even explain. I'm still on that high. Who knows how long it lasted home. But I think mainly it's taught me like my, it's twofold. It's made me, solo travel has made me more...

appreciative and aware of the fundamental goodness of humanity. People around the world, I've found, are fundamentally kind. If you're kind to someone, they're gonna be kind back. The energy you give is the energy that you get. Particularly with solo travel, where it's just you navigating. And oftentimes, that's more vulnerable position. if you're asked a lot of questions, if you're nice, self-deprecating, patient, you're gonna have a much easier way navigating through this

new frontier that you've landed upon. And then the second part of that really is like...

you know, my own sense, I feel a greater sense of resilience and I feel pride in being able to connect with people from all around the world or adapt. You know, it's funny, like the more chameleon-like I become, the more I also feel like I have an inversely even stronger sense of self, because I know that I can make friends anywhere, I can survive anywhere, you know? And you become braver. It takes a lot to scare me now, you know, because particularly, because you're exposed to it.

Maybe if you're someone who's not trusting or, I don't know, if you're not exposed to things, they're gonna freak you out. Like even when I was on a recent trip, people were getting stressed because like a group of soldiers were sort of around us and I was like, this is fine. Do know what mean? Like their vibe is fine. Someone's gonna hear this podcast and be like, I've had negative experiences. But the longer you haven't had a negative experience, you know, you obviously have to keep your wits about you, but.

Kelli Wall (23:51.431)
Mm-hmm, yeah, yeah.

Katie (24:01.73)
Also, I really believe in the idea of karma. How you behave is how people are gonna treat you. The world is a mirror back onto you. it's really been amazing. feel like there are so many things that unite us more than separate us. I've had the most bonding...

two dumb girls telling each other exactly conversations with people who have completely different upbringings, you know I mean? In the savanna in Africa or like, I don't know, above the Arctic Ocean. it makes you feel part of, solo travel weirdly makes you feel part of a larger humanity. also remember that as much, you're going somewhere and you're encountering people so different from yourself, you're a curiosity too, you know? So like...

Kelli Wall (24:52.689)
Mm-hmm, yeah.

Katie (24:53.102)
I don't know, sometimes I think that people view it as like a one-way thing, but it's an exchange. I can't imagine how many people I can, around the world, who are like, oh, that crazy girl from New York. You know I mean? Who I'm still in touch with. I'm a story for them. They wanted pictures with me. yeah.

Kelli Wall (25:09.201)
Yeah. Yeah. It goes both ways. Those are so many great insights. And I think it comes back to one of the points you made at the very beginning of like-minded people that you're meeting on these trips and just the experience that to get to know them. But I wanted to ask you as we get towards the end, I ask every guest if they want to share a solo travel memory that they had that they have, whether it's been one that's challenged you, surprised you, or just an unforgettable experience.

Katie (25:41.164)
Yes, so when I was in New Zealand, it was towards the end of my trip and I had, I was in Auckland and I had in my itinerary, like I had a free day, but I was like, I need to go to Pihau Beach. Like I'd heard so much about this beach. And then.

I drove up from the city and it was just, I mean, it's so, I can't even describe to you how beautiful this beach is. It's so vast and huge. Like the sands are insane and then the giant, giant rock, like the giant rocky monument, I don't even know what you would call it. Like an oversized, it looked like an oversized jagged rock cliff and then the waves were breaking on it and then the sun was setting and...

It was the closest, I had a religious experience on this beach. Like I met a couple other people who were also on the beach. I was supposed to be on that beach for like 20 minutes, the sunset. I mean, a friend of mine texted, like I was like, I'm having a transcendent experience. He goes, Jesus, Allah, or Alanis. And I made this playlist that was like 90s rock, like a lot of Alanis, Mercec called Jesus, Allah, or Alanis. And I just felt like so.

moved and transported and just overwhelmed by the beauty of where I was. And I think that could only have also happened alone. I was by myself. Obviously I was texting my friend about what was happening. But another friend, she had the same experience at that beach. So, Peaha Beach. And another one in New Zealand going to Kapiti Island, which is off of Wellington. And I was on the boat, on the way there.

Kelli Wall (27:08.723)
Mm.

Katie (27:18.528)
and it was like a large Maori family and they were like, what are you up to? And I was like, I'm just gonna explore this island today. And then they just completely took me in for the rest of the day. It was so much fun. yeah, like those two, those two.

Kelli Wall (27:34.515)
That sounds incredible. I need to go back to Australia and add that to my list because that just sounds New Zealand, New Zealand.

Katie (27:38.708)
New Zealand, New Zealand, you can do a whole circuit, New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania. Yes.

Kelli Wall (27:46.004)
getting that back to my list. That sounds amazing. Okay, okay, I'm gonna cut this part out, but this is where, and I'll intro it. I'll say, I'm gonna ask you the three final questions, and then I'll ask you if you can just repeat it and then answer it. So it's like, the advice I'd give to someone concerning solo travel is, if you could just repeat it, like the advice I'd give to somebody solo travel. And then I've just been making little reels from them, so no wrong answers, but I'll cue it up and then I'll just wrap us up. Awesome.

Katie, thank you so much. have so enjoyed talking with you and learning about from.

Katie (28:21.614)
Mm.

Kelli Wall (28:21.939)
Katie, thank you so much. I have so enjoyed talking with you and learning so much about all your trips. And we want to close out today's episode like we finished them all with the same three final questions. So first up, the advice I'd give to someone considering solo travel is.

Katie (28:41.41)
The advice I'd give to someone considering solo travel is to go for it.

Kelli Wall (28:47.035)
My favorite part about solo travel is...

Katie (28:50.594)
My favorite part about solo travel is meeting new people.

Kelli Wall (28:56.283)
Something I learned about myself during solo travel is...

Katie (29:00.8)
Something I learned about myself during solo travel is I'm very resilient and I genuinely like people.

Kelli Wall (29:10.075)
I love that and these are things that you might not have learned otherwise. What an inspiring and helpful conversation, Katie. Thank you again so much for sharing your insights on the benefits of group solo travel and so many great recommendations. I love how you highlighted that when we travel alone, we're not truly alone and all these wonderful relationships that you've made. There's always an opportunity to connect, learn and grow. So if you feel inspired, please check out Katie's Instagram.

Katie (29:13.385)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Kelli Wall (29:37.67)
and website as she keeps it updated on all her amazing adventures. And I will absolutely include it in our show notes here. So Katie, thank you again so much. I really appreciate it. Yes, take care.

Katie (29:47.32)
Thank you.

Thank you.