We're packing our bags and heading off travelling with today's blog blitz post for Solo by Aaron Hodge. Thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation and to the author for my review copy.
The Blurb:
Feeling alone? Trapped? Lost?
Time for an adventure!
The bad times won't last forever, and for more than five years, Aaron Hodges has journeyed the globe alone, visiting everywhere from Istanbul to Argentina. Honest and insightful, SOLO is packed with his personal travel tips and humorous stories. Learn about the ups and downs, the triumphs and the pitfalls of venturing off the beaten path. Follow his guidelines for exploring the world alone and be inspired to take the trip you’ve always dreamed of. Discover the world of solo travel.
Go Solo!
Solo: A Down to Earth Guide for Travelling Alone was published last December by The National Library of New Zealand.
Purchase Links:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082P8W1BD/
books2read.com/u/meBM8g
My Review:
I have reached a fair age and never been travelling or even on holiday on my own, not even in this country. I've gone to the odd book festival alone but always known others at my destination. In fact, this year was the first time I had even eaten out alone (apart from on business trips). Until relatively recently I had someone to go away with but now I'm single it's much more likely that I'll go away on my own. And frankly the thought terrifies me for all sorts of reasons. But I had pulled on my big girl pants and started planning a short break to Barcelona this year, somewhere I've always wanted to go, to mark a big birthday. But we all know what happened to plans for 2020...
Aaron Hodges is a man who has travelled, is still travelling, a lot - this book was written in Buenos Aires - so he's the ideal guide for a newbie solo traveller.
Whilst the author mentions travellers of all ages, I think I'm older than the target audience for this book, which includes all the best places for canyoning, white water rafting (which I wouldn't mind trying, actually), diving with hammerhead sharks and volcano surfing! You can do the last one in Nicaragua, if anyone's interested... It's also aimed at the long term travellers, people planning to head off for several months, not me with my pathetic mini break to Barcelona! 😂 But there was plenty for me to learn here, and lots for me to enjoy.
Hodges provides plenty of practical advice about everything - starting with asking yourself why you want to travel. Are you running away from something? But once you've sorted that out, this wee book is full of advice on booking flights, packing - don't over pack (guilty!), finances, where to stay, security of valuables, personal safety and lots more. But it's never dull or dry - the writing is punchy, full of humour and the chapters are short. Hodges mentions websites for all manner of helpful things, for do downloading city maps in case you find yourself with no internet access, for example, which I could see being very useful. Also how to find the best hostels - some have their own private beaches!
The author includes the best places to visit, in his opinion based experience, in South East Asia, Mexico, Central America and South America. I was delighted to see it included Vietnam as I'm hoping to go there in 2022, although I won't be going it alone on that occasion. But after reading this book, I also want to go to the Galapagos Islands, the Iguazu Falls in Argentina, Costa Rica, where monkeys and sloths are so common you can see them at the side of the road, and Iguana Plaza in Ecuador, where iguanas just hang out! I had to laugh at the author's comments about Vientiane in Thailand (I have condensed them slightly): '...not the biggest hub for travellers under 50. Don't stay long .' Given my age that should probably be my first port of call!
I loved reading about Hodges' travel adventures, and disasters, and hearing about the people he's met on the way. Because in the end this is all about meeting new people, having new experiences and learning a little bit more about yourself. All in all, Solo is a fab wee book chock full of good advice from a seasoned traveller, advice that even someone like me can use, all presented in a friendly, often humorous way. Would recommend for anyone considering any kind of adventure, big or small. And who knows, I might end up being one of them!
The Author:
Aaron Hodges was born in 1989 in the small town of Whakatane, New Zealand. He studied for five years at the University of Auckland, completing a Bachelors of Science in Biology and Geography, and a Masters of Environmental Engineering. After working as an environmental consultant for two years, he grew tired of office work and decided to quit his job in 2014 and see the world. One year later, he published his first novel - Stormwielder - while in Guatemala. Since then, he has honed his skills while travelling through parts of SE Asia, India, North and South America, Turkey and Europe, and now has over a dozen works to his name. Today, his adventures continue...
Author Social Media Links:
https://instagram.com/aaronhodgesauthor
https://www.facebook.com/aaronhodgesauthor/
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