Have you been considering travel for adventure? I recently started a new self-care challenge: choosing a destination and traveling there! It turned out to be so much fun! That’s why I want to invite you to join me. This is my solo female travel blog! Let me give you a few of my travel adventure ideas and tips and share some travel adventure blogs.

Introduction

Growing up in Soviet Russia during the crush of USSR, raised on welfare by a single mom with severe mental health issues, I did not get to experience much travel. Only one time was I taken to the Black Sea beach, which was more of a miserable experience, since my mom complained about the hot sun, her cellulite, and everything else, including me. I was very little and she loved telling me how much she hated me.

At 16, I got to travel around Russia on my own. I loved every moment! Museums, theaters, comedy clubs, jazz cafes, and local restaurants – I explored it all. I love sightseeing! Learning about the world I live in and the people I meet is one of my favorite things.

At 18, during a beauty pageant, I won an international solo female travel trip to an all-inclusive fancy hotel in Turkey, which was a heavenly experience full of adventure. Then and there, I fell in love with traveling.

In my 20s, I was traveling for adventure with my American fiancée. We went to many exotic locations, such as Barbados, Bali, Singapore, Jamaica, as well as explored Saint Petersburg and Moscow in Russia. I married him and emigrated to the United States in 2008. That resulted in domestic violence and my story of going from being homeless to an MBA graduate – in just a few years.

In my early 30s, more adversity happened to me. Though I tried to maintain my optimism, the resources of fortitude and perseverance were running low in my body and mind. I experienced severe suicidal depression in my third marriage and lost all my zeal for life. I had no desire to even get out of bed. I was unable to perform such simple tasks as loading and unloading the dishwasher or doing laundry.

I suffered from psychomotor retardation: from washing my hair and taking showers to going outside and even eating – all self-care and hygiene tasks in my daily life became a challenge because I simply did not want to live. I saw nothing exciting in my future. I preferred to die.

I was depressed and suicidal.

That was a difficult season. Not only was I not interested in traveling – I was not interested in living. My home life was miserable and I was dying on the inside while still driving 50 miles to work each day to earn money and maintaining a smile on the outside. In the Summer of 2016, I traveled to the beach in Florida alone by car to think. I hardly remember anything because, at the time, depression was already taking over.

This all happened due to the narcissistic relationship abuse imposed on me by my third husband. Recovery from that season of trials and tribulations took a long time and a lot of effort. Restoring my desire to live had to do with my decision to persevere and heal. Actually, I committed myself to thrive eventually. And I got there, one small step at a time. The journey required me to decide: do I want to drift or do I want to live? Many people do live life, however, they are not fully alive: they drift aimlessly and they don’t care about anything.

Depression recovery challenged me to commit my everything to living my life fully alive, completely engaged in the process of living, and feeling excited about my present living, as well as my future.

READ: How To Be Fully Alive

Once I decided that I wanted to live and I wanted to live alive instead of drifting half-dead, self-care became my priority. On this Christian blog for women, I talk a lot about taking care of oneself and its effects on mental and physical health. In fact, I wrote many articles about self-care tips and ideas.

The Bible teaches us to honor God with our body, which requires us to flee from sexual immorality, eat healthily and avoid the sin of gluttony, sleep at night trusting God with our anxieties, and exercise to be able to run our life-race and finish strong.

We are also challenged by the teachings of Jesus to take every thought captive and think about whatever is honorable and praiseworthy, as well as be alert and of sober mind, watchful at all times because Spiritual Warfare is real and Satan wants all children of God to be depressed, suicidal, and drifters.

Everything the Bible teaches us to do is possible if we practice self-care in order to maintain a strong body, a healthy brain, a clear mind, and a positive spirit.

Not practicing self-care robs us of health and zeal, which causes us to drift carelessly throughout our journey instead of being fully engaged in the process of living life. If we want to walk with God and live out His purpose for us, we must be healthy and strong. That’s why self-care is key!

SELF-CARE IDEAS

• 100 Squats a Day Self-Care Challenge
• 10000 Steps Self-Care Challenge
• Healthy at Home: Self-Care Ideas
• Hiking Self-Care Challenge
• Hula Hoop Workout Self-Care Challenge
• Kayaking Self-Care Challenge
• Meditation Self-Care Challenge
• Picnicking Self-Care Challenge
• Reading Challenge: 12 Books In 12 Months
• Self-Care Tips
• Travel Adventure Self-Care Challenge

Why I Started Exploring New Destinations In 2020

In 2020, I dedicated a lot of time to this blog. That means that I spent numerous hours sitting on my butt and writing for days at a time. Soon, I realized that I was beginning to resent my blog and my Christian podcast for women because I was experiencing burnout. That was a wakeup call.

I adjusted my lifestyle and began working out again. This was in the midst of the global Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Everything everywhere was shut down. So, I began walking 10,000 steps around my neighborhood, running up and down the hills outside my front door, kayaking on the river where I live, and doing many other fun things, which all helped me lose weight and build muscle again.

Then, my friend Maria mentioned that she booked a solo-trip to the beach for herself. Her message turned on the switch of some sort in my brain! I realized that the last time I saw the ocean was four years ago when I was dealing with depression after my wedding in 2016. Then, I went to the beach in hopes to recharge but it was just one painful blur because I was married to the narcissist still and was sick from abuse.

When I realized that I had not been to the beach in four years, I decided to take the travel adventure challenge and go to any beach I wanted. First, I chose the Hilton Head beach and went there one morning all by myself without any planning. It was so awesome!

I decided to do it again, and for my second trip, I went to Siesta Key Beach in FL. It was an incredible experience full of adventure. I was hooked on solo travel. My third trip was to St. Simons Island and my trips four and five were to Henderson Beach State Park in Destin. FL.

Here’s what I wrote on my Facebook as the result of this experiment with traveling for adventure all by myself without much planning, whenever I wanted, and enjoying every moment.

#OneThingILoveAboutLife is adventure. When I go on an adventure, my creativity skyrockets. But what also increases significantly is my level of joy and satisfaction with life. It happens as I meet kind and interesting people and have new positive experiences in the world. This new habit of solo-travel helps me dream of a greater future for me, my country, and all the people, an exciting future of peace and oneness! This encourages me to live more mindfully and courageously.

Anna Szabo on Facebook

Something really important happened as a result of my travel adventures. I’ve had a unique breakthrough that caused me to dwell on my deep gratitude for these experiences. I realized the most profound truth about myself and my happiness. And I shared it on Facebook as well. Here it is.

I was taught as a little girl that there was SOMEONE out there who would SOMEDAY make me happy.

Then, all my troubles would disappear forever and I’d be living my happily-ever-after.

I was taught that the one actually able to do that kind of magic was a HE, a Prince Charming who’d be perfect in every way, love me genuinely, enrich my life with exciting experiences, and remain committed to me for the rest of my life.

So, I married and divorced 3 times...

Then, after my third divorce, I finally met that magical person whom I was taught to seek all those decades ago.

I met the very special person I was seeking, the one who loves me genuinely, enriches my life every day in every way, and is committed to me forever, until my last breath.

Though it’s not a HE. It is a SHE.

Also, that person is not perfect but honest, open to failing and learning, able to take risks, and is always committed to growing and evolving.

Ain’t no happily-ever-after out there.

Everyone’s life sometimes rocks and sometimes sucks. But with my special person, life is an adventure full of hope.

Having a friend who can understand me and help me work on things bettering my future makes the sucking part of life not so bad.

My special person helps me see meaning in suffering and remain faithful to God through adversity.

I remember seeking that SOMEONE all over Russia, then overseas, then all over America... All those efforts were fruitless.

But finally I discovered a unique place where my special person was waiting for me, ready to commit to me forever, ready to learn how to genuinely love me, ready to embark on an exciting adventure for life, and ready to be patient as I’m doing my best to navigate both the rocking and the sucking seasons of living out my human journey.

What is the special place where I found my special person?
Mirror.


Anna Szabo on Facebook

If you’re looking for someone to come rescue you and finally make you happy someday, start in your mirror today. There’s no permission you need from anyone to live your life to the fullest, to change yourself, to improve your lifestyle, to optimize your health, or to jump in a car and go have a blessed trip anywhere your heart desires.

You, together with yourself, can embark on a travel adventure and explore the world, both our outer world and your personal inner world. You can get excited about living life! You can improve your engagement with your everyday experiences in life. You can learn a lot about yourself and the people around you. You can be adventurous starting right now!

Traveling for adventure doesn’t have to be expensive. I’ll share my frugal tips with you below so that you can see how I travel on a budget yet still have a lot of fun. And the way I look at it is this: traveling for adventure is a much better investment than doctors, medical procedures, therapy dependency, or Rx-drugs.

Self-care is the best therapy, and it ensures my excellent health at a fraction of the cost of physical and mental illnesses. Most importantly, it helps me live my life to the fullest!

Why not join the travel adventure self-care challenge?

My Travel Adventures

As I mentioned above, I love exploring: museums, theaters, galleries, poetry, comedy, music, and other performance arts, as well as architecture, waterparks, beaches, farmer’s markets, farms, and local restaurants. Also, I love animals: snakes, kangaroos, dolphins, whales, turtles, lions, bears, orangutans, etc.

I’ve visited many theaters and performance arts in both of my home countries: in Russia and in America. In various cities, I’ve attended jazz festivals, plays, art galleries, and poetry open mics. I’m a Poet.

I’ve been to Disney, award-winning waterparks across the globe, the most famous zoos and aquariums, as well as museums of all sorts. I’ve visited The Biltmore House eight times in my 12 years in America.

So, this year, it’s time to explore some beaches!

It’s the season of the COVID-19 global pandemic so road trips are my preferred way of traveling for adventure. I live in Atlanta, GA. There are many beautiful beaches in GA, FL, and SC, all within 5-9 hours of drive.

So, I grabbed my beach chair and blanket, a couple of towels and a swimsuit, some cash and change for parking, and on my way I was, starting with South Carolina!

Driessen Beach Hilton Head SC 5-30-2020

All I did was prayed to God asking Him to lead me to where I needed to go so He could use me there for His purpose. I looked up GA, FL, and SC – all states showed rain. Oh well, I am not made of sugar, so I decided to go anyway.

It was Friday.

In my blog about how to hear God’s voice, I share about the voice of the Holy Spirit, which guided me to choose Hilton Head, SC. I loaded my Camry with fuel, bought bottled water at Publix where I also got some cash and sunscreen, and off to the Driessen Beach I went on Saturday, May 30th, at 7:40 am EST. By the way, I woke up at 5 am, worked out, made a salad, ate breakfast, packed, and then drove to South Carolina.

How can I explain my feelings?

What I felt was indescribable and so intense!

I felt free, free, free!!!!

I’m crying now as I’m typing this.

Why?

Because I know what it’s like to be a slave. I was kept in slavery for eight months after my arrival in America. My first husband didn’t allow me to even talk to people. I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere or even learn English. I taught myself how to speak, read, and write in English while I lived in the shelter for battered women where the police officers, who conducted my rescue operation, took me in 2009. I also know what it’s like to be depressed and suicidal and be disengaged from life completely. Both of those traps had to do with my husbands. Traveling alone felt liberating and freeing!

I was divorced from my third husband in 2017.

Narcissistic abuse recovery took a long time for me. So, I did not exercise my freedom. Though I had money, my own car, all the documents, and everything needed to go anywhere I’d want, I didn’t want to go anywhere.

Here is what I wrote on Facebook that Saturday.

Freedom is only felt when it’s realized and exercised.

Anna Szabo on Facebook

Also, I wrote this in my journal.

Enjoying my own company and being comfortable in solitude is a blessing! Having a body that is able to wake up early, drive for 9-10 hours, play for hours in the ocean, run and plank on the beach, and have no aches or pains - that’s a blessing! I got to minister to a family from Ohio. And I got to enjoy the beach. I brought my own salad and ate in the water, sitting on the white sand, being one with nature, feeling happy, joyful, peaceful, and fully alive! 

As a member of the Yelp Elite Team, I wrote a detailed review for the Driessen Beach in Hilton Head, SC. I enjoyed the white sand, the safe environment, some sun and some rain, a nice beach run, and of course, the people I met.

Yes, God sent me there for a reason.

There was a couple who had a tent. I asked if I could leave my bag there when it began to rain. They were friendly and let me use their tent. Then, they started asking me questions about my life. We ended up talking about my poetry. That was how I shared the Gospel. Then, we talked for hours and they introduced their children and grandchildren later in the afternoon. We all got to talk about Jesus and life’s struggles.

When we were done talking, I washed off at the beach shower, changed, packed, and went back to Atlanta. At 12:26 am on Sunday, I arrived home, one hour before the racial protest and violence took over. It was a day trip. My gratitude was hard to express in mere words. I knew that my travel adventure was ordained by God. I felt purpose-driven and fully alive.

Siesta Key Beach Sarasota FL 6-7-2020

For the next few days, there was a 6 am-9 pm shelter in place curfew in GA due to the racial conflict and violent protests, so I stayed in the neighborhood. One evening, I was called by God to do this again.

I prayed and ended up creating an Airbnb account. This time, I was called to go further, so I’d stay in FL overnight. My next trip was to Sarasota’s Siesta Key Beach, which is the #1 beach in America. Guess what? Again, the weather prognosis showed rain and even a storm. Oh well… No problem!

I went anyway. Left on Saturday, June 6th at 5:40 pm EST and arrived in Sarasota at 2 am on Sunday after a long drive through the rain listening to an awesome audiobook by Deepak Chopra about the human brain.

At 2 am in Sarasota nothing is open during the pandemic, except the one and only 24/7 Walgreens. I parked in the dark empty parking lot and walked in. I asked the manager if it would be ok for me to walk 10000 steps around the store. He said yes. His name was Michael. The nice lady who worked there also allowed me to bring my stretch band and work out a little bit. Her name was Tina.

At 6:40 am, I left and went to Siesta Key Beach. It was raining and storming. Palm tree pieces were everywhere and some roads were flooded. I parked and went for a run. My glasses were instantly covered in sand but I didn’t care. All I felt was freedom and joy!

I ran and ran and ran, ocean water splashing everywhere, the wind pushing me backward, and the rain covering my glasses in a wet mess. It all felt serene as I was running barefoot and smiling. I felt fully alive!

Then, I grabbed my salad (yes, I brought my own food again) and blanket and went to picnic on the beach in the rain. Instantly, I was surrounded by birds who craved my salad. They screamed. I shared. When we all finished eating, I lay down, covered myself with a towel, and napped for two hours in the rain on the sand. Here’s what I texted my friend Jennifer about it.

It was excellent and I’ve learned so much about myself sleeping in the rain surrounded by loud birds demanding my salad from me and covered in sand. I learned a lot running 5 miles on the beach, exploring Sarasota on my own, and ministering to new people everywhere. These are unique experiences. God is stretching my comfort zone!!!

At 12:20 pm, I went to check in to my Airbnb and met the owners. We talked. They gave me a tour. I took a shower and napped, then, I went to explore the town. In the morning, I ate, cleaned up the place, packed, and went to explore some more.

I met some really cool people.

One of them was a photographer from NY.

Frank approached me at the Bayfront Park and asked if he could photograph me, to which I said yes. His friend, he, and I walked and talked, and I got to share the Gospel. Frank experienced many challenges in life. Once he shared with me, I knew why God called me to Sarasota.

After that, I went to the beach and ran for many miles. In the late afternoon, I ate dinner and drove back to Atlanta. I arrived home at 1:30 am on Tuesday feeling fully alive! On my way back, the idea of this blog was born.

What I want is to challenge you to travel for adventure by yourself without much planning and just trust God completely. By the way, I wrote a blog post called How To Trust God Completely. I want you to challenge yourself and explore new places. I want you to meet new people and do new things!

Of course, I left a detailed Siesta Key Beach review on Yelp, as well as gave an excellent review to my Airbnb hosts Fabiola and Manolo. I know that Sarasota is a place where I plan to come back for sure. It was magical! And by the way, on day two, the Monday this week, there was no rain and no palm tree debris anywhere. It was sunny, clean, beautiful, and peaceful.

For the next few days, there was a 6 am-9 pm shelter in place curfew in GA due to the racial conflict and violent protests, so I stayed in the neighborhood. One evening, I was called by God to do this again.

St. Simons Island GA 7-4-2020

I booked my trip to St. Simons Island a few days before July 4th, 2020. I decided to stay on a boat at the Marina! This was crazy because I had never slept on a boat but my travel adventure journey excited me, so I was open-minded. My stay was confirmed by the owner immediately. His name was Brian. I called him to ask a few questions. He shared that he is a retired county sheriff and a licensed captain. He also offered to take me to see dolphins and watch the sunset, which I gladly agreed to given that his wife would be there as well. Brian said she was his main mate on a boat and actually without her, he wouldn’t be able to operate the boat. I was in! A sunset boat ride on July 4th sounded amazing!

The boat was only available because of the bad weather prognosis, so the lady who had it booked canceled, and I was able to book it a few minutes that. I’m not letting bad weather stop my travel adventure!

I discovered that most restaurants were closed on St. Simons Island not only on July 4th but also for two days after that, as well. No problem! I packed my own fruits and veggies, hopped in the car at 4 am, and drove for a few hours, arriving to ECHO restaurant at The King and Prince Resort – the only oceanfront restaurant on the entire island. The weather was warm, sunny, and beautiful. I was wearing shorts and a tank top but brought a dress to change into considering the fancy resort where the restaurant was located. I got in line, told the hostess I wanted to sit outside, and during the waiting time of 20 min, I changed my outfit and got ready to eat. Of course, all this took place in the midst of a global COVID-19 pandemic so there was social distancing enforced, and waiting time was long because of it, plus, it was the only restaurant on the ocean.

I really enjoyed the famous resort. A manager at the restaurant allowed me to use their beach access and bathroom instead of going to a busy public park and use public restrooms there. It was the reason why I went to eat there, actually, because it was a busy beach weekend, Independence Day, COVID-19, closed restaurants, and packed parking lots for all beach access points – all at the same time. To park at the hotel was free for the restaurant’s customers. And they let me use my own food as an addition to their plates. Side note: no plant-based vegan restaurants on the island, only unhealthy Standard American Diet (SAD) menu options. So, I ate my own fruits and vegetables with their food.

I loved the beach front view at high tide.

By 1 pm, tide was low, so the ocean was a mile away!

Here’s my journal entry from that day.

It’s 9:55 am and I just settle in my chair with a gorgeous ocean view at St. Simons’ ECHO restaurant. Gabby, the kind and welcoming hostess, snapped a few pictures of me on the patio. I already placed my order. 

The view is gorgeous. 

I’m excited to spend time on the island. The water is not vicious alikes in Sarasota when I was there. It’s sunny, peaceful, and the food is good all things considered.

I added to the plate what I prepared at home: purple cauliflower, asparagus, black grapes, green grapes, blueberries, and melon. So colorful and delicious! 

The food is already here, they brought it out quickly. I like this restaurant for its view and a very peaceful vibe. 

My drive to St. Simons was pleasant, though I was falling asleep, a few times. It was relaxing! And one mistake I made was at 2:30 am I ate rice with beans and a few pieces of fruit. I was hungry but eating probably relaxed me even more! 

I left at 4:20 am, arrived at 9:12 am here, made a reservation, changed my clothes, and I seriously need some coffee after that relaxing drive.  I listened to the audiobook by David Goggins “Can’t Hurt Me.”

So, it’s 10:30 am and my server Leslie brought me my check. The kitchen is closed now. I'm the only person left on the restaurant's patio. Leslie said at 11:30 am I can have dessert with the lunch menu. 

I am thinking about binge-eating: I’m the only person left at the restaurant and I wasn’t the last to be seated. So, people who were seated after me already ate but I am still eating. Did they swallow all their food at once? I think I have definitely learned to take my time eating, thank God, and I do feel satiated so I’m waiting and not stuffing my face with food all at once.

Traveling and figuring out my water fasting, binge eating, and satiety is such an interesting journey! Observing how people ate their breakfast here, I think I have no binge-eating issues now. I am a mindful eater.

After I was done eating (and I took my time), I changed into a swimsuit and went to the beach. I love running barefoot on the sand, so that was my goal. And I also wanted to explore the environment. The beach was very busy. It surely didn’t look like a global pandemic was in its prime.

One thing I noticed was how dark and ugly was the sand, with many sea creatures exposed to the hot sun at the low tide and dying, so the small was terrible. I’ll be honest: it was very very ugly. But I was on my adventure journey, so I was enjoying everything very much!

I ran on the beach, met a few interesting women, talked about God, encouraged them, and swam a little bit but not a lot because the water was dirty and nasty-looking with a ton of dirt and sticks and sand in it. I took some pictures for this Christian blog. And I decided to go to the nearby public park just to explore. There, I met a few more people and around 3 pm was ready to head to the Marina and see my Airbnb boat.

It’s 2:58 pm. I’ve had so much fun! I got to minister to several women while walking and running on the beach for a few miles, and I’ve of the women teared up. I know I’m here for a reason! Tide here is low, so now the ocean is far far far away, which makes the sand ugly and stinky. This place is packed with tens on thousands of people!

I’ve visited two beach locations, but I love ECHO's beach access the most, so I’m going there for breakfast tomorrow for sure. This is such an excellent trip! 

I’m glad I came here and I’m so grateful that I was able to overcome my fear, anxiety, objections to traveling adventure, as well as my various obsessions about solo travel. At 5, I have dinner, so I’m going to go back in a few moments: I need to find my boat, clean up, and get dressed. Lee Ann is Brian’s wife, and he said the boat is not yet ready but almost done by her.

When I arrived at the Marina, the boat wasn’t ready. Also, I discovered that I had to go find public shower and use toilet there, as well. Additionally, Brian told me that the boat had no door and didn’t lock. That freaked me out but remembering that I was on my travel adventure for the very reason of getting out of my comfort zone, I was able to just do what I needed to do. I’m certainly not a fan of public showers or sleeping on a boat without a locked door but I have faith in God, which is greater than my fears of germs, alligators, crime, etc.

I showered and went to a nice sunset dinner.

My 5 pm dinner at St. Simons Island's Coastal Kitchen Restaurant right outside the Marina was a nice experience. Bryan, my server, was very nice and was able to get my veggie pasta, good drinking water, some dessert, and of course, he allowed me to eat my own vegetables: purple cauliflower and asparagus I brought from home in a cooler. I watched the sunset, ate peacefully, read a book, and at 7 pm had the sunset boat trip with Brian and his wife. We didn't see the dolphins but we did see the sunset and fireworks. 

It’s 11 pm and I’m going to read and go to bed. 

My night on the boat was very interesting. After that experience continued for two nights, I decided to not do Airbnb again and travel to the destinations with up to 5.5 hours away from Atlanta so that I can make a day trip and come back hope to sleep in my own bed.

I wrote the following review on Airbnb.

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Brian and Lee Ann are kind-hearted and sweet-spirited people. The first thing to say is that I enjoyed THEM a lot. When I first reserved the boat, I had many questions, and Brian answered all of them over the phone. 

I had never been on a boat like this and could not envision what it would be like so Brian helped me by providing some details. 

My drive was 5 hours from Atlanta. 

Brian met me at the Marina when I arrived to show me around: where to go for showering as there’s no shower on the boat, how to take apart the four-part “front door” and put it back together every time I come and go, how to bring my stuff on the boat since it is located quite far from the parking lot and requires you to take stairs every time, and also how to get on and off the boat given that it rocks. 

The boat was an adventure – very unique place to stay, unforgettable experience. It requires a lot of bending to navigate inside the boat  and  I got my hip bruised as well as hit my head hard. 

My size is XS zero, I’m only 116 lb, so you can imagine how skinny I am and how narrow everything is on the boat. It took some creativity to figure out how to BE there because the boat is very small with a very tiny place for peeing and sleeping. 

I’m 5’10” with long legs and long arms, so 

my full body did not fit to sleep on any of the two sleeping options on the boat. 

In the bed area, the ceiling is very low, which is why I hit my head really hard when trying to fit in there to lay down at night, however, sleeping there didn’t work out for my body length. 

I still stayed on the boat for two nights because I had a good time, enjoying the island very much, provided that I was gone all day. 

About being gone: the boat doesn’t lock, IT STAYS OPEN, so I didn’t bring any valuables inside the boat and kept them locked in my car. 

This kind of adventure definitely takes getting used to, plus the boat rocks hard at night, plus the water hits it every half a second, so the noise is pretty loud at night sounding like door knocks thousands of times during the night. 

Overall, I didn’t get much sleep but I did have a lot of adventure. I loved the Marina, the restaurant here called Coastal Kitchen, Bryan who is the best server I ever had, Brian and Lee Ann who own this boat, their neighborhood, and the neighbors here. Also, I loved the water view. I had a picnic on the dock early on July 5th. 

On July 4th, I paid $150 for Brian and Lee Ann to take me out to watch sunset and dolphins for a couple of hours. Also, Brian asked his friend Chip to take some pictures, so Chip followed us in his own boat and took some beautiful pictures, which he emailed me later. 

After that, I watched beautiful fireworks here on the dock. 

I spent my day time on the East beach, parking at ECHO restaurant at the King and Prince Resort, eating there, then using their beach access and bathrooms. Ask the manager for permission. 

The tide is low on St. Simons during the day so the ocean is far away on any beach and it’s very shallow. I swam in the evening at a higher tide. The high tide is before 10:40 am and after 7 pm. 

I saw dozens of dolphins on Sunday when I was invited by the Lighthouse Trolleys to tour with them at noon, it was $27, there were many kids, we all sang songs to attract the dolphins who love noise and excitement, and we had an adventure hiding under the bridge during a heavy rain with another New York boat hiding there as well. It was so much fun! 

The Lighthouse Trolleys tour was 90 minutes long, and we saw even baby dolphins among the dozens of dolphins who came to flirt with our boat and the 20 people on it. 

The dolphins jumped for us and did so many other cool things, we just had to sing, scream, laugh, and cheer them loudly, which we gladly did! 

I got some beautiful pictures from my stay on Brian’s boat, and it was definitely out of my comfort zone, so it sparked creativity: I am a poet, writer, and blogger, so this was beneficial for my creative output. 

The public bathroom, which the boat guests have to use for showering and pooping, is a very busy, high-traffic place, and you need both of your hands to be able to get out of there. Opening the two locks has to be done simultaneously. So, bring a bag in which  you’ll carry all your bathroom stuff without needing either of your hands. 

Also, charge your phone in the car because none of the three outlets I found on the boat had any electricity in them. My phone died, and staying in the dark on the boat without phone definitely took a lot of fearlessness and faith. 

This morning, there was no water in the kitchen sink but Brian was kind enough to bring me some drinking water, which was what I used  for my morning needs today. 

Also, I brought some fruit to have this morning, and Brian put some ice in the ice box on the boat but unfortunately, the temperature was very high inside that icebox, so all my food spoiled and I trashed it. 

My favorite things about my stay at the Marina were meeting Lee Ann and Brian as well as their neighbors, running barefoot on the beach at sunset for miles, seeing the dozens of dolphins with the Lighthouse Trolleys dolphin boat tour, eating at Coastal Kitchen and ECHO, and touring Brian’s neighbor’s huge boat, which is parked next to the boat, on which Brian and Lee Ann live here at the same Marina, just a dock away. 

I recommend this experience to anyone who is short, slim, fearless, and adventurous. It was the best July 4th weekend for me: very peaceful, memorable, adventurous, and unique!

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The next morning, I was a little tired but very excited to continue my travel adventure! First, I walked to the Marina to do my morning hygiene, then, I had a picnic on the dock and took some blog pictures. As I was doing this, a man walked by and offered to help me. He took some cool pictures for my blog. He was Bryan’s neighbor.

The morning at the Marina was very quiet and peaceful with some heavy clouds, which made for a breathtaking nature experience. One thing was interesting: everyone who walked on the dock and lived at the Marina was drinking alcohol early in the morning. If I lived here, I’d be exercising and picnicking some whole-foods plant-based meals on the dock watching boats going in and out and enjoying peace. Everyone’s values are so different! My plan that morning was to have breakfast and explore the island again. My travel adventure continued!

It's July 5th, and in the morning, when taking pictures for my blog at the Marina on the dock, I met Steve who is Brian’s neighbor and lives on the boat right next to Brian. He lived in Atlanta for 40 years but now enjoys this new lifestyle after his wife's death. As I was walking to get out of the Marina, right outside my boat, a man was taking pictures with a nice camera. 

He captured a few images for my blog. His name was Chris. I gave him my email to send the pictures whenever he is back home in his state. As I was making my way out, I went to see Brian's boat as they invited me to tour it. It's where they also live full-time, like Steve. 

When I was talking to Brian, Steve came out of his boat and invited us to tour it. It's a beautiful large boat with two bathrooms, two bedrooms, large living room, patio, and kitchen. 

While I was touring Steve's home boat,it started to rain, so Lee Ann and I stayed in, Steve made me some coffee, and I listened to their passionate conversation abdour marina liifestyle. What an adventure! I was going to eat breakfast at Coastal Kitchen after the rain. 

I was stiill at the Marina and never made it out of there! As I was walking to the restaurant to eat, right outside my travel adventure continued. At 11:38 am I got invited by a captain to do a dolphin boat trip for free. I’m so excited to see dolphins since last evening on a boat trip with Brian I didn't get to see them anywhere close by! I'm at Coastal Kitchen for a quick breakfast. 

My dolphin trip was incredible after breakfast! We departed at noon, and the captains let me finish my food on the boat. We saw many dolphins, even babies! I loved singing songs with everyone else to show excitement as dolphins respond well to it. It was raining hard but we all had a good time: lots of laughs and pictures! My heart was overwhelmed with gratitude. After the trip, I left the Marina and went to the beach.

I loved meeting Captain William Lewis who got licensed by the age of 21! Impressive... Captain Reid Harris works with him at Lighthousetrolleys.com 

I came to ECHO to eat and use the beach access here.  Brittany served me, and we had a great conversation. She's asked me how come I'm traveling solo and eating alone.The same wquestion was asked yesterday by the hostess here, Gabby, who is 19. 

I explained to both of them that I am single and celibate and have a beautiful life with God. We talked about celibacy, self-care, and figuring out what God saying about me, as well as how knowing, understanding, and embracing wholeheartedly Biblical truth about who I am in Christ changed my life.

I ate slowly and mindfully, enjoying the ocean view and a glass of red wine, all while reading Tony Robbins' book. A tall handsome man came to ask me for a chair and started talking to me. His mother and two sons were sitting next to me. He shared that he was single and was writing a book about how to be comfortable alone. His sons came to my table a few moments later...

Then, a storm began, and I went inside.

As I settled on a couch and continued reading, waiting for storm to quiet so that I could run barefoot on the beach, this man came with his mother and two boys and sat with me, continuing the conversation and God, solitude, and singleness. Everything sounded exactly as the things I said to the server and the hostess at this restaurant when they questioned why I was so beautiful eating alone. 

The realization of this man taking my words and speaking my own ideas, which he overheard from the conversation I had with the young girls, back to me made me feel nauseous. He told me that he was right behind me when I was talking to the hostess... I immediately thought about spiritual warfare and how manipulative Satan can deceive us to see something which it not at all what is portrayed to us. I reflected on my narcissistic maarriage and how Satan came at me looking saint and destroyed me after we said "I do!" Storm ended. I ran alone barefoot on the beach, which was empty. The tide was returning, so the ocean was close to te restaurant again. Ten, I went back to the boat thinking about my encounter with that strange man. As soon I showered and settled on the boat, I received an instagram message from a beautiful woman who shared how Satan attacked her the same way as I was attacked in 2016. She had read my articles about narcissistic abuse recovery. She said sha disconnected from her family and her narcissist. She moved and started a new life to healfrom ll the abuse. That was a sign from God that I surely recognized Satan's attack on me today.

I was back on the boat and ready to go to bed. I went to the Marina to use a bathroom. It was very dark outside. The water was as black as the sky, so it was just pure blackness surrounding me everywhere. I was scared of gators who live there in abundance. I prayed.

A few ladies were on the public dock drinking and chatting. One of them started talking to me as I was passing by in my pjs, and I quickly directed the conversation toward Jesus. When she heard that I am a Christian blogger, she jumped out of her seat and ran toward me saying “I love Jesus!” It was so awesome! I knew that God sent me to this travel adventure for His divine reason. Then, I went to sleep.

The next day, I went back home after brunch on the beach. That trip inspired me to figure out my eating habits once and for all and train my body for long periods of fasting. I reflected on everything that happened as I was driving in the rain. I knew that I would never come back to the island: the beach there was ugly and dirty. My next travel adventure would be on a beautiful beach with snow-white sand, clear water, and breath-taking views with the tide that doesn’t expose sea animals to a cruel death by the burning-hot sun!

Henderson Beach State Park in Destin FL

On July 26th, I left at 4 am and headed to a new beach, which is a state park. I currently live within the limits of a national recreational area, so I know areas like that are beautiful in a very special way.

Henderson Beach State Park has 4K positive reviews on Google. I saw the pictures posted there but when I arrived, my breath was still taken away by the beauty, cleanness, and magic of this unbelievably-picturesque beach! Green-blue see-through water. No low tide sea animal exposure. White, snow-like sand. Very clean public bathrooms. Just a few feet walk from the parking lot to the ocean. Miles and miles of the soft running surface. And the picnic area between the parking lot and the beach was fully-covered, offering plenty of comfortable large tables and grills.

The ocean water is very clean. I was in disbelief!

Was this for real or was I dead in heaven?

I walked and ran on the beach, had a picnic, prayed, journaled, swam, worked, relaxed, explored, met new people, and allowed God to speak to me through His precious and perfect creation. My spiritual breakthroughs were many but I want to share the one that I think may benefit you. Here was my realization…

I need so little in life! Here I was running nearly naked on God’s sand and swimming in God’s ocean. I did this in a fasted state, without food for a long time before I ate. There are no fur coats, diamonds, expensive cars or houses I need. None of that! What my heart truly desires is peace, closeness with God, and being in nature, active and healthy. I’m 37 years old. This breakthrough was very humbling and timely.

Even though it was raining and storming for a little bit, I enjoyed every second of my travel adventure in Henderson Beach State Park in Destin, FL. I loved the gentle waves that carry tons of small fishes in them. I was fascinated by how my feet were joyfully sinking into the white soft sand that made me feel so relaxed! I was captivated by watching the colors of the horizon change throughout the day.

Then, I went to the pier a couple of miles away and watched the sunset, saw dolphins catch fish, met some birds who were hanging out with the fishermen, and enjoyed colorful giant turtles who were having dinner in the pier-surrounding water. Then, I drove back home and was in bed around 3 am, happy and excited about my next trip there. It is the best beach on earth, and I am someone who spent time on private beaches in Barbados, Jamaica, Bali, etc. Henderson Beach State Park is my favorite beach. I loved it. I even got to walk on water!

On August 6th, I went back to Destin. I left at 3 am and after 6 hours of driving was there at 8 am local time. Contrary to my first trip, I avoided the paid highway where I was double-charged, so my drive was a few minutes longer. It was 90F and sunny. No rain, no big waves, just lots of people, soft white sand, and a beautiful ocean.

I felt home. I felt in God’s arms. I felt serene.

Long walk on the beach is one of the activities that gives me so much joy! I love running barefoot there. Swimming in Destin is a blessing because it’s so safe. I swam, then walked, then swam, and walked… Also, I buried my hands and feet in the sand and sat in the ocean watching birds catching fish and listening to the waves swoosh.

This time, I brought my hula hoop, too!

This has been the best Summer in my entire life.

While I had traveled to some fancy exotic destinations many times and lived in very expensive hotels all over the globe, I was not alone but with a man, and there was no peace but a lot of drama and abuse.

This Summer, I went to the beach five times. I drove my own car. I went wherever I wanted to go and did whatever I wanted to do. I enjoyed freedom, peace, and serenity. I didn’t let my fears stop me. I didn’t need to plan anything extensively. I didn’t need to spend a ton of money. None of that. All I needed was faith over fear, a car, my health to sustain long hours of driving, and a positive attitude for travel adventure.

My new experiences expanded my thinking.

I feel very strong and genuinely free!

Now, for my trips, I have a worship songs playlist and I sing my heart out while driving. I also have a selection of personal-development audiobooks to enjoy. I travel in a fasted state.

What does this mean?

I drove to Destin, FL from Atlanta, GA in a fasted state meaning I was without water and food for over 14 hours. Of course, I had both food and water with me but I no longer eat or drink unless I’m hungry and thirsty, which has helped me conquer binge-eating. This is one of my water fasting results. Food is no longer my master and I enjoy my trips so much more in a fasted state, which gives me energy, a clear mind, and laser-focused attention. I loved how energized I felt after just 2 hours of sleep and six hours of driving across three states: GA, AL, and FL. All because I didn’t eat or drink anything for 14 hours. I was active at the beach all day and drove back to Atlanta arriving home at 2:30 am.

My heart was overwhelmed with gratitude for these incredible experiences. I can’t put into mere words how I truly feel: liberated, bondage-free, spiritually strong, completely healthy, physically able to endure a lot, limitless in the way of thinking and living, adventurous, happy, grateful, blessed, awed, faithful, and abiding.

I abide in Christ instead of living in my own power, and He shows me the way toward peace that passes all understanding, He leads my ministry and reveals Himself through me to His people, He comforts me through our daily communion and by allowing me to recharge from His precious creation. I grew closer to God, thanks to my travel adventure! Here’s my favorite early-morning picture from this fifth trip, aka my second trip to Henderson Beach State Park.

Traveling for Adventure Self-Care Challenge

What is this self-care challenge all about? It’s about you engaging in life fully and gaining new experiences while also stretching your comfort zone. Note that over-drinking alcohol, consuming drugs, shopping, or sleeping with strangers are not on the list of fun things to do.

The things I want you to do when traveling for adventure are these: explore local museums, restaurants, poetry open nights, beach activities, or animal-adventures, such as swimming with the dolphins. You can go kayaking, plank or do pushups in the water, do a 100 squats challenge, or try skydiving. Your goal is to meet new people and learn new skills. Meeting new birds counts, too!

I want you to get healthier as a result of this self-care adventure. Be wise and prudent, don’t be foolish. You are valuable, remember this! No going to dark places or random boats with strangers! But trying to save a baby shark is cool, so do it!

And share your experiences with me in the comments below. I want to cheer you on. This self-care challenge is new to me, so I definitely will use this blog post to update you on my travel adventures.

Travel Adventure Ideas and Tips

1. Decide where you want to go and just go
2. Don’t worry about the weather, decide to have fun regardless
3. Bring your own picnic and drinks to have a good time and save money
4. Make your travel adventure a road trip
5. Listen to an interesting audiobook while driving
6. Ensure you have cash and change in case you need those
7. Bring a blanket and some extra-towels to nap outside
8. Talk to people genuinely and see how God will use you
9. Be open to opportunities to glorify God and honor Him
10. Be wise and avoid doing stupid things you may regret later

Travel Adventure Blogs

1. The Blonde Abroad – Solo Female Travel Blog
2. Adventurous Kate – Solo Female Travel Blog
3. Be My Travel Muse – Solo Female Travel Blog
4. World of Wanderlust – Solo Female Travel Blog
5. The Wandering Blonde – Solo Female Travel Blog
6. Girl about the Globe – Solo Female Travel Blog
7. Jessie on a Journey – Solo Female Travel Blog
8. Young Adventuress – Solo Female Travel Blog
9. Traveling by Faith Alone – Alison Karlene
10. The Reasons To Travel Solo at Least Once in Your Life

Travel Adventure Quotes

Solo travel adventures are scary yet liberating. It’s the best way to learn to trust God completely and practice good discernment in real-life settings.

Anna Szabo (click to tweet)

Hitting the open road and feeling the wind in one’s hair easily goes down as one of the most liberating things to enjoy.

Hostelgeeks (click to tweet)

I quit my job to travel the world alone in 2010. Nine years later, I’ve traveled to 83 countries and all seven continents! Oh, and I never went back to a “real” job. 

Kate McCulley (click to tweet)

My vision of a better world is one where more women are empowered, brave, and confident in their abilities. Where we explore other cultures, spend more time in nature, and come to love our world more. Solo traveling is the best thing I’ve found to promote these qualities. We become the chief architect of our own destiny. Everything is new and our entire surroundings are an opportunity to grow. 

Kristin Addis (click to tweet)

Life was not meant to be lived in one place.

Brooke Saward (click to tweet)

Traveling solo empowers you and when you’ve done it once, there will be no stopping you.

Girl about the Globe (click to tweet)

You do not have to wait until you have a ton of money or a travel partner to start traveling now… Explore the globe and enrich your life with unique local encounters.

Jessica Festa (click to tweet)

Everyone has specific characteristics that affect the way they travel.  Being a young, solo female traveler, I make choices that large, fearless men would scoff at.  Similarly, my religious beliefs greatly affect the way I travel. Being a Christian abroad can be equally as difficult as it is rewarding.  While there are times I reluctantly hide my faith, am mocked for it, or find myself out of my element; I have also been challenged, supported, and encouraged along the way.

Alison Karlene (click to tweet)

Summary

This was my first solo female travel blog. I shared with you about my travel adventures and also gave you some great resources in case you decide to travel solo, explore the world, and see what God can do in and through you. Are you feeling inspired and encouraged? I hope so!

Traveling solo is empowering. After just these two road-trips, I felt empowered! Now that I’ve done five trips, I feel free, independent, alive, and strong. I feel adventurous, joyful, excited, and curious. I feel creative and happy! I feel that I’m my own person and nothing is holding me back anymore. I know that I can do anything!

Disclaimer: the solo female travel blog options provided above are examples and not my recommendations. I personally did not read all the content on those websites and do not necessarily endorse them. I shared the blogs only for your quick reference in case you need some tips, considering that this article is the only resource I’ve created on this topic so far.

In this post, I shared some travel adventure blogs. I also provided some quotes to encourage you to try solo traveling for adventure.

You got ten travel adventure ideas and tips from me here, and I hope you feel inspired to go somewhere where you can be challenged, where God can use you for His divine purpose, and where you can meet new people, as well as learn new things.

Solo-travel expanded my horizons and helped me grow.

I told you some of my stories: how I was depressed and suicidal due to abuse and how I survived and thrive today. The healing journey for me began by discovering what God says about me. From there, I committed to living life fully engaged and fully alive. Now, we are here: I’m healthy and whole traveling solo to minister to people and to glorify God!

As a result of my journey, today, I help women see themselves the way God sees them. I’ve specifically been focusing on identity in Christ. From the Bible, I discovered 52 incredibly-positive things God says about us as His daughters. Those 52 precious discoveries turned into 52 Biblical affirmations I created to encourage and empower Christian women. 

To help share this life-changing information with you, I created an ebook called #52Devotionals. Download it now for free.