Interview (10) - let me introduce you to Justyna

Name: Justyna

Nationallity: Polish

Occupation: Graduate, working in marketing and traveling the World

You can learn more about me here: http://one-penny-trip.com/about/

I can say I’m a mixture of a nomad soul with a fidget – I need to travel to feel fulfilled and staying in one place for longer period makes me sick.

1. What was your inspiration or the event/idea that made you want to travel?

Well, since I can only remember I was a type of person who could never sit in one place. I remember being a child and going with my dad to Bieszczady Mountains in Poland where my family lives – it was autumn and everything was so colorful. I also used to take a solo small trips to the local hills and discovering everything around.

2. What was your first travel experience?

It was Great Britain which I truly love.

3. Have you ever felt lonely travelling solo?

Never ever in my life! I think solo traveling is what makes my travels so unforgettable. Actually, traveling solo never means being alone for me – I meet a lot of people on my way. Locals, other travelers…all those people are always somewhere there when I travel. Traveling alone doesn’t mean avoiding people. It just means freedom in making choices where, when and how to do.

4. Do you have any fun stories of things that happened to you that you realized even at the time, “This never would have happened if I had been traveling with someone else?”

Absolutely yes. I’m terribly disorganized when I’m on the way. I mean if I like the place, I usually stay there longer, sometimes forgetting about a bus I have booked or so. Last time it happened to me in Jordan. I prolonged my stay in Palestine which after all made me stay longer in Petra. When I wanted to go back to Tel Aviv I realized it was Sabbath and my bus was not going. If I had been traveling with someone else, I would’ve had a bigger chance not to miss it.

5. What was your best travel experience?

I had a lot of fun in the Middle East – so far it was my best trip. I would recommend going there to everyone. The most hospitable people ever, stunning views (have you already seen Petra or a Dead Sea?). It’s an absolute must-go on a traveler’s bucket list.

6.  Is there anything you would have done differently/ any regrets, if you could do it over again?

No, there’s no such thing.

7. What was your worst travel experience?

There were not so many of them but I think it was when I was crossing Jordan-Israeli border and they told me I couldn’t cross it because my visa was no longer valid (although it should be for a couple more days). I was a solo traveler, woman, coming back from Jordan and having Palestinian newspaper in my backpack. I had a lot of problems with explaining why do I need it, why do I travel alone and why someone made a mistake with my visa. Fortunately, after almost 2 hours the problem was solved and they let me go.

8. What’s the strangest situation you have found yourself in?

I can’t recall anything special now.

9. Where will you never return to?

I haven’t been to such place so far and I hope I will never be!

10.  What advice would you give women traveling solo to your home country?

Traveling alone in Poland is rather safe. Of course you should always be careful what kind of people you meet or where you go after the sun goes down, like everywhere around the world, but basically there are no special tips 

11.  What are your future travel plans?

Aww, there are so many of them! You can’t even imagine. My first and the biggest plan now is to learn Arabic and be back to the Middle East next year. I would like to travel Arabic Peninsula and the Arab part of Africa. Meanwhile I have a lot of smaller plans – France, Greece, Portugal… My dream is also to travel along the West-African coast, from Morocco to South Africa.

12. What are your top three tips for women traveling solo?

#1 Be respectful, open-minded but not naive

#2 Always keep a copy of your passport and a national embassy address/phone number with you – just in case

#3 Before you go, remember to have someone in your home country who’s legally entitled to talk on your behalf to your bank, insurance company etc. Sometimes you are simply too far away to arrange help, so don’t forget to sign a proper document before you go.

13. What would you tell women who are looking to travel alone but worry about their safety?

That they should read the point 12. of this interview again. If they still don’t feel safe it’s better not to go at all.

14. Couchsurfing...what do you think about that?

What if I told you I barely use another way of accommodation and meeting people? I live on Couchsurfing  And it works both ways – when I’m not traveling I’m always willing to put somebody up naturally.

15. How do you pay for a life of travel?

I work. I’m lucky I have a kind of job I could do anywhere around the world. Besides this I sell my photos. There are so many photo stocks on line where you can upload your pictures (if they are really good) and make some money. It’s not a big amount at the beginning, but the longer you do this, the more you can earn. Soon I’m also starting with affiliate links on my blog.

16. Tell us about the best food you have ever eaten on your travels?

I love Dolma, a type of stuffed vegetables typical for Arab cuisine, traditional Viennese schnitzel and Polish pierogi :))

17. What is the most breathtaking view you have ever witnessed on your travels?

There were a few of them. I remember being in Norway and getting up to Holmenkollen ski jump from which I could see everything around – Oslo, fiords and a dense forest. I also loved the landscape in Wadi Rum, Slovenian Alps and Salzkammergut region in Austria!