Are you itching for that ‘revenge travel’? Get inspired and learn some helpful travel tips shared by this Dubai-based Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who has visited a total of 16 countries in the past years.
Ever Joy Trazona from Cebu has been a proud solo traveler since 2015. Her video sharing her list of visited countries has recently gained popularity on Tiktok.
Ever shared that her journey as a solo traveler started off unexpectedly. During a supposed Eid vacation to Oman in 2015, her friend was unable to board the plane due to visa reasons which led to her first solo trip.
“Sa first travel ko sa Oman that time with my friend, pa-flight na namin, Eid yun. HIndi siya pinasakay sa plane kasi need nya mag-apply ng visa. Kaya ‘yun the show must go on. Sayang naman ang booking namin sa plane and hotel if hindi ako tutuloy. Tapos ‘yun, at the end of that travel na realize ko na pwedeng-pwede pala mag travel alone even women,” shared Ever in an exclusive interview with The Filipino Times.
Since then, Ever has been exploring different countries and their culture. She has visited Switzerland, China, Australia, Russia, France, Jordan and a lot more.
She shared with The Filipino Times some tips that she learned from being a solo traveler.
Travel Tips for female solo travelers
Choose visa free countries
“Beginners should travel to countries that permit Filipinos and Philippine passport holders to get a free visa on arrival,” advised Ever.
“Google search is free. We should do more research about the countries we want to visit. There are Pros and Cons for us to be aware of in advance.”
‘Preparation is key’
Ever shared that reading the place and knowing where to go will help save you from the headache of finding where to do and what to do when visiting a new country.
“You can find tips and advice from other female solo travelers by reading blogs and personal stories. Take advantage of the Internet to get advice from other travelers,” she said.
Based from experience, she said she finds it most convenient to “purchase mobile data when traveling, especially when using Google Maps.”
- Plan your itinerary to guide you during your trip.
- Pack light only.
- Be flexible
She also highlighted the importance of being mentally prepared.
“Traveling to new places and countries requires 100% courage or “lakas ng loob” and physical and mental preparation,” said Ever.
She also advised to always carry and keep a copy of your travel documents wherever you go, just to be ready for any ‘unforeseen events.’
‘Safety first’
“As a solo female traveler, I used to stay at a hostel, make new friends, and be friendly with the other female fellow travelers,” shared Ever.
For safety purposes, when traveling abroad, she wears a ring to signify that she’s taken and discourage men from being too friendly.
“As a female solo traveler, I wear a wedding ring on my ring finger to look married to strangers. Although it’s optional, you may choose to do so,” she said.
And her most important piece of advise:
‘Travel within your means’
She advises travelers to be careful not to overspend and only make essential purchases.
“I travel within my means since I am a budget traveler. However, it depends on the type of traveler each individual is,” said Ever.
Here’s a list of the 16 countries that she has visited apart from the Philippines.
- United Arab Emirates (2009)
Ever moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2009 to work as a Civil Engineer. Since then, she has loved to visit tourist spots within the country.
2. Singapore (2015, 2016)
3. Oman (2015, 2022)
4. Armenia (2016)
5. Maldives (2017)
6. Sri Lanka (2017)
7. Azerbaijan (2017)
8. Indonesia (2018)
9. Australia (2018)
9. Russia (2018)
10. Jordan (2019)
11. Israel (2019)
12. France (2019)
13. Switzerland (2019)
14. China (2019)
16. Kyrgyztan (2021)
When asked which among these countries is her favorite destination, Ever answered ‘all.’
“Lahat, iba-iba kasi every country’s beauty,” she said.
Ever has worked as an OFW for 13 years. She said she has always wanted to travel the world since she was young but was requested by her mom to finish her schooling first.
So the moment she moved overseas to work, she has taken every opportunity to travel and explore the world.
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