The Ultimate Guide to Solo Female Travel

Research before you go—weather, local customs, dress codes. Make sure you know the basics of what to expect before you step off the plane. You’ll make better choices and get the most out of your trip.

Is it your first time traveling solo? The most important thing to take with you is common sense. Always book your first night’s stay regardless—you’ll rest easily knowing you won’t have to deal with finding a hotel while jet lagged. And always have a backup plan.

Keep the address to your hotel in a notebook and carry your passport and some extra cash in a well-concealed spot. Lastly, don’t forget your travel insurance!

Assure Your Loved Ones

One of the most difficult conversations that you can have in the build up to your plans to go traveling is explaining to your loved ones what you are planning to do, and dealing with their reactions to the announcement.

It’s common for those that care about us to be concerned with a solo trip. This concern is not limited to parents, but spouses, siblings and friends may all have valid reasons to be worried about you traveling solo.

Solo travel is an amazing and exciting adventure for many people and can be empowering and life changing, but if your loved ones are likely to try and talk you out of it or may be upset about your choice, it might be worth planning the conversation to try and keep things on track.

CONTINUE READING >>http://theblondeabroad.com/2016/03/28/the-ultimate-guide-to-solo-female-travel/

It’s A Beautiful World Watercolor Scratch Map

YOU CAN BUY THIS ITEM AT >>http://seattlestravelshop.com/shop/its-a-beautiful-world-scratch-map/

Women Dressing Styles: Long Dresses/Full Length Floor Dresses

Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzaziki

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb / 1 kg boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets

Marinade

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced (~ 3 tsp)
• 3 tsp white wine vinegar (or red wine or apple cider vinegar)
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 1½ tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• Black pepper

Tzatziki

• 2 cucumbers (to make about ½ - ¾ cup grated cucumber after squeezing out juice)
• 1¼ cups plain Greek yoghurt
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar (or red wine or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or more if you want richer)
• ½ garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp salt
• Black pepper

Salad

• 3 tomatoes, desseeded and diced
• 3 cucumbers, diced
• ½ red spanish onion, peeled and finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper

To Serve

• 4 to 6 pita breads or flat breads

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the Marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag and massage to mix. Add the chicken into the ziplock bag and massage to cover all the chicken in the Marinade. Marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably 3 hours, ideally 12 hours and no longer than 24 hours.

Make the Tzatziki

1. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape the watery seeds out. Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater. Then wrap in paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.
2. Place cucumber in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients then mix to combine. Set aside for at least 20 minutes for the flavours to meld.

Salad

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl.

Cook Chicken

1. Brush the outdoor grill with oil, then preheat on medium high. Or heat 1 tbsp of oil in a fry pan over medium high heat.
2. Remove chicken from Marinade. Cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through (cooking time depends on size of chicken).
3. Remove the chicken from the grill / fry pan onto a plate. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Assemble Gyros

1. If your chicken thighs are large, you may need to cut them. Mine were small.
2. Get a pita bread or flatbread (preferably warmed) and place it on a piece of parchment (baking) paper (or you could use foil). Place some Salad down the middle of the bread, then top with chicken and Tzatziki.
3. Roll the wrap up, enclosing it with the parchment paper. Twist the end with the excess parchment paper to secure it.
4. I prefer to lay everything out on a table and let everyone help themselves.

NOTES

1. This recipe makes a generous amount of Tzatziki. But better to have too much than not enough!

2. This recipe serves 4 to 6 people. Depending on how robust appetites are!

Nutrition for Greek Chicken Gyros assuming this serves 6 and all the Tzatziki is used.

MORE RECIPES AT >>http://www.recipetineats.com/

ULTIMATE BALI GUIDE + WHERE TO STAY IN BALI 2017 ASIA | INDONESIA TRAVEL GUIDE

Deciding where to stay in Bali can make or break your trip. So picking the area and hotel to call ‘home’ for a few days is essential…

Whilst there is no denying both the good and bad of Bali I love it. The ‘Island of the Gods’ has so much more to offer than luxury resorts and party spots and is small enough you can stay in more than one place on your trip there.

After spending over 8 months here in 5 visits I think I’ve finally got it sussed out – hope this helps!

http://www.danflyingsolo.com/where-to-stay-in-bali-indonesia-travel-guide/

Dressing Like a New Yorker

You'd be hard-pressed to find a New Yorker who only wears black. As far as we're concerned, that's an ill-founded fashion rule made to be broken. But there is something the most stylish ladies of NYC have in common — when they get dressed in the morning, their looks are refined and polished.

When New Yorkers step out of their apartments, they do it with confidence, traveling from point A to point B without missing a step — even when they're wearing heels. The best part? Their outfits are incredibly easy to re-create. Even if you don't live in the Big Apple, you can totally dress like you do when you follow the 37 style rules ahead.

CONTINUE READING HERE>>http://www.popsugar.com/fashion/How-Dress-Like-New-Yorker-38161385#photo-38161385

Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl

Ingredients

VEGETABLES

• 2 Tbsp olive, melted coconut, or grape seed oil
• 1/2 red onion, sliced in wedges
• 2 large sweet potatoes, halved
• 1 bundle (227 g) broccolini, large stems removed, chopped
• 2 big handfuls kale, larger stems removed
• 1/4 tsp each salt + pepper

CHICKPEAS

• 1 15-ounce (425 g) chickpeas, drained, rinsed + patted dry
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp each salt + pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano (optional)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)

TAHINI SAUCE (OPTIONAL)

• 1/4 cup (56 g) tahini
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2-4 Tbsp hot water to thin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and arrange sweet potatoes and onions on a bare baking sheet. Drizzle both with a bit of oil, making sure the flesh of the sweet potatoes are well coated and placed skin side down on the sheet.
2. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven flip sweet potatoes and add broccolini. Drizzle broccolini with a bit of oil and season with a pinch each salt and pepper.
3. Bake for another 8-10 minutes, then remove from oven and add kale. Drizzle kale with a touch more oil and season with a pinch each salt and pepper. Bake for another 4-5 minutes then set aside.
4. While vegetables are roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with seasonings.
5. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp oil and chickpeas and sauté, stirring frequently. If they’re browning too quickly, turn down heat. If there isn’t much browning going on, increase heat. I found 10 minutes total at slightly over medium heat was perfect.
6. Once the chickpeas are browned and fragrant, remove from heat and set aside.
7. Prepare sauce by adding tahini, maple syrup and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Add hot water until a pourable sauce is formed. Set aside.
8. To serve: Slice sweet potatoes into bite size pieces. Divide vegetables between 3 serving bowls and top with chickpeas + tahini sauce.
9. Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 3 servings with sauce.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1/3 of recipe with sauce Calories: 474 Fat: 21g Saturated fat: 2.8g Carbohydrates: 62gSugar: 7.2g Sodium: 563mg Fiber: 11.4g Protein: 13.2g

                        MORE RECIPES ON >>http://minimalistbaker.com/

When Should You Actually Book Your Next Vacation?

13 Affordable Countries That Are Perfect For Budget Travelers

1. Indonesia

Witthaya / Getty Images

Eat Pray Love is just the tip of the iceberg: There is so much more to this beautiful country, including the fact that it is majorly budget-friendly. Click here to find out how much things typically cost there. Highlight: A full dinner costs about 13,500 Indonesian rupiah, or $1!

2. Cambodia

Skouatroulio / Getty Images

Cambodia is a staple go-to for budget travelers. You can see the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat (above), go diving on the cheap, and hit up any of the country’s beautiful, sparkly pristine beaches — and it’s all so affordable. Find out ~just~ how inexpensive everything is here. Sneak peek: A restaurant meal is rarely over $5, and beer starts at — wait for it — just 25 cents!

3. Vietnam

Cristaltran / Getty Images

In a sentence, Vietnam is just stunning. That’s Ha Long Bay above, a 600-mile turquoise bay filled with huge limestone islands, and there are many more just-as-beautiful views around the country. It’s affordable, too: Check out how much you’ll end up paying here. Hint: You can get your favorite Vietnamese dish, which you WILL learn to pronounce correctly, for about $1, or 22,000 Vietnamese dong.

4. Laos

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Laos is a Southeast Asian country known very much for its beautiful mountains, Buddhist monasteries, and “tubing parties,” where you basically float down a river and stop at tons of bars and “happy” restaurants along the way. So, of course, be responsible! You can get a room for about $10 to $30 a night (depending on how fancy you go), and you can get street food (like plates of sticky rice) for about $1. Find out more about average travel costs here.

5. Thailand

Masterlu / Getty Images

Even though Thailand has gotten pretty touristy and it’s not AS cheap as the other Southeast Asian countries, it’s still a super affordable place to max out your dollars. Here’s how much everything typically costs. Should probably mention: Rooms (known as guesthouses) in the countryside will set you back, oh, you know, only about $4 (135 Thai bhat).

6. India

Intek1 / Getty Images

It’s a beautiful, majestic country. And, if you know how to navigate your way around, you will be able to stretch your dollar to the max. A plate of hot dhal and rice, for example, can cost around 40 Indian rupees — that’s about 60 cents! And you can also get on a train and travel around for a few days at a time for just a couple bucks. Find out roughly how much other things cost here.

7. Nepal

Goikmitl / Getty Images

Yes, there was a big earthquake in Nepal back in April 2015. But the country is still very much open to tourism — in fact, much of their economy depends on tourism, so they would be very happy to have you. (Wait until September to go, though — it’s monsoon season until then.) Nepal is practically heaven for budget travelers, too. A cheap meal costs around 150 Nepalese rupees (about $1), and a more expensive, three-course dining affair costs about $8. Find out more Nepalese prices here.

8. China

Lavendertime / Getty Images

The cool part about China is that it’s a huge country, yes, but it’s also pretty easy to get from one place to another, so it isn’t ever too overwhelming in that way. And, on top of that, the transit itself is especially cheap — taxis start at around $1. Here’s how much you can expect to pay for everything else.

9. Bulgaria (or, really, anywhere in Eastern Europe)

Flickr: archer10

You may think that Europe is generally more expensive than, say, Southeast Asia and Central America. And, generally speaking, you’d be right — except that Eastern Europe is actually much cheaper than its western cousins. In Bulgaria, for example, you can get an entire liter of beer (32 ounces) for $1.50. Find out what else your dollars can get you here.

10. Nicaragua

Mikeblue / Getty Images

Many people say Nicaragua is the new Costa Rica, which basically means that it’s getting to be an increasingly popular Central American destination. So get there while it’s still on the rise! Bonus: You won’t have to pay much once you arrive. The country is known for all of its high-adventure outdoor activities, particularly surfing — so do it up on the cheap. And you can get a dorm bed for as little as $5.

11. Guatemala

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Those waterfalls are as beautiful as they look. This country is known for its gorgeous outdoor landscapes, as well as its cool arts-and-crafts handiwork. You can find tons of cool wooden sculptures and knickknacks in the weekend markets. It’s all affordable, too: A good meal, for instance, is roughly $3, and everything else is similarly budget-friendly.

12. Honduras

Jansirons / Getty Images

Most people think of Costa Rica and even Nicaragua when they think of Central America. But Honduras is quickly becoming one of the rising hot spots for budget travelers looking to backpack on their own path. Fortunately, it’s very affordable — here’s what everything typically costs. Our favorite: A good local meal costs about 65 Honduran lempira, which is $3. Sold.

13. Peru

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Whatever you do, please, please put Machu Picchu on your travel bucket list. It is one of the coolest and most magical structures in the world. And the other parts of Peru are equally stunning — not to mention affordable. A taxi all around Lima, for instance, is about $7 (25 Peruvian nuevo). *Dances around apartment in joy*

So go go go and book that ticket! The world is waiting for you…

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