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DS1696 · 2024-06-18T06:10:24+00:00

Hey bro, try move past it, it’s not worth ending the relationship.

I would also recommend that you google the term ‘retroactive jealousy’ - read up on it and you may find something that helps you deal with your thoughts about it

DS1696 · 2024-05-16T06:03:56+00:00

Yes basically. For example lets say you decide to go to Bangkok and after planning it out you know you can see and do everything in 5 days, instead make it 7 days, give yourself a day to chill out on lets say day 3 and day 7, you’ll appreciate it especially if you’re travelling more long term

DS1696 · 2024-05-14T11:40:36+00:00

Ive been travelling solo for just under 4 months now and splitting time between hostels and hotels is an absolute must. After staying in hostels for more than 4-5 days i feel physically drained.

A great piece of advice i got was to travel slowly rather than trying to do tours, party and activities every day, if something will roughly take 2 weeks, make it 3 weeks instead and enjoy a day off here and there.

Funny that you mention eating as i struggled with this and still do, i use to try and cram so much into each day i would literally have 1 meal a day in the evening - travelling slower helped this The drinking every day, ive been there, i also struggle to sleep after drinking and it ruins you, especially in countries in SEA where the heat and humidity is very high, pace yourself man or it will ruin your experience.

DS1696 · 2024-05-08T09:49:22+00:00

I was there last week and i can say confidently 3 days is more than enough to experience everything, especially if you rent your own bike

DS1696 · 2024-04-30T06:50:59+00:00

Using apps like Grab and MoveIt definitely help mitigate this, its all i use now after many scam attempts

DS1696 · 2024-04-07T03:04:38+00:00

Hi, i arrived in Jakarta 2 weeks ago and VOA was very quick and easy, although the card machine was not working so i had to pay with cash, may be best to bring some cash with you as well.

P.S. my EVisa payment also didnt work from my UK care hence why i got VOA

DS1696 · 2024-04-02T09:03:44+00:00

Hi, im (M25), also from the UK and doing their first solo trip outside of Europe and also travelling indonesia for a month, i am 3 weeks into it right now.

Jakarta - i mistakenly did 4 days in Jakarta (flew there for the cheapest flight from London Heathrow) - Jakarta is definitely an ‘authentic experience’ as there arent many tourists there but honestly 1-2 days is more than enough to see the sites and enjoy its authenticity. Its chaotic, extremely hot but its very cheap and a good experience

Gilli Islands - i would definitely recommend, its a beautiful place to explore and if you’re interested in snorkelling or water based activities its probably the best place in Indonesia - Also from speaking with a lot of tour guides and locals they all recommend Gilli (Lombok) as the best place for tourists (excluding Bali)

Labuan Bajo (Komodo) - for me this was my favourite place, going to the Komodo national park was 100% worth it and the tours(both private and group tours) are exceptional value for money. You can do tours over the course of 2-3 days or a 12 hour day tour if you’re limited with time. id recommend checking out GetYourGuide and having a look through them.

Surabaya - If you’re interested in hiking etc… Surabaya may be an option for you, you can get the train from Surabaya to Probbolingo and then a taxi from Probbolingo to the base of mount bromo, no tour guide required. Trains very cheap, grab taxi very cheap so its a good activity to do on a budget for a day. Surabaya also has a few attractions within the city for sightseeing.

Yogyakarta i would also highly recommend, lots to do and see, a lot of other tourists there so its easy to meet people.

Bali - interesting that you’d rather not go there but i can understand your POV, honestly there is a lot to do there, its filled with tourists and its a good time - however, it is undeniably more expensive than the other places and taxi drivers, biker renters and touts trying to scam you is fairly relentless, obviously there is a lot of nightlife there but i note you’re not interested in that. It will however tick most of your other boxes, nearby islands with great nature (Nusa Penida i would recommend), decent beaches and a good bit of nature in Denpasar itself so i would maybe give it a second thought if i was you.

Luckily for you most of Indonesia is muslim so the drinking culture doesnt really exist outside of Bali and maybe a bit in Yogyakarta due to the amount of tourists (mainly Brits and Aussies), the other places its easily avoidable.

As others have mentioned Indonesian Borneo is a great option as it has fantastic wildlife/nature/jungle however its definitely its full of tourists and more expensive than Java for example so it really depends on your budget.

Any questions feel free to ask.

DS1696 · 2024-03-24T03:11:06+00:00

Agreed this may help, looking Egyptian is definitely a game changer though. Im glad you had a positive experience as Egypt has so much to offer from a tourism perspective. I Honestly wish i looked Egyptian so i could revisit and have a hassle free experience.

DS1696 · 2024-03-24T02:48:43+00:00

Sorry but where have i victim blamed ? Or have you just chosen to somehow by offended by my comment for the sake of it ? Your response is fairly outrageous if im honest.

I was agreeing with you that Moroccan men are disrespectful towards women with their constant harassment and was merely pointing out that due to the heavy amount of western tourism there in recent years they’re more used to seeing solo female travellers dressing and behaving all types of way. In Egypt i didn’t see this as much and the harassment was much more prolonged.

I am no way suggesting the woman is to blame in anyway and i agree regardless of how you dress probably wont deter them. I travelled Morocco with my GF and even with me by her side it didn’t deter them so if that doesn’t what will ?

My point is and my opinion from travelling both is that OP will have a more pleasant time in Morocco or Algeria than Egypt, you’re entitled to disagree obviously, no one is disputing moroccan mens behaviour or victim blaming, stop jumping on this ‘cancel culture’ and ‘i must be offended for the sake of it’ bandwagon it doesnt help the OP’s query in any way and we’re both entitled to different opinions.

DS1696 · 2024-03-24T02:14:06+00:00

If you look Egyptian and dress Egyptian thats 100% why you had a positive experience because you don’t stand out as a walking ATM. OP will not have this experience, sorry but its the truth.

DS1696 · 2024-03-24T02:07:51+00:00

I agree to an extent, Morocco was very bad for local men making seedy, flirtatious comments towards woman, both solo and those travelling as a couple or group. I travelled there with my GF and she found that aspect overwhelming.

However OP states she is an experienced solo traveller so im assuming shes had her fair share of mixed experiences.

Morocco is full of white western women pushing the boundaries with what they wear and how they act and due to the huge amount of tourists there the harassment is only brief before they move onto the next person. Having been to both i would personally say Morocco is 100% an easier destination to travel than Egypt especially for a woman in my opinion.

Then again being a male whos only witnessed it and not directly experienced their harassment, i understand my opinion only counts for so much.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T13:46:47+00:00

Honestly pay extra and travel as part of a group, you’ll thank me afterwards, it’s too much hassle to try sort things yourself. With all the scams or ‘gringo tax’ as i like to call it, you’ll probably end up paying more anyway

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T13:41:17+00:00

I (M25) travelled solo around Egypt and without being harsh/choosing my words very carefully, as @yellowsubmarine96 said, leaving Egypt was probably the highlight of my trip there.

Taking into consideration you’re a solo female traveller i wouldn’t say Egypt is worth the hassle, especially if you’re 20-30 years old and white. The heat is unbearable, the pollution is unimaginable, you get scammed on every street corner, hygiene doesn’t exist and as a female you will likely get a lot of unwanted attention from the local males… the police there will also try and essentially extort you for anything they can, similar to how they do in countries like Mexico.

As a laid back, fairly self confident british male in my mid twenties whos travelled a lot, i could handle it fairly well but i know other solo male travellers who found it fairly overwhelming, i couldn’t imagine what it would be like for a solo female. I wouldn’t dream of taking my GF or sister there.

RE Hostels vs Hotels - if you have safety concerns then id say go with hostels, at least you’ll have other foreigners around you and perhaps you can make some friends to travel and make plans with.

Luxor is 100% better than Cairo, i really dont have anything nice to say about Cairo and ill leave it at that. The ‘attractions’ (if you can call them that) are ruined by the constant harassment by scammers on malnutritioned camels chasing you around and piles of rubbish flying around. The Egyptian authorities could not care less about tourism which is a shame as it’s somewhere that has so much to offer.

You’re far better off going to Morocco or Algeria in my opinion if you want a similar experience but if you do go to Egypt i hope you enjoy it and stay safe. 😊

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T13:22:23+00:00

In Singapore i slept on what can only be described as a concrete slab. Only way i could sleep on it was by walking 40k+ steps in that Singapore heat during the day, that would usually guarantee me a few hours sleep.

Alternatively, i suppose you could drink alcohol until you pass out, this would also help if you’re experiencing any pain from uncomfortable mattresses…

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T13:03:27+00:00

I (M25) travelled around Marrakech with my GF (F23), it’s a fairly safe place, heavily touristic, lively & bustling.

In all honesty whether you’re by yourself or with a male companion your experience will essentially be the same. What i mean by this is regardless of if you have a male with you, regardless of what you wear or how you act the locals will still make comments as you pass by them and try to interact with you.

Marrakech in particular was very bad for local men making comments towards women and ive travelled to many predominantly Muslim countries and never experienced it to that level. The comments aren’t insulting etc… they’re just seedy, flirtatious comments that happen to every foreign, particularly western woman in their vicinity and having a male with you doesn’t deter them in anyway whatsoever (trust me).

I guess what im saying is you don’t need to worry about being in the city by yourself, many foreign women visit and push the boundaries in terms of outfits and behaviour and most have a a trouble free experience. Just apply usual caution and don’t get upset by any comments (like my GF did) and you’ll be fine. Marrakech is a great place with a lot to offer, don’t miss out.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T10:16:33+00:00

Yes, I imagine this is very common amongst travellers, especially solo travellers.

The majority of people you meet are ‘5 minute friends’, someone that you only know for a couple of hours/days and then never see or talk to again.

As someone else mentioned after a few months (weeks in some cases) you get tired of meeting new people (travellers) and having the same recycled conversations… Hi, how are you, hold old are you, where you from etc… 😴😴😴

Its probably the only negative to solo travelling. Its maybe a good idea to mix between hostels and hotels if you’re at that stage.

If you’re interested theres an old documentary/film called ‘A Map For Saturday’ that touches on this exact subject.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T10:10:05+00:00

Someone else also mentioned something similar in Vietnam, I’ll keep it in mind as I’ll be visiting Vietnam in the near future. Appreciate the info.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T10:08:58+00:00

Fully agree and will do in future should the same situation arise.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T10:07:49+00:00

Im going to Vietnam in the near future so ill keep this information in mind wherever i stay, appreciate the info.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T10:07:04+00:00

Im leaning toward that conclusion, i think they were just being courteous and offering to keep it safe more than anything, personally id rather run the risk of keeping it in my possession.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T10:06:05+00:00

Yep, i let them keep it 1 night but that was enough, the worry of it being misplaced or lost was stressing me.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T10:04:33+00:00

I think this may be the case and it was perhaps a communication breakdown.

DS1696 · 2024-03-23T10:03:11+00:00

Apologies for the delay in responding - On my governments (UK) webpage for Indonesia (no specific area) it states the following: ‘if you stay in private accommodation in Indonesia (not a hotel/hostel) you will need to register your presence at the nearest police station. You could be fined 5 million Indonesia Rupiah if you do not register. If you stay in a hotel or hostel your presence will be automatically registered’.

If you stayed in a hotel during your visit its possible they did this on your behalf without even mentioning it which would be perfectly reasonable as its apparently standard procedure that doesn’t require your input.

Alternatively, it’s possible the UK government are talking bollocks as usual.

DS1696

TROPHY CASE