Hi, I’m Cassie! Against my wildest expectations, I’m a solo female traveller.
But I’m also the same neurodivergent writer, lost soul, and potato enthusiast I’ve always been.
Please note that this blog post most likely contains affiliate links to products or services I use and love! If you click on the links, it means I get a little extra pocket money at no additional cost to you.
This is what keeps my website ticking over – thank you!
Current location: Mexico City! (Feb 2024)
New to the blog? You can also find previous travel guides for destinations including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and The Balkans, alongside posts on mental well-being and solo travel tips.
View my full list of destinations here.
An introduction: I left my birth country (the UK) in May 2018, aged 27, and I’ve lived, worked, and backpacked abroad ever since. Knowing I would likely spend a lot of time alone and need a way to nurture my creative side, I began this blog to write and recall my solo travels – the challenges, as well as the upsides. It’s been a particular challenge to overcome a life of uncertainty and anxiety in favour of throwing myself into the unknown, but for better and worse, it’s all part of the adventure.
Honestly, despite always being free-spirited (accidentally chaotic and disorganised?), before my trip, I’d never backpacked before. In fact, I never believed it was a possibility. I had a bad job for a few years, was overcoming some traumas, and was super behind on my rent. I spent many years not able to take a holiday and somehow ended up living abroad. It’s still unbelievable to me! Through a series of very fortunate events, I was able to make saving for travel my special interest – my sole obsession, really – after getting a slightly better job, working all hours I had the energy for, and cutting out any unnecessary expense possible.
In some ways, I think this lifestyle was always in my future – I have always dreamed of adventure! But on the other hand, it never seemed even slightly possible. My life has turned itself upside down (literally and figuratively!), and I feel very fortunate to have had this chance.
Since May 2018, I’ve travelled through Japan and Southeast Asia, before moving to Australia for a year. In 2019, I moved to Sydney until my visa expired when I solo backpacked through The Balkans. During this time, I kept up long-term travel by taking full-time temp jobs while on Working Holiday visas, alongside teaching English online and freelance writing.
Never quite fitting in, I’ve finally found a life where you are
constantly dared to do something different.
I recently spent nearly 2 years – mostly in lockdown – after arriving in New Zealand 6 days before their borders closed. Not knowing anyone in the country, and with some medical costs to pay, I kept pretty still for this time and was able to keep up a full-time job for a sustainable energy company. After the final lockdown lifted in December 2021, I flew to Wellington in January 2021.
That brings us to 2022! And after spending 5 months volunteering at an animal sanctuary, followed by a crazy whirlwind road trip around New Zealand, I’m back in Sydney as of September 2022 and figuring out where to go next. It’s been a busy year and I have lots to update you on. It’s exciting to have time to write again – I look forward to sharing this year’s adventures with you very soon!
MY TRAVEL BLOG:
As a traveller, I am particularly curious about places I don’t know much about. My destination blog posts tend to be a mixture of must-sees combined with unique or upcoming spots. For example, whilst my first backpacking destination was Tokyo, by my second ever week of travelling I was solo hiking an ancient pilgrimage trail across untouched misty mountains. I didn’t even have hiking experience – it was hard but worth it! Most recently, I left a planned trip to Bali early in favour of solo backpacking across Java.
Solo travelling with social anxiety, ADHD and at times experiencing depression on the road has certainly been the greatest challenge to overcome. I’m a big believer in a healthy, honest outlook on mental health and these experiences inspired me to write openly about both the highs and lows of travel. I hope that this can help others feel less alone.
For this reason, I don’t think of myself as an empowering solo female traveller. I struggle, I get scared, but I always try my best to keep going. I’m not always able to do as much as others, but I am always happy with what I can do! I hope I can inspire others to live a life that is beyond their expectations while also recognising that ‘living without limitations’ is very much a privilege. (I say this as someone who physically cannot ride a bike due to one of mine!)
Keeping a blog has proved a great way to trace the steps of my literal and personal journey whilst also having the opportunity to advise other travellers of the ups and downs that inevitably come along the way.
What’s next for me? I want to keep challenging myself, keep surprising myself, and make the most of what lies outside my comfort zone. While also, y’know, trying to work out what my comfort zone is. That’s definitely a worthy goal too. When I find it, I’ll be sure to let you know. I may even call it home.
KEEP IN TOUCH:
If you’re a traveller scared who is nervous about solo travel or living with anxiety on the road, don’t be afraid to get in touch.
If you’re interested in working with me, the same goes for you too! I especially love working with friendly humans and cool travel brands that are passionate about sustainability and inclusivity.
You can find me on Instagram @cassiethehag or via email mscassiebailey@gmail.com.
2018
My first destination in 2018 was ROMANIA, which remains one of my favourite countries.
In May, I began my solo adventure in Tokyo, JAPAN before heading off to solo hike the Kumano Kodo, an ancient pilgrimage trail, and explore the lesser-known island of Kyushu.
After spending a weekend in Seoul, SOUTH KOREA, next up I began backpacking through Southeast Asia. I visited MALAYSIA, VIETNAM, LAOS and THAILAND before catching a flight to SINGAPORE.
I headed to Flores and Bali in INDONESIA and SRI LANKA before eventually landing in Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, where I began a one-year working holiday visa in October 2018.
2019
I continued to work in Melbourne until April when I went back to explore more of Indonesia – this time I concentrated on exploring JAVA which is possibly my favourite overall trip within Asia!
In May 2019, I moved to SYDNEY to continue my working holiday visa where I remained till October 2019.
I spent the rest of the year seeing friends in WESTERN EUROPE and solo backpacking around THE BALKANS, visiting cities including Sarajevo, Ohrid, and Pristina before road-tripping around Montenegro.
2020
After extending my stops in Chiang Mai and staying with friends in Sydney for a few weeks each, I ended up arriving in NEW ZEALAND just six days before the border closed. I have remained in Auckland since then.
