I wrote a Book! – Me, Myself & the World.

Eigenwerbung/ Self-Promotion*

I am sitting in the same spot I sat almost a year ago. It is one of my happy places, my cousin’s house in Hout Bay. I spent a few weeks here last year in this house that is always full and usually loud – I love it. I would curl up in the corner on her couch and write. I didn’t mind the background noises of 5+ kids, countless cats, and dogs including Lizzie, the bull terrier. In fact, the lack of solitude always seems to inspire rather than annoy me.

On January 26th, 2016 I received an email titled “Die Kunst des Alleinreisens” – The Art of Traveling Solo. An editor of the prestigious Rowohlt Verlag in Germany asked me if I might be interested in writing a book about solo travel for them. My immediate reaction was to send an email back titled “are you fucking kidding me?!”.

I didn’t. Instead, I took a deep breath, re-read the email, and called my mother to come up with a gameplan once I was somewhat convinced that it might not be a total hoax.

It wasn’t and so I wrote a book about solo travel.

I never considered myself a solo traveler. I don’t like boxes and categories like solo, female, adventure traveler. Why can’t I just be a traveling Me? 

But the reality is that I love traveling on my own, so I guess if the shoe fits… I like getting lost and explore on my own, I am not afraid to be lonely or to eat on my own, and most of all I love the absolute guilt-free freedom that comes with solo travel.

So I wrote a book about solo travel. A book with tips and stories, intimate moments, and favorite travel routes. A book with pictures and ideas and what I consider good advice. A book for all those who want to see the world (or at least a little part of it) on their own and who are just lacking a final push, an answer to a secret insecurity, or a spark of inspiration. If you are such a person then this book may be for you.

I wrote it while I was in Bali for three months. Bali seemed a good place to write a book, Eat Pray Love, and all. While Bali wasn’t love at first sight, it was a good destination to do just that – I curled up in my comfy bed in my Canggu flatlet, sat in Warungs, or by the pool of my yoga studio and just wrote.

To say it was an interesting experience is an understatement. To not only pour my heart and soul into my ‘baby elephant’ but also to write something quite practical which people would actually find useful was a fine balancing act at times.

Eventually, it was done and almost a year to the day later I got an email from my editor telling me it was on pre-sale on Amazon, coming out May 19th. I may or may not have hugged my pillow and screamed a little into it. Once again, I called my mother who immediately went to her one friend with internet access to check it out. While I told her she would get one of my free copies, she declared that she would buy books for everyone to help with my sales. Because apparently, that’s what mothers do.

WHAT SOLO TRIP IS ALL ABOUT

So what is it all about? Solo travel of course! Words that evoke fear in some, at least nervousness, and sometimes even a definite hell, no!. Sometimes reading vacation travel quotes is all it takes to get you out, sometimes you need an entire book. My book for example.

In a way, it felt and still feels redundant to me to write about solo travel. I am an innate solo traveler but have never labeled myself as such so it seemed silly to write about it yet again. But the responses from readers showed me that not everyone feels this way. The book seemed to either be inspiring people to venture on a solo trip or those who had traveled alone before were happy to recognize themselves in my words. 

Here is what you will find in the book:

• When and how I started traveling and why I think I am qualified to write a book about solo travel.
• Why traveling alone makes so damn happy.
• All the ifs and buts we always hear about solo travel and why you should ignore them. One of those is the dreaded Dinner for One. I actually decided to make that a separate chapter as it seems to be a biggie for so many.
• Backpack or steamer trunk – a chapter where I talk about different ways of traveling and why solo travel doesn’t’ have to equate backpacking.
• The privilege & responsibility of traveling which is an extended version of this post.
• Practical Tips & Checklists – what to do before, take, and why you need a passport to fly to New York.
• Some of my favorite journeys with detailed itineraries and information for New York, Morocco, and Thailand. Tried and tested and as per usual completely biased.

WHO IS THIS SOLO TRIP FOR?

Of course, I like to think this book has something for everybody but first and foremost I wrote it to inspire and support new travelers. While most of it is geared specifically towards solo travel, a lot of the practical tips apply to travel in general. I have added a few specific words of advice for female travelers based on my own experience but the majority of the book is for men and women.

And if you enjoy my writing and think I tell funny stories (I have been told this before so I am not making this up – some people really do think me a funny German!), this book is also for you because there is a ton in it. 

Some I wish I wouldn’t have written because now my mother knows way too much about what I do when she is not around.

AND WHO IS IT NOT FOR?

I am not going to use the word trivial ever again (after some not so nice commenters called my book trivial) but if you have been traveling by yourself for a while you may find this book and the tips I give a bit… obvious. Also, if you hate Morocco this is not the book for you – as you know I love Morocco and I talk a whole lot about it. I am pretty sure I also mention kittens and my love for feeding them under the table once or twice. So you have been warned!

Keen to read more? Then you are in luck because both the English version and the German one are for sale at Amazon now. If you rather want to support your local bookstore you can find the German print version in Germany.

*Since I am promoting myself in this post a silly German law has declared I need to let you know right from the get-go so you know what to expect.