Traveling alone as a woman is empowering. But it can also be intimidating. Even more so if you’re on a tight budget — and if you’re headed to little-visited corners of the world.

 

At Trains, Planes and Tuk Tuks, I’m here to make it easy for you. Whether you’re headed to Mexico’s most popular beaches, the top of a volcano in Ethiopia, or the deep jungle in Laos, I’ll help you get off the tourist trail without blowing your budget and while keeping yourself safe.

 

So what does that actually mean? What’s this site about, anyway?

 

Hiking to Ijen Crater, Indonesia
Who says you need travel buddies to hike straight into the toxic sulfur fumes coming out of a volcanic crater in Indonesia???

Ready to start exploring the world? Great! I’m here to help. On my blog you’ll find stories and tips to get you way off the beaten path, on your own, and on the cheap.

 

I offer:

  • Destination advice and itinerary ideas for solo women
  • Ideas for getting off the beaten track (while staying safe)
  • Guides to making — and keeping — a budget
  • Tips for planning your dream trip
  • Updates from my adventures

 

I don’t take paid tips or promote products I don’t actually use. I never tell hotels, restaurants, tour companies, or other folks in the tourism industry that I’m a blogger. So if I write a review or recommend a place, you can trust that it’s my unfiltered opinion and I didn’t get any special treatment.

 

I share my travel fails, challenges and mistakes so you can learn from the stupid things I’ve done. I tell it like it is and I don’t cover up the things that kind of suck about travel. I’m honest about what life on the road is like — the boredom and the anxiety, sure, but also the thrill every time you get to a new place you love.

 

About me

 

Dangling my feet over the edge of Fish River Canyon in Namibia.
Dangling my feet over the edge of Fish River Canyon in Namibia.

 

I’m Carrie — the founder and sole contributor to Trains, Planes and Tuk Tuks.

 

I’ve always had a serious case of wanderlust. When I was a kid, I wanted to know why my family wasn’t taking holidays to Thailand instead of going camping in the next state over. So in my last year of college, I signed up for a study abroad to get out of my comfort zone — two months in Beijing.

 

It changed everything.

 

I bought my first Lonely Planet guidebook. I spent every day after class checking out a new museum, restaurant, or park. I learned how to avoid aggressive touts. I rode overnight trains and endured insane minibus drivers.

 

I was hooked.

 

As soon as I got back to the States, I bought a plane ticket to Guatemala for my spring break. But with my university graduation fast approaching and my job search growing frantic, I couldn’t imagine ever having the time to take the trips I really wanted to. So I gave up the job search and bought a one-way plane ticket to Germany.

 

I spent the next year making my way through Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia on $15 a day.

 

After the Big Trip

 

The single greatest moment of the Manaslu Trek
Even with a full-time job, I still manage to travel to remote places a few times a year.

 

I ran out of money and time on my visas on the 365th day I was abroad. It was a clear sign that it was time to go home. So I came back to the U.S., moved to Washington, DC, and got my first grown-up job at an environmental nonprofit.

 

Since then, I’ve been taking off twice a year on backpacking trips. In between, I make room for long weekends closer to home.

 

My travel style hasn’t changed much. I still travel at the low end of the budget spectrum. I mostly travel alone. While it’s impossible to match the pace of long-term travel in a two-week holiday, I do my best to travel slowly and get the most out of each country/region/city. I aim to get off the beaten path. And I never fail to find things that amaze me.

Thank you for reading! And if you have any questions, suggestions, or if you just want to say hi, please don’t hesitate to contact me.