“Solo travel from a leisure standpoint is fantastic because you never know what you may stumble across and there’s nothing like it.”
Taking a solo trip has been a goal of mine for as long as I can remember and this year I have decided to get serious about it. My first move was to sit down with travel expert Candace Boggan. Her most recent work includes consulting and strategy efforts for one of the largest entertainment and hospitality brands in the world. But her passion for travel extends far beyond that—she’s previously hosted three blogs and has contributed to several media outlets, including various travel, business, and lifestyle publications including Black Enterprise.
Tell us about your travel journey:
I have had a passion and love for all things travel-related for as long as I can remember. My friends and I traveled a lot in college, which further sparked my desire to explore. I knew that I occupied a small space in this world and have always longed to see more. I’m an experience person by nature, so I always dreamt of having these immersive trips. When I go places, I like to have an authentic, local experience because it helps me connect to the destination and the people. I have been fortunate to trek the globe because of my profession. Having worked in the travel and tourism and hospitality sectors for over a decade in various capacities—consulting, doing marketing work, and of course contributing to different publications—has afforded me the opportunity to travel extensively in the U.S. and abroad while working on numerous projects.
It’s been a remarkable journey, thus far!
That’s amazing. Do you remember your first solo trip?
Yeah! My first solo trip was to Puerto Rico, which is still a U.S. territory, but it was exciting because it was like, “I am gonna jump on this airplane and I am going.” I stayed in Old San Juan and it was amazing. I felt so alive. I felt like I belonged. I have a couple of friends that say Candace, you’re like a modern day missionary, so I know that traveling is part of my purpose. When I get the opportunity to take these trips, whether it is solo or for work or with other people, I now look at it like “yes, I am in the mission field.” One of the best parts about traveling is you get to meet so many people with such incredible stories. From breaking bread over a meal, to interacting with someone while on a tour on the other side of the globe, you can learn something new. Chances are the person(s) were raised differently and may share different beliefs and views than you, so you grow from other perspectives. Puerto Rico was a thrilling and pivotal turning point for me. I explored downtown by foot, joined a group tour to El Yunque rainforest and even took a public bus to the local village and just blended in. I always find that I can plug in anywhere, because there are people who look like me everywhere. I had the best time just talking to people, shopping, and sampling local restaurants. It was just so exhilarating. This trip made me want more and fortunately I’ve been able to visit and/or work in just shy of 30 countries. For that, I am grateful.
So what was the catalyst for that trip?
That’s a good question. At the time when I took [the Puerto Rico] trip, I didn’t like the [work] position I was in and I felt like I needed to get away, to clear my head, and just think. Here in the U.S. we have this mindset of having to work ourselves to the bones. Other countries and cultures don’t operate from that thought process. You’ll go to Europe and people will dine for hours and put their phones away and actually talk and look at each other. This is a lost art here in the U.S. Instead, there is this mindset that you have to grind, grind, grind 24/7. And I used to think like that, like you have to be on the grind, you have to be working all the time and being productive or you’re not being successful. I was reminded by a spiritual mentor who said, “I wish I had learned sooner, that it is not necessary… you need to recharge your batteries, you need to refresh and refuel yourself.”
So on that note, what are some of the benefits of solo travel?
You learn a lot about yourself and it’s a grand opportunity for personal growth—you really, to a degree, learn what you’re made of. I’ve had all types of crazy things happen to me (read: pick pocketing, lost cell phones, and missed flights). Sometimes you realize you have strength that you didn’t know you had. I think that you learn how creative you can be in situations when things [go wrong]. Understanding who you are as a person is key. You come back changed in some ways, once you’ve had these experiences. I think a lot of times people feel like I can’t do it or I’m scared because they don’t believe that they can. And the advice I would give to that is:
- Hush the voices around you: People will place a lot of their fears on you. And you can’t allow that to deter you from stepping out or doing something that maybe even God is calling you to. Follow how you are being led as opposed to listening to everyone else. You may miss out on a once in a lifetime opportunity because someone else has a fear of something happening that doesn’t even apply to you. My family and friends have accepted that I’m going to travel regardless… if I am feeling called or led to go somewhere or do something, I am going to do it.
I love that! What are some other tips you would give to someone that has been thinking about taking a solo trip, but apprehensive to take the leap? How do they move it from idea to action?
- Decide where you want to go: If someone is a bit more open-minded, they could do a ‘spin the globe, and base their decision on where the pin lands.’ For me, I sometimes base my leisure travel on a sale that is going on or a prompting that I get to visit a specific destination. Look at an app or website to explore dates, weather and availability [in the month you are interested in traveling] . There are tons of blogs, articles and other resources available to help you decide. So your decision could be based on your research of a specific destination, or an event, activity or family link.
- Find your why for the trip: Is it because you want to push past a certain fear? Have you just ended a long term relationship and you feel like you want to go on this journey to rediscover yourself? Is it that you want to go to a specific location because it’s somewhere that your grandmother always wanted to go, but never got a chance to? I feel like the why is going to be the guiding light to really help you to take that step that you need to take and push past those voices and some of that fear you may have.
- Do your homework: Not necessarily every locale is for everyone. So do your research. A new traveler may feel more comfortable visiting a country where they see an abundance of others who look like them. It all depends on your level of comfort starting out. A first-timer may lean more towards visiting a Colombia in South America or maybe St. Lucia in the Caribbean. If this isn’t a concern for you, then spin the globe and go for it! Again, blogs, articles and reviews provide great insight.
- Connect your desired location to a passion: For example, let’s say a person has an interest in gastronomy (the practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food), they may opt to choose a destination with a vibrant foodie scene. Maybe you are an at home chef, who’s ready to take your cooking skills to the next level. Your love for creating tasty dishes may lead you to take a solo culinary journey. And you just may ultimately discover it is part of your life’s mission work and you return home ready to chart a new path.
- Consider safety: Experiences can look very different for different people. Your experience as a Black person can look very different in certain parts of the world…and in some cases even depending upon your skin tone. But as a general rule of thumb:
- Make sure someone always knows where you are—where you’re staying, where you’re venturing out to that day, what area of town you’re in.
- Travel with 2 phones if possible (in case you lose one).
- Think about your environment at all times—for example, don’t get caught slipping if you have an expensive phone or camera and you are in a location that is known to be a hotspot for stealing and/or pickpocketing.
- Join group trips so at least you are in the safety of other tourists when sightseeing and taking pictures.
- Be sure to leave a couple of credit cards in your room in a safe or other secure place in case you lose any items while out exploring. And always store a photocopy of your passport in your carry-on.
I love all of that. So, what are the first steps to take when planning a trip to somewhere new?
- Research the location: When is the best time of year to go to that country (i.e., considering the weather, non-peak season, etc.)? When will it be most budget-friendly to travel there if budget is a concern? What activities are you most interested in? Where are the best places to eat (do you have dietary restrictions)?
- Determine the length of your trip: Consider your schedule and when you have flexibility. What will your budget allow?
- Determine where you will stay: Think about the distance from the airport. Will you need to rent a vehicle, take cabs or use Uber (if available). Do you want more solitude [or to be in the middle of the action]?
Any final words for someone considering solo travel?
Do it! Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Push past those fears. Start at a place that is comfortable for you. Meet yourself where you are and silence the [negative] voices.
“I want to have tried everything that was my heart’s desire (according to God’s will) to accomplish so when that time comes, hopefully at the ripe old age of 100+, I can look back and say what a ride.”
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SLFSHLY 