Solo Travel Adventures: Safe Travel for Women, Preparing for a Trip, Overcoming Fear, Travel Tips

From Soviet Russia to 43 Countries: Polina Ruvinsky's Journey and Highlights on Columbia

• Cheryl Esch-Solo Travel Advocate/Travel Coach/Freedom Traveler • Season 2 • Episode 96

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Can travel restrictions spark a lifelong passion for exploration? This episode features Polina Ruvinsky, the inspiring founder of Hype HQ, who takes us from her early days in Soviet Russia to her adventures across 43 countries. We uncover how her curiosity and love for travel grew from those early limitations and how her solo journeys have boosted her confidence and capabilities. Polina’s incredible journey from Russia to the United States, with stops in Austria and Italy, offers a compelling narrative of resilience and discovery, making her an advocate for solo female travelers.

Ready to explore 2024’s hottest travel destination? We spotlight Colombia, a vibrant country that’s quickly becoming a favorite for solo travelers. From Medellin’s stunning street art to Cartagena’s lively music scenes, Colombia offers a rich cultural tapestry. We address safety tips, discuss the affordable costs, and highlight natural attractions like the coffee region and Tayrona National Park. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or planning your first solo trip, discover why Colombia should be on your travel radar.

Ever experienced the magic of serendipitous travel connections? We share heartwarming stories of unexpected meetings in destinations like Colombia and Vietnam and discuss the balance between planning and spontaneity. Paulina introduces Hype HQ, her community supporting women content creators, fostering a sense of empowerment and encouragement. We also reveal strategies for flexible travel and the joys of spontaneous adventures, wrapping up with ways you can support our community.
Hype HQ: https://hypehq.io

Hype HQ on IG: @hypehq.io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/polina-ruvinsky/

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rGAQbcjgjMM

Facebook community: Solo Travel for Women Over 50

Send me a message or share your solo travel story with me.
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Speaker 1:

Hello, sister travelers. Well, I have another wonderful guest on my show today. I've brought on Paulina Ravinsky. She is the founder of Hype HQ. It's a community where women connect and spread hype about each other's businesses and creative work. But before embarking on this entrepreneurship, paulina was a leader and software engineer for iconic brands like Disney, espn and Rosetta Stone. But her first love has always been travel, and to date, she has traveled to 43 countries, and 19 of them solo. Solo travel has taught Paulina that she is capable of anything. So when she's not traveling or working on Hype HQ, she's mentoring women in tech, running an Airbnb and mothering her 15 year old son.

Speaker 1:

So I want you to stay tuned to our conversation today and also note that we will also be highlighting and talking about one of the countries that I listed as a hotspot for 2024 for solo travelers, and we'll be talking a little bit about the country of Colombia. So you want to listen in to the whole conversation. And here we go. Welcome to Solo Travel Adventures for Women 50 and Older. I'm Cheryl S, your host, solo travel advocate, freedom traveler and coach. This is your Passport to Adventure. Well, hi, paulina, thank you so much for being here today.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, thanks for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Speaker 1:

Yes, so you have done so much travel, some solo. I want to hear how you found your love for travel. Where did it come from?

Speaker 2:

I honestly, as far back as I can remember. So I was born in Russia and it was still back in the days of Soviet Russia, and what that meant was that you were restricted to where we could go. And I remember, even as a very young child, realizing that we weren't free to go wherever we wanted, and really it was only you could travel to other Eastern Bloc countries. So as a child we went to Latvia, lithuania, estonia, but we couldn't go any farther. So I think almost having that restriction in my head kind of made me wonder even more like what is it like out there in the world? And and be even more excited the thought of like seeing it one day, and yeah, and so I think I always had this kind of wonder for it.

Speaker 2:

I've always loved looking at maps and just imagining these faraway places and I don't know. I mean, this is fascinating. I would love to hear your thoughts Like is this something people are born with or it's something that people tend to develop? I don't know, because for me it almost feels like is it part of my physical?

Speaker 1:

makeup. I think your story that you just shared. I think that explains it all. To be honest, I feel like when we are often and this is just anybody when you're so restricted, I just think about like when kids grow up in like a really strict home and then they go away to college and then they just like, woo, you're like they go wild right, so I feel like that's sort of that similar feel for you possibly, but I would agree that I think in some people there's this curiosity, nature that I think lends itself to being travelers, to being wanderers, you know, to explore different places.

Speaker 1:

I think if you don't have that, then maybe going to see other countries is not really important to you, right? It doesn't really light you up. So I think that's more of the crux of, I think, what makes people you know enjoy, you know desire to travel. So, and having that story on top of it, you know everybody's got a different story or different reason to why you know they love travel, and so I thank you for sharing that, because that's that's amazing. I would probably feel the same way.

Speaker 2:

I mean, for me it's definitely such a curiosity, right Like even when I would look at maps. I would think you know what's it like? What do they eat there, how?

Speaker 1:

do they?

Speaker 2:

speak and yeah, and then, you know, my family did leave when I was 10 years old. That's when we were able to emigrate to the US. But before we went to the US we were, we were technically refugees, so we were processed, I guess, like where all our documentation was being done, and we spent two weeks in Vienna and then we ended up spending something like four months in Italy. So those things really even more. I was like, wow, you know, here not only are we somewhere where we were forbidden to go before, but also it's just, it's all, you know, new and interesting. And for us you hear these stories for Soviet bloc people where, you know, you go into the grocery store and you're just stunned by the variety and all the things that were easily available in the West, that were not available to us at all. So anyway, it just even more fueled that sense of like whoa, this is just a tiny taste of what's out there?

Speaker 1:

Yes, exactly so your first outside of Russia and the Eastern Bloc kind of countries. So your first experience outside of that was Italy and Austria, right? Yeah, yeah, so you got to see some parts of Europe, and then you came to the countries. So your first experience outside of that was Italy and Austria. Right, yeah, yeah. So you got to see some parts of Europe and then you came to the U? S after that.

Speaker 2:

That's right, yeah, and then we came to the U? S and you know we we we stopped in New York city because that's where my mom's sister already was. She had emigrated several years before. But then we went on to Texas, houston, texas, which is where I lived. You know where I went to school and stuff, but that was I mean from St Petersburg to Houston, I mean you. Oh, I live in Texas, so I kind of and Houston is not the best part of Texas, I would say.

Speaker 1:

No, it's like day and night from Russia to Houston. Houston's just so humid all the time. So what a big difference just in weather itself and food and culture I mean that's completely different.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, everything Right because it was so walkable. When you live in St Petersburg, you walk. I mean, you take public transport some of the time, but you do so much walking and that's not at all what you do in Houston.

Speaker 1:

No, I was talking about that with my kids the other day, about what cities in the U? S are really walkable cities. And the only one that really comes to mind is New York city. You know, where people either walk or they take public transportation. Otherwise, I think Chicago could be one of those as well, but any other place in the US, at least in my opinion. You need a car, it's like right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I do know some people here in Seattle that's, that's where I'm based but who live in the downtown area and they don't have cars, but yeah, OK, yeah, I guess, if you live in the city.

Speaker 1:

So where was your first solo trip?

Speaker 2:

Where'd you go for?

Speaker 1:

your first solo trip.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so I did a study abroad year in college, so and this is something. So my son is 15. I'm already starting to work on him. I keep saying you have to do this. It was, honestly, the most incredible time in my life.

Speaker 2:

And the fact that I went in and I studied in Italy. So it was, I was spent one semester in Florence and one semester in Rome, but you know, and I went there on my own, I was part of a group but I went when I joined the program I didn't know anybody. It was, you know. And then we did a lot of weekend trips. So my first, my first solo adventures were around Italy, where I would go, and you know, for the weekend we go to like Cinque Terre or something like that which is you know just having that at your fingers, I mean, oh my God, what an incredible time that was.

Speaker 1:

What an experience. Yeah, I would definitely. I would definitely encourage all students to do that if they can.

Speaker 2:

So much because you don't get. This is what I tell them. It's not like traveling Like you get to really be a local somewhere, which is an opportunity that, unless you can get a job abroad somewhere you really don't get. And it's just I, honestly it was. It was incredible to just you know you shop at the markets and you stop in at your regular place for espresso on the way to school.

Speaker 2:

It was just, it was so amazing. And then in that year I did a lot of solo trips. I ended up going to Poland solo, I went to Israel solo, I went to Greece solo and a few things I did with friends that I met in the program, but those were the more, the longer trips where I really, really was, you know, figuring it out on my own, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

That's part of it. So 19 of those countries you've been to, 43 countries, you said, and 19 of those you've been solo. What?

Speaker 2:

during your solo trip. That's for you, yeah.

Speaker 1:

I know I was like so happy. I love numbers. Sorry what was the question? 19 solo trips? What has solo travel taught you about yourself?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's really a big one, and I think this is why I have such a passion for it, is it really makes me feel so incredibly capable. Honestly, I just I start to feel that whatever comes my way, I can figure it out, and to me that's, that's huge, and I I think this is why it feels so addictive to me, and I've also learned how much I really just to like doing things my way. Right, I don't want to. I like sometimes I want to plan, sometimes I want to just wing it sometimes, you know, and it's so great to always be on that pace by yourself and you know, but there, but there are other things too, and I know that you know a lot of this is something that people think about when they think about solo travel, and there are lonely stretches of it, and so it's kind of, what are the strategies that you can have to make sure that you get and we all need different levels of socialized that contact?

Speaker 2:

But what are my strategies to get what I need for that and how do I get to the point where I'm really comfortable being alone at? You know, it's funny. So many people ask me about dinner, right, you probably hear this all the time. Who do I eat dinner with? And it's funny that that's such a, but I think that's just representative of that sense of like okay, how do I feel okay in myself even when I'm somewhere and and I'm not there with anyone else? But yeah, so a lot of my strategies are around, you know, maybe taking like day tours. A lot of times I'll meet people there and then it's like oh, let's meet for dinner. So that's always works for me, and I think just knowing what you need and how to get it is is really important.

Speaker 1:

So you said your solo travel kind of gives you this confidence and I imagine, as some people say, that that you can handle anything. I think is the phrase that you said right and how that translates to your everyday life. So when you come back from a trip, you know, does it feel more empowering, and how do you, how do you transfer that into your everyday life, I guess?

Speaker 2:

It does. It does Honestly. It's one of the things that I think that's probably like. Courage is one of my biggest values and I that's also something that even we're you know we're all hard on ourselves, but that is the one thing that I'm always like. You have courage, and so I really feel that it allows me to take more risks, and so you take risks, you get positive feedback, then you take more risks, so it's kind of like a loop of that just continues to make you more confident. And you know I know that it really ties into what I'm doing now to have to quit my corporate job and go for an entrepreneurial journey. You need to have that sense of like okay, you know how it's going to be. Okay, right, I'm going. I know I can figure things out because I have so much evidence.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yeah, I love that Solo travel 19 countries was.

Speaker 1:

I know Columbia has been a place that you have gone to and that place is actually one of the spots considered a trending hotspot right now. It was ranked high for where people were going to go in 2024. And you can refer back to my episode 66 on that. We're going to go in 2024. And you can refer back to my episode 66 on that, but why would you say it's a popular place to go now? What do you think's making it so popular these days? You've been there. Tell us.

Speaker 2:

Yes, well, I think it's amazing that it made that list and you know. So one thing I want to say I'm kind of obsessive about safety. I'm probably more. I'd be really interested to know if a lot, of, a lot of solo travelers, women have that you know, I actually have almost. I like I won't go out at night unless I'm meeting someone that I, you know, that I've already met.

Speaker 2:

That's someone that I already know meeting someone that I you know, that I've already met that someone that I already know I literally will never go out solo at night, almost anywhere that I live, that I've traveled to. So the first thing I always check when I'm going, especially in the long run. I was in Columbia for three weeks. I think about okay, what is the? You know, am I going to feel safe as a woman, right, everywhere? There's pickpockets everywhere is this and this. But I want to feel safe as a woman, right, everywhere? There's pickpockets, everywhere is this and this. But I want to feel like I don't have extra exposure, just as a woman on my own. And I felt really, really safe there. And I know it's funny because there were years and I know you remember those years where Columbia was. You know it was like the drug wars and all the movies have been made about it. So it's funny to say I felt so safe there. But I definitely did. And I know exactly why it's a popular destination. It just is such a vibrant culture.

Speaker 2:

I love like. One of the things I love is street art, and I saw some of the most incredible murals all over. I was in Medellin, I was in Cartagena and everywhere there's murals, there's history, but it's also modern. There's great food and there's music everywhere. I mean I went back to look at it because it's funny. Someone was just asking me for advice on where to go there. Then I went back and looked at my album and I have these multiple videos of just people dancing in the square right.

Speaker 1:

I love it.

Speaker 2:

You know, yeah, just like salsa, merengue, like old people, young people, everyone's just you know dancing, and so to me, that's just, it's just wonderful. It has incredible beaches, it's not very expensive. So, honestly, like what it's just? There's so many reasons actually it has incredible. I just listed the cities I went to, but I also went into the coffee region where they have like beautiful hiking and parks, and then you know, they have national park, tyrona national park, which is just incredible. So there's a lot. It has a lot to offer.

Speaker 1:

I'm glad you mentioned the safety issue, cause that was part of that list was um, you know I did make sure that it was had. You know it was safe for solo travelers. So I'm glad you kind of confirmed that and I've heard that from other people and how they love the culture like you mentioned. But thank you for bringing that all up. I I have it on my list to get there. I haven't been there yet, but I I've heard a lot of people get there, yeah, so thank you for sharing that. Have there been any other places you've gone that I like to use the word where you experienced a serendipitous sort of event? Maybe you met somebody or maybe something you weren't planning happened right and it turned out to be a really good thing is like how I like to look at it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I mean it's funny that the first thing, when you were saying probably because I'm already thinking about Columbia is where it is, there were several events like that. There are so many people I met there that I'm still in touch with that. I just met on like a little tour. But also I had this moment when I was traveling in Vietnam, where I really I was in which another actually very, very safe place If you don't choke on exhaust or get run over, you're gonna be totally safe there, Just over. You're going to be totally safe. Just get out of the big cities is my advice.

Speaker 2:

But yeah, I was in a place called Hanoi in Vietnam and it was as I mentioned. You know, I would go on a tour and I'd meet somebody. I'm like, oh, you're so great. I went on another tour, oh, you're so great. And then I had this moment where I was like I know I want to connect everyone I met from you know the Facebook groups I'm in and the tours that I went on, and just get them all together and it was such honestly. I had such an incredible moment because I really I recognize about this, about myself, and I know this more now is that I like I get such a rush out of connecting people. I don't know what it is. You know, there's like those people who do human design or whatever, and there's a connector.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

I think I think I'm one of those people, because it was just so great, so it ended up being like five of us and I just remember we're all sitting and having dinner. In Vietnam that always means you're like on a tiny plastic stool. You know, you're sitting there with your bowl and I just remember looking around and thinking like I brought all these people together and then people are connecting and they're vibing together and exchanging contact information. That's just. I love that. That was that's amazing.

Speaker 1:

Oh, wow. So it sounds like because of your you know you like to do that. I mean, have you ever considered putting together like a travel tour group?

Speaker 2:

you know and going somewhere I don't know. You know, I have considered that because it's, you know, sometimes you go, you go and you enjoy an experience so much and you think like, okay, if I just brought people here and here, they would just love it.

Speaker 2:

And um, but I do think that that's probably. I did work. I didn't mention this, but I did work as a travel agent for like three years. Um, after I graduated from college I thought, well, it'd be better than to be somewhere where you're always dealing with travel, and it sounded amazing. But you know what? I did not enjoy that job, and so I think it's just kind of a telling moment for me to think I might enjoy doing it. But if I'm doing it for a job, then it becomes this sort of like routine logistics. You know everybody's coming to you with their problems and then fun is gone.

Speaker 1:

Right. I think that's really what ends up being. Those travel agency jobs end up being there more logistics, and I think less about the enjoyment of the moment of when you travel Right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and it's funny because I thought, you know, I thought people would all show up in that same spirit of you know, adventure and curiosity and discovery, of you know, adventure and curiosity and discovery. But so often people showed up and it was almost this kind of like they were put out or something you know, so right away they're like, well, I don't know about that price, or like that place better be a nice place, you know. So they kind of they didn't have that sense of you know, I'm here to just discover, like let this experience.

Speaker 2:

Take me and see what happens. It's very much that they were trying to kind of control it which made it put it all on you as the planner, to figure it all out.

Speaker 1:

But yeah, yeah, you mentioned earlier in our conversation about kind of being a planner but also maybe doing a little spontaneity in your travels. What do you tend to lean toward? I mean, are you kind of dead in the middle? Do you like some planning and then some spontaneity?

Speaker 2:

Well. So I'll tell you it's my perfect. Part of it is who I'm traveling with. I've learned that because I'm getting ready to go in less than three weeks with my son, and he's 15, as I mentioned. So we're going to Ireland and Scotland and he's 15, as I mentioned. So we're going to Ireland and Scotland. And for me, when I'm traveling with him, I want to plan more, because I don't want to end up in a place where like oh crap, now we're in some hostel and like we can't be in the same room there's. I don't want to find myself in high season without a place to stay with my son. You know, that's the kind of situation that would really stress me out.

Speaker 2:

And then also last year I went to Croatia with a friend, and this is a friend who, kind of you know, she has, I think, maybe higher expectations than me, because she was saying it has to have AC and it has to have this, and so also in that scenario I do more planning.

Speaker 1:

But my perfect if I tell me, you're perfect.

Speaker 2:

My perfect is like book a couple of nights in the beginning, book a couple of nights at the end and like that's it, and the beginning literally go with what. You meet somebody and they recommend something. Or you just are like, okay, well, now I'm sick of the beach, now I want to hit a city. And then you kind of you know what, that is my ideal and when I go by myself and it's a place where I feel comfortable. I think the last time I did this was in Panama, and so I went, had a few nights and it was like well, I'm enjoying myself, maybe I'll stay in Panama City a little bit longer. And then it was like, okay, well, what beaches do I want to go? Oh, do I want the Atlantic side or the?

Speaker 2:

Pacific side exactly, and so that way, my perfect thing is having that sense of freedom. I just that sense of freedom just makes me so happy to, to just know like, okay, I'm my, I'm just creating my journey as I go, so that that's my perfect.

Speaker 1:

I I agree it sounds.

Speaker 1:

It sounds like mine, because because I have often like I've overplanned and you're staying somewhere but you've seen another place that maybe is a little more attractive or more your liking, but you've already made the reservation somewhere and you're like you know. So I mean I'm kind of the same way. You know, I obviously will book something. You know obviously that first day or two that I'm landing somewhere, and then always the last day to, I like to be near the airport Just to make keep it easy. But you know, anything in between I just kind of like to wing it.

Speaker 2:

Exactly Because it's you know, as soon as you meet somebody who's already been there for a while, they're going to have recommendations.

Speaker 1:

Recommendations, exactly, yeah, yeah, so I'm with you.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and it's too bad where you're just like I can't. I've had a couple of places, but it has to be a country that's really cheap, where I just abandoned their reservation and did something. So if I'm losing, you know, I don't know maybe like a hundred dollars, I'm not going to worry about it so much, but um, other things, you know where you've paid like 700 bucks, like I'm not forfeit.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, exactly, exactly yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

So, well with all the travel that you have done um, you have a wealth of experience, um, and also places you've been. If you had to give one piece of advice to solo travel women, what would it be?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I just I really want. I really want more women to be doing this, and I think I think it's this is also similar to advice that I would give someone, and you know my, the business side of my life is that you know, just kind of like take, take that leap, like if you have the curiosity, just you know there's just that one moment between wanting to do something and actually, you know, pulling the trigger, as they say, and really just just going for it, and I just really want that's. That's my advice is really just try it. And I think so many women fall in love with solo travel because it's all about us, you know for a change.

Speaker 1:

It's all about us.

Speaker 2:

You get to do exactly what you want, exactly the experience that you want. So I really want more women to really take that leap. That's, that's my biggest advice Just try it.

Speaker 1:

I love it, I agree.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes.

Speaker 1:

Yes, so you mentioned business and you've also talked a little bit about sort of how you love bringing people together, and I think I'm looking at you, know your business model and like that sounds like what she's doing here, right? So but tell us a little bit more. You created what's called Hype HQ. Tell us about that company, what you do and what your mission is.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I, yeah, I'd love to, because when I think back, I skipped all the years in the middle where, you know, I did, I did the study abroad Then. Then I did the travel agency. Because, I think back, I skipped all the years in the middle where, you know, I did the study abroad, then I did the travel agency because I was like, oh, maybe I could just travel all the time. Didn't like that. Then I went into high tech and so another complete and different pivot. So I spent more than 20 years working in a corporate job as a software engineer and then a manager and director, and you know it was. It enabled me to be able to do some of this traveling, but also it was so restrictive. There was always this sense of like, oh well, this is just your vacation time and this is right.

Speaker 2:

And you know, during the pandemic I know so many of us really had to reevaluate what what are we doing Like, is this really what I want to be doing?

Speaker 2:

If life is really out of control, what do I want to be doing? Where do I want to be? What are my values? And so I left that corporate job. I really wanted a different. I wanted to create a different impact, really for women. So my focus is on women and how do we create more opportunities on women?

Speaker 2:

So Hype HQ it's a platform and it's a community and it's all about women hyping each other out in the world in order to create more opportunities for everyone. So there's a couple of different types of members that are really that. This works great for. One of them is podcasters, by the way. So if you're creating, if you're creating, you know, if you have a YouTube channel, you're a podcaster. You're trying to build a following. This is a place where you can go and you'll say, hey, my new episode just dropped. Everyone can you go, listen and rate it and follow, or whatever is most useful to you with what you're trying to create, and so that's really effective.

Speaker 2:

I think others are maybe more building, like their personal brand on LinkedIn or something, or they have a small business already that they just need more eyes and more visibility on. So yeah, so it's basically the place where it's always okay to ask to be, you know, hyped and amplified and supported, and that's really what it's all about. You know, we as women so often are used to kind of be more modest about. You know, I will talk about my accomplishments, or I'm supposed to be quiet and modest, but this is the place where we want to break out of that and really just, you know, ask for what we want, talk about your accomplishments, have others talk about your accomplishments and really create more visibility and opportunity for all of us.

Speaker 1:

I love it. Yes, we do need more of that. Um, I find that that, uh, there's a thing with, uh, you know, we, we're wired differently than men. Of course, right, but you know, when we step out and start a business, you know there's a lot of. You know, we question ourselves, I think, a lot, you know, and you know, sometimes we have what's called imposter syndrome. Yes, you know, sometimes we have what's called imposter syndrome, yes, where we see somebody else doing kind of what we want to be doing and like, oh, I'll just never be like that or whatever. And so I think, definitely, building communities like you are are super important for us women to be supporting one another, and not from a, you know, a jealousy or competitive standpoint, but to really, you know, lift, lift each other up is what you're doing here actually. So I love the idea. And so where can people join or where can they find it? So, if they're interested in checking it out or joining the platform or the community, where can they do that?

Speaker 2:

Yes, so it's hypehqio and please, yeah, please, do come check it out. Right now we're still in. We just launched two months ago and so it's still in its free phase and we want to hear from people how's the experience, Are they enjoying it? And then we're trying to just make it better. And so please, yeah, please, check it out. I read all the emails. Please email me if you are stuck or you have suggestions. So, yeah, this is.

Speaker 2:

This is like you said. It's so important for us all to support each other, because we really do have together the power to do incredible things. And this idea of you know, questioning yourself like you know, I did that in every stage of my life you question, you question, and then at some point you're just like, okay, look, you were able to do this, you were able to do this, you were able to do this. Stop questioning. And really, I think that if we all support each other in making more of these, like taking a smaller risk and building our confidence more and more, it's really going to have a cascading effect for women.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely and actually that's how you got here, that's how my last interview I mean like through just connections I've, you know I have found guests to interview that have been perfect, you know, just through those connections. So I know it can happen.

Speaker 2:

And, you know, having that community to help with the networking, the support, I think that's amazing, yeah we can give a shout out to our mutual friend, julie Penn, who is on her way back to North America.

Speaker 1:

I think yeah, I think so too. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

And the incredible group that we met through, by the way, which I think yeah, I think so too, yeah. And the incredible group that we went through, by the way, which I think. This is probably when I'm saying oh, take a leap, women, you don't have to do it alone. There are groups like hostess, sister, solo travel groups on Facebook. Which is the best thing about Facebook are these groups, and you'll find so many women that will encourage you, give you tips, give you information that you can really not feel like. You're going by yourself, absolutely yeah, you're by yourself, and yet you have the support.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yes, lovely. So I know you mentioned you're going to Ireland, scotland, with your son, but when is your next solo trip? Or, if you haven't planned one, where would it be if you could go to your next solo trip?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know I'm so itching. It's only because it's only because my son is in that age where you know he's getting ready to graduate and I know he's not going to want to keep wanting to travel with mom. So I know I have to capture this moment. But in this, in this last nine months, I've been so focused on getting hype HQ off the ground that I've actually canceled three solo trips over this last nine months. So this is the longest that I haven't gone anywhere. So I need to go. I canceled a trip to Cuba that I had in November. I had one to Mexico, just a little jaunt, and then to Uruguay and Argentina. That's the one I'm really sad about canceling.

Speaker 1:

That was supposed to go in.

Speaker 2:

February. I was so excited to go, but it's just, I've been working so hard on this business, so I think when I can reschedule that one, that's I think that's the one I would love the Argentina one yeah.

Speaker 2:

Uruguay and Argentina. I also really want to check out specifically Montevideo, because Uruguay has a really great reputation for well, definitely, safety, all these things, but also I think there's kind of starting to be like an expat retirement presence there, because, yeah, once my son has flown the coop, I'm I already know exactly what I want. I want to split my time between Latin America and the US, and so I'm always checking out places that feel like they have that good vibe.

Speaker 1:

A good vibe and safety factor. Yeah, yes, well, keep us posted. Keep me posted and maybe we'll have you back and you can share about some other places you've been to.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and I'm off to listen to episode 66.

Speaker 1:

So you can figure out what the other ones are. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Julie, speaking of Julie Fenn, is going to be representing one of those places, so she'll be on shortly to talk about Queensland. So that is one of the places, and then you with Columbia, so we're making our way through that list hopefully. Well, thank you, paulina. I appreciate your time and this is wonderful. I'll make sure I include all that information about Hype HQ in the show notes, so if people want to get in touch with you or check out the platform, they can do that.

Speaker 2:

Amazing. Thank you so much, this was totally fun.

Speaker 1:

And yeah, I'd love to come back and talk about other places and yeah, that would be awesome.

Speaker 2:

I can talk about travel all day long.

Speaker 1:

Well, we both could probably yeah.

Speaker 2:

Well, I guess that's, it's no accident that we're talking about travel.

Speaker 1:

Yes, well, great, and thank you so much and you have a great day. Hey, sister travelers, did this podcast inspire and encourage you or move you to get out there and travel? Wonderful, there are three ways you can thank me. First one is leave a written review for the show on Apple podcast, to share the show with your sister travelers, your friends, your family and three subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode. And thank you again for listening to the show. Sisters, be fearless, take the leap and get out there and have an adventure.

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Cheryl Esch

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