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

Embracing Adventure and Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone with Sarah Davis

• Cheryl Esch-Solo Travel Advocate/Travel Coach/Freedom Traveler • Season 2 • Episode 112

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What happens when a corporate risk manager swaps her suit for a paddle and a sense of adventure? Meet Sarah Davis, an inspiring adventurer whose journey from the boardroom to the Nile's wild waters is nothing short of remarkable. We promise you'll uncover how Sarah transformed her life by harnessing her professional skills to conquer the world's most challenging environments. Her tales of paddling the Nile and cycling across Australia aren't just about adventure; they're lessons in overcoming fear, embracing the unknown, and living with boldness.

Join us as we navigate the highs and lows of stepping out of comfort zones, particularly through the lens of solo travel. Discover how to tackle those daunting fears with practical strategies like community accountability and risk assessments, all while learning from Sarah's real-life experiences. From confronting unexpected detentions in Africa to celebrating new personal milestones through her "A Year of Gulps" project, Sarah provides invaluable insights into the world of adventure travel and personal transformation. 

Sarah's story is a testament to the power of pushing boundaries and the profound personal growth that unfolds when we try new things. Whether it's jiu-jitsu or solo skydiving, she shows us the exhilarating rewards of breaking routine through her adventures. Prepare to be inspired as we discuss the importance of seizing opportunities, embracing unpredictability, and the joy that comes from living life to the fullest. Tune in for a conversation that promises to leave you ready to embark on your own adventure.

Follow Sarah's adventures and 52 Gulps on Instagram @sarahpaddles
http://www.sarahjdavis.com/

Purchase her book from Amazon about her adventures paddling the Nile River.
https://www.amazon.com/Paddle-Nile-Womans-Search-Ordinary/dp/0645489816/

Facebook community: Solo Travel for Women Over 50

Send me a message or share your solo travel story with me.
https://www.speakpipe.com/SoloTravelAdventures

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Speaker 1:

Hello sister travelers. Well, I have an extraordinary and awe-inspiring guest on my show today. Sarah Davis is a professional risk manager with a passion for risk-taking. She's a British-born Australian, an award-winning adventurer and accomplished sportswoman who, in her 40s, decided she needed more out of life. Doesn't that sound familiar? She had spent over two decades in risk management, primarily in financial services, leading teams and running projects, but deep down, she had this feeling that this wasn't it. She struggled to discover just what it was she craved so badly. After delving deeply and exploring countless options, she hit upon an idea she was going to paddle the Nile from its source to the Mediterranean.

Speaker 1:

Having never, ever, been on an expedition, sarah had a steep learning curve. Through the two years of planning it took just to get to the starting point. She had overcome fears, self-doubt and a feeling she'd bitten off more than she could chew. Paddles finally hit the water, and what followed was a life-changing adventure, one Sarah describes as being equal parts fun, tough and terrifying. She survived hippo attacks, being arrested and detained and running lethal rapids. She traveled throughout a country on the brink of civil war and, in the background, was dealing with the risk of kidnapping. Her extensive corporate risk and project management skills were put to good use. The trip included over 1,000 kilometers of rafting, followed by 3,000 kilometers of kayaking, and Sarah became the first woman to lead an expedition down this mighty river. Along the way, she immersed herself in the fascinating local cultures of the five countries she traveled through Rwanda, tanzania, uganda, sudan and Egypt. It sparked something in her, and she went on to paddle 2,500 kilometers down the Murrayray river, finishing just before covid kicked off. She then swapped paddles for pedals and, in 2021, cycled across australia, which included crossing sand dunes and battling 40 degrees celsius days which, in fahrenheit, is very hot, by the way while losing count of the number of flat tires she and her cycle buddy, tara, had during the testing of 47,000 kilometer journey.

Speaker 1:

Earlier this year, sarah headed to the Middle East, where she bike packed solo 1,600 kilometers through Oman. During this adventure, she felt that being out of her comfort zone wasn't as familiar as it used to be, so she decided to do something about it. She's also writing her new book Gulp how to Embrace Risk and Live Boldly. Bringing this together, sarah's embarking on a year of gulps 52 things that'll take her into the unknown, uncertain and uncomfortable. And these aren't massive adventures. It's a mixture of things, from trying new sports to facing her fear of heights, and more Away from her adventures. Sarah's work now focuses on helping people embrace risk and live boldly, expanding the thinking of what's possible, overcoming fears and achieving what might have once seemed unachievable. Two decades in a corporate career, combined with her expeditions, has given Sarah insight into what it takes to succeed in challenging environments. Well, you are in for a treat. This conversation was amazing for me and I hope you enjoy it as well. Well, hello, sarah. Thank you so much for being here today.

Speaker 2:

Oh, thank you, I'm really enjoy it as well. Well, hello Sarah. Thank you so much for being here today.

Speaker 1:

Oh, thank you, I'm really excited to be here. Yes, so I read your bio and I have also been in the corporate world, as you have. You said 20 years in risk management and I will have to say I you know. Being in the corporate world, I know that that type of position really takes a certain type of thinking personality. You mentioned there was a turning point when you spent 20 years doing risk management that it's suddenly almost like you woke up. What happened? Was there a pivotal point there? What changed your mind? That there was something missing?

Speaker 2:

I think you know I'd known it for a long time of like it was settling but setting for something really lovely and that it. But it just felt like it wasn't really me and I had had a break before. I'd managed to get voluntary redundancy and I went traveling around the world on my own, backpacking, which I'd always wanted to do. That I hadn't done. You know, it was so many people do when they left uni. So I did that, came back, set up as a personal trainer, did that for a few years, then got sucked back into banking, which was a lot easier than being a personal trainer on my end. And then, you know, definitely that was hard and I got this really great job, awesome company. I was at Macquarie and I got this really great job, awesome company. I was at Macquarie and I was like, wow, this is an amazing place to work. And yet I just felt like I had and I describe it as having a beautiful piece of clothing that didn't quite fit me and it didn't quite suit me.

Speaker 2:

And then I'd also come off and the pivotal point was I'd ended a very toxic friendship, really toxic friendship. Um, that had been quite all-consuming, as those things can be, and was in a place where I was like I was single and had had this like pretty bumpy year behind me. I'd been dealing with depression. I'd got through that again and it was New Year's Day and I was watching the sun come up at bondi, because I I gave up drinking quite a long time ago, so I love getting up on new year's day and watching the sun come up. It's like this beautiful reset and I was like, okay, something's got to change. Something's got to change. And that was when I decided, okay, I'm going to go off and and and find out what that is. But it took. You know, it's very easy to go, this, isn't it? I think what's really hard is working out. What is it that I want to do?

Speaker 1:

And it says that it took you two years to sort of plan this, this huge epic trip that you did, where you you paddled down the Nile River. I mean you had that pivotal point and what was? What did you do in the interim? I know you're planning, but and you knew there was something different Walk us through kind of what you did during that timeframe as you prepared for this. You knew something was had to change and then still trying to I guess in most people's cases having to stay where they're at until that change can happen you know how did you handle that two years of doing that.

Speaker 2:

Well, you know, it's a few months until I came up with the idea of like, okay, right, you know cause. I saw a couple of people going on big adventures and they were just. I could see something of myself in them, whereas I've read so many of the books of explorers and adventurers. But they were, you know, generally men. They'd often come from this, you know, a lot of military background or you felt that they'd been doing it since they were a kid. You know they'd been brought up in these families that were hiking and mountain climbing, so I'd never really, it never occurred to me that I could do something like this until I saw, like one was a woman who'd done this expedition down the Amazon, and she was, you know, an ordinary person and I'm like, oh, oh, well, if she can do that, then well, that's what I want to do, I want to go on a massive adventure, and so then came up with the idea of doing the Nile, and I did. Before I committed to it, I already had a trip to go, which was pretty amazing, horse riding across the desert, namibia. So I tacked on a trip up to Uganda and I thought, okay, I'm going to go and have a look at the Nile. Let's not get too carried away by like new shiny thing, like do my due diligence. Yeah, that's smart, and it was going to take a lot to persuade me otherwise. But as I so I went there, did four days of whitewater kayaking, spoke to local people, started to build a little bit of a network, and then came away and it was like, okay, right now I'm committing to it.

Speaker 2:

And then it was yet starting with a blank piece of paper. It's like I've never done an expedition, I don't know what to do. So it was started doing research, um, and reading books, and then finding someone who I could reach out to through the through these books. I read, um, there was someone that was okay. Well, this person has been involved with something like this before and I spoke to him and he gave me this was the bare bones of a project plan like these are all the things you need to consider. So it's like, okay, right, you know I'm a project manager so I can do this. And then, yeah, it was just a long hard slog and I dropped back. I ended up working part-time, changed jobs to a job that was. You know, it wasn't quite so full on and there was just so much to do. But it was a. Really I totally underestimated how much I would get out of that journey to the start point, because I got to talk to so many different people and I learned so much and I went on courses.

Speaker 2:

There was wilderness survival, remote first aid, krav Maga, self-defense training, hostile environment, awareness all of these things because you know, I'm the risk manager, so I am trying to manage down as much risk as possible. And really, you know, it's all in the preparation. When you're going into a massive amount of uncertainty like this, your preparation is is everything. And and I knew, while it was yes, I was keen to get going. I I I certainly didn't want to get going before I felt ready and also, I mean, I was never actually really going to feel ready because there was so much self-doubt and fear and all of that sort of stuff. But yeah, it was a very rewarding process.

Speaker 2:

And I also did another recce to Sudan and Egypt to meet local people. There I knew people who'd done similar things and had some troubles with authorities. You know, even though they had approvals, it was all taken away. So I thought, right, let's go and meet again, meet local authorities, also representatives of the charity I was raising money for, care International, and also meet local paddlers, because I wanted local paddlers with me. Yes, yeah, so again, that sort of helped build those, those networks and helped me, you know, get prepared that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

So, yeah, your project management really helped you in like knowing how to you know prepare all that, because doing an adventure like that is, I think, for the normal person would be very overwhelming really overwhelming.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so your skill set was definitely made for that and I love how because I'm always talking about in my podcast, you know, do your research and but I love how you took it a step further and not just the research, but you made those physical contacts, you networkeded and you know that would be very important with adventure, that you had done this because of the mass of it. You know how massive it was to make sure you did that so awesome. But let's talk about you said you mentioned a little bit about this fear and doubt managing that little bit about this fear and doubt managing that and you know, as solo women travelers, even if they're just going, you know, maybe across the pond for a week somewhere has to deal with fear and self doubt. How would you, I mean, share a little bit of how you handled it for this particular adventure, but then maybe what you would say to others that might be also dealing with that?

Speaker 2:

It's really hard, cause as soon as you're doing something you've never done before and you're going to places you haven't been to it's you know it's scary, you're getting out of your comfort zone and I think you know step one is accepting that and not we can be quick to sort of judge ourselves or go, oh, it's uncomfortable, oh no, I shouldn't do it. Maybe, you know, talk ourselves out of it. Someone, a client the other day, shared she said I come up with these really big ideas, um, but she said it's like I just play the trailer and then I stop and I'm like, oh, my god, no, okay, we're gonna talk about. Yeah, that's sad, stop, we want to have you playing the whole movie. But I think it can be really tempting to do that. And you know what some of the things that helped me was creating sort of um, community accountability, because I told everyone I was doing this. Okay, I knew that would stop me backing down, because I knew I'd want to back down. So it's sort of like this future proofing that I was like, hey, I'm going to commit to doing this and telling people so I won't back down from it.

Speaker 2:

I would shift, sometimes shifting the, the focus. You know, if I looked at the whole thing, that's really big and overwhelming and a lot of it's like what, where do I need to bring my focus point to to for it to not feel too overwhelming? And you know we can. I think you know it's just doing a bit of research, deciding which country we want to go to. You know we can. I think you know it's just doing a bit of research, deciding which country we want to go to. You know all of those things like just bring it down into a small, you know overwhelming pace and use that as your step forward.

Speaker 2:

And you know, then I would look at you know going about sort of some of the stuff I did, looking back at some of the things I'd done, reflecting on okay, but I've done this and I've done this. You know I can adapt to this or I can learn. I've got the people around me to help me. But it was really I felt so far out of my comfort zone I couldn't say it. But then I really wanted this and I think this is another real, really powerful kind of tool is when there's so much why behind it, when there's a lot of purpose, like when what you want is the other side of all the fear and the self doubt. I think that really helped fuel us and also then getting really specific on what it is that we're uncomfortable with, because we can get that kind of like uncomfortable feeling and just go, oh yeah, maybe not, and it's like no, no, no, lean into it, dig into it.

Speaker 1:

Yes, what is?

Speaker 2:

it really about. Because when we start on really unpacking it and getting specific and naming it, then we start well one, when you name it, you start to take you know you, you take a bit of the power away. Yeah, um, when you say what it is and once you get specific, it's like, well, actually, when I look at it, it's just that's get specific. It's like, well, actually, when I look at it, it's just that's the thing I'm afraid of. There could be actions we can take to reduce the fear, whether that's, you know, getting additional support or getting more information or doing some kind of training or having something you know with us, whatever it is, to then just make it a little bit more doable.

Speaker 2:

But getting specific, like when I went through and unpacked all the risks so I did a risk grade, just being a risk manager, I got to use all these corporate skills that I thought I would never use in my personal life. Oh, my goodness. So by going through and unpacking what is worst case, what could go wrong, it created boundaries of what I was getting into and it's like, okay, this is all of it. And it's like, now I just need to get to a point where I'm willing to accept all of this. You know, and it's like, what are some of the things I can manage? Yeah, it's like you go on holiday and you might get travel insurance. So you're you know you're actually sharing the risk. You'll go and get vaccinations, you're reducing the risk, you'll take some medicines with you. So you've got an action plan to deal with something that comes up and it's just using this kind of approach to to then get to that point. Okay, I'm just going to do it. You know of approach to to then get to that point Okay.

Speaker 1:

I'm just going to do it. You know, feel the fear and do it anyway. Yes, oh, I love the advice there, especially those small action steps, but more so, like you said, identifying, I think that's. I think that's the hardest part for women when they have this fear of traveling solo. I think they they don't quite are able to articulate what exactly that fear is.

Speaker 1:

They see it as this, like you said, this big picture thing. So I loved how you really encouraged us to sit with it and really find out. Yeah, what is it Because? Then, like you said, you gave advice like what can you do to mitigate that? Then, Like, what are some steps you can take? Right, and there are always solutions. Absolutely yeah, Always solutions.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

Well, on the other side of that scary adventure that you did, paddling the Nile, first of all, how long did it take you so?

Speaker 2:

I was there for about six months, but that wasn't on the go all the time because it was all self-organized. You know, even when I got to Uganda, which is where I based myself at the start, I didn't have the team because I needed it needed to be, because it was going to be whitewater, I needed to be in a raft I'm not a white water paddler, um and it was really hard to find people who you know one could do it, had the skills, because I wanted to make sure I was the weakest link in that raft. I wanted to make sure I had like pros around me who could be sort of flexible with time, and it was just too hard. So actually, when I arrived in Uganda, I had someone who was potentially interested, one of the rafting guides there, ugandan guides but I just wasn't making any headway in Australia. So, yeah, got there and, literally within a couple of weeks, got going and was able to.

Speaker 2:

Then we got the team together. So I engaged three guys to join me. We went to Rwanda. It was literally the day before we started that I was able to get the permissions. It was a very different when you're doing things, yeah, in Africa, you know, being the project manager. I'm so used to having you know everything's all signed off and it's all you know ready to go in advance, yeah, yeah, whereas this it was literally, you know, um, what is it?

Speaker 2:

the Romy quote we walk and the way will appear sort of um, I of? I don't know that's not quite how the quote goes, but effectively that's what it's saying and that's the way things were there. It's just like just keep moving forward and it's like, okay, we'll just go to Rwanda and just hope that we get the. Oh, okay, we've got the permissions and we got going.

Speaker 2:

So, yeah, there would be done in sections and I had to miss south sedan for security reasons. So I did have someone giving me security advice, um, and intel briefings every day, um, because I just didn't have access to that information and it was just going to be two highways to go through there. But, um, yeah, so there was 1100 k's of rafting and 3000 of kayaking, um, and it was just, it was extraordinary. I mean, it was, there were absolutely terrifying moments, but it made me come alive and it was just, it was extraordinary and when it was, there were absolutely terrifying moments, but it made me come alive and it was what I was looking for it really was what I was looking for.

Speaker 2:

And yeah, you just realize, you know this. Just you get sent to such a swing of problem solving and realize that everything's figureoutable. Yes, yes everything's figureoutable.

Speaker 1:

That's true. So on the other side of that, you came back you just mentioned in that last comment like this is what you were looking for, like this, almost like it set you free. So, okay, you come back from that. Now, what right? You've become this new person, so to speak and we all do, I think, after we've done a transformative trip like that that we come back. But then I think part of it is how do we transfer that new experience or that transformation that we had into our daily life? Did you find that hard coming back after that, to re-assimilate into sort of a daily life, so to speak? Or what happened after that for you?

Speaker 2:

Well it was. I mean, it was a nice gradual sort of reintroduction in a way, because I went to the UK. So I live in Sydney, australia, my family's in the UK, so I went and spent some time with my mother and that was really lovely, and saw friends there. So I had five weeks there. Then I came back to Australia for a month and then I actually went back to Uganda for a month to write the book because I just wanted to do almost like vomit on a page, just get, and I had all my diaries. I'd been diaring every day and writing blogs and I just thought I just want to go there uninterrupted and write that. And then came back and I was actually really ready for some routine and I really wanted to be earning some money. So you know, I went back into corporate to do some contracts.

Speaker 2:

But it is when you've gone on something like that, you've had those experiences which your friends, friends haven't, and it does create a little bit of a sort of a gulf between you in some ways, like there's just that experience that you've had that others haven't and you can end up feeling a little bit like a tribe of one in some sort of situations. Yeah, you know, it's not that you don't have anything in common with friends. Of course you do, and you still see them and it's great. But there's just there's that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, there's something that's that's slightly shifted yeah, yes, I I feel that too, because I mean I travel a lot but I have friends that don't, so they don't quite understand the you know how. It's just the whole process of it. I guess even from the planning all the way to coming back and trying to reintegrate, basically back into a routine and stuff.

Speaker 1:

So, yes, I appreciate you saying that. Um, you've been on some other adventures and I'm just curious to know, oh, like, how do you decide after that epic you know, paddle down the Nile what was your deciding factor of where to go next and what to do next for you?

Speaker 2:

well, I really wanted to do something quite soon after, so I wanted to, you know, really have adventuring as part of what. What I do, while it tends to be, it's something that costs money, so I don't know quite how I make money out of this, but I do want to be taken seriously as an adventurer and I really wanted to do something in Australia. Okay, so before I'd, you know, even come back to Australia, it's like, yeah, okay, I'm gonna do a solo descent of the Murray River, which is Australia's longest river. Um, it's not super long, but it's, you know, it was decent, it was two and a half thousand k's and do that completely solo. And it was amazing because, having done the Nile, like this just felt almost, you know, in comfort zone. I actually had to almost prod myself to go Sarah, come on, lift your game. There's still risks with this. Like, let's spend some time, you know, doing the risk assessments and everything and research, but I did that nine months after I came back.

Speaker 2:

So I did that in December and finished that just before COVID hit. So I finished that February 2020. So I timed it. Yeah, thank goodness I did that and didn't wait for it.

Speaker 2:

This is what I say it's like don't wait because you just don't know, it may not feel like it's the perfect time, but if you can do it, just just do it, because we really don't know what's around the corner. And and then, and then managed to actually cycle across Australia with a friend of mine. So actually cycling across Australia was something I came up with within the first few weeks of the nile trip, because I was like like this is this is awesome, what could I do? And I came up with that, that I that sort of plan, um, and I was chatting to a friend over breakfast and said, oh, I'm thinking about cycling across australia, and she's like, oh, really, um, long story short, she ended up joining me and we did that in 2021 and then went up to. I went to Kyrgyzstan for a couple of weeks. That was really more, just because it was my 50th. So I wanted to have my 50th away.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I see.

Speaker 2:

It's like no, I don't want to party with candles and balloons and all of that stuff. I want an adventure uh and then at the beginning of this year I did a month up in oman and went bikepacking through oman on my own, which was beautiful, amazing. So coming up with ideas, that's not a problem, not a problem.

Speaker 1:

Okay, no, you seem like a very. You want to be out in nature. You want to have like an athletic adventure. Have you always been kind of fit like that that you could handle these kind of adventures physically?

Speaker 2:

I've always like. I did loads of sports as a kid, like mum got me trying or encouraged me. You know I wasn't forced to, but encouraged me to try different sports. So there was horse riding, and then there was all the school sports and windsurfing and water skiing.

Speaker 2:

I tried tons and I think that really helped set me up, you know one, to then be someone who pursues, you know, being sporty, being athletic being outdoors but also being really comfortable trying different things and being okay, being a beginner and sucking at things at first and just like love trying different things and I think it's really, it was a real, it was such a gift in so many ways that's an important um and it's it's paid off yeah, it's paid off hugely.

Speaker 2:

So, yeah, I've always enjoyed probably the more adventurous holidays, but it took a while. It wasn't really until my 30s that I really started having the more adventurous holidays, and that was partly because during my 20s, the relationship I was in then we just didn't really do those types of trips. And then we broke up and I was like, okay, you know what, now I get to do all the holidays I want to do. So I went on this horse riding. So I was like, right, I need to get them in quick because you know I might meet someone who doesn't want to do these trips. Oh, you're so funny. Yeah, 20 years later I'm still single, so I didn't need to rush into that hey, it's okay.

Speaker 2:

Plenty of time to travel, right exactly I'm about to go on all these amazing adventures. So, no, I'm not dirty on it at all. Um, so, yeah, and that was really that's when it really started.

Speaker 1:

Um, yeah, and probably it wasn't until my early 30s okay and your friend joined you on that bike across austral. I just curious, you know, since you've solo traveled seems like quite a bit. How did that work out? Because sometimes when we have someone join us in our adventures it can get a little messy. How was it with your friend traveling with her? If you want to say I don't know if she's going to listen, we are still friends, really really good friends.

Speaker 2:

It worked so perfectly because it was. It was a risk going into it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Was. You know she was someone I valued so much as a friend and you know you're going to be together 24 seven and, at your worst, tired, stressed, in pain. You know all of those things. Yeah, I know that doesn't bring out the best in me, um, but we just, it just worked.

Speaker 2:

That's good and I'm not sure I can really explain necessarily why, but we just we were so aligned on decisions. You know, on the days where we were, maybe, you know, close to a town, it was like, oh, should we stay in a motel? It's like, yeah, let's do it. There was no. You know, we were always just, and those little things, I think, can build up to be quite resentful when you've got someone who wants to do something quite different and you're constantly feeling like you're compromising.

Speaker 1:

I agree, agree.

Speaker 2:

And there was never any of that. So it just, we were yet so aligned on all those those sorts of decisions and while they might seem quite small, they're actually quite, quite significant. And you know the roles that we took on in where we were on the bikes and the organizing and everything else. We just we brought different skills. Like you know, she was great at doing all the comms and bits and pieces. She was head of comms. I was definitely better on the IT and technical and logistics. So I was head of IT and logistics. You know we'd sort of joke about these things, but it just it meant that we complemented each other and we weren't.

Speaker 1:

That's good you know, it's like you then really appreciate.

Speaker 2:

It's like, oh my goodness, I'm so glad T's doing that, because I don't want to be doing that. And she'd be like, oh my goodness, I'm so glad you're happy doing the logistics, because I just don't want to do that. So then you've got that nice appreciation. Um so yeah, it just it worked. It worked brilliantly. She's amazing.

Speaker 1:

That's so good to hear. Yeah, because that's always a little bit of a concern. Um, when a friend wants to join a trip that you have envisioned right, that you know it could possibly damage the friendship, or you know it just would turn out awful for both because of the compromises each of them would seem to have to make. So I'm pleased to hear that yours has worked out so well. Let's go back to. You did recently a solo trip through Oman, how you said it was beautiful. But you know, as a woman, how was that for you in that country? Just curious.

Speaker 2:

Oh, it was fantastic and I kind of you know I again, I've done my research and looked at people who go on solo traveling there and always go and look at you know what is the ratings that the government's put out, and I'll look at both. You know the Australian and the UK. What are the warnings? Like you know, you look at all those travel things and you know everything said it was a very safe place generally for people travelling and for solo female travelers. Um, okay, I knew, based on the experiences that I'd had through Sudan, in particular, the, the kindness and the hospitality I was shown there was just extraordinary. So, you know, there was that going then to another Muslim country. It's like I just I, I, from what I'd read, it was going to be a very similar experience and it really was.

Speaker 2:

You know, example was on on day one, cycling, I started, it was really it was pretty hot and I'd stopped outside this house under a tree just because it had some shade and I was just looking. You know we're checking the route and having something to eat and drink and the owner of the house came out and was curious, asking what I was doing, and then invited me in. He said please, please, please, come in. And he was the headmaster of the local school. Wow. So I went into the home and met he said oh, my daughter teaches English, so the whole family was kind of living there. So I came in and they put the air con on for me, they got me cold drinks, they ended up giving me lunch.

Speaker 2:

And it was just this beautiful, beautiful experience and just so, you know, so similar to what I'd experienced in Sudan. And then, yeah, it was, people would pull over. I had one guy pulled over and he had his kids in the back and they sort of gave me some drinks and some food when I was just like cycling on the road, and then I was like I think that's the same car and they'd come back and they'd gone and got more food for me because they didn't really have much. So they'd gone and got food for me and they're like no, no, no, please please, please and that happened, you know.

Speaker 2:

So this worry about the cycle across Australia, we had big stretches where you are between any kind of shops or people or anything, and you know there was all that worry if we got enough water, if we got food, are we going to make it to the next stop? And I just didn't need to worry about that in my mind because every day people would pull over. Or you've got a lot of the truck drivers as well. So you've got a lot of um like the truck drivers as well. So you've got a lot of people from bangladesh, pakistan, india, all working there. Okay, um, and one guy there's a tanker coming in the opposite direction, um, like pure tanker, and he came to a stop really quite impressively quickly, you know, got this tanker off the road onto the gravel stop, jumped out and he came out and he had this ice cold protein shake.

Speaker 2:

And he said yeah, I do see a few cyclists. He said I always have one of these ready to give them when I see them. So he gave me this. It was just unbelievable, it really was. There was just. You know, I could talk all day about the incredible experiences.

Speaker 1:

That's so encouraging, because I think some of the fear in going to some of those countries is because we're women, and especially a solo traveling woman. You know well how are we going to be treated. You know how are we going to be looked upon, and I think is really how are we going to be looked upon? And I think is really and again, like you I always say, you did your research, seeing if it's safe. You know, cause there's always, I'd say, everywhere in the world, there's always some sort of civil unrest somewhere, right? So we just need to be aware of that, and so you did your due diligence there, of course. So, yeah, that's encouraging, I'm so happy to hear that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it was. It was, and obviously you know I am respectful of the culture that I'm in. So you know I am not cycling in lycra and sleeveless tops. I had a shirt on and I had full pants. It's like you.

Speaker 2:

Just, you know you're sensible about things and, yes, you know I'm still switched on and looking at is this okay? Is this situation okay? What do I think? Think I've got people who I've got a friend who I'm checking in with every day and they then there were protocols, if I didn't check in with them, that they would, of who they would contact and what they would do. So there was, you know, there's still that.

Speaker 2:

Yes, you know, you you've got to be smart about things anywhere in the world. But a lot of the time, and certainly on the Nile trip and in Oman, sometimes I felt being a solo female traveler can be an advantage, because people will want to look after you, because you're not seen as any kind of threat and people be quite protective, um, and and that was the experience I had on the Nile trip, where people were very kind, of protective and very welcoming into homes and things, because they there isn't that feeling that you could be a threat as a woman um, so sometimes it can be an advantage and I've seen someone else who I follow who's cycling through Africa and she's said the same thing she said.

Speaker 2:

actually it can be an advantage, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Oh, that's amazing and you mentioned in just that last statement and it kind of ties into my next question. You said that you have protocols in place where if you didn't check in with your friend every day, that she knew what to do. And that kind of ties into my next question of like, what strategies do you use to sort of balance this whole risk and safety element? And that sounds like one of them. Do you have any others that you?

Speaker 2:

That's one of them, yeah, you know, checking in, and I did that when I was doing the Murray River, when I did the Nile, like I sort of briefly touched on, I had because I the risk of something like getting arrested was quite high. You know, that sort of thing happens very regularly in Africa. It's like I don't know the the protocols, my friends don't know the protocols, and that's a massive pressure to put on them. Yeah, yeah, and I didn't have access to intel. So I engaged a company, the people I'd done my hostile environment awareness training with. So I had this great guy, dave he's just amazing and I checked in with him every day. We'll tell him what the plan was.

Speaker 2:

I mean, he had the general plan, but it was like today we're doing this yeah, he would give me a very detailed intel report, and there could be things like like, don't sleep on the east bank tonight. There's been, um, you know, some recent activity happening there, and then he was there to deal with any crisis that came up. So we did actually end up getting arrested in Burundi. It's a long story, but it was simple. It meant that as soon as it was happening, I just sent him a message. I was like basically telling him things.

Speaker 1:

Tell me, tell me, because that ties into that whole risk and safety. You know balancing that. So you had a plan in place.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we had a plan. We got effectively tricked across the border. We come down. We were in Rwanda. There was no plan to go to Burundi. Um, there were multiple channels to choose from.

Speaker 2:

So, yes, I had the GPS. You know one thing I'd say just what we're talking about comms stuff, having comms equipment and having backups. You know, if you're going somewhere and it's going to be remote, hire a sat phone or take a GPS that you can message, there's a satellite GPS that you can message on and have a backup because you know your comms equipment is so important. So having having that, so I had more. I had phone, I had GPS and I had a satellite phone. Um, so, yeah, we basically got.

Speaker 2:

We were asking for directions and these guys showed us the way. And what we didn't realize is they we were on the edge of this lake and they led us on the edge of this lake and they led us across the unmarked border and they said we'll call our friends and they'll come and show you the way to go. They're friends with the Burundian army. So the next thing we know, this tin boat comes across the lake, submachine gun on the front of it, three guys clutching their ak-47. I'm like, okay, and they asked for all our documents. We had no documentation to be in Burundi. I had all the stuff that we needed for Rwanda and letters from the government and everything, and they're like right right across the lake we want to take you for more questioning, but you know, there's nothing. It's not like in, say, western countries, where it's very clear, okay, you were being arrested, you're taken for questioning, it's nothing. It's very sort of like you don't know what the hell's coming yes.

Speaker 1:

Oh my gosh, how scary, no like this isn't good.

Speaker 2:

So I just sent mess a message to dave um, just quickly saying this is what's happening, because I knew that he would see like why? Because he was able he was the only person able to track me. Yeah, that he'd see me going off course, um. So then we got questioned and then the police took over. The police wanted to make something of it.

Speaker 2:

So they're like right, we're taking you further into brundi for more questioning and it was just so we load up all our stuff on the back of this flatbed truck, um, which had a couple of benches on the back of it. We're told to get on there and there's police on each corner with their ak-47s and we start careering through the brewing countryside. But, you know, at no point was like one. There was nothing that the the way the police had been towards us that felt particularly threatening or aggressive or anything. We were obviously being very calm and very understanding, cooperative.

Speaker 1:

Going along with everything that they were saying.

Speaker 2:

And I just, and I knew that there was Dave.

Speaker 2:

And when we stopped at one point at this village, on the way to the police station, and I said, look, can we get go and get changed? It's getting dark, we're in damp clothes, which was true. But sort of my ulterior motive was I knew that I would get put in a room on my own and I could get another message out to Dave to let him know what was happening, because at that point they'd already compassed. No, they hadn't taken our phones at that point, but they had taken I think our passports had gone by then and cameras. So yeah, they were obviously a little bit. So I just had to be very careful not to get caught with, yeah, making making calls or sending messages.

Speaker 2:

Um, so then we yeah, we were questioned some more um oh my gosh and again. It was still quite funny. Then they asked for our phone. So I was like quickly deleting all the messages from Dave while I was going to lock the phone so they wouldn't be able to have access to it. Those kind of messages could look quite suspicious, so I was like he'd always, your device is clean of our messages.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And I came out of the question and we were told we were being taken to a hotel for the night. And I came out of the question and we were told we were being taken to a hotel for the night, so effectively under house arrest and I use the term hotel quite loosely- but it came out the guy came up and it turned out he was the chief prosecutor of the area and I was like, okay.

Speaker 2:

He said, oh, I hear you're single and you don't have children. And I'm like, yeah, he said that's shameful, oh, shameful.

Speaker 1:

Okay, okay, he said that's shameful oh, shameful, okay, okay, what is that?

Speaker 2:

yeah, oh god, I was like tired and and cranky and hungry yeah.

Speaker 2:

I just want to slap you right now, but instead I'll just smile and say, yes, yes, that is the situation. Um, and so then there was talks going on in the background and a couple of days later we were released and it was all fine. But, yes, it was quite an experience and it just to me it was like, yeah, having those risk plans in place. Now, those were some pretty full-on plans in place, but that reflected the risk profile that I was dealing with and the likelihood. When you look at what's the impact of these things happening and what is the likelihood of that happening, the likelihood was high of that in Africa. It just it's just the way things are there and the impact would vary, you know, but it was still potentially significant.

Speaker 2:

If I hadn't had the support of Dave, you know, but it was still potentially significant. If I hadn't had the support of Dave, it could have been a lot more serious. We could have been transferred to a jail and things would have been very, very different and that really could have gone sort of quite south. So this is what understanding what the risks are and having plans in place and having contacts in country. I think if you're going to a country you don't know. You know, trying to work out what that is, and it can be really simple. You might, you know, almost like finding a fixer. So there could be a travel guide. You know, a local one.

Speaker 2:

And just have someone like that to show you around the city for a few days and then you've got someone who you can contact if there's a problem or getting really friendly. You know at the hotel that you're staying with and if you're staying with back with them at the end, you know, just say, oh, could could I call you if there's a problem? Like generally, certainly in Oman, like people are really open to helping. When I went to get my bike checked over after you know, I put it back together from traveling, going to the shop and getting it put back together it wasn't could. I've done it on my own, yes, but for me it was about creating more networks. So it's like going there, paying some money. They put the bike together, check it over. One great the bike, I know the bike's okay, but two. They're then saying if you have any problems, just call us.

Speaker 2:

That's like great, so are you just ending up collecting phone numbers of people, of contacts. So I knew before I even left Muscat from the hotel like the people there were super helpful and I'd left some stuff there the bike shop. I instantly had some contacts. So it's like great. Now I feel more confident that I've got someone to call if, if I have a major problem that's so awesome.

Speaker 1:

I I agree with that because I know when I I travel, I'm single, um, I'm constantly. You have check-in points. I check in with my kids every night, like here's where I'm at, here's where I'm, you know, and this is where I'm going tomorrow, or whatever. Um, but having someone actually in the country is amazing advice. Um, I hadn't really thought about that, so I I like that idea. Yeah, if you can.

Speaker 2:

I think it's a really, and I think it can give you a bit of confidence, like going to a country on your own it's somewhere you haven't been before, having a local guide to show you around, you know, and maybe say, hey, we just take public transport. If you're a woman on your own, like you know, be smart with it, or ask the hotel to recommend someone, yeah, and it can just help one, just give you that bit of confidence to get to know your way around and the cultural you know, particularly if it's culturally quite different. Yes, to just give some tips and ideas of you know whether it's tipping or where to get taxis or how to stay safe. You know the do's and don'ts, yep.

Speaker 2:

Spending you know, a couple of days, it's not going to cost you a fortune, and then you've got someone there to you know, to call up if there's a problem, you know. So your local travel a local travel guide is a could be a way of doing it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah and then and they would have other connections too. So, yeah, because they're local, I love it. Great, great sound advice. I'm hanging on to that nugget. So you wrote most. You wrote a book about your time on the Nile. So how do we get ahold of that? What's the name of it? Where you know, where can we find you if we want to follow your adventures, Sarah?

Speaker 2:

So the book is called Paddle Denial Not that imaginative, but it does what it says on the cover. So that's on Amazon. You can buy that on Amazon paperback or Kindle version. On socials, I'm most active on Instagram, so I'm there as Sarah paddles. Or one word I've also recently joined blue sky, so I'm on there as Sarah J Davis. And then there's my website, sarah j daviscom, and also on LinkedIn. So I do, I do post on LinkedIn quite a lot as well. So, yeah, those are the main, the main platforms and.

Speaker 2:

I'm currently on. I'm on a little quest lot as well. So, yeah, those are the main platforms and I'm currently on a little quest at the moment. So when I went to Oman, I realised that being outside of my comfort zone wasn't as familiar as it used to be and I wanted to do something about it because I feel like you know, like we've talked about, it can get uncomfortable and then we just lean back and don't do things or it makes it a bigger hurdle to actually get to that point of overcoming you know, whatever, whatever it is. And so I set myself a quest that when I turned 52, which was at the end of July, that I would do 52 things in 52 weeks that take me into the unknown, the uncertain and the uncomfortable. So I started with a dawn to dusk walk in the Royal National Park near here, unplugged, and I've never been there before. It was beautiful and just no music, no, nothing and it was a slightly rainy day so there was no one around.

Speaker 2:

It was just perfection. But hard work because it was a long day of walking. Yeah, I've had a crack at jiu-jitsu, salsa dancing, improv speed dating. Indoor rock climb Speed dating was a few hours of my life. I won't get back. Um, yeah, indoor rock climbing. Uh, I got my motorbike license I've done some things I love this, yeah, and it's, it's been fascinating.

Speaker 2:

I did trapeze, um, it's just brought this energy to my life, um, and and then things, whereas some you know, someone said, oh, why don't you do stand-up comedy? Not because they think I'm funny, just because that's for them, that'd be like that would probably be one of the worst things I could do. And at first I'm like I'm so not going to do stand-up. But once I've done a bunch of these things and I've done improv, it's like so what? So I'm going to go and make an ass of myself, so what it's like with a bunch of people I don't know. So what? So I've signed up to do stand-up. So, yeah, it's been a real interesting time. So, yeah, if you want to follow that journey, I'm sharing that stuff on Instagram. On your Instagram, okay, I definitely want to follow that. Sharing that stuff on Instagram. On your Instagram? Okay, I definitely want to follow that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, because I did something similar on my 55th birthday, I just I created a 55 things, but for me it was like you said, I wanted to bring more adventure back into my life and, like, just try to force myself to get out there. And some of it, some of it was get out of my comfort zone. Some of it was just plan adventures, like you know, some simple things like go strawberry picking or go, you know like, or go roller skating, which I hadn't done since I was in junior high, right, you know like. So, yeah, things like that, just adding more adventure, and so I love the idea. Um, uh, so I will definitely follow. I love it all. Right, so you're kind of. I didn't quite get to all my 55, though I'll have to tell you, did you? How far are you? And you're 52.

Speaker 2:

So I'm kind of still on track at the moment. Okay, it is going to be well, you've obviously you've done a similar thing.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it was a little too hard Okay. There's some real easy ones to do and you do those and then it's like, okay, this is. You know, this is going to get a bit hard.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, there was some that were getting a bit hard, yeah, so I've done all of them about 15 in at the moment. So, yeah, still still on track, but it's, yeah, towards the end it's going to be like yeah, that was for me.

Speaker 1:

I don't know, I think how did you? Do. I think I got about 35 or so, something like that. Yeah, it wasn't bad. I mean considering, but uh yeah, it was, it was.

Speaker 2:

How did you find it? How did you? What did you get out of it? What was some of your takeaways?

Speaker 1:

oh, I, love the fact that it it it got me out of just the status quo, meaning like, okay, I'm just gonna sit at home and watch you know, like it got me out of the house first of all, and I do like to get outside and and do more outside nature.

Speaker 1:

So there was there was quite a bit of that in there um, and then trying new things. You know, karaoke was on there. I'd never karaoke did my life. I mean, here I am in my 50s. I never had karaoke. People like really you never. I'm like nope, and I made a fool of myself even though I have sung on stage in in productions. It's totally different to do karaoke. It was just bizarre.

Speaker 2:

I didn't like it oh, but that's brilliant that you, you did it, and yeah, I did it it's so easy to sit on the couch yes, and that's I should relax and I should do this and I haven't got time to do this stuff. When you give yourself a mission and a quest like that, yep, it's amazing the time that you can find yeah, it's true, and almost all of them I did solo.

Speaker 1:

There was a few I included a friend in them but like I wanted to skydive but no one would come with me, so I did it by myself and everybody's, like you, went by yourself. I'm like it felt weird because everybody that was there, they had someone else with them to share the experience. I'm just like no, I just I need to do it and I needed.

Speaker 1:

I needed to do it at this specific time because of something that, yeah, I was going through a transition in my life too, so I'm like this is going to signify okay, I'm leaping out of this plane into something new and unknown, right. And so I wanted that physical significance of doing that skydiving. So, yeah, scared the bejeebers out of me, holy cow, have you done it? Have you skydived? You're pretty adventurous.

Speaker 2:

It's on the list. It's on the list. That's fantastic. I love that you did that yeah.

Speaker 1:

So I'm anxious, I'll definitely be following you on that.

Speaker 2:

So awesome, so cool well.

Speaker 1:

I loved how you brought in, you know, the whole risk factors um preparing, researching, all the great advice you gave and, you know, still keeping in mind. You know, with that all in mind and going to these epic places I'll call them you know, keeping safety in mind too. Even though these were, there were a lot of risk factors and I love how you have it planned and you strategize and I love that advice. So, thank you, and I will make sure we include all the social media links so people can follow you. I'm definitely following on that 52 adventures this year. I am excited for you and wouldn't even mind having you back because I think you are working on another book at the moment.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, yes, yeah, yeah, there's lots, lots in the horizon.

Speaker 1:

Yes, well good well, sarah, it's been amazing. It's been exciting to have you. I thank you so much for your time today.

Speaker 2:

Oh, thank you I've loved the conversation same here.

Speaker 1:

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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