Welcome to your next email installment from SOLO, Flash Pack’s online magazine. Live this month we have features from Flashpackers who headed off on adventures in the Philippines, Costa Rica, and Thailand. Plus: have you ever fancied the idea of remote working from a cafe in Bali or Buenos Aires? Our guide to the ins and outs of being a digital nomad may just help you get there.
SOLIDARITY & FRIENDSHIP FOR OVER 30S IN THE PHILIPPINES
Prathab Narenthiran
“I didn’t necessarily think I would make genuine friendships on the trip – and I also wasn’t prepared for how gutting it would feel to say goodbye at the end,” says Prathab. “When you travel with a circle of people around you of a similar age – all in their 30s and 40s – it becomes quite a cathartic experience. There was a sense of solidarity between us. We all had struggles and had been through similar rides in life, from professional challenges to more personal ones.” When Prathab headed off to the Philippines with Flash Pack he was expecting beautiful beaches and delicious local food. What he hadn’t anticipated was that a group of strangers thrown together could quickly feel like being on holiday with friends. Find out more below.
Post covid, a new generation of people decided to explore “digital nomadism”, with the trend increasing by 137% from 2019 – that’s 17 million workers in the US alone identifying strongly with the idea of working while traveling the world. It’s a dream for so many of us – being able to do your job while seeing the world on your own terms, without being tied to a commute-and-office routine. And many countries, like Barbados, Croatia and Greece, are jumping on the bandwagon by offering specific digital nomad visas. Check out our guide to remote working below.
SECRETS ON CONNECTION AND SOLO TRAVEL FROM A RELATIONSHIP THERAPIST
Kelli Miller
“Everyone’s in the same boat at the beginning of the trip – all solo and all strangers. But rather than being nervous when I join a group, I’m excited at the possibilities that lie ahead,” says Kelli, a relationship therapist who’s traveled on four Flash Pack adventures. “Every trip I’ve been on has had a slightly different dynamic. Sometimes it’s more intimate and you really get to know one another. On other occasions, the group is bigger, with more energy behind it. You’ll always have a mix of quieter people and more outgoing personalities, too,” she adds. “A key part of my role as a therapist is to be non-judgemental and accept everyone for who they are. And that seems to always happen naturally on these adventures. It’s a great format for a single traveler like me.”
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