Joys of Solo Travel

Taken in Tallin, Estonia on 20 July

It’s never too late to live one’s dreams. At age 55 I am fulfilling my dream of a 30 day solo trip across 11 European countries including Nordic States . The minimalistic Nordic lifestyle has always intrigued me.

On 3 July 2025 , armed  with only a 7kg carry on bag and small backpack , I embarked on my solo Europe trip to celebrate life. Travelling with minimal baggage was essential as I am mostly using trains.

As I write this article I have completed 17 days touring Sweden , Denmark , Norway , Finland and Estonia.

The North Europe summer weather has been perfect .I lost myself in the beautiful walkable city of Copenhagen . I was blown away by the natural beauty of the Oslo Fjords and Stockholm Archipelagos. Dancing at the Stockholm ABBA museum was my dream come true.

I stayed in  a cozy glass Igloo in the bushes near the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi , Finland. The silence and solitude was so peaceful. The Arctic Circle 24 hour summer daylight meant I had lots of time to explore the natural forests.  I came face to face with a wild Raindeer  and handled the encounter well despite my fears of wild animals . I cherished the little moments of picking wild flowers.

Though Estonia was not on my itinerary , I broke my own rules by taking a spontaneous day cruise trip from Helsinki to Estonia’s capital city , Tallin. Spontaneity is not my natural inclination but I am glad I took that trip . Tallin is truly a fairytale city with divine  flower gardens and medieval buildings .

My time in the Nordic countries gave me the opportunity to slow down , self reflect , soak in some joy  and explore spontaneous adventures. Thanks to my supportive husband and children who encouraged me to take on this adventure and I have been bombarding them with daily trip updates.

Budapest is my next destination, before heading off to Vienna, Prague, Berlin , Brussels and Luxembourg . I am looking forward to more self discovery , joy  and adventures. Cheers to enjoying life !