A solo traveler has revealed the six biggest mistakes she made while driving through Southeast Asia and Europe.
TikToker Rory Hollier shared her tips and tricks for booking hotels, spending money and which hostels to avoid in the video, which has been viewed by 155,000 people.
She regularly creates videos with helpful tips and tricks for solo travelers like her.
In a July video, she shared her best advice for those planning a backpacking trip.
She told viewers: “I traveled alone through South East Asia and Europe for six months this year and these are the biggest mistakes I’ve made.” – Read on for the full list of travel influencer recommendations.
TikToker Rory Hollier shared her tips and tricks for booking hotels, spending money and which hostels to avoid in the video, which has been viewed by 155,000 people
Stay in a Mad Monkey Hostel in Southeast Asia
Rory revealed her first mistake was wanting to stay at a Mad Monkey hostel.
She said, “Mad Monkey Hostels in Southeast Asia” and shook her head.
The TikToker warned “big mistake, don’t go there.” “I’m not a supporter of party hostels, I love party hostels, but they’re disgusting and I don’t support them.”
Mad Monkey is one of the largest hostel companies in Asia, welcoming more than 350,000 customers annually in Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia and Laos.
Some commenters agreed, with one writing: “Don’t tell me about the crazy monkey twice.”
However, others claimed they had a positive experience, adding: “What do you think of Mad Monkey?” I stayed in 3 in Cambodia and 2 in Vietnam and found them all very good.
Another exclaimed, “Oh damn.” “I went to see Mad Monkey in Cambodia 7 years ago and it was amazing.”
Mad Monkey Hostels has been contacted for comment.
She told viewers: “I spent six months traveling alone through South East Asia and Europe on a budget this year and these are the biggest mistakes I’ve made.”
Book flights to the Philippines “too far in advance”.
Her next regret was booking her flights to the Philippines too far in advance.
She explained: “I booked my flights to the Philippines a month early because it was cheaper to book in advance.”
“Then I got there and I liked it so much that I canceled the flights and booked new ones – I lost a lot in the process.”
Packaging too light
When backpacking, bringing too much luggage and overpacking can be a big problem, especially for first-time travelers.
However, the travel fanatic had the opposite problem: she packed “much too light”.
Rory said: “My rucksack has a capacity of 40 litres, which is carry-on, and I thought it would be smart to weigh less than seven kilos, as hand luggage, but nobody weighed my carry-on. -on luggage.”
“I got through it every time, I didn’t bring my Go Pro or my film camera.” I hardly brought any clothes, it was just a nightmare, I was constantly throwing away rubbish.
“I should have just bought a new backpack, but it is what it is.”
In a July video, she shared her best advice for those planning a backpacking trip
Budget too high
Again, the most common problem among travelers is overspending, but Rory acknowledged that it’s also important not to underspend and miss out.
She told viewers: “For the first three months I used the Travel Spend app and tracked every expense.”
“When I bought a bottle of water at 7Eleven for ten dollars and it ended up in my travel app and just made me miserable.
“Give yourself a little indulgence, there will be days when you don’t spend a lot of money and there will be very expensive days.”
“But in Asia I had about $50 a day and that was it. I didn’t spend any more money that day and in Europe it was $100.’
The influence continued: “I just missed the things I wanted to do there.
“Just like my trip to Cappadocia, I spent hundreds of dollars on accommodation, transportation and everything to get there and didn’t get on the hot air balloon, which is the real reason to go to Cappadocia.
“But I thought, Oh, I spent so much money, stupid.” Don’t make so much money that you miss out on experiences and don’t make so much money that you constantly think, “Oh no, I can’t do this, I can’t do that and I’m worried about it.” That’s probably right.
‘It will work. In the worst case, you run out of money and the Australian or American embassy has to fly you home and then you’re in debt to them.”
Overspending is the most common problem among travelers, but Rory admitted that it’s also important not to overspend and miss out on money.
Rory regularly creates videos with helpful tips and tricks for solo travelers like her
Stay in hotels too often
She then concluded that she “loved hostels” but was “so tired” after six months of travel:
“I think I’ve only stayed in hotels for the last month, and that’s about as much money as I can put in my pocket if I just stick it out and go with the backpackers.”
“It’s very nice to have time for yourself, but it’s so addictive, especially when the social battery runs low.” Just hang in there, it’s not that bad.
“Eventually you’ll meet the person in the dorm who will rekindle your social bond, if you know what I mean.”
One commenter said: “Private rooms in hostels, perfect compromise between hotel and hostel life.” You can always break up with a friend.
Another agreed: “Get private rooms in hostels when you have some alone time! They’re usually cheaper than a proper hotel.”
Book in advance in Europe
Finally, her main point, which she says “every backpacker needs to hear,” is that in Europe you need to book things ahead of time.
She revealed: “I had a one-way flight, I didn’t book anything, I didn’t even know I was going to Europe.”
“I traveled to Southeast Asia and thought I would spend the rest of the year there, and then I ended up in the Balkans.
“The Balkans were very easy to travel around on a daily basis, but the hostels in Western Europe were very expensive. “I spent about $100 a night in Florence, which was ridiculous.”
The travel professional admitted: “I really wanted to go to Switzerland or the Dolomites for my birthday and it wasn’t possible because you have to book these things very far in advance.”
“You don’t just go in there, people have been looking at hotels in the Dolomites for years before they leave.”
She concluded that for her next trip, she will go through all the options in the planning process for everything she wants to do, adding that she still wants to “go with the flow, day by day, carefree fairy,” but sometimes “you” do it too”. You need a real plan, especially if you’re trying to work within a tight budget.
Rory said: “I could have gone to Switzerland or the Dolomites, but it would have only cost me about $350 a night, when it would have been much cheaper if I had booked it years earlier.”
Viewers flocked to the comments to share their own experiences, with one traveler writing: “I agree with everything you say except the crazy monkey.” Everyone has the experience of getting mad at the monkeys, regardless of good or bad, lol.
Someone else praised the TikToker, adding: “Good advice Rory, I didn’t do the balloon ride 25 years ago, also my only trip I regret, but this year I did, you have to go back.”
Another wrote: “Don’t spend so much money that you miss out. This is excellent advice – from someone who has traveled to 32 countries.”
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
