The world is my oyster: I'm Renata, founder and editor of this travel blog.
bye:myself - no, that's not a typo, it's referring to me saying bye to my comfort zone and heading for new shores solo.
Having been a solo traveller, flashpacker, and poverty jet setter for ages made me an avid and savvy planner and organizer of worldwide travel. Since I've been an author and journalist practically all my life, I love to put my travel experience into writing to encourage, inspire, and assist you.
Looking forward to meeting you somewhere on this planet!
Aruba was actually one of the first islands in the Caribbean that opened its hearts’n’harbors to international visitors by installing well-working tourist infrastructures. Today, Aruba is an absolute A-Lister when it comes to a dream vacation in the West Indies. However, while most visitors are coming for the dreamy sand beaches, it would be a big mistake to miss out on the natural wonders Aruba is hiding in its hinterland. In this post, I have you covered by telling you about all the wonderful spots you should not miss when visiting this self-proclaimed happy island.
Eagle Beach – one of Aruba’s most famous beaches. However, the bird in the pictures is not an eagle but a seagle seagull.This Way to the Whole Story ->
There’s no question about it: Palermo is a very cool place with tons of things to see and to do. This being said, spending a couple of days in a row in such a busy city can quickly become a bit stressful. Fortunately, there are quieter places within reach, even by public transport, that are perfect for day trips away from the hustle and bustle of Palermo.
Just one hour east of Palermo the sun bathes the coast at Cefalù in an unreal, beautiful light.
Hence, I’m introducing you to four amazing places that you can reach quickly and easily by train or bus. Whether you are looking for archeological remnants, Baroque architecture, Sicilian cuisine, a shopping spree, or relaxing hours on the beach: I promise you’ll find it in this post.
While Palermo as such is very much underrated, the city’s best street art also thrives in the shadows. Very unjustly so! In this post, I’m taking you on a tour of the city’s hotspots for urban art. Prepare for some truly powerful murali!
You know the drill: At the end of each of my travel guides, you will find a map on which you can see the location of all the featured landmarks, eateries, train stations, in short, all relevant places. This way, you can orient yourself quickly and easily during your own visit. So far, so good.
I have been creating these maps for you for years. But it wasn’t until recently that it came to mind that I could create a map on Google My Maps ahead of a trip to optimize my travel planning. This way, I have my itinerary clearly arranged and with all the information in one place. My personal little travel guide in my pocket – literally. In this post, I’m introducing the basics of Google My Maps and getting into detail about how you can personalize it and use it exactly the way it suits you best.
Buenos Aires and me – from the must-sees to the hidden gems: It was love at first sight. The stately baroque architecture like in Barcelona, the elegant cafés – even a bit more charming than those in Paris. Old-fashioned gelato parlors like in Rome. The powerful street art of Bogotá next to the picturesque decay of old Havana, and an entire neighborhood named after Palermo. In short: This city simply has it all.
Tango – that’s what Buenos Aires stands for. But it’s only a fraction of what Argentina’s capital has to offer.
The beauty and energy of Buenos Aires took me by storm – and was definitely the highlight of my trip to Argentina.
Since Latvia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the city has gradually embraced public art as a form of expression, moving from underground subculture to more mainstream recognition. Today, street art in Riga combines Eastern European influences with the best of contemporary urban creativity.
One of the main reasons for starting a travel blog was the constant questions about how I plan, organize, and execute my many travels – especially since I’m a woman, and I’m going solo. Well, countless solo trips as a flashpacker and poverty jetsetter made me an enthusiastic and experienced planner and organizer of worldwide travel. And since I’ve worked as an author and journalist practically my entire life, it made sense to share my travel experiences and thus encourage, inspire, guide, and support others with my tips and hacks. One of the basic tools for successfully planning a trip is comprehensive information, obviously. Therefore, I’ve compiled links to create the World’s Most Complete Travel Information. And because you can find them all in my clearly structured list, you can just skip the tedious and time-consuming task of searching for all the relevant details online from scratch.
In this one-stop shop, you’ll find essential information on entry requirements and required documents, practical tips on flight and hotel bookings, and extra information that may not be essential but will definitely make travelling more pleasant and enjoyable. Just click through the pages and let me know what you think—and what you might still be missing. Either way, I wish you great travels and look forward to meeting you somewhere on this planet!
For years, I was keen to fit all my stuff into a carry-on when going on shorter trips around Europe. Initially, I did it since my cheapie-cheap flights did not include checking in luggage. But lately, also regular airlines charge extra for checking your baggage. However, money is not the only valid reason for minimizing your baggage: It’s so much easier to travel light. First, I managed to take a couple of shorter trips around Europe with hand luggage only. Later, I even travelled around Sri Lanka, Japan, and Argentina just with a carry-on for weeks. Since then, I have never used a larger piece of luggage again. Having only a small carry-on with you is so much more comfortable and manageable on buses’n’trains. Hence, packing light and still travelling in style became my credo.
These light-travelling sculptures are standing in Milan and were made by the Italian street art duo Urbansolid.
In this post, I let you take a peek at my packing list.
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