652: How To Solo Travel The World + Make It A Spiritual Experience with Ana Stier

Summary

Podcast Summary: Highest Self Podcast®

Episode 652: How To Solo Travel The World + Make It A Spiritual Experience with Ana Stier

Date: April 28, 2026
Host: Sahara Rose
Guest: Ana Stier

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Episode Overview

This vibrant and heartfelt episode centers on the profound power of solo travel, especially for women, and how it can be transformed into an empowering spiritual journey. Sahara Rose is joined by Ana Stier—an intrepid solo traveler, spiritual seeker, and Brazilian mystic—to explore the intersection of travel, self-love, spiritual growth, and ancestral wisdom. Together, they journey through Ana’s experiences in 50+ countries, delve into lessons from Afro-Brazilian spirituality (specifically Umbanda), and share candid advice, memorable mishaps, and transformative insights for anyone ready to answer the call of adventure and self-discovery.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Spiritual Power of Solo Travel

Solo Travel as Initiation:

• Both Sahara and Ana emphasize that solo travel is not just about adventure, but about awakening to oneself.
• Solo travel offers deep lessons in intuition, surrender, and self-love—especially critical for women.
• “Two in every five women that have traveled solo, they have the feeling that they can do absolutely everything in life.” – Ana (00:04, 22:24)

Letting Spirit Choose Your Path:

• The concept that “places choose us” is highlighted. Rather than chasing trendy destinations, the advice is to follow intuitive nudges or synchronicities.
• Travel as a sacred practice—use rituals to get guidance on where to go (12:17).

Embracing the Unexpected:

• Both share stories where adversity and logistical chaos led to unexpected magic, deepening trust in life’s flow.
• "God’s just the best travel agent because my plans were just much better when I had no ticket back home and traveled going with the flow." – Ana (13:21)

Self-Love and Inner Power:

• Navigating challenges alone sharpens instincts, builds confidence, and cultivates a unique self-respect.
• “When you come back from a trip… you understand what true self love is, which is following your instincts, taking yourself to the places where you wanted someone to take you, but you go there and you take yourself.” – Ana (24:10)

2. Embodying Spirituality on the Road

Afro-Brazilian Spirituality: The Umbanda Experience (04:46+)

• Ana introduces Umbanda, an Afro-Indigenous Brazilian spiritual tradition, rooted in honoring nature and diverse spirits (not just gods/goddesses but also spirits of elders, slaves, and children).
  • Focus on music, dance, devotional service, and mediumship.
  • “In Umbanda, there’s no one god… It’s all guided by the music. It’s a beautiful mix that really honors what Brazil is about.” – Ana (07:53)

Ceremony and Surrender:

• Sahara describes attending her first Umbanda ceremony, witnessing trance channeling and feeling the palpable ancestral presence (07:28–10:55).

Intuitive Guidance and Protection:

• Solo travel magnifies intuitive abilities—a recurring motif is goddess energy and spiritual guardians given extra reverence when traveling alone.
  • “The goddess really loves solo travelers… from the moment that I decide to do a solo travel to the moment that I come back, I feel this deep guidance.” – Ana (18:48)

3. Practical Wisdom for Aspiring Solo Travelers

Choosing Where to Go:

• Don’t follow the crowd; listen for what truly calls you (11:19–12:17). Surrender to guidance rather than overplanning.

How to Plan:

• Start with a one-way ticket and only plan the first few days, leaving space for spontaneity (13:21).
• For beginners, plan a little but always leave three days open for magic to unfold.

Handling Fear and Safety:

• Yes, fear is real and normal, especially in places considered challenging. But heightened intuition—and trusting it—keeps you safe (18:48–22:24).
• Solo travel pushes you to be resourceful and to trust yourself and the universe.

Making Friends:

• Be approachable! Take a notebook to cafes, be present, and initiate conversations (24:10).
• Avoid retreating into your phone or headphones—open yourself to connection.

Coping With Adversity:

• From cockroach-infested vans in Hawaii (27:31–30:25) to navigating border crossing mishaps in Egypt (36:53+), both women share how challenges were alchemical, leading to deeper self-trust and better outcomes.

Practical Tips:

• Check visas and local weather.
• Learn key words in the local language.
• Ask locals for authentic recommendations.
• Embrace (and even seek!) discomfort—it's a portal to transformation (41:19+).

Balance Group and Solo Time:

• If traveling with friends, ensure you share compatible travel styles, and still spend solo time for personal growth (46:15).

4. The Gift of Romance, Presence, and Detachment

Travel Magnifies Love Stories:

• Romance while traveling can be intense and fleeting (46:46+), teaching the beauty of presence and non-attachment.
  • “There are 8 billion people out there... you literally expand your awareness and your possibilities in all ways.” – Ana (47:44)
  • “Traveling teaches me how to die (let go gracefully)... Sometimes, it’s time to say goodbye, and we gotta learn how to say goodbye without being extremely attached.” – Ana (49:26)

Letting Go of Expectation:

• Solo travel invites expectation-less play, healing the urge to control outcomes and fostering joy, which paradoxically attracts deeper connections and possibly even your soul partner (53:26).

Returning to the Inner Child:

• Ultimately, solo travel is a return to wonder, openness, and the wisdom of the heart—qualities that can be brought back to everyday life (54:48).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I always say we don’t choose places—places choose us.” – Ana (04:46)
• “When you make God your Dom, it takes you places you could have never imagined.” – Sahara (00:33)
• "The goddess really loves solo travelers." – Ana (18:48)
• “Traveling teaches me how to die.” – Ana (49:26)
• “Be open to magic by leaving three days unplanned—it’s how you make space for miracles.” – Ana (13:21)
• “It’s these little survival moments that sharpen us, that make us alive.” – Sahara (32:55)
• “Traveling solo is the biggest opportunity to sharpen your connection with source.” – Ana (41:19)
• “If you treat yourself the way you wish someone else would, you learn the deepest self-love.” – Sahara (24:10)
• “Traveling made me feel very in touch with my inner child.” – Ana (54:48)

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Important Timestamps

• Umbanda: Afro-Brazilian Spirit Channeling & Ceremony (04:46–10:55)
• How to Choose Where to Travel (Intuition vs FOMO) (11:19–13:21)
• Planning: One-way Tickets, Leaving Room for Magic (13:21+)
• Navigating Fear and Instincts as a Solo Woman (18:48–22:24)
• Making Friends as a Female Solo Traveler (24:10)
• Dealing with Travel Mishaps/Discomfort (27:30–32:55, 36:53–41:19)
• The Nuances of Romance on the Road—Presence & Detachment (46:46–54:48)

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Closing Reflections

This episode is a soulful invitation to trust your intuition, answer the call of distant lands, and treat every journey as both an adventure and a spiritual practice. Through laughter, candid stories, and deeply personal lessons, Sahara and Ana ignite the courage in listeners to let life—and the goddess—be their guide, and to remember that the real destination is always deeper self-love.

Connect with Ana:
Find her travel inspiration, tips, and behind-the-scenes spiritual adventures in both Portuguese and English on Instagram.

Final Thought:
“Trust your intuition. Trust your inner wisdom. Trust your inner guidance.” – Sahara (wrap-up)

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Transcript

[Sahara Rose]

Solo travel. I know a lot of women want to do it, but they don't know where to start.

[Anna]

They always say that God's just the best travel agent because my plans were just much better when I traveled. Just going with the flow. Two in every five women that have traveled solo, they have the feeling that they can do absolutely everything in life. This is what I feel. It's the spiritual experience. While you're traveling solo, literally experience. Expand your awareness and your possibilities. The best romances and the best love stories of your.

[Sahara Rose]

You can't leave us on this cliffhanger. Please. Welcome back to the Highest Self podcast. My name is Sahara Rose, and on this podcast, I love to talk about spirituality, but make it modern, fun, grounded, and relatable so it can actually serve your needs. So if you haven't noticed this new set, this new fit, this new vibe, I'm here in Brazil right now. I came from Carnival and I started a new life, and I'm never going back. So here I am, and just hanging out with these amazing Brazilian girls who are so fun, so cool, so warm. Guys, the story of how this unfolds, it is just like, spirit freaking lead me. I made this friend. She was like, we should go to Brazil Carnival. I was like, I don't even know any Brazilians. Then I get a DM three days later from someone on Instagram saying, you have the Brazilian sauce. I was like, ped. Like, I know. And I was like. And then my same friend was like, we should go to Brazil Carnival. And I was like, you know what? This Brazilian girl just messaged me saying I had Brazilian sauce. So let me ask her what she would suggest. And so I, like, looked up Brazil to find this message. And then I was like, by the way, I am actually thinking of coming to Brazil for Carnival. Do you have any suggestions? And she was like, oh, yeah, I live in Brazil. I was like, oh, amazing. Maybe we can zoom. I live in la. She's like, no, I'm in la. I just landed today. I'm like, what? I was like, come over tonight. And then she came over that night, and here we are. And now we're never leaving each other's side. And they are just like, I'm going towards the studio sister's wedding. And so it's just this following of flow that I feel when you open up to spirit and you just say, lead me, Dom me. When you make God, your Dom takes you places you could have never imagined before. So here we are in Brazil right now, having an amazing time this past Week we went to my first ever umpanda ceremony, which is an Afro Brazilian version of spirituality that is so deep and so sacred. And she's been studying this for more than 10 years and also is also a female solo traveler who's traveled to over 50 countries, trees, and really sees it as a vessel of self love. So we're going to get into Afro Brazilian spirituality and then also how you can travel the world as a a woman by yourself. Because I know so many of you guys ask me, how do you do it? How do you find places to stay? Like, how do you feel safe? How do you make friends? And so we're going to get into all of that in this episode. And before we get into this episode, be sure to hit subscribe. That allows you to stay in the loop for future conversations. This podcast is also on YouTube, so you could be watching us in person, Spotify and the Apple Store. So be sure to subscribe to stay up to date with future conversations. And let's get into this one. So without further ado, let's welcome NSDA to the Highest self podcast.

[Anna]

I'm so happy to be here with you.

[Sahara Rose]

Should we do a dance?

[Anna]

Of course. Yeah. We start dancing.

[Sahara Rose]

We couldn't start by I wrote my song. Should we debut it here?

[Anna]

Yeah, of course.

[Sahara Rose]

Can you do the doom? That's my only line. And so I'm fluent in Portuguese now, if you haven't noticed. And so we've just been vibing and I feel like I just love Brazilian culture because you guys meet me in my, like, playfulness and my fun, but, like, also my depth. Like, I mean, last night we went into a full, like, ritualistic portal, channeling the ancestors and then, like, all these things purging. And then you're like, we're here to make a global carnival. I'm like, yeah. And so I just love the fusion of depth and ancestral wisdom that is so intrinsic here with the dance and the music and the drums and all of it. And so Umbanda really embodies this. Can you share what is umbanda? Oh, wow.

[Anna]

Well, first, I'm so excited to be here with you dancing and sharing all this sauce. And I'm so glad you followed your heart because I always say that we don't choose places. Places choose us. Right? And Brazil just chose you. And I'm so happy you're here.

[Sahara Rose]

So excited. I'm going to meet my husband and raise my kids and never leave the island of Floripa.

[Anna]

Yeah, she already even found the apartment and exactly.

[Sahara Rose]

We're going to live together, we're going to be neighbors.

[Anna]

But well, about Umbanda, I have traveled, as you said, always as a spiritual seeker and learning about cultures and spirituality. And of course I couldn't miss to study a little bit more and to learn a little bit more about Umbanda. And Umbanda actually is the Brazilian Afro indigenous religion. So in Brazilian slavery was ended up in 1888. And Umbanda actually started. Started in the early 19,19 oh, 1920s actually with this psychic, this medium. Because by that time what was happening in Brazil that we had, of course, Catholicism was very big here because we were colonized by the Portuguese. But we also had another religion called Spiritism that it's actually was actually a religion that started in France by Alam Kardec, but was very. It got very big in Brazil. Cardicism was actually a religious that was more for the elite at the time in this medium. At one day he was actually in a spiritual center, in a cardesist spiritual center. And he channeled this indigenous entity. And this indigenous entity gave him a mission to start a new path for a Brazilian Afro indigenous religion. This, the spirit that he channeled was actually Caboklo, which is a spirit of the indigenous. And he said that he was going to start a new path that would include also the spirits of the slaves and the spirits of the indigenous. By that time, the religion spiritism would consider that the spirits of the slaves and the spirits of the indigenous, they were not enlightened enough to be in. In the religion. So he started this new path, inviting all of the entities to honor all of them.

[Sahara Rose]

It's interesting because we went to the Umbanda ceremony and every week you were saying they channel a different spirit. And the channel was the spirits of the elderly and people were embodying that. It's interesting because in most spiritual lineages it's a goddess, right? It's a God or a goddess. Not elderly, not slaves, not children, like ordinary people.

[Anna]

But.

[Sahara Rose]

But they're just a sacred.

[Anna]

Exactly. And what's so beautiful also about Umbanda is that in Umbanda there's no one God, right? The Umbanda honors the spirits of nature. What I find it very beautiful about Umbanda is that the music guides and invite that orisha or that entity. So it's all guided by the music. It's a very beautiful mix that really honors what Brazil is about, right? What Brazil brings. The deep roots of the slavery with the indigenous and nature.

[Sahara Rose]

It was really powerful and interesting. And I had Never seen it before. So there was the head priestess, right? Is that what you would call her?

[Anna]

Yeah, we call it leaders because the Umbanda doesn't really have a one person or one book that guides the, the rituals. Right, but we could call a leader. But. And what's beautiful also the leaders can be women or men, which I are the Pais de Santo and Maest de Santo.

[Sahara Rose]

So this, this leader of the ceremony, she went into the center of the circle in front of the altar and they were drumming and playing the sounds of, of the elderly spirits. And then she was spinning in circles and then it hit her like something hit her and she was like ducking and just like moving in these different ways. And like you could feel she became inspirited at that moment. And then she was holding the frequency for the room and then everyone stepped into that spirit and then were psychics and channeling it. So. And then you said that you've done this before too. What is going on when you feel that spirit coming through your body?

[Anna]

Well, I feel it's a channeling, as you said, and you are receiving that energy. And what, it's so beautiful about the ceremony and what, what is happening there, it's that in Umbanda everything is about the service in the end. So we are receiving and channeling those entities or those ancestors for energetically cleanse and healing. So as you are on service and I think it, I find it so beautiful. This is what I admire a lot about Mbanda, is that we, we do it with this full devotion and if you're open for it, you really do receive that. It's a very ancestor knowledge that doesn't have a lot of rationality. But you do feel it. It's about expressing and feeling and going into the unknown, which is so needed at this moment because we're so much too much in our heads. And umbanda makes you really feel into your body what is beyond our rationality as well.

[Sahara Rose]

So I want to pivot into solo travel. You know, you've gone to over 50 countries. I've gone to, I feel like maybe 25 in the past three years by myself. And it has been the most incredible awakening experience. So I know a lot of women want to do it, but they don't know where to start. So where would you suggest, first of all to decide, like what countries to visit?

[Anna]

Oh, solo traveling is something that really touches my heart to speak about. It says, because I feel that every woman should have at least one time experiencing solo travel. And I, I don't like to recommend places because I really feel that places call us in. Like, I don't say like, oh, you should go to this country or you should, you should go to that country. Because I really believe that when we have a place that it has something for us. Everything will just organize itself to take us there. And just like all the signs are going to come into our path exactly like you are here in Brazil. And everything just organized itself. And that's exactly the medicine you were needing in the colds, you were needing at this moment. So I feel that you have to ask yourself, like, do your little ritual and ask yourself, what is the place that it's calling me now?

[Sahara Rose]

It's so true because I feel when we say, oh, where should I travel to? Everyone's going to say Bali, Tulum, Costa Rica. Like the places everyone goes. And those places have, over time, you know, they have their, their magic. But I mean Bali, like we were speaking about, we both love, I love Bali so much. But it has been used and abused by the number of tourists that go there and Bali is not having it. And she is saying enough. And that's why she's flooding and that's why it can be very intense because people are, are mistreating her. And so I do feel it's important for us to go places that are different and off the beaten path. And sometimes it's like I did not have Brazil on my bingo card at all. Even if you told me in the this new year, we already think you're going to travel this year, I would not have thought of Brazil. And it was like, and one month later, I'm, I'm there. And so it's like you got to just listen to the conversations you're having, the signs you're hearing and like letting spirit lead you. So let's say you, you choose the place that you want to go. Do you plan your whole trip? Like, what does that look like for you?

[Anna]

Well, nowadays how I travel, it's not for everyone, but I highly recommend it. Usually I just travel with a one way ticket and my three first days planned, nothing else. And just pl. Like I just planned my hotels for the three first days because through my path traveling solo, it was always, always, always a greater experience to be guided by God's plans. Like the universe always planned. I always say that God's just the best travel agent because my plans were just much better when I had no ticket back home. And when I traveled just going with the flow. For example, there's a very meaningful Trip to me, when I bought a ticket to, I started my 33 year old trip to, I bought a ticket to Qatar and I was like, what am I going to do in Qatar by myself? But I just had two days in Qatar and that's how it started. I ended up going to Israel, I ended up going to Egypt and I was, I, I went to Egypt actually for the weekend and I ended up staying 52 days. Of course I do work online, so to me it's easier because I can say I'm a nomad, a digital nomad, but I had so many surprises in this trip, sister, I can't even tell you. Like so many crazy magical things happen and the synchronicities and the people and well, you know that that's why you are here. Like you were supposed to come to Brazil for Carnival for a few days and here you are in Floripa, south of Brazil where you decided you're going to be living for the rest of your life from raising your children. So you know, it's just so amazing when you go and follow the flow. But if you're not like used to it, it's your first solo travel. I always recommend to give at least like three days with no plans. So then you can may most probably you're going to meet someone that you, this person is going to, is going to invite you for something or you're going to want to extend into a city that you like the most. So I usually do this, I usually don't do planning. But if you're solo traveling for the first, second, third time, it's good to do some planning. But also, please sisters, leave your three days with no plans for the magic to happen.

[Sahara Rose]

If you're listening to this podcast thinking, damn, I wish I had my own. This message is for you. Hi, I'm your highest self telling you to start that damn podcast because you are sending 20 minute voice notes to your friends, friends going through wellness, spirituality, relationships, healing, the state of the world and people get to hear it and receive it because it can help a whole lot of people. But I know, I know Sahara. I don't know how to get a podcast off the ground. I don't know the tech, I don't know how you get it on your Instagram and these reels and they're edited and then it's on YouTube and it's on Spotify. Like what is your whole workflow? Practice? How many hours a week does it take? Plus, I have so many different interests, I don't even know what My podcast would be about if I'm speaking your brain right now, then I got you, girl. So I recently started my 10 person podcast mentorship. It is the most intimate container I have ever coached and I am obsessed with it because I am personal in the weeds with you. Talking about the name of your podcast, what the image for it will be, giving you time and some suggestions for your photo shoot. The description of your podcast, whether it will be solo casts or interviews, giving you time and space every week so you can practice interviewing, practice solo casting, giving feedback. Not just me, but all 10 of us in the container on our Slack channel of oh, try this, try that. Everything you need, literally my exact workflows that I'm going to be screen sharing with you of how I go from recording my podcast to my team executing and editing and getting it out there and everything that you need and what I would do if I were starting today. I started my podcast nine years ago, so I know a thing or two. I have been consistent. I've never stopped podcasting because it's been very, very easy for me, very, very fun for me and hands down, the best decision I've ever made. I have made a lot of money, my best friends, incredible contacts. I mean, I get to interview people who I wish I could have a conversation with from Richard Rudd, the founder of Gene Keys Sudguru Don Miguel Ruiz. But most importantly, I found my own voice, my ability to speak in this way without saying ums and likes. Through podcasting, I have found my people, my soul tribe and the list goes on. I really feel starting a podcast is the best decision I've ever made. And now starting this podcast mentorship is the second because I get to share this gift with other people in this really beautiful and intimate way. And I know that it will change, change the trajectory of your life should you choose it. So doors are open now for my March cohort. It is only 10 people, first come, first serve. If you're listening to this later, I will still have another cohort in the future. So you can head over to the same website. You can find the link in the Show Notes has all the description of what goes on every single week, how it's laid out. It's all live on Zoom two hours a week and I am so excited to see you there. So head over to the Show Notes to get started and I can't wait to meet you and support, support you with your podcast. Do you ever get scared when you're in a country by yourself?

[Anna]

Ah, of course I do. Right I've been to countries that are considered very challenging for women traveling solo, such as Morocco, India, Egypt. I was in sinai for those 50 days. So I do. I do get scared. But there's something so beautiful about solo traveling, which I always. What I always say is that I feel that the goddess really loves solo travelers. So I feel so guided from the moment that I decide to do a solo travel to the moment that I come back, I feel this deep guidance that it's crazy I do feel on my routine, on my daily life. But when I'm traveling, I feel that the goddess is just holding my hands and like, protecting me all the time. And I feel that when we're solo traveling, we just. Our instincts, they just. Do you feel that too? Like, your instincts just blow up much harder. Like, it just comes.

[Sahara Rose]

And in that, there's a feeling of aliveness that I get unlike anything else. And I've been in. I've switched solo traveled. I started when I was like 15. And so I have. And people ask me too, because places like India and Egypt, when I solo travel, there were like the best times. But people are like, how do you do it? I'm like, just trust the goddess. You know, exactly.

[Anna]

Like, you're in Brazil.

[Sahara Rose]

Exactly. But I'm here and I know you. And so it was like there was. But, like, when I went to India and I went there by myself, it was like, I literally know nobody here. But then it was this invitation for me to just, like, be so much more open to life. Like, I love to dance. So I started. I found dance classes. I became friends with other dancers. Then they would say, there's a concert. I would go to the concert, and then they would say, there's this yoga thing. I would go to the yoga thing. And it was like spirit was leading me through me being open in a way that I'm actually not so open when I travel with a friend. Because when I have the friend, I'm like, I have the friend. And so I'll do everything with her. And there's a gift in female solo traveling. Because also as a woman, I think when you're on your own, people, like, invite you to things. Like if someone sees you're eating at a restaurant by yourself, people tend to start a conversation. You say, I'm just visiting here. And then they give you suggestions. And I love the suggestions from the locals. Right. Like the things that you would only know if it is with someone who brought you there. Because of course, we can go to the most touristic of places. But those are never the things you really remember. Like, I remember in Egypt, the first time I went, I wasn't on a tour or anything. There was a tour guide who was driving me. But very quickly I learned I did not want him talking to me. And so he would just drop me off at the sites and I would just go myself. And I would be in like conversation with the hieroglyphics and they're like speaking to me. And then I would like kind of follow my intuition, go this way. And I would like talk to the guard and he's like, this is Cleopatra's bath. Like, do you want to come inside? I was like, absolutely. And then I'm like going down these stairs and I'm like, literally in the waters where Cleopatra was. And it's like, I would have never gone there with a group. You know, all these little things that actually open up for you when you're just one person. Of course, I did this in the day I was an archeological site. I didn't go to someone's house, not this time. But, but, but was a safe place. But I got to go on all these little hidden side quests that then I went to Egypt later on a tour and you know, it was beautiful. I went to a lot of places that I didn't have the chance to go when I was just following my intuition. But I had a lot more fun when I was following my intuition.

[Anna]

Yeah, it's so crazy. I feel that again, this guidance just comes up so clear to us. And it's also a great opportunity to develop this inner guidance. Even when you do get in little troubles when you're traveling by yourself, you even trust more life and the goddess and everything, because you can, you see that you can, you can do that. There's actually even a study, this university in the US did this study that two in every five women that have, that have traveled solo after their trips, they have the feeling that they can do absolutely everything in life. So I really hope we get to the five out of five. But it's incredible. Like when you travel solo, you go like, oh my God, I, I'm going to a new country. I don't know anyone. I don't know this language. I don't know the food. I don't know how to take the bus or the train or the metro, wherever. But you put yourself in that situation and you're by yourself and you, and you do it. And then when you come back from a trip, then I feel you understand what true self love is, which is like following your instincts, following your heart, taking yourself to the places where you wanted someone to take you, but you go there and you take yourself and you treat yourself and you take yourself to good restaurants. I love to have my solo dates. I take my little notebook. This is actually a very great tip. How I make new friends and how I meet people. I. I'm with my notebook, like, writing my journal in a restaurant, and people come and talk to me. And when you are with someone, as you said, it's not the same. You usually are more closed to the person you're traveling with.

[Sahara Rose]

And I also love that you're writing in a journal. Like, there's something very Parisian about that. You're in a coffee shop writing in your journal, junior. Like, I'm. I want to start a conversation with this person. But if you're on your phone, I'm like, she's working, she's busy. You might have been journaling on your phone, but I just see she's on her phone, she's busy. But something about writing is like, okay, she's not doing anything too important. I can talk to her right now. And. And I think we need to let those openings in, because if we're just like AirPods in head down on our phone and then in our hotel room, of course we're not gonna make friends. It takes being open and. And sometimes starting the conversation ourselves. And I love what you shared about the self love that you get, because it is absolutely that, especially when you get yourself through hard travel situations, missed flights, you know, hotels that had bedbugs in it. I remember in Morocco as well, in Marrakech, I checked into this Riad. It was late at night, and I opened the bed, and there were bedbugs. And I was like. And I had bedbugs experience in the past. And I know if you ever have your things exposed to them, it's like, gonna be. So if you. If I slept in that bed for one night, it could have got in my shirt or something. And I was like. And it was almost midnight. There's no things open in a Riad. And I just knew, I'm gonna find another place to stay tonight. I'm not gonna stay here. And it was just my, like, superwoman energy was, like, on the hotel's website, figuring things out, unpacked my things, went down all the stairs with my suitcase, brought my suitcase and checked into another hotel, which ended up being actually so much better. Right? And when you do these things, you're like, I protect myself in ways that Like I wish someone else do, but I'm doing that for me. And so if I would respect a man so much for doing that, why don't I respect and love myself so much for doing that?

[Anna]

Exactly. And I really think one of, one of the things that I can say when you're traveling, like I've traveled so much and I feel that it really invites you for the surrender experience when you're traveling so much. But us as women, we are really trying to control some things. Sometimes it's in our, it's in our body, it's in our fear. And one day I rented this van. So I did this, oh, I'm gonna do this writing solo, travel in Hawaii. And I rented a van for myself in Hawaii. And I was so excited to like, oh, I'm gonna be offline. I'm not gonna post anything. I'm just gonna be by myself driving in Hawaii and writing and doing my meditations with my ukulele. So first night I went to, I parked my van in the first beach to watch the sunset and then I came back from, from, from my, my little first ritual. And I was like feeling all this gratitude. Thank you, goddess. This is going to be an amazing trip. I can't wait until it's over and I can share and post it and tell everyone how beautiful this was and how beautiful this book is going to be in the end. Well, when I come back to my van, I turn off the light, I hear this weird noise. I turn off the light and I see like thousands, but not hundreds, but thousands of the ants. Not ants. Barata. Cockroaches.

[Sahara Rose]

Oh my God.

[Anna]

Thousands of cockroaches in my van. And that was high season in Hawaii. There were no hotels, no hostels, and no other vans for me to rent. It was all packed and I had just a one way ticket, but I was like, oh my God, am I gonna like. And this was all already homeless experience. All right, 8pm, right? And then I started looking at hotels. There were no hotels. Like literally there's just this super expensive hotel, no hostels. I was like, I was ready to, to take anything. And then I called the guy, the owner of the van, because he told me like, Anna, just call me in case of emergency. So I called him and I said, it's an emergency. And then he goes like, oh, I didn't know that the problem was so bad. So in a way, like he knew it. But then he goes like, oh, you can, you can give me the van back tomorrow and I give you the money. Back. I said, no, you don't understand. Like, I'm planning to stay in Hawaii for 20 days in this van. And, like, whatever you're gonna do. Well, I ended up going to. I found. I found this one hotel. It was very expensive. I found this one hotel for one night. I said, I'm just gonna think on my next step. And this is what I feel. It's the spiritual experience while you're traveling solo. So you gotta deal by yourself in situations like that. My next step was staying for one night in the hotel, and the next day I would decide. And then I ended up staying in this hotel. And I met this. There was a yoga class in the morning for the hotel. I met this yoga teacher. She put me in the group in Hawaii that people were renting rooms. I met this photographer because all those things happen in my van. And this photographer, he actually also owned flight school in Maui. And he ended up inviting me to do a flight with him, like a scenic flight in Maui and a piloting class in Hawaii. And all those things just happened because of the thing that happened in my van. And if I was like, oh, my God, why is this happening? I'm gonna. Like, I'm gonna have to cancel my trip. I ended up spending much less money because I ended up finding people that were renting rooms, that were like, locals renting rooms. I ended up doing this flight lesson, which was something amazing that I was never gonna plan and everything because everything went wrong or very different than what I planned. I feel that solo traveling can really teach you about surrendering and being fully in the present. Just thinking sometimes in the next step, like, what is the next step?

[Sahara Rose]

I love that you weren't meant to be in a van because you were meant to fly. I know.

[Anna]

I always. I always remember that. Sometimes when I'm in trouble, I'm like, I'm so sure something much better is going to come. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it's something much worse. But then, you know. But then eventually, it's always the plot twists of life.

[Sahara Rose]

Exactly, exactly. Are you calling in your spiritual soul fam. Those besties who get you on a ride or die level. People who you can gather with under the full moon and talk about your intuition and what you're manifesting and help rise each other up rather than tear each other down. If you are done with the sister wound, with gossiping, with all of the ways that women have been taught to see each other as competition, but rather, you're ready to gather in sacred circle to share what you're calling in to dance, to sing, to breathe, to dive deep into the ancient and sacred ways, then Rose Gold Goddesses is for you. Every single month, we gather in a sacred zoom circle where we hold space.

[Anna]

Space.

[Sahara Rose]

We tune into the astrology of the month and we do practices like rituals, ceremonies, dance, movement, and so much more. So if you're ready to connect your intuition, your embodiment, and do so with community, with Soul Fam, who get you on a deeper level, then I invite you to join Rose Gold Goddesses. You can find all the information below to join us for our next circle. And I can't wait to meet you inside. Yeah, I feel like it's those. It's those. Those moments of just. I love what you said. And that's such a solo traveler mindset of just plan the next day. Because sometimes when the. The whole trip doesn't go and you're like, what am I going to do next week? And then the. The connecting flight, and you're, like, so stressed about the whole picture. And when you're in these dire situations, you just have to think, I just need somewhere until tomorrow. And if you sleep and eat tomorrow, you're gonna feel so much better that you're not gonna be in that nervous system state of shock. I don't have. Cause it really triggers your root chakra stuff, you know, when you don't have anywhere to stay, it's like, I'm gonna be. Just the other day, when I got to the Airbnb here, and you weren't here yet, I was walking back, my phone was close to dead, and I knew my phone was close to dead, so I even memorized the code to get inside the gate. And so I looked at the bottom. I don't speak Portuguese, so I just looked at the bottom. I saw numbers. I said, that's the code. And I remembered it. It's dark. At this point, you're not here. I'm in an Airbnb on this beach. There's no one on the street here. I'm in Brazil. And so I'm putting in the code. It's not working.

[Anna]

Strange.

[Sahara Rose]

Let me type it in again. It's still not working. I start feeling my heart is getting faster and I'm sweating and I'm like, no, this can't. And I don't have a charger on me. My phone's about to die. And I'm putting in the code. And. And then because I was on that Brazilian phone that I have, it's super slow. The data is really bad. And so I message you, who's not even here, and I'm like, I can't get in the Airbnb. You're like, what? And I was like, she's not even able to help me. And I was just like, oh. And then I start thinking, if I can get into this Airbnb tonight, what's my plan? I was like, I guess I could just sleep right out here until someone comes and gets you and seems like a pretty safe neighborhood. Like. Like, even if that happens, like, I'll be okay, you know? And I was like, the little bit of battery that I had. I messaged the girl that I met at the restaurant, and I was like, this is the address. Come meet me here, like. And luckily, she was like, I'm gonna come find you. And she was gonna. I was like, okay, at least I'll just sleep. Sleep on her couch tonight until Anna gets back, and then we'll figure out. I can't believe this Airbnb host gave me the wrong. The wrong number. And I'm, like, freaking the out for, like, 30 minutes, and then out comes these, like, two American guys, and they're like. And I see them. I'm like, they're like, have you been out here for a long time? I'm like, I just, like, run in. I, like, can't even talk to them. And they're like. They're like, do you need help with the code? I'm like, my code is not working. And then he was like. He saw. I was, like, freaking out. And he was like, you just have to look in the mirror and say abracadabra. Like, trying to lighten up the mood. I was like, okay, abracadabra. He's like, no, you have to say it in a Spanish accent. I'm like, abracadabra. Okay, just let me in. Anyways, long story short, I don't know what the word senha means. Password. I was not putting in the right password. I was putting in the password for the door, not for the gate. And so this whole. I was, like, ready. Planning the letter to this Airbnb host. Like, you fucking bitch. I was on the streets, like, ready. Thank God I didn't have service to write that message. No, I just put the wrong password in. But it was, like, even. And I just kind of laughed. I was like, no matter what, I could have slept on that girl's couch. Like, someone would have come out, like, it all. But it's like, you need those travel moments, like, for the travel. And at the end of the Day, I don't even think it was 30 minutes, it's probably 15 minutes of my life. But it's like it gives you. I think we need sometimes those like survival instinct moments to show, sharpen us, to make us alive. Because we get so comfortable in our routines, in our day to day lives that like back in the day we would hunt, there would be a famine, there would be an ice age and we learned how to adapt. And now we don't deal with any of that stuff anymore. And I honestly think that's why people are so unhappy.

[Anna]

Exactly. And I do feel also that it's a great opportunity for sharpen our. Not just intuition but also our connection with this guidance. Right. So I, I never forget at that day when I saw all those. How do you say again? Cockroaches. Cockroaches. When I saw all those cockroaches. Oh my God, Barata in Portuguese. And listen me trying to explain to the guy, like I see thousands of bugs in my.

[Sahara Rose]

I see thousands of baratas. He's like barata cheese in my van.

[Anna]

But anyways, when I saw all those entities, all those animals, oh my God. When I saw them, I was like, I know this is a test. Like I just breathe really deeply and I'm like, okay, what can I do now again, right? So this, I think it and then I close my eyes all the time when I'm in situations like that. There was this another, this other time too where I was in Egypt and when I came, I crossed the border from Israel to Egypt walking. Because I wanted to live this experience. If you tell me, oh, it's fun, it's dangerous. No, I'm just kidding. I'm in.

[Sahara Rose]

Sounds fun.

[Anna]

I crossed the border from Israel to Egypt walking. And the guy, the immigration guy in Egypt, he was like so excited that he saw my passport as Brazilian. By the way, this is, this is such a great thing about being Brazilian in immigration is so fun. Like everyone loves Brazilian. I never had a problem in immigration because they're like, oh, you're Brazilian. Samba, Neymar, Ronaldo, Anita. You know, they're always excited about Brazil. Anyway, so he was excited about Brazil. He said like, oh, how long are you staying? And I said two days. And then he writes everything in Arab and gives my passport. Welcome to Egypt. And then I crossed the border and then I was like, oh, I knew that the visa to Egypt was 30 days, right? I ended up staying, staying more 50 days about. But I didn't know that when you cross the border, I think it's just like one week when you cross walking, not by plane. So I didn't know that my visa in Egypt was actually just for one week, not for more than that. And when I was leaving Egypt, I got to the check in in the airport, and this lady comes and likes and says, oh, you were illegal. And I said, what? And she goes like, you were illegal, you've been illegal. I'm like, what? She couldn't speak really good English and. And then she just calls the police. And those three Arab policemans just come and get my stuff, start getting my stuff. She takes out my bag from the. From the check in and she says, follow them, follow them. And she takes my passport. They take my passport and my bags and they bring me to this dark, like literally this dark little room in Egypt. And they were speaking Arab and they. They like, literally they did not know how to speak English. And they were like discussing in Arab to each other. And I wasn't understand. I just heard like the word illegal. And I see myself in this little dark room in Egypt with this three Arab men, not knowing what the heck was going on. And then that was the moment where I really. I think this was the moment that I was. I felt the most scared by traveling solo. That I just like, said, you know, goddess. I know there's this goddess that protects solo woman while traveling. And you know, in Brazilian religion, Brazilian Umbanda, we say Santa Sara Kali. It's actually a Catholic. She's also a Catholic because umbanda also has the Catholic son. Santa Sarakali is the protector of the gypsies and the travelers. So I just called her Santa Sara Kali. Please, like, come here. I was just. And then I really felt. When I gave away all my sense of control and all my fear to her, I think I stayed for around seven minutes with those men speaking in that room. But it seemed like eternal one hour. And then they came back and said, oh, okay, we found a solution. You need. You need someone, some agency to sign for you to say that you're not. I was going to Cairo, that you're staying just two or three days in Cairo and then you can leave Egypt. And I'm like, I don't have an agency. But then I had actually a driver in Egypt, in Cairo. And I ended up being able to contact them and all. Everything worked out. I had to pay a fine. And now it says on my passport, my Brazilian passport, that I was illegal in Egypt. But that experience, I feel that it was just a blessing. Like, I. So many things could have happened. But I felt so guided. And I really want women that are listening to us to really feel that it's traveling solo. It's definitely woman and man also. Right. But it's definitely this biggest opportunity for you to feel always guided and to sharpen this connection with the source.

[Sahara Rose]

Absolutely. And I feel the visa thing is something that like Americans, we don't really need visas anywhere. And so I remember the last time I went to India because I was on a 10 year visa and I didn't realize it had expired. And so I was at the airport checking in. You know, I packed my bags and the whole thing. And then they wouldn't let me on the plane because they didn't have the visa. And so I was like, I'm just gonna do it phone right now. And it was like, it's a process, they have to approve it. And I kept having to push the flight back and back. And it, it humbled me of like checking visas. That is something you really need to do. Checking the weather in places. Sometimes you're like, oh, I'm gonna go this summer. And you think your summer is their summer. Their summer might be rainy season, their summer might be winter. You gotta really look at what's going on in the weather. You gotta look at holidays, places. You know, everyone's going to go to Europe in the summer. And so you're not going to have your little solo Greek moment because there's going to be tons and tons of tourists there. Maybe you actually want to go there in October or another time of the year. And so I feel like those are the things that we can do a little bit of diligence on before finding out the best times to go the, the best places that locals like to stay. And then once we're there, all we can do is surrender and be open. And of course we're sharing our like, scariest experiences. But like 99% of the time it is fun. It is amazing. Like yesterday we went to this beautiful beach and then we were in front of this Yemen Ja statue and she's sharing her song with me and we're singing and then I'm like, I hear drums. And she's like, oh, it's the blocko. And we said, let's go hike to the blocko. And then we went and we were there for like three hours just dancing and having fun. And then this random guy, like fake proposed to me. It was just this like, really fun. And I would have never had that experience had I not said yes to your message and being Here. And the new neuro pathways it creates, you know, of so much, what you talked about, it is new neuropathways. There's actually scientifically nothing like traveled that builds new neuropathways because, you know, it helps us to change one thing in our routine, to have just a difference in interaction. Like if you always take one way to work, take another way to work, these things can actually build proprioception in our mind. But when you've changed every single thing, you're in a new country, you don't know there's no way you can take a routine. You don't know the coffee shop, you don't know the language, you don't know any of these things. You actually go back to that childhood learning brain that has to learn everything new. Like, when I'm hearing you guys speak in Portuguese, I'm really listening. Like, okay, I'm noticing they keep saying agora, agora. And then I'm like, agora. And I was like, you know, that's probably ahora. That probably means now. And I'm like teaching myself a new language by just listening to you speak. Whereas in English, it's rare that I hear a new word, you know. And so these things are all creating more synapses in our brain that make us cognitively better at adapting to stress, adapting to relational changes. Like, you're not going to react in the same way if your partner has a mood. When you've dealt with all this stuff, you're like, okay, it's fine, we'll figure it out, you know. But when everything has been so controlled and one thing changes, your nervous system responds in such a way that we actually need the instability and the, the chaos that comes with travel to make us so much more chill in life. I swear, the reason why you were like, oh, you're so grounded. It's just because I've traveled and so much has happened that it's like very few things actually will phase me to the point of freaking out. Whereas I have some friends and they're, you know, And I think the difference is we're talking about travel. Most people vacation. A vacation is I'm going for a week at this very nice hotel to vacate my life. I wanna just eat at the restaurant and room service and spa and drink pina coladas on the beach and never leave. Like my best friend, that's how she likes to travel. And so we went to Hawaii together and she was like, let's stay in this, like, Ritz Carlton. I was like, I am not staying There, like, absolutely not. I convinced her to stay in an Airbnb. I think it was her first time in her life, and it was a very nice Airbnb. She's like, we have to, like, drive to a public gym. I'm like, that's how the locals live. And so it was interesting because we were seeing, like, the different ways, but at the end of it, she was like, I'm so grateful that I had this experience. Experience, because I would have never gone to a local restaurant, I would have never gone to the local gym or done these things. But then once she left, I was like, I'm hitting the road, and I went to, like, the waterfalls and. And the things. And. And I. So I also think it is important to. To travel with people who travel in a similar style to you, because I have noticed that if sometimes you'll travel with people and they want to just order room service and you want to try all the new foods. And, you know, and I do think when you do buddy up with people, which can be really fun. And, you know, I wouldn't have been seeing a lot of things in Brazil if you weren't sharing. I would have just never known, you know, and it's important. And also to have solo time, even when you are traveling together.

[Anna]

Exactly. Doing your writing, your little routine. I love to do. Like, even when I travel for a few days, I always do a little routine, like a locals routine. And something that it's very interesting that I have learned to do is always when I'm in a new place, I stop someone random on the street to ask them, what's their favorite restaurant.

[Sahara Rose]

You say, diamond Baju. What's your favorite?

[Anna]

Well, girls, that's another. That's another entire podcast on how traveling can bring you the best romances and the best love stories of your.

[Sahara Rose]

You can't leave us on this cliffhanger, Please. Even.

[Anna]

Oh, my God. I have tried so many cultures around the world, and, you know, I feel that the more you travel, you see there are 8 billion people in the world. There are 8 billion people out there. And when you're traveling and meeting different people in different cultures, you just don't play small anymore because you feel that there's so many people. Like, you can't be suffering for this. This one person. Because this one person is, you know, for example, not responding. You hurted you. This person was an. To you. You know, just go do a solo trip, and then you just go to Italy. Yeah.

[Sahara Rose]

And then you're gonna just go to Brazil.

[Anna]

Amazing people are out there waiting for you, you know, so you. You literally expand your. Your awareness and your possibilities in all ways.

[Sahara Rose]

And I feel for a woman, that's so important because women, we tend to stick with who we know, even if we know it's not right, even if it's not working, even if we're disrespected, especially if they're in the same town. It's just convenient. And that's why so many people are in situationships, because they're like, well, this is the best I can get, and I might as well just deal with it. And I feel what solo traveling gives is just perspective of, you know, different cultures, date differently, love differently, even just to see. Just see them, you know, Like, I'm just enjoying seeing all you beautiful Brazilian people everywhere I go. It's so amazing. And it just, to me, opens up my mind of what's possible so you don't get stuck in different ruts and ways. And I feel the best relationships are intercultural relationships where you can teach each other new things.

[Anna]

Exactly. Sometimes it also. One other. Other thing that solo traveling and living romances teaches you is detachment. Because why? Like, I had so many romances that lasted. This is one, for example, in Costa Rica, I was in a restaurant, a vegan restaurant. I just ordered my salad, and there was, like, no place to sit. Just there was this one table in front of this beautiful, tall surfer. So I was, like, with my salad, after I ordered, I was, like, looking like a. Like a lost dog, you know, I don't have a place to sit. And then he looks at me and says, like, oh, do you want to sit with me? I said, yeah, of course.

[Sahara Rose]

Of course I do.

[Anna]

So I sit with him, and then we start talking. And he was actually staying Costa Rica for, like, three more days. I was staying for two more days. And then he goes like, oh, do you want to go see this, the sunset with me? And then he takes me on his ivy. And then we go into his ivy and we see the sunset, we see the stars, we go out for dinner. And the next morning he called me and said, like, oh, hey, let's have lunch together. And, you know, it lasted for two days, but it was amazing. And why do we have this thing that everyone that we meet sometimes we create this huge expectation, like, oh, is this the person of my life? Is this gonna last forever? No. Sometimes it's very good. It's very good for us to meet some people, to live some romances, to experience. Experience love for a few days or a Few weeks or that trip. There's. I never forget that there's this one day that I was writing, doing my journaling in Mexico, and this one guy came to talk to me. And then. Well, as we were talking, I told him I've been traveling a lot. And then he says, like, why do you like to travel so much? And I said, because traveling teaches me how to die. And then he says, what does that mean? And I said, what does it mean? Like, I don't understand. And I said, well, I feel that sometimes I'm in this beautiful, amazing experience in this beautiful, amazing trip, but it's time to leave, and it's not, because the experience and the trip is amazing that it cannot be over. So sometimes we're living great and beautiful things, and sometimes it's time to say goodbye, and we gotta learn how to say goodbye without being extremely attached to people, places and things. So I feel that traveling teaches us that, and it teaches us how to die and to say goodbye. Even though it was a beautiful romance, that guy had a very different life than me. And we could never really work in a rational way, but it was so amazing. Do I regret that romance? Never. Because that actually made me feel alive. And it brought me so many, you know, great experiences, and we shared about our cultures, and I practiced my English, and we were laughing, and then, you know, it was amazing. And how many of those you can have when you just open up for living experiences and being in the present instead of like, I'm just looking for this one person that will be forever in my life. And I really believe that you will do find probably your person when you are in this state of detachment and joy and fun, which is our Brazilian sauce.

[Sahara Rose]

I love that you shared that traveling does indeed teach us how to die and how to die well. And I feel there's something so beautiful about these, you know, romances that happen because of the time. You only have two days, you only have three days, so there's no time for games. There's no time to not text each other back. There's no time. It's like, hey, do you want to go on the sunset today? And do you want to go for breakfast tomorrow? And then do you want to go on the ATV ride later on? And it's like, let's just enjoy this moment. And also, what a beautiful way to actually start a relationship that way.

[Anna]

Exactly.

[Sahara Rose]

And it's like. And I wish in life we played this all out all the time when we were in the same. The same city as people, but I think we don't because of the like expectation that that might come with. But when you're traveling and you know you're going to leave, it's like you're like, let me just be my full self. But then you actually may really fall in love because you're seeing each other's full selves.

[Anna]

Exactly. And the word you said expectations. Actually, expectations are the problem of everything. And when we are just traveling, we are also fully present. And if we're fully present, we don't have expectations. We're just there for whatever it comes. Right. And then it ends up that we have the best experiences. And that's why I go back to self love. Right. So I feel that when you are traveling solo and again, it doesn't need to be far away. It doesn't need to be to a different country. It can actually be like to a little city 20, 45 minutes away, but just you and yourself taking the bus or taking the train or taking the airplane or driving your own car and being by yourself, having your own time, being present to what life will bring it to you without the expectation, but with your heart open. And I feel that that's the thing like traveling made also me made me feel. I feel very in touch with my inner child. I feel that that's. That's the, that's the thing. Like we, we really get in touch with our inner child and our hearts just get so open and we. And we can bring that also then to normal and routine and daily life because we're practicing more and more.

[Sahara Rose]

I love that. Well, thank you so much for sharing all these tips. I hope it inspires people to travel more. So where can listeners connect with you and follow you on Instagram where you. You share travel hacks in. In Portuguese and also now in English as well. Her English is amazing.

[Anna]

This is my first interview in English, but I'm proud of myself. Thank you, Sahara, for this beautiful space. I loved being here and you were such an inspiration for me. And I started my podcasts in Brazil. That became a very big podcast in Brazil because of your work. So please just keep sharing your not just fun spiritual wisdom, but sexy spiritual wisdom. You got to add the sex. Okay.

[Sahara Rose]

Is that an invitation? Yes. Well, thank you so much. I'm so honored. And it's like when we share our own light, we inspire and it's reciprocal, right? I started my podcast and you started your podcast. And then years later, I'm in Brazil because of you. And so it's like the gift just keeps giving the more you live your, your dharma, your purpose. So thank you so much and we are so excited we're going to be continuing. We're going to Uruguay and then maybe Argentina and then maybe Bahia. So I will definitely be sharing more on my Instagram and on my Brazil highlight. So thank you guys so much for being here, for listening to this episode, for Diving Deep. I'm curious what places you're interested in traveling. Please comment on YouTube, Spotify, wherever you're listening to this and if you love this episode, share it with friends. It's really good to inspire each other to be like, hey, like let's actually get this trip off the ground. I feel like so many of us, we send each other reels of like we should go to, to chin and this, it's like do it, like plan it, book it, figure it out. Let the goddess guide you. And so this is such a great one of, of being on the same page and having a perspective. Even if you travel with a friend, how can you do it in this more free flowing and feminine way? And let's continue the conversation. Please be sure to subscribe so you can continue to be in the flow with new episodes and I'll see you in the next one. Trusty intuition. Trust your inner wisdom. Trust your inner guidance. Listen. So trust your intuition, Trust your inner wisdom. Trust your inner guidance.