A four-month plan turned into eight years on the road, and that leap reshaped everything. We sit down with Caryl Eve Dolinko, author of A Woman’s Guide to World Travel, to unpack how purpose-led planning makes travel deeply rewarding—especially for women considering solo adventures.

What do you actually want from your trip? Whether it’s tracing your ancestry, learning to cook regional dishes, studying music, or chasing landscapes, your why helps you choose your how—solo freedom, a trusted travel buddy, or an interest-driven group.

Caryl highlights woman-friendly destinations with strong infrastructure and cultural openness—Thailand, Spain, Israel, Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands—and shares ways to navigate more complex regions through women-only hostel rooms, local rail options, and online communities that turn safety into solidarity.

More tips: Caryl’s keeps packing simple: neutral layers, multi-use pieces, and a compact medical kit with prescriptions in original containers. We dig into airline fees, the power of carry-on travel, and the truth that you can buy what you forgot—often better and cheaper—once you arrive.

Ships can be a smart option at any age: onboard medical care, built-in security, and an unpack-once lifestyle that opens up new ports without the hassle.

Solo travel gets special attention: how to meet people naturally, make dining alone feel purposeful, and turn restaurants into planning hubs. We map practical budget moves—museum free days, transit passes, street markets, and neighborhood lunches—and show how a few local phrases build instant rapport.

We also go there on romance abroad, both the allure and the boundaries, and we share grounded safety tactics. Caryl closes with a luminous memory from Machu Picchu.

Follow the podcast, share the episode with a friend who needs a nudge.

Our guest, Caryl Eve Dolinko, author of A Woman’s Guide to World Travel, has traveled to almost 100 countries, and speaks and writes about travel around the world.

Podcast host Lea Lane has traveled to over 100 countries, and has written nine books, including the award-winning Places I Remember (Kirkus Reviews star rating, and 'one of the top 100 Indie books of the year'). She has contributed to dozens of guidebooks and has written thousands of travel articles.
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Our award-winning travel podcast, Places I Remember with Lea Lane, has produced over 125 travel episodes! New episodes drop on the first Tuesday of the month, on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts. All episodes are also on her website: placesirememberlealane.com

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Travel vlogs of featured podcasts-- with video and graphics -- now also drop on YouTube.

Smart Choices For Solo, Budget and Women Travelers