Ellie’s Inspiring Journey as a Solo Traveler and Digital Nomad

I’m continuing my solo travel interview series and this is the 6th edition! Solo travel can be intimidating especially for the first time. However, you’ll learn to love it and won’t be able to recreate the amount of amazing memories that come from it.

Meet Ellie Green, she started traveling on her own when she was only 18 years old! Falling in love with travel, she quickly decided she wanted to make a career out of it. 

Without a home base, Ellie remains as a digital nomad traveling the world full time and meeting so many great people along the way. She’s even met her very best friend solo traveling. Which shows that no, solo travel does not equate to alone travel.

She talks a lot about how she’s built many amazing friendships during her solo travels. Connecting with like-minded people is priceless.

In this interview, Ellie encourages others to see how beautiful solo travel is and how much more independent it makes you.

Keep reading to hear more of Ellie’s inspiring story as a solo traveler and digital nomad.

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About SoloTraveler Ellie!

Follow Ellie on Instagram @thegingerwanderlust and check out her travel blog.

Hi, I’m Ellie! I’m half Welsh, half French, but I grew up near Bath in the south-west of England. From a young age, I was fortunate enough to travel extensively throughout Europe and the USA, thanks to my parents’ love for adventure. In fact, they even took a road trip in a van during the 1970s! This early exposure to the world sparked my curiosity about how landscapes are formed, which led me to study physical geography at the University of Southampton.

As a child, I dreamed of becoming the next David Attenborough, though back then, without social media, I had no idea how to pursue such a path. After university, I began working in marketing and events, which eventually introduced me to the emerging world of social media in 2013. I gained experience in SEO marketing, content creation (mainly YouTube videos), and social media marketing.

In 2017, I decided to take a year off and travel around Southeast Asia using my savings, before heading to Australia to work/live there for a year. During this time, I wanted to keep my CV active, so I started an Instagram page and blog. Photography has always been a passion of mine, so Instagram felt like the perfect platform to showcase my work. Over the course of that year, my Instagram following grew, and I realized this could turn into a full-time career.

For the past four years, thanks to my social media pages and blog, I’ve been able to work online for myself and live a completely nomadic lifestyle, without a permanent home. This freedom has allowed me to spend extended periods in different locations, experiencing diverse cultures across continents. It’s been an incredible journey, but I’m beginning to feel the fatigue that comes with constant travel!

What Inspired Me to Start Solo Traveling

Believe it or not, I went on my first solo trip at just 18 years old! After finishing secondary school, I took a gap year before starting university. I spent three months in New Zealand with friends and then headed to Australia. One of my friends stayed with me for the first month, but when no one could join me for the rest of the trip, I decided to continue exploring on my own. That meant two months of solo travel, but Australia was the perfect country for my first solo adventure!

To help break the ice and meet people, I organized two volunteer positions: one at a koala sanctuary and another doing conservation work. These experiences not only allowed me to meet new people but also led to friendships with fellow travelers, some of whom I ended up traveling with.

In New Zealand and at the start of my trip in Australia, staying in hostels made it easy to meet people and build friendships, which boosted my confidence for when I was eventually on my own.

As a budget-conscious 18-year-old, I continued staying in hostels and dorms during my solo travels. The hostel community made it easy to connect with other travelers, and I was always open to starting conversations. Many times, I ended up extending my stay in certain places because of the friendships I made along the way.

Growing up, I had always been quite independent, whether it was taking care of my dogs or attending summer camp alone at 14 and making friends there. This independence helped me to be more confident in myself.

The best way to ease the hesitation of traveling solo is to have something planned that guarantees you won’t be completely alone—like booking a tour. Start small by doing things on your own close to home, such as going out for dinner by yourself.

Once you realize you can enjoy your own company, taking a day trip or a weekend getaway on your own won’t seem so intimidating. Before you know it, you might find yourself backpacking solo and LOVING IT! Just like I do.

When did you start solo traveling?

As I mentioned earlier, I was 18 when I took my first solo trip. Now, at 35, I’ve traveled to many more countries, both alone and with friends, family, and partners. There really isn’t a “perfect” age for traveling. You can never be too old or too young to embark on a solo adventure.

Traveling solo at 18 had a profound impact on me. It helped me mature more quickly, realize my capabilities, and significantly boosted my confidence. Solo travel is something I believe should be experienced throughout your life, not just when you’re young. There will be times when you might not have someone to travel with, or maybe the people in your life don’t want to do the same things as you. That’s when traveling solo becomes empowering.

It offers a unique freedom—you have complete control over your schedule and can do exactly what you want, when you want. Whether you’re 18, 35, or 65, solo travel is a chance to challenge yourself, grow, and enjoy a deeper connection with the world around you.

My Favorite Solo Travel Experience

My favorite solo travel experiences would have to be either my trip to Australia at 18 or the months I spent in the Canary Islands in 2021. I went to Fuerteventura alone, and I met some amazing people, and started to build a great group of friends. Together, we decided to explore all of the Canary Islands.

Our next island was Lanzarote, where something amazing happened—a girl, who was British but had grown up there, reached out to me on Instagram, offering to show me around the island. I said yes, and she has since become one of my best friends. She even joined our travel group, and together, we visited Tenerife, La Gomera, and La Palma. Over the course of five months, I managed to visit all the Canary Islands except for El Hierro.

This experience stands out as one of my favorites because of the incredible sense of freedom I felt. It was during that post-COVID, still-uncertain travel period, so I wanted to stay within Europe. I was slow-traveling, meeting amazing people, and forming connections that I don’t think I would have made if I hadn’t been traveling solo. It was such a simple but fun time! And, of course, meeting my now best friend along the way made the experience truly unforgettable!

Do you ever feel lonely traveling so much on your own?

I’ve always been able to make friends while solo traveling, but that doesn’t mean I’ve never felt lonely. Especially at the beginning of a trip, when I’m not yet in the rhythm of being alone and meeting new people, or at times in the middle of a journey, when I haven’t formed deep connections and am still having surface-level conversations with others.

Last year, after a breakup, I took a spontaneous trip to Greece, and during that time, I felt really lonely and sad. However, it turned out to be a good opportunity to sit with my emotions. I spent time on the beach, reading, crying, and taking photos. I also booked a boat tour, which allowed me to spend the day with a group of people who were all very friendly. I ended up making friends with a couple on the tour, and we even had dinner together later that week.

I’ve made friends while solo traveling in various ways. One is by staying in hostels, where it’s easy to connect with other travelers. Another is by joining tours, which naturally brings people together.

I’ve also met people through Instagram, social media, and friends of friends. For example, a friend might mention they know someone in the city I’m visiting, and I’ll reach out to them, leading to new connections and sometimes even shared adventures. I also look at joining local events, for example for digital nomads. This is how I made a lot of friends in the Canary Islands.

Tell us more about your digital nomad life!

I just fell into becoming a digital nomad. I wanted to be able to travel more and I didn’t want to waste money paying rent. I’m lucky that I can store my stuff in my sister’s basement in Paris. I have been coming there from time to time to change out my stuff when I need to for the past 4 years.

My tips to those wanting to try a lifestyle as a digital nomad would be to try going to one country for a month or so and see how you like it. You can stay at co-living places to meet others and work at the same time.

It also depends what kind of digital nomad you want to be and what kind of work you’re doing. Whether it a 9 to 5 or a more flexible work style. For example, if you have to work for an American company, going to Asia wouldn’t be too easy as the working hours are so far off.

This lifestyle is definitely not for everyone though. A lot of the time, I don’t know where I’m going next week. I earn my money as a content creator, monetizing on sponsored press trips by tourism boards or paid campaigns posted to my social media channels. So, a lot of my work can come in last minute and I have to keep my schedule open for jobs that may come through at short notice.

One thing I love most about this lifestyle is that it can allow you to meet so many cool people. Having this flexible lifestyle will give you the chance to join the plans of others you meet traveling solo too!

Someone is worried about not enjoying the trip alone: what would you say to them? 

Traveling solo shouldn’t stop you from taking the trip. In fact, it gives you the freedom to do exactly what you want without having to compromise or argue with anyone. You’ll probably be surprised by the new and exciting experiences you have that wouldn’t have happened if you were traveling with someone.

Some of my most spontaneous and fun travel moments have happened while I was solo. It might push you out of your comfort zone, especially when it comes to meeting new people, but stepping up and starting conversations, and dealing with different situations alone, will help you grow into a more confident and capable person.

Did you find solo travel to be expensive?

Many people assume that solo travel is expensive, as you don’t have someone to split the cost with, but it doesn’t have to be! One of my main strategies for saving money is being flexible with my plans. I often look for last-minute deals on flights and accommodation, or I travel during off-peak seasons when everything is cheaper. When I was younger and travelled more on a budget I also stayed in hostels.

Another way I save is by booking longer stays, as many places offer discounts for extended periods. Plus, I always keep an eye out for free activities, like hiking, exploring local markets, or even just wandering through new neighborhoods. And whenever possible, I cook my own meals, especially if I’m staying somewhere with a kitchen.

So yes, while solo travel can seem expensive, with a bit of planning and flexibility, it’s definitely possible to do it on a budget!

How do you stay safe when solo traveling?

The sad reality is that even in your own city or town, safety isn’t guaranteed. As a woman, it’s important to always be cautious, no matter where you are.

If you’re planning to travel solo, my top safety tips would be:

1. Avoid flaunting your valuables—don’t walk around with your phone or camera out. Keep your belongings packed away securely to avoid drawing unwanted attention.
2. Stay aware of your surroundings, which means avoiding distractions like having both earphones in or constantly looking at your phone while walking.
3. Research the area where you plan to stay and avoid unsafe neighborhoods. For example, when I was in Athens, Greece recently, I discovered that one area had a significant drug problem, so I opted to pay a bit more to stay in a safer location.
4. Additionally, I share my location with my best friend, and I regularly update my family, especially before doing something like a solo hike, so they know exactly what I’m up to.
5. I also never share my exact location on social media in real-time while I’m solo—better safe than sorry!

How many countries have you traveled solo?

As I mentioned, I don’t actually have a house so I am constantly travelling this year I have already been to 9 countries. I have travelled solo in Australia, Italy, Spain, the UK, the UAE, the USA, Greece and Morocco.

Where do you recommend others to go for their first solo trip?

For first-time solo travelers, I recommend starting with destinations that are known to be safe, easy to navigate, and have a good community of fellow travelers.

Europe is a great option, with cities like Lisbon, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen offering a welcoming atmosphere for solo adventurers. Southeast Asia is another excellent choice, especially Thailand and Bali, as they are both well-trodden paths for solo travelers, with affordable accommodation and plenty of other backpackers around to meet.

Some of my personal favorites include Australia, which was my first solo travel experience. It’s an amazing destination for native English speakers, with a friendly vibe and lots of opportunities to meet fellow travelers.

I also loved traveling through the Canary Islands—Tenerife and Fuerteventura, in particular, offered a fantastic mix of relaxation and adventure, with plenty of opportunities to connect with people along the way.

For a first solo trip, choose a destination that excites you yet makes you feel comfortable. It’s all about finding that balance between stepping out of your comfort zone and enjoying the experience!

What is on your travel bucket list

Too many countries to list! I am heading to Norway tomorrow which will be my first time there and I really hope to see the Northern Lights. I’m also thinking a lot about Costa Rica, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt and South Korea.

Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for those who are preparing to travel solo for the first time?

Just do it!!! You are so capable!!

Read more on the best places to solo travel for first-timers

A huge thanks to Ellie for sharing her solo travel experience!

Get Inspired by other Solo Travelers with these other posts!

• Interviewing Elise on how to be happy alone
• Interviewing Anna on her first time solo traveling
• Interviewing Adriana on traveling solo while in a relationship
• Interviewing Ivana on Traveling Solo on a Budget
• Interviewing Samantha on her Safety Travel Tips

📞 Still afraid to solo travel the world? Then book a 1:1 coaching call with me and I will help answer your questions so you can travel this world in confidence!

For more reading, you may also like these:
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🍴Tips for eating out alone
🇮🇹 Traveling Italy Alone
🤫 Travel Secrets & Tips
📞 Book a 1:1 Coaching Call with me on Solo Travel