Hello world! I’m Liz and I decided to leave my routine behind and set out on a solo adventure around the globe! Oh yeah, one other thing, I’m doing the entire journey with only a carry-on sized backpack.

How did I get here? Just two months ago I was living in a city, employed by a large corporation, and going on one ‘eh’ date after another. I spent much of my free time reading about people who were crazy enough to quit the corporate world and go traveling. It seemed like a great dream, but not something I would ever do. Most of my travel took place in my daydreams as I thought “someday”.  Sound familiar?

You can spend your whole life dreaming and let every excuse and every fear get in your way.  I was tired of letting obstacles stand in my way. I decided to get out of my comfort zone and take a leap of faith. I put in my notice at work, broke the lease on my apartment, sold a bunch of stuff, and started to plan my journey!

How would friends, colleagues, and family react? I was particularly nervous about how all of this would be perceived. My life had followed the “general life map” of high school, college, grad school and an office job. Even when I lived and studied abroad, I wasn’t solo and didn’t venture far. Going off the grid seemed scary. When I started mentioning the idea to people I expected to hear about ‘how difficult it is to find a job in this economy’ and ‘you’re wasting your degree’ but instead I was pleasantly surprised with how excited (and let be honest, jealous) other people were.

I can’t wait to share my journey with the world. Here are the top 5 reasons I am starting a travel blog:

1. To have a record of this once-in-a-lifetime journey

I don’t think there will be another opportunity for me to do something like this. I’m young, single, and excited to travel. I want to be able to look back at more than a few pictures to remember all of the cool things I was able to do and see. A blog is a perfect way for me to record it all. So yes, the number one reason I am doing this blog is for me.

2. To inspire others who only dream of traveling

Hearing different stories from other travel bloggers around the world has been a huge source of inspiration for me. From backpackers, to hikers, to hostellers, they shared their stories, providing information from preparing to travel to best eats on the road. I plan to do the same. Hopefully those of you reading this who want to do something similar can know that there is a whole world out there you should go see!

3. To meet some cool folks along the way

Being a solo traveler can certainly have its perks, like having total freedom of where I go and when. But I want to have others to share with. Have you ever made friends on vacation and stayed in touch long after? The people you meet while traveling, both locals and travelers, often make the journey what is.

4. To learn about myself

I’m a big believer that you are always learning. But I also think that what you learn is based on what you expose yourself to. It’s time for me to learn more about the world. In turn, I hope to discover new things about myself.

5. To make everyone at home jealous

Let’s face it; almost everyone’s first comment about me quitting the corporate world to travel has used the word “jealous”. I know you are. My plan is to make you even more jealous. I hope I succeed. This should ultimately filter back to reason #2.

So here I am, a solo female traveler going around the world with just a carry-on sized bag. I start my journey at the end of December and I can’t wait! Tell me, what do you want to see or hear about? Suggestions are welcome!