Bay Area attorney Chelsea Davis just set off on an eight-month solo world journey. The 28-year-old caught the travel bug in 2017 when she unintentionally started solo traveling throughout Europe and Asia.
“I was based in Prague, Czech Republic for an internship and could only be in the Schengen zone visa-free for a maximum of three months,” said Chelsea. “My visa didn’t get processed in time, so I had to travel to non-Schengen countries to avoid violating visa policies.”
Over the course of two months, Chelsea traveled to Croatia, Scotland, Montenegro, Bosnia, Ireland, Bali, and Dubai, discovering just how life-changing international travel can be.
“The exposure to new sights, tastes, and cultures was an experience of a lifetime and expanded my worldview. I knew that I wanted to fulfill my wildest dream of traveling the world some day. It was just a matter of when.”
Chelsea will spend the next eight months living out this dream. An avid and experienced solo traveler who has already visited 59 countries, she has little worries, and is optimistic that her world journey will go smoothly and safely. Chelsea also has the full support and encouragement of her mother and sisters.
Countries she plans to visit include Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Peru, Spain, Morocco, Senegal, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Barbados, Grenada and Andorra. Also on her list are Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Czech Republic, and Moldova, however these are tentative considering the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“I feel like I’m walking in my purpose and grateful to have the opportunity to fulfill my dream of traveling the world. I’m beyond excited. I’m hoping to be immersed in different cultures, especially Afro-Latinx and indigenous communities. I’d like to learn how to surf, hike up volcanoes, and improve my Spanish.”
Naturally, a trip of this length took months of planning. In addition to calculating her budget and choosing destinations and activities, Chelsea had to figure out when she would quit her job, consider safety measures, and take into account ever-changing COVID restrictions.
“I started with Central America because there are less restrictions, it’d be dry season during the time I’d start my trip, it’s safe for solo female travelers, and I’ve traveled there before. I don’t have every single detail planned out, but I do have a sense of what adventurous excursions I want to do. I’ve only booked accommodations and flights for the first month. After that, I will plan as I go.”
Chelsea’s budget of an estimated $15,000 for the eight months is based on her planning to stay primarily in hostels and traveling to cities with a significantly lower cost of living than the US. She will also be using points she has accumulated through her Amex Platinum and Chase Preferred travel credit cards to pay for a good portion of her flights.
“It will be a budget-friendly trip. I don’t have kids, a house, or a partner so it was somewhat easy for me to leave my job and pursue my dream while I still have the chance. I’m not sure what I’ll do when I get back but I do know I’ll be rich in experiences.”
Want to follow Chelsea’s world journey? You can do so via her Instagram and TikTok, where she posts with the goal of diversifying representation in the travel industry and inspiring others to partake in outdoor adventures.
Related: This Traveling Black Widow Shares Her Advice For Seeing The World Solo