Don’t let unmet expectations steal your travel joy! If you have ever felt disappointment about a destination or a travel sight, this is the Solo Travel Talk podcast episode for you! If you find yourself saying, “That wasn’t worth it” Astrid Clements, your solo travel advisor, has some tips and coaching for you can have a positive travel mindset and manage your expectations no matter what your travel experience. Astrid has a lot of experience turning so-so experiences into winning trips. Get past over-hyped sights and supposed “must-dos” that don’t deliver and get into serendipity, openness, and hassle-free happy expectations.

Mentioned on the show:

- The AstridTravel Club: a place for those who want to experience affordable luxury travel or want to go solo that’s not totally solo. The AstridTravel Club is the sponsor of the Hassle-Free Travel Series.

- Astrid recommends Atlas Obscura for wonderful “small gem” or off the beaten path travel experiences.

- Wikitravel has lots of travel info that is not overly common or run of the mill.

Some of the questions answered on this episode…

• What to do if I am not enjoying my trip?
• Are most famous travel destinations over-hyped?
• How can I find lesser-known travel destinations?
• How can I have more serendipity in my travel?
• What is overtourism?
• What is The AstridTravel Club and how do I join?

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. Astrid, your expert Solo Travel Advisor-- has a whole section of resources for solo travelers on her website, AstridTravel.com. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

Oh, sweet irony—you leave your home to see new things only to be greeted by crowds, lines, more crowds, and people wherever you go! Over tourism, popular sights, lines, uncomfortable crowding—all of these factors can make it seem like it’s not worth it to go anywhere. Your solo travel advisor Astrid Clements doesn’t like crowds either and has some tips for managing crowds, lines, and overstuffed destinations. Listen to this episode of Solo Travel Talk, the Hassle-Free Travel Series if you want some tips about managing the hassle of crowds on your trips.

Mentioned on the show:

- The AstridTravel Club: a place for those who want to experience affordable luxury travel or want to go solo that’s not totally solo. The AstridTravel Club is the sponsor of the Hassle-Free Travel Series.

- Astrid enjoyed the Responsible Travel website: tips and insights about the impact our adventures can have (and how to manage it)

Some of the questions answered on this episode…

• When should I plan my trip to avoid crowds?
• What is the shoulder season?
• Are skip the line options worth it?
• Are popular travel destinations more crowded or is that only a perception?
• What is overtourism?
• What is The AstridTravel Club and how do I join?

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. Astrid, your expert Solo Travel Advisor-- has a whole section of resources for solo travelers on her website, AstridTravel.com. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

No fooling around: we’re diving into the dark heart of travel hassle in this episode of Solo Travel Talk. When people gripe about travel hassle, are they really just saying flying is a hassle? Flying is a hassle. We used to get dressed up to fly, but these days the flying game is all about managing the misery. Your solo travel advisor Astrid Clements has filled this episode with tips for preparing for and managing the flight portion of your travels. This episode is part of Astrid’s series on Hassle-Free Travel.

Mentioned on the show:

- The AstridTravel Club: a place for those who want to experience affordable luxury travel or want to go solo that’s not totally solo. The AstridTravel Club is the sponsor of the Hassle-Free Travel Series.

- From the archive, here’s an episode on 10 tips for when to book your flight: Episode 093 When to Book Your Flight – 10 Tips.

Some of the questions answered on this episode…

• Why is flying a hassle?
• Should I get TSA PreCheck?
• What should I bring on my flight to be comfortable?
• How early should I get to the airport?
• When should I buy airline tickets?
• What is dwell time?
• What is The AstridTravel Club and how do I join?

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. Astrid, your expert Solo Travel Advisor-- has a whole section of resources for solo travelers on her website, AstridTravel.com. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

Is hassle blocking you from pursuing the travel you want to experience? Do you get filled with a mild (to severe) sense of dread when thinking about hitting the road? Astrid Clements, founder of Astrid Solo Travel Advisor and The AstridTravel Club, brings you the new Solo Travel Talk podcast series—The Hassle-Free Travel Series. On this inaugural episode of the series, Astrid shares the key elements of making travel hassle-free plus introduces what’s coming up in the series.

Mentioned on the show:

- Astrid’s Marketplace (where you can find packing cubes, universal adapters, luggage scales, and more.)

- The AstridTravel Club: a place for those who want to experience affordable luxury travel or want to go solo that’s not totally solo. The AstridTravel Club is the sponsor of the Hassle-Free Travel Series.

Some of the questions answered on this episode…

• Is travel really more hassle-filled these days, or is that just a perception?
• What apps can help my travel be easier?
• How can I plan my trip to be hassle-free?
• How can I get a hassle-free travel mindset?
• What is The AstridTravel Club and how do I join?

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. Astrid, your expert Solo Travel Advisor-- has a whole section of resources for solo travelers on her website, AstridTravel.com. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

BONUS: The AstridTravel Club has an amazing slate of trips planned for 2020!  On this episode of Solo Travel Talk, Astrid will share the inspiration for the club, what the club offers, and how to know if membership is right for you. We also speak to Madeline Freret—the marvelous Madeline, who is a trip facilitator and the force working behind the scenes to make the ATC member experience wonderful. The AstridTravel Club brings together several elements that Solo Travel Talk listeners will appreciate. Affordable luxury, mindful travel, reconnecting, cultural appreciation, arts, gardens, time for reflection—all of these qualities come together in the AstridTravel Club, with the Astrid Clements flair (of course.)

Some of the questions answered on this episode…

• Where did the idea for the AstridTravel club come from?
• How is this solo travel if it’s a tour?
• Who is the AstridTravel club right for?
• What trips are planned for 2020?
• What is involved in the club?
• How do I join the AstridTravel club?

Find out all the details of The AstridTravel Club here. Take a peek at The AstridTravel Club on Instagram. We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. Astrid, your expert Solo Travel Advisor-- has a whole section of resources for solo travelers on her website, AstridTravel.com. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

It has happened again: Astrid is flexing her superpower of hotel selection, even in Japan. The Hotel New Otani is elegant, with traditional gardens, onsen, restaurants, concierge, beauty and thoughtful touches throughout. Your solo travel advisor Astrid Clements is famous for getting a high-quality hotel for her travels, since in the Astrid Travel philosophy your hotel is your home base; a home away from home. On this final episode of the Japan Series, Solo Travel Talk let us sweep you away to Japan and the elegance of Hotel New Otani.

• Hotel New Otani official website
• Hotel New Otani on Wikipedia

Some of the questions answered on this episode…

• Where should I stay in Tokyo?
• What gardens should I see in Tokyo?
• What is the story of the Hotel New Otani Tokyo?
• Which is more important for hotels, customer reviews or star ratings?
• What is an onsen and what can a visitor expect?

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. The AstridTravel Club is now open! Click through to see if the Club is right for you. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

Japan is famously not “religious” yet there is a sense of spirituality that permeates throughout. From cultural touchstones, to shrines and temples, talismans, even manners and customs all seem to carry a piece of the spiritual life of Japan. Our solo travel advisor Astrid Clements sensed it on her recent trip to Japan and trust us when we say the spiritual energy had its impact.

• Solo Travel Talk was recognized by Feedspot in Luxury Travel Podcasts! Woo hoo!
• Astrid mentioned a quote about the spiritual nature of Japan found here.

Some of the questions answered on this episode…

• What are the religious traditions in Japan?
• What is the protocol for visiting shrines or temples in Japan?
• What is the modern spiritual life of Japan like?
• How does nature play into the spiritual life of Japan?
• Is Japan mostly atheist? Why?

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. The AstridTravel Club is now open! Click through to see if the Club is right for you. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

Japan seems to be a country and a culture that appreciates reflection and beauty. These values come together in a unique way when it comes to the gardens of Japan. Your solo travel advisor Astrid Clements loves exploring gardens on her adventures, and what a treat were the gardens she viewed in Japan. One part aesthetics; one part philosophical ideals, Astrid is going to transport us, through the magic of podcasting, to the spectacular gardens of Japan.

Questions answered on this episode:

• What types of gardens can visitors find in Japan?
• Is nature part of the spiritual life in Japan?
• Is there a difference between Japanese gardens and shrines?
• What gardens does Astrid recommend in Japan?
• Is the Peace Garden in Hiroshima worth visiting?

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. The AstridTravel Club is now open! Click through to see if the Club is right for you. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

Japan may seem so different to Westerners, and there are lots of tropes and maybe even stereotypes about Japanese culture and the potential to clumsily cause offense. Your solo travel advisor Astrid Clements is astute at acclimating herself to a culture before she travels, and her recent trip to Japan was no different. I’m producer Catherine O’Brien. What should you do? What is taboo? Astrid shares all as we explore Cultural Do’s and Don’ts – Japan.

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. Astrid, your expert Solo Travel Advisor-- has a whole section of resources for solo travelers on her website, AstridTravel.com. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

If you have been following your solo travel advisor Astrid Clements’ podcast series on Japan, you know how much Astrid enjoyed exploring the country; seeing all the natural beauty; dining on phenomenal foods; learning more about the culture. But—Astrid has also mentioned that Japan solo travel has some challenges, too. The language barrier is real; banking needs some planning; and if you can believe this—wifi can be hard to get! Thankfully Astrid is here with all her notes about how to navigate some of the challenges of solo travel in Japan plus Astrid has a whole batch of tips that will make Japan as wonderful for you as it was for her. 

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. Astrid, your expert Solo Travel Advisor-- has a whole section of resources for solo travelers on her website, AstridTravel.com. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!

We love food tours, yes we do… and your solo travel advisor Astrid Clements had a fabulous foodie time on her trip to Japan. Of course, food and culture walk hand in hand—Japan is no different. Astrid’s take was that Japan is a serious about their food as the French (the apex of food appreciation in Astrid’s opinion.) There is philosophy behind Japanese eating as well: traditionally taking an item from the land; one from the sea. (Sushi fits perfectly into this model!) Astrid shares what she learned dining in Japan, plus gets specific about some recommended food tours and restaurants. Our food episode warning is in place for this edition of our solo travel podcast: do not listen hungry!

Some of the questions answered on this episode…

• Is there a food tour scene in Japan?
• What is the best way to pick a food tour?
• Why is Japanese food so beautiful?
• What restaurant should I visit in Japan?
• What is the best thing to eat in Japan?

We love sharing the most innovative and informative content to get you out there solo. The AstridTravel Club is now open! Click through to see if the Club is right for you. Follow Astrid on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or with your favorite podcast app. Just go solo!