Travel Crush Tuesday: Christian
Photo Source: Christian and Instagram
Welcome to Travel Crush Tuesday!
Hanging out with locals, making new friends in hostels, getting local massages....all on a budget? Our travel crush knows all the deets. Sign us up, please!
Tell us about yourself! Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do? What inspires you to travel?
My name is Christian. I am a solo travel content creator from Ohio, based in Detroit. My brand is about solo traveling; how to do it safely and confidently. I give safety tips to first-time travelers all the way to seasoned veteran travelers. I spend my days working in the Criminal Justice field in the heart of Michigan, Ann Arbor! Go Blue! And when I'm not working, I'm traveling. My love of travel stems from my need to see the world and experience different cultures. I want to experience different things. I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone. I want to see how the world works from another viewpoint. And I want to experience all of the food!
As a self-care enthusiast, what is your favorite self-care activity to do while traveling?
As a self-care enthusiast, my favorite thing when traveling is finding a masseuse! I love a good massage and seeing how different cultures do massages is exciting. I always love to fit one in after I arrive and one before I leave.
When creating a budget for travel what are some things to keep in mind to ensure we stay on track?
When creating a budget, some important things to remember to stay on track are preparation, staying within your budget, chasing deals, not the destination, and knowing yourself. Preparing for the unexpected is so important. Travel with a debit card, credit card, and emergency cash separate from your vacation fund. Staying within your budget is hard on vacation, so plan how much you want to spend that day and stick to it. Chasing deals and not the destination is what I learned from some of my favorite travelers. Don't be so caught up on a destination and overpay. Put that destination on hold, travel somewhere cheaper, and then return to that saved destination. And lastly, know yourself. If you like to pop champagne on yachts, there is nothing wrong with that but make sure you account for that in your budget. Don't overspend trying to flex. Luxury on a budget does exist!
Where have you felt safest and most welcomed as a solo traveler?
When traveling, I've felt the safest traveling in Panama and Mexico. The locals are helpful, friendly, and welcoming, and I never felt in danger.
Share with us three of your most obscure travel tips that you think more people should know.
Three travel tips I have are investing in self-defense weapons, befriending the locals, and staying in nice hostels. Most airlines and some countries will let you carry these self-defense items in your checked luggage. Just research the country and its rules before arriving and ensure it's okay for you to take it. If it's not, many other safety tools can prevent attacks and break-ins and give you peace of mind. Befriending the locals not only gets you more friends, but you also get an experience that travel companies can't always provide. What might be featured on a travel excursion site, a local might know a cheaper and better way to give you the best excursion experience. Locals know the best food spots and activities to do and are usually more than willing to help or accompany you. And last but not least is hostel living. I know that most people are against hostels for their reputation. Still, as a solo traveler, it has helped me meet people and feel safer exploring countries with my new acquaintances. Hostels give an extra sense of protection and safety that sometimes Airbnb and hotels don't. If you don't mind people being around and sharing some space in return for bonding with your hostel mates and cheaper rates, I would say go for it.
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