Solo Female Traveler Interview: Sky Fisher

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Hey Adventurers! You all seem to enjoy reading about my travels, so I thought I’d share the love and bring you some tales of other solo female adventurers. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with the lovely Sky Fisher and her pura vida attitude; I think you will, too.

Where are you from, and where are you currently residing? I’m from Pennsylvania, USA. I grew up in a tiny town no one has ever heard of in Northeastern PA and then moved to western PA, about an hour outside of Pittsburgh, for a few years. I left the States in June 2016 and have been living in Playas del Coco, Costa Rica since October 2016.

Where is your next destination? Even though I’ve been in Costa Rica since October, I still consider it a travel destination. There is SO much here to explore so I make it a point to go to a different part of the country for a few days every month. Beyond that, I’m heading to Nicaragua in June for a few days and will be visiting the States and doing an East Coast road trip in the fall!

How long have you been traveling? This trip officially began in October 2016 so I’ve been on the road for about 9 months now. Before that, I took some time to explore more of the United States and I also took my first solo journey to Central America in 2015. Traveling isn’t something that I’ve always done, though – I actually had never left the East Coast until I randomly decided to go on a school trip to Guatemala as a junior in high school!

What’s on your bucket list? SO MANY THINGS. A few of my top bucket list things right now are learning to speak Spanish, visiting every country in Latin America, seeing the Northern Lights, and road tripping Iceland. I don’t really keep a true bucket list, though – basically I just want to see, learn, and do everything!

What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you while traveling? I don’t actually have any crazy wild stories! Most of my travels have been pretty calm and I’m okay with that!

What’s your favorite place in the world and why is it so great? Guatemala! Guatemala was the first country I ever visited. I was 16 years old and fell completely, 100% in love with everything about it. I haven’t returned in a few years but it’s still my favorite place in the world. There is so much history, culture and beauty throughout the country. The people are incredible too!

What lessons have you learned from travel? There’s a saying in Costa Rica, “pura vida”, which literally translates to “pure life” but is more or less all about having a laid back, don’t-get-upset-over-nothing, chill attitude and while it seems to come naturally to all of the locals, it’s definitely something I’ve had to learn! To just take a breath, relax, and let things be. It doesn’t matter that plans changed or that we’re leaving half an hour late (nothing is ever on time anyway!) and I don’t always need to know every single detail of everything before it even happens. Not everything needs to be controlled. Just relax and go with the flow!

How do you combat loneliness when traveling solo? My main method is, honestly, to just talk to others. Be social in the hostel. Smile. Be proactive in suggesting doing something or getting dinner as a group. Most people are just waiting for someone else to ask!

What advice would you give a woman who wants to start traveling but is
struggling with doubts and uncertainties? You can do it! Travel can seem overwhelming at times but it’s so worth it. Just remember that there’s no “right” way to do it! There’s a thousand different travel styles. If you’re not comfortable doing eeeeeeeverything solo – don’t! It’s okay to join a tour (I haven’t yet but I want to try Contiki) or to pay extra for a private service. For example, when I crossed the border from Bocas del Toro Panama to Puerto Viejo Costa Rica, I took one of the shuttle services. It just made my life easier to not have to worry about the details myself. But, honestly, if you’re even considering traveling solo – DO IT. It will change your life!