We empower women through solo travel.

Happy ❤️'s Day lady traveler loves! Who spent yesterday watching Netflix and eating pizza right? I see you, girl. I took a candle lit bath with a bath bomb in the shape of a shark that fizzed red so it looked like I had been attacked. Sooo cute!Anyway, hey, it's me Bailey again - the newsest member of the SoFe Travel team, a journalist, avid traveler, writer, and recently retired Airbnb host (ask me about the struggles if you're thinking about it). If you love this newsletter, let me know! I reply to every email.

Destination: Freedom In A Tiny Syringe

I know a handful of people that have received at least their first round of the Covid-19 vaccine! In case you missed it, the vaccination comes in two parts, you get your first jab and then three weeks to a month later, you get a second. Side effects are minor, but annoying - pain and swelling at the site on injection and fever, chills, headaches and tiredness - and they should go away in a few days. And then, you can take a long, deep breath and then jump right on Skyscanner and use all the money you saved not going to bars and restaurants to purchase flights! More than 151 million vaccinations have been given out so far. Yet, depending on where you're at in the world, the rollouts are either happening efficiently or at a snail's pace. The Financial Times recently published an interactive Covid-19 tracker that allows you to compare the rollouts in various countries. Israel is kicking butt on their deployment, so it's maybe worth looking at flights to the Holy Land. The country just reached a deal with Greece to allow vaccinated persons to travel between their borders, which could signal this as a trend for other countries opening up their borders only to those that have gotten the jab.Healthcare workers will get to vacation first! That's probably fair. Bloomberg also has a cool interactive post, which tracks not only the vaccine rollout by country - the color coded world map really helps me contextual - but also tracks several different vaccine research and approvals.

Travel Better: In The Air

A Dutch friend of mine who was working as an au pair in San Francisco just flew back to the Netherlands by way of New York City a couple weeks ago. The Netherlands was just about to go into lockdown and required her to have a negative covid test three days prior to her departure. To make sure, she got not only a regular covid test, but also a rapid test, which the doctor acted frustrated about, and even though both came back negative, she also had to get a rapid test at JFK airport. She's been Stateside for nearly two years, so had two very large and heavy bags and had to drag those around looking for the airport testing facility (she couldn't check them before getting tested, since if it was positive, she wouldn't have been able to fly). The facility only accepted American cards and she only had cash so she ended up having to have a friend send her money. This is all to say that air travel at this time can be really stressful! So if you're going to, prepare for those hitches. Many countries are going to require covid testing to happen within three days of your trip, which means those three days waiting for results are gonna be pretty intense. I'm a big proponent of meditation, so I'd definitely start the day with that, and then make sure you get to the airport earlier than you usually would. Even though there might not be as many people at the airport, lines are going to take longer with enhanced health screenings and just the general fumbling around because you're wearing a mask and gloves.

A Gift For Heroes: Thank You Frontline Workers

photo: @gypsynurse605When I think about how rough nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, and hospital staff's 2020 has been, all my bitching and moaning about not being able to travel to a beach or meet some new friends at the bar down seem ridiculous. I can't image what the last year must have been like for you. Once this pandemic clears, yo, you need a vacation! And to show how much we appreciate you all, we're giving frontline workers 10% off all Meetup Tours. Anyone who has worked on the front lines qualifies; just tell us briefly about your job and how it was impacted by Covid by sending an email to [email protected]. Then the team will hook you up with that discount code that can you can use for Bali, Ecuador, Egypt, Kenya, New Zealand, oh my gosh, there so many great places to choose from!

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Off The Beaten Path: Magical Mexican Forest

Mexico is also open for travelers right now, but I'd suggest holding off until this summer, when thousands upon thousands of fireflies descend upon the tiny town of Tlaxcala. June through August is mating season for the lightbulb-ed butt insects and a couple years ago, I went down there over the U.S. Fourth of July holiday. A friend and I were led through the forest by two guides at dusk and once the sun fully set, they turned off their flashlights and we watched the forest begin to pulse with the light show. It was a surreal experience, it being so quiet, but feeling like there was steady sound with the rhythmic movement. I highly recommend! Make sure to read this National Geographic piece, which covers both the boon the fireflies have had on the economy and the ecology concerns that presented themselves when the area first became a major tourist destination. And even in the summer, expect that enhanced health and safety precautions, such as temperature checks and social distancing, will still be in effect. Although Mexico has an ambitious plan for vaccine rollout, the process has hit hurdles as the country currently deals with another large spike in cases.

Self Care... When Trips Get Stressful

Travel of any kind is going to be stressful right now. While some of us have the ability to hunker down and stay in our pajamas all day, other people's lives require travel - work trips that can't be put on hold or visiting sick family and friends. So whether you have to get on or in a plane, train, bus or car or whether you've decided you just can't take it anymore, Lindsay De Aguila, a gymnast, martial artist and yoga practitioner, has outlined steps to take to make sure you're listening to and taking care of your mind and body while traveling. One of my favorite points - join a virtual fitness community. I recently took a class with a group called Virtual Workout Squad. I took the Legs on Fire class and holy crap, yes, they were on fire, for days in fact. The group was launched during the pandemic and all their classes are free, which is pretty amazing! I'm also a big proponent of using your site seeing as an exercise. Running or cycling is a great way to see corners of a place that you wouldn't necessarily and really get a feel for what it's like there off the usual tourist routes.

Group Travel For Solo Female Travelers

This little guy has been my spirit animal lately. Last year was anxiety-inducing in many, many ways all over the globe and after being so high strung, my body and mind are finally like, time to power down. I'm hoping all this sleep restores me for a big trip - crossing my fingers for - this summer. Look, we're still holding off on any big, group trips, but wouldn't it be nice to have something to look forward to on your calendar? Visit our Meetup Tours page and check out the itinerary for Costa Rico, where this sleepy sloth is hanging in there. This tour is packed with wildlife, from monkeys in the jungle to turtles on the beach to dolphins in the waves. Plus, if you're looking for something to get those lockdown atrophied muscles burning, there's the opportunity to take a surf lesson. I stood up on a surfboard for 5 seconds in Hawaii so you can watch and learn from me too. ;)Costa Rico hasn't closed its borders to travelers from any country, but to enter you must fill out a digital form called a Health Pass and also have health insurance. More information on those stipulations here.

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