'Valencia: 'How my solo journey came to life'

Helena Nijs
Jun 3
2 min read

How My Solo Journey Came to Life – And I’m Taking You Along on My Adventure!

Hi dear readers! I was so happy to take you with me on my sparkling adventure of almost a year.

But first, back to the beginning.

In 2023 I took the plunge for the first time: a solo trip to sunny Valencia. What a liberating feeling! For five days I wandered through the city like a free bird, doing exactly what I felt like and enjoying myself to the fullest. Although I have to admit that the first day going out for dinner by myself was quite exciting. There I was, alone in a restaurant, honestly, the idea alone made me nervous. But hey, there's a first time for everything! And believe it or not, the second time I even enjoyed it. I ordered an extra drink and thought: I can do this more often! It was so powerful to overcome my fears and push my boundaries. Helena, that woman who had never dared to do this? Yes, that was me!

On the return flight I read the book ' Find your ikigai ' (put the Japanese secret of happiness into practice) and answered some questions from the book. The word 'travel' kept popping up in my answers. Then the thought suddenly occurred: 'Why not travel for a year? What do I have to lose?' No children, single, and I could rent out my house. It all seemed so logical! And as if it was meant to be, four days later I got the question at work: what are you going to do next year? Meant to be, right?! So I took the plunge and decided to take a year of unpaid leave. No doubt about it, the decision was made!