- Anu Verma went on a 16-month solo trip before traveling to 36 countries within four months.
- Verma said the experience helped her heal from past trauma, but it also caused burnout.
- She said spending only a few days in each country and lack of forward planning were mistakes.
This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Anu Verma, a trauma recovery coach, podcast host, and author of the book "Victim 2 Victor."
It has been edited for length and clarity.
I always looked at travel as a way to heal.
I had been a victim of childhood abuse and sexual abuse while growing up in Coventry, England. Later in life, I experienced domestic abuse. So, it felt like there was always something I was trying to overcome.
When I went to university, I met one of my best friends, who inspired me to travel. She was eight years older than me and had already gone on a solo trip and had some crazy stories about her time visiting Australia.
I was mesmerized. After completing my final exams, I booked a six-month solo trip to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and India, which I ended up extending to 16 months because I loved it so much.
I found this joy that I'd never really had before. I was on a high in life, and it was blissful.
I can remember crying when I had to come home. I'd already postponed starting my master's degree for a year, so it was time to complete it.
After getting my master's in sports science, I booked more solo trips to India, Nepal, Burma, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand.
I took 36 flights in four months. Here are some of the biggest travel mistakes I made.
Spending short bursts in multiple countries led to burnout
I was literally spending two days in each of the countries I visited, booking plane after plane ticket to make sure I experienced everything.
I thought it was going to be my last long trip before I settled down and had kids, and I wanted to make the most of it.
But I remember telling everyone when I got home that I was so burned out. I just wanted to be stable and grounded and never get on a flight again.
I would not do that now. I would go somewhere and stay there and then really embrace it.
I failed to plan ahead
I was never forward planning.
I remember going to India and not even knowing where I was going to go next. So it was all very last minute, which is not the kind of way that a lot of people would travel anyway.
During another part of the trip, I was visiting Lombok in Indonesia and trying to get to Komodo. I just showed up at the airport and asked when the next plane was, but it wasn't until 4 a.m. the next morning.
I had my sleeping bag, so I just camped out in the airport and slept on the floor, waiting for the flight.
It was a very hippie-ish and free-spirited way of traveling.
But if I were to do it again, I would have to plan ahead because I am in a more stable mindset.
Do your research when it comes to airlines
It was very difficult to understand which airlines to take in Asia. Since I was doing a long-term trip, I'd always try to find the cheapest flights.
But the cheapest wasn't always the best because there were sometimes stop-offs. So, I'd always search for direct flights and those that departed at a decent time. I'd always look at reviews..
I've always been one to try out local flights, trains, coaches, and everything else because it gives you a good feel for the culture. But you should definitely do your due diligence.
