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Melanie 🌍💕✈️

@itspassportmel

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Strong body 💪🏾😤 Soft life 💕💅🏾
Pickleball 🏓 | Hyrox 🏃🏾‍♀️| Yoga 🧘🏾‍♀️
47 states • 31 countries 🌍
Dallas📍Made in Nashville 🤠

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My first solo trip. ✈️🏔️

In July 2020, I went to Alaska alone.

I watched whales, saw an iceberg, ate a ridiculous amount of fish, drank plenty of cider, got paranoid in my AirBnb — and somewhere along the way, started getting to know myself again.

I had recently left the longest relationship of my life, and I was exploring what life looked like when I was no longer part of a “we.”

Who was I on my own?

What did I like?

Where did I want to go?

What kind of life did I want to create?

Alaska didn’t answer all of those questions, but it gave me the space to start asking them.

That trip became the catalyst for an entirely new relationship with travel — and with myself.

I didn’t know it then, but getting on that plane alone was the beginning of so many adventures to come. 🌎

#SoloTravel #AlaskaTravel #SoloFemaleTravel taken in Juneau, Alaska by @itspassportmel

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2 months ago

✨ El Salvador 🇸🇻

Solo travel always keeps things interesting 😅

Within 15 minutes of leaving the airport, my driver insisted on making a bathroom stop—against my will. 😩 I locked myself in the car, shared my location with family, and prayed I wouldn’t get taken. Needless to say, he was telling the truth. I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go. 😅

A few days later, I found a cute coffee shop and watched an employee take photos of my credit card—front and back. 😭 Thank goodness for the ability to freeze cards. 😮‍💨

For my first excursion, I joined a city tour to learn more about the history of El Salvador. I wandered through the city center, took a lot of photos, and somehow found myself in a 24-hour romance that went horribly wrong. 🫠

I hiked a volcano 🌋, which was one of the hardest physical activities I’ve ever done. Along the trail, I met another traveler, and we ended up spending the next day together exploring a beach town about an hour from San Salvador. 🌊

We took surf lessons and I managed to get up once! A win is a win! 😝 Afterward, I sat on the black sand beach 🖤 watching surfers chase waves while the ocean crashed onto the shore. Afterwards, my new friend and I explore the beach town - reminding me that solo rarely means alone 🫶🏾

I visited a museum, treated myself to an incredible massage and finally tried a pupusa.

El Salvador reminded me that travel rarely goes exactly as planned. Sometimes there are sketchy airport transfers, credit card scares, failed romances, and volcanoes that make you question your life choices. 😅

But sometimes there are unexpected friendships, beautiful beaches, and quiet moments that remind you why you booked the trip in the first place. ❤️

✈️ 31 countries down. Many more to go - May 2026

#solotravel #travelblogger #solotraveldiaries #solofemaletraveler #elsalvadortravel taken in San Salvador by @itspassportmel

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3 months ago

✨ South Africa 🇿🇦

South Africa will always hold a special place in my heart.

It was my 30th country and, looking back, the perfect birthday trip. 🎂✈️

I went during a season when life felt more settled than it had in a long time. I wasn’t completely satisfied at work, but I knew I could change that when the time was right. There was peace in knowing I didn’t have to solve everything immediately.

I spent my actual birthday in wine country 🍷 with a group of strangers from New York who adopted me for the day. By the end, I was part of the crew… right up until I passed out from all the wine. 😂

I explored Cape Town’s history, joined a food tour with fellow travelers, wandered the V&A Waterfront, shopped, saw the penguins 🐧, and checked off all the iconic tourist spots. The landscape reminded me so much of Brazil that I started believing Pangea 🌎

The trip also taught me a valuable travel lesson: if you’re just connecting, do your layover in a domestic city and then fly direct. Save the international layovers for places you actually want to explore.

South Africa was unforgettable! The perfect introduction to Africa and a reminder of why I love seeing the world. ❤️

Here’s to country 30 and many more adventures ahead. 🌍✨ - December 2025

#SouthAfrica #CapeTown #SoloTravel #BirthdayTrip #travelblogger taken in Cape Town, South Africa by @itspassportmel

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3 months ago

✨ Peru 🇵🇪

In 2021, by the time I arrived to Lima, tax season was winding down, I had made peace with changing careers, and for the first time in a while, I felt genuinely excited about what was next. ✨

My days were split between work and adventure. I worked from WeWork during the day (they even gave me a welcome box when I arrived 🎁), then spent my evenings exploring the city, celebrating Pride at a drag show 🌈, making pisco sours 🍹, wandering through Parque del Amor ❤️, and watching the incredible water fountain shows at night.

I met travelers from all over the world at Selina (hostel) and through my coworking space (WeWork), including a group doing Remote Year. One of my favorite parts of solo travel has always been the people you meet along the way. 🌎

But Lima also taught me an important lesson about discernment. When you’re traveling solo, it’s easy to open up quickly because everyone is sharing stories, travel plans, and pieces of their lives. Most of the time that’s part of the magic. Sometimes, though, not everyone you meet is meant to be in your inner circle.

What started as a friendship ended up involving some unnecessary drama, and I learned that while solo travel doesn’t mean being alone, it also doesn’t mean everyone needs access to every detail of your life. Trust people, but trust slowly. 💭

Mostly, though, I remember feeling free. Free to explore, flirt, make memories, make mistakes, and trust that life was leading me somewhere new. 💫

Pisco Sours in Peru are definitely the best 😋 - June 2021

#solotravels #peru #limaperu🇵🇪 #solotraveldiaries taken in Miraflores, Lima, Perú by @itspassportmel

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5 months ago

✨ Paraguay 🇵🇾

In 2021, Paraguay taught me that not every trip is going to feel comfortable and sometimes that’s exactly the lesson.

I had just come from Brazil, where I felt welcomed, accepted, and embraced. Then I landed in Asunción and immediately felt like an outsider. People would stop and ask me where I was from as I walked the streets alone. It was one of the first times during my solo travels that I became deeply aware of how visible I was.

I stayed in the historic part of the city and spent many late nights in my hotel room finishing tax returns for clients. Somewhere between spreadsheets, deadlines, and long stretches of solitude, I finally admitted something to myself: I hated doing taxes. 😣

I was grateful for the freedom my business gave me, but I no longer wanted the stress of running it. This was the trip where I realized I wanted something different for my future.

Even though Paraguay didn’t steal my heart, there were small pockets of joy. ☕️ I found a few cute coffee shops, learned a lot during a city tour, picked up new Spanish vocabulary, and checked another country off my list.

I wasn’t fully comfortable traveling solo yet, and it showed. During the tour, the guide asked if he could take photos of me for his business. Looking back, I understand how meaningful it might have been for him to show a Black woman enjoying Paraguay. But at the time, fear won. I said no because I didn’t feel safe.

The food wasn’t my favorite, and honestly, I spent more time in the hotel and hotel gym than anywhere else. 💪🏾 By the end of the trip, the staff started recognizing me as “the gym girl” and even gave me a keychain because I was the only guest constantly asking for the gym key. 😂

Every morning over breakfast, I practiced my Spanish by trying to follow the local news. It was fascinating hearing conversations about vaccine availability while people back home in the United States were debating masks and mandates.

Paraguay gave me solitude, clarity, and an awakening about the life I wanted to build. #solotravel #solotravelstories #solofemaletraveler #blacktravel taken in Asuncion - Paraguay by @itspassportmel

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5 months ago

✨ Panama 🇵🇦

This trip felt like a reset.

2024 was the year I found my way back to corporate accounting… back to stability, structure, and honestly—peace. So being able to celebrate my birthday with a solo international trip again, without stress about work or money, meant everything.

Panama City was my backdrop for that moment.

It started a little chaotic… I got “upgraded” to a huge room with a beautiful tub (which I did enjoy), but also… nightly hotel parties right outside my room 😮‍💨

But once I switched rooms and finally rested, the trip improved!

I explored the city by bike (struggled a bit & survived the humidity 🥵), learned the history, and reminded myself how much I love experiencing a place beyond just aesthetics.

I did my first bar crawl… left early 😭 Tried again later in the trip… and THIS time? 50 people, great energy, so much fun.

One of my favorite moments was visiting Monkey Island—being on a tiny boat in the Panama Canal, surrounded by massive cargo ships that looked like floating buildings. Feeding the monkeys was so fun and they were very selective!🐒

I also took an Afro-Panamanian cooking class—seabass, oxtail, coconut rice… 10/10.
Met people from all over the world, and even ran into a familiar face from another tour. That’s my favorite part of solo travel—connection without pressure.

Not every moment was glamorous though.

I was in the high 190s—the heaviest I’d ever been—and my body felt it. My heart racing at night, struggling to sleep, feeling off in ways I couldn’t fully explain at the time.

Looking back, that trip was a turning point.

It’s when I started questioning my habits, especially alcohol, and what I actually needed to feel good in my body. Not long after, I started 75 Hard—and eventually began redefining what balance looks like for me.

Panama gave me fun, new experiences, and perspective… but it also quietly held up a mirror.

If I go back, I’d explore more nature outside the city—but I’m still grateful for exactly how this trip unfolded. It was what I needed. ❤️

#solotravel #solofemaletravel #visitpanamá #panama taken in Panama City, Panama by @itspassportmel

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6 months ago

✨ Montenegro 🇲🇪

2023 - I almost stayed on the ship, but I told myself I was getting off at every port.

I was exhausted, on my period, low energy - not feeling good at all. I had been partying too hard with my newfound group of friends and cruise boo. 🥰 But this trip was a dream, so I pushed through - even without makeup 🙈

Montenegro was part of the itinerary but I had no expectations as it was never a country I had on my top 10 places to visit. To describe what I saw in a word: beautiful.😍

I tried a local dish recommended by my server - hated it! 😫

Then I got lost in the old town (it’s literally a maze), and that’s when the panic kicked in. Cruises do not wait… and I still had to catch a tender back.

When I finally made it out, I just paused for a second to shed a few tears and thank God I wasn’t left behind.

Solo travel will have you out here relying 100% on yourself, but moments like that remind me I’m not out here alone.

Always protected.
Always covered. 💫

#solotravel #solotravels #europe #montenegro #visiteurope taken in Kotor, Montenegro by @itspassportmel

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6 months ago

✨ Italy 🇮🇹

In 2023, I landed in Venice, then took a train to Trieste to board a 11-day cruise through Eastern Europe before returning to explore Italy by train 🚆

This trip came at a turning point. I was leaving behind a painful breakup and looking for love in all the wrong places 💔

To add a sprinkle of chaos, I caught the WORST cold and was bedridden for two days. At one point I was trying to ask for soup in Italian - “zuppa???” 🤌🏾 and they were just staring at me like… ma’am??? 😭Shoutout to Aldi being next door to my hotel 🛒

I ended up staying in Milan for the week instead of going to Rome… but Rome isn’t going anywhere.

Milan ended up being exactly what I needed. Duomo di Milano was breathtaking, the art museums were stunning, and Eataly!🫶🏾

Just when I thought everything was finally falling back into place, I went on a romantic Tinder date that ended with me fully convinced I was about to be abducted 😭
I didn’t sleep at all. The next morning, I boarded my train back to Venice in full disguise—hair covered, mask, sunglasses 🕶️

There was a tall man outside the station looking around and I just knew he was looking for me 😩 The relief I felt once I got on that train safely - unmatched!

Reality? Anxiety? A little bit of both? 😂

That’s the truth about solo travel—it’s not always dreamy. It’s hard about 50% of the time.

But every single time, I come back stronger, more grounded, and more grateful than I left ✨🤍

#solotravels #milan #travel #pasta #love taken in Ristorante Giannino by @itspassportmel

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6 months ago

✨ Ecuador 🇪🇨

In 2021, when I first arrived, I felt nothing but relief. After the chaos in Asunción—getting to the airport and realizing I didn’t even have a plane ticket 😅—I had one of those moments where my faith was really tested… and then restored. Somehow, I secured a last-minute ticket that turned into a direct flight when my original plan had multiple connections. God really said, “I got you” 🙏🏾✈️

But Quito said… “welcome to altitude” 🥴🏔️

As we drove up the mountains, I quickly realized I had NOT prepared my body for the elevation. Add in way too much coffee ☕️ and not enough water… and yeah—your girl was bedridden for a solid day and a half 😩

Shoutout to coca tea 🍵 because that’s what finally brought me back to life (the hotel staff knew exactly what they were doing).

Once I recovered, I made the most of it—
a Tinder date 💁🏾‍♀️
a full city tour 🏙️
and time with the cutest llamas 🦙💕

By the end of the week, something shifted. After over a month of solo traveling, I felt confident… grounded… and fully in my rhythm. Walking the streets alone didn’t feel scary anymore—it felt empowering 💫

Quito was exactly what I needed. A little humbling, a little healing, and a whole lot of growth 🤍

#quitoecuador #travelblogs #solotravel #solofemaletravel #southamerica taken in Quito, Ecuador by @itspassportmel

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6 months ago

✨ Guatemala 🇬🇹

In 2025, I took a quick Thanksgiving getaway to Guatemala City. I needed a reset after a stressful season at work, plus a new country ✔️, a short 3-hour flight ✈️ from Dallas, and a chance to practice my Spanish 💬

Real talk: travel isn’t always perfect. My hotel? 😬 Thin walls, questionable Thanksgiving meal, and I quickly realized most excursions were actually in Antigua (hours away with traffic). Points travel got me this time… lesson learned 💸

BUT Antigua made it all worth it 🤍 I booked a day tour and it turned out to be the highlight of my trip. Beautiful history, stunning architecture, and way more of the vibe I was looking for. I even visited a jade workshop and picked up a ring I’m obsessed with 💚

And the FOOD 😍 had pepián for lunch, so flavorful, rich, and easily my best meal of the trip 🍲

Big takeaway: don’t just book the cheapest/points option—optimize for the experience. It’s always worth it ✨

#Guatemala #antiguaguatemala #SoloTravel taken in Parque Central, Antigua Guatemala by @itspassportmel

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7 months ago

✨ Greece 🇬🇷

2023 - Santorini had been on my bucket list for years, and it did not disappoint. Stunning views, amazing food, and a few flirty Greek men along the way. 😌

This stop was part of a cruise that also took me to Mykonos, and both islands were unforgettable.

What’s wild is I almost canceled this entire trip after a painful breakup. Imagine skipping a bucket list trip visiting five countries over a man. 😅

Shortly after this stop I actually got deathly ill, which completely derailed my Italy leg of the trip — a story for another post.

But Santorini? Absolutely magical. 💙

#SantoriniGreece #MykonosMoments #SoloTravelJourney #TravelOverHeartbreak #MediterraneanMagic by @itspassportmel

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7 months ago

✨ Colombia 🇨🇴

I spent a month in Medellín in 2021 — the final city in South America I visited before going back to Dallas.

I rode the teleférico up to Comuna 13. The art, the colors, the energy — quite unique!

I climbed El Peñón de Guatapé, practiced my Spanish (learned that “chimba” can mean many things depending on the context 😅), drank the best coffee of my life, and made friends who felt like family.

That month, I made big decisions. I decided to close my business and choose a new career path. I had no apartment lined up back in the U.S. After months away, I was scared to return… but excited, too.

Medellín wasn’t just a final stop on my trip. It was the bridge between who I was and who I was becoming. 💛

#solotravel #visitcolombia #medellín #travelphotos #solotraveling taken in Medellín, Colombia by @itspassportmel

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8 months ago