Feb 2, 2018
Leyla Alyanak has been zigzagging all over the world for the last two decades (actually, it’s been a little bit more than that). As a journalist, she’s traveled into war zones and even got lost in the Amazon rainforest. These days, her solo trips are much calmer and deliver such an enriching cultural experience that she doesn’t plan to ‘cool down’ anytime soon. At nearly 65 years old, Leyla has been to 86 countries, thus far, and currently resides in France. Find out more about Leyla and her travels on this week’s episode!
Key Takeaways:
*Leyla is currently living in France; where are some of her favorite places to go?
*Why did Leyla decide to live in Europe?
*What are some of the pros and cons of traveling all over the world?
*How does Leyla manage her time and the logistics of this nomadic lifestyle?
*Moving within Europe is so easy, but getting a visa into Europe can be very difficult.
*Has Leyla ever been in a situation where she thought she wasn’t safe while traveling solo?
*Leyla has had to travel to war zones as a journalist. There’s nothing romantic about getting shot at or killed!
*Countries coming out of conflict are a different story. They are mostly safe for women to travel to.
*Use the same common sense in a foreign city the way you would when you walk out your front door.
*With that being said, do some research on the differences in culture. A woman walking alone in the afternoon can send the wrong message to certain cultures.
*Leyla was left alone/abandoned in the Amazon rainforest by her guide. She thought she was never going to make it out.
*What kind of tried-and-true lessons has Leyla learned over the years?
*Right now in the world today, there is such an ‘us vs. them’ mentality taking place. When you start traveling, this perspective changes.
*Where is Leyla’s favorite place to go to?
*The first thing Leyla does when she gets to a new city is to hop on a bus!
*Jennifer always plans with the idea that she’ll be back ‘next time’; that way she doesn’t overplan and stress out!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Transform via Travel on Facebook
Email: Jennifer@TransformviaTravel.com
Connect with Leyla:
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