Hey! I’m Brett, a 28-year-old solo female backpacker from Australia. After more than 7 backpacking trips where I made every mistake under the sun, I started writing and giving my friends the advice I wish I had. I LOVE talking about travel and am wildly passionate about solo female travel. This passion to help people travel better (and not make the same mistakes I’ve made) led me to a career in the travel industry. I left my job in the travel industry in 2022 because I needed something more. That something more was Big Sis Travel, which I launched to provide earnest Big Sister-like travel advice and tips to empower more people (especially women!) to travel longer and better.
My first backpacking trip (an absolute dumpster fire)
Growing up, I was never interested in travel. My priorities were buying new clothes and going out with my friends. I lived week-to-week, spending all my money on random things to feel good. In 2016, after a few life setbacks, I decided to burst my comfort bubble and travel around Europe during the summer. While this wasn’t a particularly revolutionary thing to do, unlike most people I knew, I didn’t have a boyfriend or any close friends who could go on this trip with me. It felt incredibly daunting as a 20-year-old planning my first-ever solo trip. I had no idea where to start, and the travel blogs I read all said contradictory things. Are hostels safe to stay in? How much money do I need for this trip? Will I make friends? How will I get around countries without speaking the language? Is solo female travel safe?
Feeling wildly unprepared and extremely nervous, I embarked on my first solo journey, spending a few months roaming around Europe. I returned home with thousands of dollars of debt and a desperate desire to travel more. While I loved some of the experiences I had, I couldn’t help but feel that this trip was a bit of a dumpster fire. I had visited far too many countries in a rushed manner and had overspent enormously. I came back home thousands of dollars in debt but with a desire to travel again and do better.
Backpacking, making mistakes and learning from them
In 2017, I planned my next trip, which would entail several months of travelling throughout South East and East Asia. This was a partly solo trip and partly travelling with a friend from home. While I was more prepared for this trip, I made the common mistake of overplanning and booking everything in advance, leaving me no wiggle room to change travel plans while on the road. I also learnt an important lesson about myself: I love the freedom of solo travel. As much as I love my friends from home, I could not travel with them again.
In 2018, I was busy working and saving up for that next big trip. However, I took myself on a few solo getaways to destinations like Fiji and Hawaii. I learnt so much about being comfortable in your own company (like eating dinner on your own in a restaurant filled with honeymooners!).
2019 was when I felt like I had really clocked this solo female travel thing! I booked a one-way ticket to Bogota, Colombia and spent the next eight months meandering through South America. I kept somewhat within budget and had no travel plans, so I was flexible to do what I wanted when I wanted.
Working in the travel industry
Upon my return to Australia, I felt lost. I loved travelling, but I also needed to earn money somehow. So, I became a travel agent, advising new travellers and upselling tours and flights to make a commission to pay my bills. I loved talking about travel all day and helping others book their next big adventure, but I still wasn’t happy. Working on commission as a sales agent meant we were always encouraged to sell clients the most expensive hotels, tours and airport transfers. Deep down, I knew there were many better ways to travel than booking expensive packages with big travel corporations.
I kept working within the travel industry throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and learned some great insider tips. I learnt so much about different destinations around the world and how to find cheap flights. Mainly, I just felt disillusioned with many of the practices of travel agents giving advice and pushing customers to book the hotel that offered the agent the most significant cut of commission to the agent, rather than the accommodation that would suit the client’s needs.
One day, I quit my job, sold everything, and booked a one-way ticket to Indonesia. My boss was shocked; everyone in my life was sceptical that I was throwing everything away. I just knew that this wasn’t what I was supposed to be doing.
Big Sis Travel is born
I arrived in Indonesia with no plan, no aspirations and no idea what I would do next. After travelling around, I kept little records in my notes apps of travel tips and recommendations, things to do, and best hostels in certain places. I’d share these with other travellers I’d meet in hostels who were heading to those places. These notes app lists ended up travelling further than I ever had, as they were shared with people I hadn’t even met. I got messages from people I’ve never met asking for my travel recommendations!
I had always admired travel bloggers and travel content creators. It seemed like they were living the dream. But I could never do that because I wasn’t enough. Not motivated enough, not pretty enough, not a good enough writer, not enough personality, not a good enough photographer, not interesting enough, not business savvy enough. It was a pipe dream. I could never be that person. And if I tried, I would fail. Everybody in my life would know I was a failure and laugh behind my back at how much of a loser I am.
After a lot of positive reinforcement from other travellers, I seriously committed to following this dream. I started researching how to start a travel blog, posting travel tips on Tik Tok and turning my little notes app recommendations into full travel guides. Mostly, I was just trying to push down the feelings that what I was doing was silly and that I was not enough. But I keep persevering, making travel guides, giving backpacking tips and making Tik Tiks. And that’s how Big Sis Travel was born. So whether you’re a seasoned backpacker, first-time traveller or anyone interested in solo female travel… Welcome!
