What happens when you say yes to the unknown with just $2,000 and a surfboard? Spoiler: It might change your life and your idea of freedom, forever.

In this week's Travel Talk episode, host Kim Anderson takes you along on her personal journey through New Zealand’s South Island, where she learned the true meaning of freedom, travel, and trusting herself. Armed with only $2,000, a surfboard, and a bold spirit, Kim stumbled into van life and discovered a life of simplicity, self-reliance, and wild possibility.

From buying a van with serious mishaps to staying warm in winter with creative hacks, Kim shares candid stories about the challenges and magic of solo female van life. More than just a travel tale, this episode is a heartfelt reflection on community, nature, and breaking free from traditional success to live life on your own terms.

You'll learn:

• How to embrace solo female van life with confidence and courage
• Practical advice for adapting to New Zealand’s unique van life challenges
• Why sometimes the best journeys start with saying yes to the unknown

If you want a fresh perspective on freedom, travel, and what it means to trust yourself on the road, this episode will inspire you to say yes to your own wild dreams.

Like this WANT MORE? Check out these episodes about traveling as a solo female:

1. Fantastic Characters, Weird Jobs & Memorable Moments on the Road in New Zealand: Solo Episode

2. Solo Travel for Black Women: Cultural Adaptation, Dating, and Mental Health Abroad w/ Christina Jane #119

3. How to Handle Foreign Privilege and Unwanted Attention Abroad - Solo Female Travel Tips | TRAVEL TALK #122

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Travel Longer with Less Money—Download Your FREE GUIDE & Start Exploring!

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If you’ve been eyeing van life content but are still wondering how people really do it, this one’s for you.

For the last five years, Fiorella and her husband have lived full-time on the road in not one but two self-converted vehicles. They’ve road-tripped through 40+ states, explored more than 30 national parks, and turned a fire investigation truck into a fully off-grid home on wheels. Fiorella also works remotely as a content marketing specialist for RVshare, giving her a front-row seat to both sides of the mobile lifestyle.

In this episode, host Kim Anderson sits down with Fiorella to talk about all the practical, unexpected, and magical parts of van life. Whether you’re van-life curious, ready to convert your own vehicle, or just love hearing how people design unconventional live, they’ve got stories and insight for you.

You’ll hear what it really takes to live on the road full-time, how to decide what kind of vehicle and layout might work best for your lifestyle, and what they’ve learned the hard way over two conversions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to choose a vehicle and avoid the biggest first-timer mistakes
• Which features they now consider non-negotiable after years of living on the road
• How to find those off-the-beaten-path places that make van life truly magical

If you're dreaming of a more flexible life or just want to know if you could ever make this work, this episode is for you.

RESOURCES:

• Connect with Fiorella on Instagram & YouTube
• Want to try van life before committing to the lifestyle? Check out RV Share
• Fiorella's favorite boondocking spot: Flaming Gorge, Utah
• Find the best dry camping / off radar locations with Onyx Offroad

⚡️ROUND BOOK: Nowhere for Very Long: The Unexpected Road to an Unconventional Life by Brianna Madia

WANT MORE stories about Overlanding or Epic Road Adventures? Check out these epsiodes:

1. Extreme Adventure: Motorbiking the Pan-American Highway and Canoeing the Darien Gap w/ Charlie Reynolds #142
2. What It’s Really Like to Overland Solo as a Woman Across Africa & the Middle East w/ Charline Ribotta #103
3. Roadmap to Happiness: Overlanding & Unschooling Around the World while Living a Global Mission w/ Brittney Highland of Hourless Life #41

Support the show

Travel Longer with Less Money—Download Your FREE GUIDE & Start Exploring!

Let's connect on Instagram! @DesignHerTravel

Get $20 when you Sign-Up for Buzzsprout

Would you hop into a white van with six strangers while hitchhiking solo across Australia?

If you've ever wondered what hitchhiking is really like as a solo female traveler, this episode is for you.

This week’s Travel Talk was inspired by host Kim Anderson’s recent conversation with Ana Lucas, aka The Sustainable Backpacker (Episode #190). Ana is a solo female traveler who’s currently hitchhiking all the way from Portugal to Australia. That's over 40,000 km, across 25 countries!

That conversation brought back a memory of Kim's first time hitchhiking in Australia, and a moment that tested intuition, courage, and trust in the kindness of strangers.

You’ll hear about one surprising ride that shaped the journey in unexpected ways… and what it taught about listening to your gut, staying open, and finding connection where you least expect it.

In a world that often focuses on what can go wrong, this episode explores the surprising and uplifting moments when things turn out even better than you ever imagined.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• What it’s really like to hitchhike as a solo female traveler
• Why trusting your instincts is everything on the road
• Sometimes life requires you to literally fight for your dreams

If you’ve ever wondered if the world is still full of kind, generous humans, or just needed a sign to follow that dream tugging at your heart - this is it.

Hit play and send this one to a friend who’s always down for the adventure!

WANT MORE solo female travelers chasing wild adventures? CHECK OUT these episodes:

• The Art of Solo Travel: Navigating the World as a Full Time Content Creator w/ Savanna Crowell #49
• Traveling Syria: A Solo Female Traveler’s Unfiltered Journey #146
• How to Handle Foreign Privilege and Unwanted Attention Abroad - Solo Female Travel Tips | TRAVEL TALK #122

Support the show

Travel Longer with Less Money—Download Your FREE GUIDE & Start Exploring!

Let's connect on Instagram! @DesignHerTravel

Get $20 when you Sign-Up for Buzzsprout