solo travel

How I Said Goodbye to Portland

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I moved out of my home of 15 years on August 13 and immediately spent two nights at a friend’s house. We originally met on the tennis court and it turned into dog walks, lunches and long talks. And these two nights were no different…long talks deep into the dark, warm nights of summer.

I then moved back to my previous street to housesit for a neighbor for two weeks. Her garden was glorious and the art work that showered her house’s walls were sublime. I learned she did some of the art work (the things you learn when you stay at someone’s home) and other pieces were purchased at many art shows. As a matter of fact, she decided to stop going to art shows because she is so compelled to buy art and there are no more bare walls. Each piece felt spiritual and special in her home. Her ex-husband was a woodworker and the trim and shelving that dressed the house was absolutely divine, too.

During this six weeks I attended several events at various parks during Portland’s Summer for All events. I look forward to this every summer and this year I managed several concerts, an opera and a comedy show. Portland really shines during the summer and these events really highlight all the wonderful parks in this city.

I also managed a trip to Mt. Rainier. This has been on my list to-do for a long time. I realized (a bit too late) that it is really easy to get there and, of course, the mountain trails were gorgeous. The accessibility and beauty of the outdoors in the Pacific North West really is difficult to beat!

Meeting with friends to say good-bye meant a lot of food. Some places I visited were Jam on Hawthorne for brunch. I’ve been here a few times and it’s always busy, which is a testament to it’s flavorful, hearty meals. I ate at an old Portland institution, Nicolas. The flat bread cooked right before it arrives at your table has remained consistently delicious throughout all these years. I attended a networking event at Hey Love where the cocktails were lovely and the food varied. I made a new friend and talked shop! I had coffee at Crema Coffee and caught up with a Laurelhurst mom outside at the open tables created by blocking off the street from cars. It was perfect.

It was a full two weeks of movin’ and shakin’ and then I moved to Sellwood for a dog sitting gig for my next two weeks. I have certainly visited Sellwood before but the dog sitting allowed me a more intimate glimpse of the area. The Sellwood and Westmoreland Parks were well-maintained and clean. Pete loved the new smells and having another dog as his partner in crime. They got along well and every evening chased each other for over an hour. I found Cloud City Ice Cream along the way. Yowzah! Let’s just say it’s a good thing I don’t live closer.

I had lunch with a friend at Tavern on Kruse which was closer from my Sellwood digs than NE Portland. Lunch was great and I loved my salmon burger. We sat outside which was a perfect place to eat lunch on a Portland summer day. My neighbors on my old street had a get together for me on a Saturday night. It was a wonderful gathering and emulated all the gatherings I coordinated when I lived on the street. It was the perfect sendoff!

The next day another friend had me over for brunch. We shared work and motherhood experiences for many years and she is someone very dear to me. I met a friend for coffee at Carina’s Bakery in Beaverton. I don’t make it to Beaverton very often but my friend wanted to try this vegan bakery. There were so many sweet and savory options and we were able to grab a table outside.

A few nights later I went to one of my favorite restaurants with one of my favorite couples. Lovely’s 50 50 did not disappoint and we got a table right away (highly unusual but helped that we got in line right at 5 p.m.). We ate two salads and two pizzas and, of course, homemade ice cream. I highly recommend the salted caramel.

I walked the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. It was my first time there and although it is a small park, it was so beautiful with water, fauna and wildlife. The next night I went to dinner at Campana with my favorite family. The restaurant bills themselves as the best Italian restaurant, which is a bold statement. I enjoyed my meal but it certainly is not the best Italian restaurant I’ve been to. But it didn’t matter because I was with some of my most treasured people. Enough said.

Coffee with another friend happened at Sterling Coffee Roasters. I had never been to this coffee shop and the vibe was cool. It is on NW 21st, every seat was occupied and the coffee was really smooth. That evening I it was dinner with another set of neighbors. We went to Ken’s Pizza. It was a later dinner than usual because ever since this place was highlighted on Instagram, it has been packed…every night…every hour. Admittedly everything that comes out of this kitchen is amazing…the pizza, the roasted vegetables and desserts. These neighbors have been kind and generous with me and I made sure they realized how much I value their friendship. The tears flowed that evening.

I met a good friend from one of my jobs in Portland for a walk around Reed College. The campus is serene, green and lush. It was great to catch up and talk about our dreams for the future. The next evening I met a friend that I made at the gym. It makes sense since I work out religiously. We went to Blackbird Wine and Atomic Cheese. This is the sweetest wine shop around. It’s small and quaint and the wines and cheeses are scrumptious. Another evening sitting outside. My only complaint is the shop closes at 7 p.m., which is way too early when the ambience so good.

I managed a lunch at Paadee with a second visit with one of my friends…what a bonus! I can never go wrong with Thai for lunch. I was invited spur of the moment to bowling on a Saturday night at Grand Central Bowl. I decided to go for the social aspect and had no intention of bowling. But, alas, I was not allowed to opt out and I guess it is good I didn’t because I ended up winning against my four opponents. On the weekends a reservation is a must and they hold you to the times…we had to beg to finish our game when our hour expired so that we could see our scores.

Happy Hour with another work friend at Cheese and Crack. The cheese boards and soft serve are not to be missed! I love this place and have visited often with Carli. If I were to open a business, I would love something similar to this place.

And alas the drop off at University of Oregon…the final stop on the goodbye tour.

Throughout the month, I kept running into people I know and was asked over and over, “You’re not gone yet?” My timeline was always dictated by Pearl’s school start date (super late September 29th). And although it is a late start date, it did allow me to do lots of fun things and visit with tons of my friends in my last six weeks in Portland. Lucky me!

Real Change in Real Time

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I am on my third house sitting gig and my fourth move since I sold my house and moved out in mid August. I was telling a friend today that it’s been more difficult that I expected. The constant moving and learning a new house, establishing a new routine and making sure my dog is taken care of has been a lot of work. Additionally, I make sure that the homes are treated with extra special care (more than I showed my own) because I want to respect and show appreciation for the generosity people have shown me by sharing their homes. Sometimes, this feels like “walking on eggshells”.

Even with the discomfort, I remind myself that I am doing all of this for a reason. I intentionally blew up my life because I don’t want to live a stagnant, “autopilot” life. I believe short term irritation will garnish me with big time gains of a new perspective and value for life and all of its facets, ups and downs and experiences.

My to-do list is getting shorter and shorter. New tires on my car yesterday. Today I signed up for Trusted Housesitters. I figure it will open me to potential locations I haven’t considered or even know about! I also met with a friend today, and as with other friends I have visited, I invited her to accompany me on the road or join me for a part of my road trip. I let her know how important she is to me. I think we don’t tell people enough how they have added to our lives and journey. I am adamant the my friends know they are truly special to me.

And so my journey continues. It will have its peaks and valleys and I will continue to remind myself that it is where the growth happens. And more important than growth, it reminds me I am human and striving to be the very best version of myself, parent and friend.

Musings

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I am a 58 year-old woman that is leaving everything I know after 30 years of cultivating a community in Portland, Oregon.  I sold my house in July, put everything in storage and decided to wander with my dog for the next year across the US and Canada.  My trip begins once I drop my daughter off at college on September 26th.  In the meantime, I have assembled six weeks of house sitting and dog sitting gigs since my house sold faster than expected. I am still in the cocoon of familiarity. The “realness” of my adventure begins once I step away from all that I know in Portland.

My time wandering will allow me to discover the nooks and crannies of America and learn a ton about myself at the same time.  This is a story about exploration, curiosity and courage as I travel solo.  I believe this story is timely because a lot of people my age are at a crossroad about what to do once the kids leave the house. Change is scary to many and I believe the myriad are afraid to actually take the plunge into the unknown.  There is no judgment of this fact. I hope to inspire others to take the leap in whatever form is right for them.

Autopilot is so easy to fall into. The daily minutiae of life sucks up so much time and energy and provides us with so little value. And yet the majority of our energy and attention is focused on this minutiae. Without a house and kids to take care of, I believe my time can be focused on being present and focused on learning, exploring and exposing myself to new things.

Croatia October 2024

One of the biggest questions I ask myself while thinking about this upcoming adventure is how I can continue to build community while on the road and transient. Since community is so important to me, I hope that friends reach out and say hi, ask questions and just cheer me on. I know the trip will not be perfect and there will be days when hearing from a known entity will be exactly what I need to be able to keep moving forward. Follow me on this webpage, on Instagram and Substack. Ask questions, make comments and send words of encouragement. I hope to hear from you.

Solo Travel

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I am fortunate to have completed several solo trips oversees and I often get asked, “What is your favorite trip?”  Solo travel has been empowering and liberating for me. Traveling solo allows for the ultimate flexibility.  If I like a place I stay longer and if I don’t, I can quickly move on.  I think back to my first solo trip and stressing about not having anyone to travel with me.  I had a close friend dying of cancer and she told me, “Seniye if I could travel, I would do it in a minute!  Go travel…it will all work out.”  And she was 100% correct.

My favorite trip so far has been Morocco. It was my first time on the African continent and it did not disappoint.  The Sahara Desert was so beautiful…the sand a brilliant orange and the night sky littered with millions of stars that you just cannot see anywhere else because of the light pollution.  I loved the food, the artisanal crafts and the dizzying mazes that formed the souks.  The riads were charming hotels with sparkling clean rooms, amazing tile work and hearty quintessential Moroccan breakfasts.  I could go on and on.  If I had been too scared to travel alone, I would have missed all of it!

So how can you solo travel?  I have a few tips:

  • Pick safe countries.  There are lots of lists that outline safe travel for single women.
  • Do your homework and have a rough plan but get comfortable with wandering, too.
  • Share you itinerary with your family and friends.
  • Don’t do stupid things.  For example, I do not visit bars nor do I explore late at night.
  • Do your research.  There are Facebook groups with likeminded travelers.  The wealth of information shared has been really informative.  Two groups I like (but there are hundreds) are “Traveling Solo over 50” and “Solo in Style”. 
  • Target your search by country. There are many FB groups that focus on specific locales.  Travelers share their itineraries, tips and even meet up if they are in a location at the same time.

So, what are your solo travel suggestions?  And where do you want to go next?

Travel is the Great Equalizer

Posted on by Seniye Groff
Anacortes, WA at sunset.

I often get asked why I like to travel so much and especially why I mainly travel solo. Well, in truth it’s all about THE FOOD! I say that in jest, but food is a big motivator. I actually love to see how the food, culture and history converge in the various places I visit. A recent example is Peru. I expected typical Latin fare but what I found was food infused with influences from China, Japan, Spain, Africa and Western Europe. When I dived into Peru’s history, I learned that each of the people from these cultures were a part of Peru’s past (and present) and naturally brought their food and ways of cooking with them.

Travel also allows me to meet new people and hear their stories and perspectives. When I hear new perspectives it allows me to question my own viewpoint or even add to my own views and lens…which is a gift by any measure. When we are not on auto pilot, we are open to different ways of being and doing and so I truly love the element of discovery that travel naturally brings to the traveler.

I, probably similar to any other avid traveler, have a running list of travel destinations I want to visit. I do seem to add more destinations rather than cross off…another great advantage of traveling! I often meet people while traveling and listen to their travel stories, which in turn inspires me to add the destination. I did my first oversees solo trip in 2018 and it was incredibly empowering. I only planned the first two nights of the trip and the remainder of the trip was completely ad hoc. I figured planning the first two nights allowed me to conquer my jet lag and get my bearings, but once I was at full throttle, I was at full “take it all in” mode. All I knew was the day I needed to depart and it was a free for all for the two weeks in between. I got lost…so many times! I felt uncomfortable…so many times! I landed in areas that were not on my radar and learned so much about the area, the people and frankly my own resiliency. Travel allows this and so much more.

The Amazon

Posted on by Seniye Groff

The last major stop on my two week trip was the Amazon. I honestly did not know what to expect but I will admit I was a little nervous. I was primarily scared about the animals, insects and heat. I flew a quick 45 minute flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. When I landed I was immediately hit by the heat and humidity. A taxi collected me and took be to a dock about 20 minutes away. The boat I was traveling an hour and half up the Madre de Dios River was surprisingly (scarily!!!!) small and simple.

I arrived at the lodge without incident (whew) and had lunch. The chef focused on Amazonian fare and it was simple but tasty. I was concerned to learn that we had no electricity, hot water or internet…okay maybe we really were in the jungle. My “hut” was clean and ample with no windows (just screens) and lots of mosquitos. I will admit it was quaint but I did question what exactly I had signed up for. After lunch we did a jungle walk. There were tons of interesting plants and trees, lots of birds singing and screeching and, of course, plenty of tarantulas.

After dark, we got back into the boat to do a night tour of the shores of the river. We saw several Caiman (alligator family) which were black and white. I have to say I am glad we did not see anything else! At night the jungle is even louder than during the day. And the jungle “talks” all night long with so many different sounds. Also the fauna drops leaves (or ?) all night long, as I heard it on my thatched roof throughout the night. Not having windows means you are truly in the middle of the jungle as an active participant. I truly cannot describe it and wish I had recorded it. It was also pitch black.

The next morning after a delicious breakfast, we took the boat an hour downriver to the Tambopata National Reserve. After entering the reserve we walked a path about 45 minutes to the entry point of Lake Sandoval where we got into a paddle boat. The lake is quite large and lush with trees and palm trees. We saw tons of birds, bugs and squirrel monkeys and more Caiman. As beautiful as it was, I was nervous. There were five of us in this paddle boat and one wrong move and we would be dumped into the lake which was full of fish and more importantly, piranha. After two hours in the boat, it started pouring…it is the rainy season in the jungle after all and we were pretty lucky that it didn’t rain at all the previous day.

The rain was relentless and so we pulled to the shore where there were some random steps. After an uphill climb, we landed at a home/bar/restaurant where we were going to eat our lunch. And then about another hour and half of pouring rain, which we decided to wait out. The paddle boat was filled with rainwater when we got back to it. Nine hours on this adventure was plenty and a cold shower when finally getting back to the lodge was pretty welcomed! The entire evening and next morning it poured, thundered and lightning lit up the sky and it was a long boat ride back to the dock in Puerto Maldonado. But I made it and had a quick hour and half plane ride back to my last night in Lima.

Cusco

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I got to spend a few extra days in Cusco, rather than hiking due to my altitude sickness. Cusco is a vibrant, historical, proud city and I wandered around. I visited the Qorikancha Temple (Temple of the Sun) which was built on top of a Christian church. The earthquake of 1953 uncovered this beauty when the church came down.

I also visited the local street market filled with local vendors. I was told locals shop there every morning. The market had a little bit of everything including the dog, of course. I have been fascinated with the rampant loose dogs that run around the city. Apparently they roam free all day and eventually return home in the evenings. Dogs are literally everywhere…mainly sleeping but also playing and rummaging through garbage. Thank goodness they are not viscous and really are uninterested in pedestrians.

I also continued to have some great meals. Food in Peru appears to be celebrated and not only it is delicious but always presented very artfully. My favorite meal was Canelones Andinos. I am inspired to incorporate some Peruvian-style cooking into my own repertoire!

The Many Wonders of Peru

Posted on by Seniye Groff

The people…

The food…

The scenery…

I did not really know what I was going to get when I booked my two week trip to Peru. But what I gained was warm, smiling, seemingly satisfied people. Food that was simple, beautifully presented, cheap and fresh and scenery that was as spectacular as it was varied and inspiring.

Whenever I head out on a solo trip, it always begins with anticipation and anxiousness…Will I be safe? What will I discover? Will it be as I had hoped? What will be the greatest thing I will learn? Will I be the very best guest I can be?

On my flight to Lima I sat next to a recent college graduate. She and some family friends were going to hike the Inca Trail for four days culminating in their visit to Machu Picchu to celebrate her father’s suicide. She had done no homework on what she was getting ready to embark on, but I have to say that now that I have visited Machu Picchu I totally understand why the family would want to honor their father this way.

I landed in Lima at 5:30 a.m. local time and once I arrived at the hotel I dropped my bags and just walked. Diving right in is the best way I have found to overcome jet lag and capitalize on the newness of my destination. I was staying in Miraflores which is a safe, upscale part of Lima. The streets are clean, teaming with walkers and fortified with singing birds and beautiful gardens. I also walked in Barranco, which is considered an artsy neighborhood, right next door to Miraflores. The weather was perfect at 70 degrees and I got to reinvigorate my Spanish!

The next morning at 4 a.m. my taxi arrived to take me to the bus station so that I could head south to Ica, Nazca, Paracas and Huacachina. It was a four hour bus ride south to take me to the desert and coast. When I arrived, I was immediately driven to a tiny airport to view the Nazca lines. 17 mysterious etchings in the ground can be viewed best by plane. It is about 30 minute plane ride with then 30 minutes viewing the various drawings. It was fascinating, although the plane ride was a nail biter in a tiny four-seater!

Four Amazing Days in Hong Kong

Posted on by Seniye Groff

On the way back from a work trip in Singapore, I decided to take advantage of disembarking in Hong Kong when returning home.  The ticket costs the same, so why not.  The beautiful thing about traveling, at least for me, is how much I learn and all the different people I meet.  Travel forces you to get out of your comfort zone and truly get educated; you shed your misconceptions.

I did some initial research before my trip but intentionally left it pretty open to be able to wander and explore.  I stayed in the Ovolo Hotel in Southside.  The hotel is admittedly not in the prettiest area (an up and coming -perhaps- warehouse area south on the island of Hong Kong).  The service is top notch.  The front desk is super helpful and snacks and drinks are in the room and are included.  You must book direct to get the free breakfast and nightly happy hour.  The breakfast is comprehensive and has something for everyone.  Learning #1:  I thought Hong Kong was just Hong Kong.  I learned that Hong Kong is comprised of about 250 islands.  I had no idea.

I arrived Friday early afternoon.  After dumping my suitcase at the hotel I immediately started exploring.  The MTR (mass transit) is super easy to navigate, clean and gets you everywhere you want to go.  Make sure to purchase an Octopus card when you arrive at the airport.  Also note that although you can use your credit card to load the card at the airport, you have to have cash to top it off anywhere else.  The rule of thumb is to push or be pushed.  Know that people are not being rude, it’s just that with so many people if you do not push you get left behind!

I decided to get the must-do Star Ferry out of the way.  It is easy to just walk down to the pier and pick it up and your Octopus card works there, too.    Once over in Kowloon I walked the promenade and down all the shopping streets.  When I returned to HK Island, I wandered a bit, walked through the Man Mo Temple and then headed to the hotel to enjoy the happy hour.

The next morning,  I wandered and basically found the Botanical Garden and Zoo by accident.  What a beautiful find!  All shorts of monkeys, Orangutans and birds.  There were plenty of flowers and the although very peaceful, it was cool to see the skyscrapers in the background.

I then headed to the Peak Tram.  If lines drive you crazy, this is not the place for you!  It was pure chaos and two hours of waiting and I was there at 10 a.m.  You basically are up the hill in 10 minutes.  The view was spectacular although a bit cloudy.  I decided to hike down instead of deal with the crowds.  I somehow ended on the Central Green Trail which was beautiful with plenty of greenery and glimpses of the skyscrapers below.  A word of warning, though, it is very, very steep.  It took me about 1.5 hours to walk down and when I arrived where I started, the line for the Peak Tram was even worse as it wrapped up and down the streets.  I cannot imagine what the wait was at that time!

Next to the Peak Tram is one of the entrances for the Hong Kong Park.  There are a lot of green spaces in the city which makes the craziness more tolerable, for sure.  This park was amazing.  The netted aviary was like no other I have seen.  The birds roamed “freely” and as an observer you really felt like one with nature.  There was also a pond and man made waterfall.  There is a Museum of Tea Ware that is worth a visit and is right next door to the Lock Cha Tea House.  I decided to have tea (extensive list) and dim sum.  It was excellent and service was pleasant.  I managed to walk about 12 miles on this day-my feet were sore but my soul was satisfied.

My last full day in HK was spent heading to Lantau to see the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha).  The subway ride took about 25 minutes and is on the same island that the airport sits on.  Once off the subway, a walk across the street lands you at the cable car facility for the ride up to the village where the Big Buddha sits.  My wait for the cable car was an hour and you can buy the tickets in advance.  Employees will try to sell you additional add-ons for tours while you are up on the mountain.  The add-ons are completely unnecessary as you can easily navigate all the things to see yourself.

The cable car ride up is scenic and passes over water, green hills and homes.  As you get closer you can see the Buddha off in the distance.  Once you get of the cable car, you are forced to walk through the tacky gift shop and then through a small village of trinkets.  Keep moving and get to what you came for!  Walking up the many stairs to the Buddha is pretty cool and you begin to realize just how massive it really is.  Walk up the stairs and walk around and take in the view around.  It is truly awe inspiring.  If you look up at his head, the sensation with the clouds moving almost feels like the Buddha is moving his head–it’s pretty cool.

Once down the stairs, turn right and follow the signs to the Wisdom Path.  It is a concrete path and you will pass some dilapidated buildings which will make you wonder if you are going the right way–you are, so keep going.  You land at an area that has several trails.  If you are prepared, take one of the more hearty hikes or look to the right and walk the short (and steep) Wisdom Path.  This will take about five minutes.

When you head back to the central area wander through the Po Lin Monastery.  The detail work in the ceilings, walks and statues are beyond beautiful.  You cannot take pictures in the temples so try to imprint their beauty in your brain–I had never seen anything so stunning.  This day trip was so opposite to the craziness of the city.  I felt peaceful and satiated at the end.

I returned to the city’s energy and wandered up to Soho with the mid levels travelator (as the sign called it).  I walked down through the side streets with the makeshift Chinese markets of fresh vegetables, herbs and other things I could not recognize.  The streets have lots of character with daily life happening.  I realized that China Towns smell the same no matter what city it resides in.

Hong Kong is a modern city.  Hong Kong is an old fashioned city.  It is a beach town.  It is a traditional town.  I loved the teaming energy and life and the mix of modern and old.  Learning #2: never stop learning or exploring.  It invariably makes my life more full, more open-minded and ultimately more beautiful.