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Travel Tips and Resources

Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech

Updated March 22, 2026

Accommodations

Budget lodging

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/search?q=Budget+friendly+lodging

Hotels

I try to stay in the same family of hotels wherever I go so I can gain points for free hotel stays or upgrades. It’s important to register with the hotel chains of your choice. Mine are IHG, Accor, Best Western, and most recently Renaissance and  Hyatt Hotels. Making a reservation through their apps is a breeze.

Long layover cabins or pods

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2025/06/napcabbing.html

Safest countries for solo female travelers (from my personal experience)

https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2023/07/the-safest-countries-for-solo-female.html

Phone and Data connectivity 

I use Google Fi to call home and to check my social media accounts and messages. Since switching to Google Fi many years ago, I’ve used it in Asia, Europe, North and South America. I rarely use the local wi-fi. I have an Unlimited Plus account which includes unlimited data, calls and texts and includes hotspot tethering and international coverage and depending on the country, VPN coverage as well.

Tour operators 

Albania on tour with Eddy

To see the best of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia, you'll need to contact Eddy. I was on a six-day tour of the region and Eddy made sure I got to see the places on my list. Eddy knows the best restaurants in the most unique settings and introduced me to local delicacies. He's patient and helped me navigate those steep climbs and cobblestone streets. He was always on time for our tours while allowing me to choose my starting times. You may contact him through his IG at albania_on_tour_with_eddy or through WhatsApp 355 69 919 9085 or by email at edisonfejzulla1@gmail.com.

Chaika Tours, Latvia

For tours in Latvia and to the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania, I traveled in 2023 to Hill of Crosses from Riga with Armands who operates chaikatours.lv. There’s no easy connection between Hill of Crosses and Riga. This was a solo trip for me and was I glad I didn’t have to share the car with anyone. 

Elena in Marrakech, Morocco

Elena arranged for my private city tour of Marrakech and private day trip to the seaside city of Essaouira. She showed me around the Bahia Palace, Koutoubia, Jmaa el Fnaa and the Jardin Majorelle. Elena also found me a driver to take me to church and drop me off at the airport. Most importantly, she got me a tuktuk driver to take me through the narrow alleys of the Medina to the Madrasa Ben Youssef. This was a huge relief because I have knee problems. Elena has worked in the hotel industry for many years and can help you find a good riad. Contact her on WhatsApp at 212 695 462055.

G7 Euro Travel and Tours

G7 offers private and small group tours in Georgia, Armenia and Kazakhstan. This is their contact email: g7eurotravelandtours@gmail.com. I joined their tours in both Georgia and Armenia and I must say their guides were not only well versed in the history and culture of the countries we visited, they were all attentive, friendly, patient and cared about the people in our tour group. They went out of their way to help me climb the steep stairs and hills (and there were many) at each of the places we visited and were accommodating when we asked to stop at certain places or to take photos of group members. 

Get your Guide, Bulgaria

I took a small group tour with five people from Sofia, Bulgaria to Niš, Serbia and that was far better than a tour bus with 30 people or 15 sightseers in a minivan. getyourguide.com.

Nicolas Experience Tours, Romania

I found that the best way to discover Romania (or other countries for that matter) is to travel with a tour operator who will take care of logistics and is flexible with schedule adjustments so I can relax and enjoy the view. As a solo traveler, it’s not easy for me to find a tour that will accommodate a single person only. They always require a minimum of 2 people to operate a tour. I normally take the train to go around a country and sightsee on my own but with only two days in Romania and the number of cities I wanted to see, I was glad to find Nicolas Experience Tours to take me to Sibiu, Sighisoara, Biertan Fortress, Cozia Monastery, Brasov, Bran Castle, Snagov Monastery, and so much more in two days on my first visit. Nicolas also has tours to Ukraine, Moldova, Transnistria, and Bulgaria. https://experience-tours.ro/

Taiwan Tours with Raul Ng

The best way to see all the places I mentioned in my Northern Taiwan Roadtrip is to hire a private guide. There were four of us friends traveling together and our guide/driver had a van where we could all sit comfortably for the long ride. The other advantage of having a private guide is that you can customize your tour to include the places you wish to see. Raul drove us safely through rain and wet roads. You can reach Raul Ng through his Facebook page or at 886-926-177-849 or by email at hellotaiwantours@gmail.com.

Tico Shuttle, Costa Rica

I took Tico Shuttle to go from Escazu (suburb of San Jose) to Jaco Beach on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica and back to San Jose. Their drivers were prompt, careful, polite and even stopped along the way to show me some of the sights of Costa Rica. ticoshuttle.com

Transportation options

I always check rome2rio.com for different options of traveling from country to country or city to city. It’s an invaluable tool.

Stay connected

*****

Image by TravelswithCharie 



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