By Liz Prado | Extract from Lonely Planet’s Women Travel Solo
“Sometimes, even your dream job can leave you feeling lost.”
After years on the road as a full-time travel writer, I had reached a breaking point. Deadlines, assignments, and endless words had drained the joy from the job I once loved. I needed to remember why I started travelling in the first place: for discovery, for freedom, for the thrill of exploring the unknown.
So I changed my plans. I booked an early flight to Cancún, Mexico, and set out on 18 days of solo travel—no agenda, no deadlines, no one but me.
The Breaking Point
Standing barefoot in my backyard, watching the summer grass turn yellow beneath me, I felt exhausted. I had pulled two all-nighters for a Toronto guide, and my next assignment—a 500-page Yucatán update—was looming.
“I had taken all the fun out of the job.”
Tears, venting, and honest self-reflection revealed the truth: I missed travelling. Not just any travel, but the backroads, the dirt tracks, the hidden villages, and the quiet moments that inspired self-discovery.
Hitting the Road
Cancún greeted me like a second home. Though I grew up in the U.S., summers with family in Mexico had made it part of me. I picked up a battered rental car, perfect for blending in, and drove onto the coastal highway, the air-conditioning blasting, the radio off, and a sense of possibility returning.
“It’s not often in life you get to do what you want, when you want.”
Floating Into Presence
In Valladolid, I let go of plans. A paper map marked cenotes—natural sinkholes and underground pools—waiting to be discovered. I spent mornings wandering, floating in crystal-clear waters, surrounded by stalactites and sunlight filtering through cavern roofs.
The experience was meditative. For the first time in years, my mind stopped racing, and I simply was.
Leaning Into Myself
Driving the two-lane roads toward the Ruta Puuc, I passed Maya villages: thatch-roofed homes, women balancing clay jugs, men with bicycles stacked with firewood. In Uayma, I lingered at a 400-year-old church, mesmerized by its kaleidoscope of blue stars.
“No schedule, no deadlines—just time to stop, breathe, and soak in beauty.”
The realization hit: I had been rushing through life, even in travel. It was time to slow down and embrace curiosity.
A Gift From the Unknown
Near Santa Elena, a Maya guide invited me to a little-known cave, Aktún Usil. Hesitant but curious, I agreed. Inside, the cave was sacred, filled with stalagmites, stalactites, ancient glyphs, and sunlight streaming through openings.
“I felt like I’d been given a gift—not just the cave, but the chance to see what my future could hold if I followed my own path.”
Meals I Dream Of
Yucatán cuisine is a fusion of traditional Mexican, Maya, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern flavours. Some highlights:
- Espelón, Valladolid: Tamales stuffed with pork, beans, and eggs, steamed over an open fire at La Palapita de los Tamales.
- Panuchos, Pisté: Thick tortillas with refried beans, shredded turkey, pickled onion, cabbage, and avocado from local eateries.
- Fruta con Yogur, Santa Elena: Seasonal fruit with homemade yoghurt, honey, and granola, eaten in the flowering garden of my bungalow hotel, the Pickled Onion.
Rediscovering Joy
This solo journey reminded me why I fell in love with travel: for the freedom to explore, for moments of surprise, for reflection, and for the beauty that exists off the beaten path.
“Sometimes, stepping away from work and following your own path is the greatest adventure of all.”
Women Travel Solo by Lonely Planet, $35.99 RRP. Contact shop.lonelyplanet.com
