Summer packing list + How to theft-proof yourself

Hi Reader,

I hope you are doing great.

I am on Isabela Island today, and probably climbing a volcano while you read this.

Our first Ecuador & The Galapagos tour just ended and it was just magical.

So many of the guests made their dreams come true on this trip and the joy in their faces and their excitement will stay with me forever as a reminder of why we do what we do.

Two moments stand out for me, among the MANY incredible wildlife encounters and "pinch me" instants.

We were swimming with sea lions in Genovesa Island, enjoying the baby blue warm waters with sea lions literally swimming up to our noses and feet, playing with us and taunting us to touch them (we did not).

One of the guests was so excited, I had to capture the moment on camera. It was pure joy to see her with such childlike smile on her face as the sea lion playfully touched her feet. At the same time, another guest was coming out of the water jumping up and down saying "I am having so much fun!".

These are the kinds of moments that make all the tough times and detail-oriented planning worth it.

After the tour, I have 5 days before I board the cruise we have chartered for next year's Ecuador tour, and have decided to spend them in San Cristobal and Isabela islands on my own, working and taking some excursions.

San Cristobal is full of loud sea lions in town. This beach right in the town center has so many of them...I could hear them from my room through the balcony door 😅

In Isabela, I have taken a short afternoon tour and was lucky enough to see so many blue footed boobies and penguins I could even swim with. I did not have my GoPro with me this time, but it left me speechless to be right there looking at a penguin 2m away that then jumped into the water and swam next to me 🐧

If Galapagos, the Amazon and Ecuador as a whole have been a dream trip for you, we are retuning to Ecuador for our combo Ecuador (Amazon + Indigenous Andes) and The Galapagos tour in May 2027 (BOOK HERE) and will launch a new Galapagos only tour for December 2027 soon. Join the waitlist to be the first to know when it goes live.

In the meantime, go follow me via Instagram stories for the behind the scenes of sailing the Galapagos. Be ready for major FOMO as I take you on a once in a lifetime journey during the 2 weeks I am spending here.

In this week's email 📩:

Summer is upon us and that means peak travel season so I am here to bring you back some of my most popular tips for self-proofing yourself (especially if traveling to Europe) and for packing.
This week's episode of the Solo Female Travelers podcast focuses on sex, confidence, dating and travel. Meg talks to Sabrina, the sex educator behind After sex-ed, who talks to us about how to navigate dating and traveling, self-confidence, the need for adults to have access to sex education and thing you need to bear in mind before a trip when it comes to sexuality.

PSA: Theft-proof yourself this summer

Pickpockets are one of the few things every traveler should pay attention to, especially in crowded spaces and in many of the popular European cities or Latin America.

While it usually involves no violence, it still is a very traumatic event, and the aftermath is a pain to deal with.

Here are 2 tried and tested ways to avoid being the victim of thieves this upcoming summer:

1. Phone Lanyard

My best purchase ever is a phone lanyard that I have been using since 2023. It makes stealing your phone more difficult and my life much easier.

I never lose my phone, misplace it or leave it behind. It is also very hard (though not impossible) for anyone to steal it from my hand because it is literally attached to me.

If you only buy one thing for your next trip, let it be THIS PHONE LANYARD, which is just like the one I have.

Read everything you need to know before buying a phone lanyard in Travel tip #41.

2. Anti-theft bag

About 40% of solo female travelers use an anti-theft bag, according to our annual survey on solo female travel trends, and with reason.

These bags are designed to make it hard for anyone to steal from you and will give you SO much peace of mind, they're worth every penny.

The material used prevents credit card theft, the straps are made of mesh that is hard to slash, the zips have extra features that make it tougher to open, you get the gist.

Meg has a variation of one from Pacsafe (in the photo above) and uses it on all her trips to Europe including her trip to Spain and Greece this coming June.

In see many of our guests use this one from Travelon on our tours. Or check out the Travelon online store for all the designs.

Trust me, this is the best travel investment you can make.

Other tips to stave off pickpockets

Here are a few other safety tips:

Have your bag on your lap or across your chest when sitting down to eat, and your phone attached to the lanyard and across your body too. Never leave valuables on the table where they can be easily taken by anyone passing by
Don't walk with your bag / phone lanyard on the side of the road, keep them in the inside of the sidewalk so that someone driving at the back of a scooter cannot pull them and drive away, throwing you to the ground in the process
Don't put things in your back pockets where they can be easily stolen
If you don't have an anti-theft bag, you can use carabiners to secure zips and prevent others from opening them much like the mechanism anti-theft bags use. See how to do this with my Tip #96

Your summer packing list

Did you know we have a curated storefront on Amazon with packing lists for all the destinations we visit?

I also created a list of my favorite items for the summer, the ones I have been recommending in my weekly newsletters and that I use when I travel to warm destinations.

You can see my favorites list here.

If you have a look at my photos from our tours, you will see several of these items in action, from the phone lanyard to the cross body bag, the sun glasses, the skirts and even the shoes.

Here are my top picks:

The personal fans are a must if you are traveling to super hot destinations, trust me, they may look silly but I've seen them in action and they are life changing! They will save you from melting in the sun and make you feel so much better.
My Oakley sunglasses, the only brand I wear for real eye protection since I am 16!
My cross body bum bag where I keep all my valuables when I travel, a sort of expanded purse, that I even wear when I fly.
Hydration tablets, a must if traveling to a hot destination. Dehydration creeps up on you and when it is so hot, it is hard to stay hydrated even if you drink a lot of water, but let's face it, you will likely not drink enough, spend all day out sweating and come back extra exhausted. Add a tablet to your water and replenish what was lost. I used them often on this trip to the Amazon, to the high altitude Andes and now in the Galapagos.
Manta sleep mask, because the sun rises SUPER early in the summer and not all hotels have proper blackout curtains.
Universal adaptor with USB ports, to plug phones, cameras, headsets, portable fans, GoPro, laptops, etc.
A wide brim hat, I never leave the house without these days, it comes with me everywhere. The most effective way to avoid wrinkles, sunburnt and look classy at the same time.

Episode #7: Dating, Desire & Solo Travel

This week's episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast has Meg speaking to Sabrina, from After Sex-Ed, about dating when traveling, consent, staying safe mentally and physically.

This is an honest conversation where Meg also shares how she met her ex-husband on a solo trip, some of her questionable travel decisions and the measures she puts in place when traveling solo and dating.

#7 | Dating, Desire & Solo T...

May 19 · Solo Female Travelers

39:05

Check out all the details of the podcast here, listen to the episode and start following us [Solo Female Travelers Podcast] on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss an episode:

Apple podcasts
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You can find us under Solo Female Travelers on all other platforms

Let me know what you think of this episode.

PS Every episode will end with an embarrassing travel story. Submit yours anonymously here.

If you enjoyed the podcast, tell everyone and leave us a review, it will be REALLY appreciated 🙏

Last availability for 2026

Here are the last few spots left on this year's tours:

2 SPOTS left on our Georgia tour 5th to 13th September => BOOK GEORGIA
1 SPOT left on Armenia tour 13th to 19th September => BOOK ARMENIA
2 SPOTS on our Egypt tour from the 30th of October to the 11th of November => BOOK EGYPT
1 SPOT left on our Tanzania Luxe tour 1st to 10th November => BOOK TANZANIA
1 SPOT left on our Iceland tour 11th to 18th October => BOOK ICELAND
1 SPOT left on our Japan tour 13th to 23st October => BOOK JAPAN
1 SPOT left on our Scotland tour 10th to 18th October => BOOK SCOTLAND
1 SPOT left on our Bali tour 3rd to 11th October => BOOK BALI

=> You can also see the FULL CALENDAR of tours with all the destinations.