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Far, Wide, & Solo
After graduating from university a semester early, 21-year-old Veena Murali ventured out on a solo trip across the world spanning five continents and nearly thirty countries in six months.
From traveling to off-the-beaten path destinations to navigating her identity as an Indian-American solo female traveler, Veena learned an immeasurable amount of lessons throughout her journey. Far, Wide, & Solo is a compilation of some of the most pivotal lessons she learned along the way, with each chapter representing a different lesson from a different country. These chapters act as a source of inspiration for anyone looking to get out of their comfort zone while offering an intimate look into the constant movement and mayhem, unexpected friendships, and hilarious mishaps Veena encountered .
Colorful stories and descriptions shed light on the joy, fear, and confusion she felt as she experienced being a female traveler in Saudi Arabia, faced loneliness while trekking the Himalayas, deepened her connection with her culture in Malaysia, celebrated her birthday alone in Cambodia, sought out uncommon destinations like Uzbekistan and Georgia, and more.
This vivid travelogue is a glimpse into the immense impact that travel can have on a person and encourages readers to ask themselves, "What am I waiting for?"
From traveling to off-the-beaten path destinations to navigating her identity as an Indian-American solo female traveler, Veena learned an immeasurable amount of lessons throughout her journey. Far, Wide, & Solo is a compilation of some of the most pivotal lessons she learned along the way, with each chapter representing a different lesson from a different country. These chapters act as a source of inspiration for anyone looking to get out of their comfort zone while offering an intimate look into the constant movement and mayhem, unexpected friendships, and hilarious mishaps Veena encountered .
Colorful stories and descriptions shed light on the joy, fear, and confusion she felt as she experienced being a female traveler in Saudi Arabia, faced loneliness while trekking the Himalayas, deepened her connection with her culture in Malaysia, celebrated her birthday alone in Cambodia, sought out uncommon destinations like Uzbekistan and Georgia, and more.
This vivid travelogue is a glimpse into the immense impact that travel can have on a person and encourages readers to ask themselves, "What am I waiting for?"
- GenresTravel
55 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 21, 2022
38 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 19, 2022
4 1/2 stars
I really enjoyed this! It's a nice quick read that is interesting and engaging but not dramatic, which is why I usually don't even pick up books on travel. I loved that this is about a woman's solo travel and that she really got into the culture of the places she was visiting!
This review is my honest opinion. I did NOT receive a complimentary copy. I bought this/ read it on KU.
I really enjoyed this! It's a nice quick read that is interesting and engaging but not dramatic, which is why I usually don't even pick up books on travel. I loved that this is about a woman's solo travel and that she really got into the culture of the places she was visiting!
This review is my honest opinion. I did NOT receive a complimentary copy. I bought this/ read it on KU.
August 7, 2022
This book is filled with so many precious lessons and experiences. I highly recommend reading it if you’re new to the idea of solo traveling, especially if you’re a BIPOC.
January 11, 2023
delightful
She did something I wish I could have done and never had the chance to. This is why I advise young people to take a gap year, whether they do it before college, after college, or take a semester off. See the world or see your own country. Look around you. You just might learn something about yourself, about people, about the world around you. Veena did.
She did something I wish I could have done and never had the chance to. This is why I advise young people to take a gap year, whether they do it before college, after college, or take a semester off. See the world or see your own country. Look around you. You just might learn something about yourself, about people, about the world around you. Veena did.
January 25, 2023
Okay, but nothing special. It was mostly "went here, met these people, here's what I learned about myself, travel broadens the mind", but didn't have much depth. It would have been a decent series of blog posts, but there wasn't enough material there for a book.
February 6, 2023
I really liked this book!! Veena talked about traveling to countries that aren’t the typical countries. She also talks about the lessons she learned from each of countries and the lessons can be used in real life, not just in travel. Highly recommend this short book if you love traveling.
June 11, 2023
An Adventure of a Life-Time
Love this book of simple adventure & courage. The author vividly describes her experiences travelling to 25 plus countries. Highly recommend!
Love this book of simple adventure & courage. The author vividly describes her experiences travelling to 25 plus countries. Highly recommend!
June 17, 2023
"Planning my own trips for the first time revealed the love I had for traveling intentionally; not simply to get Instagram photos and stay in my comfort zone, but to use travel as a tool for education and self-development." (p. 3).
I just want to preface this review by saying this book reads like a diary entry written by an eighteen year old teenager.
The book fell flat for me. It came off hollow, had no depth or soul. I feel like the author claimed not to be going on this trip for Instagram likes but failed to bring life to her own adventure. If you're just going through the motions by going to thirty countries in six months you're missing the point of being on the open road. The magic always happens when you least expect it. I honestly hate what Instagram has done to the travel industry. There's nothing poetic about spending 3-4 days in a country just so you can check it off a list. Where's the lesson in that?
I just want to preface this review by saying this book reads like a diary entry written by an eighteen year old teenager.
The book fell flat for me. It came off hollow, had no depth or soul. I feel like the author claimed not to be going on this trip for Instagram likes but failed to bring life to her own adventure. If you're just going through the motions by going to thirty countries in six months you're missing the point of being on the open road. The magic always happens when you least expect it. I honestly hate what Instagram has done to the travel industry. There's nothing poetic about spending 3-4 days in a country just so you can check it off a list. Where's the lesson in that?
August 22, 2023
Veena's young and courageous spirit was a true inspiration. I felt I was travelling with her on her journeys and I enjoyed the cultural history and facts shared in her book. The people she met along the way were well described. A simple yet interesting quick read filled with nuggets of facts about the countries she travelled to.
What was profound for me, were the deep quotes at the end of each chapter. Lots of food for thought.
What was profound for me, were the deep quotes at the end of each chapter. Lots of food for thought.
August 9, 2023
Quick and easy read. I really enjoyed the stories of the places Veena visited as well as the lessons she learned along the way. Also, it was fun reading about the places that we both have in common and experiencing them through her eyes. I could particularly relate to her experiences in the mountains of Nepal. Definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick armchair-travel read!
September 2, 2023
I enjoyed the author’s short well-organized expositions of the lessons she learned and people she met in each place she went. I’d love to read more. I bet she and Rita Golden Gelman would be fast friends.
October 20, 2022
Traveling diary
A traveling diary of an Indian American woman who like traveling. She shared what she feel about the cities she visited around the world.
A traveling diary of an Indian American woman who like traveling. She shared what she feel about the cities she visited around the world.
October 2, 2023
My dream
I so wish I had traveled abroad when I was young. In my mind it wasn't even an option. I still have time!
I so wish I had traveled abroad when I was young. In my mind it wasn't even an option. I still have time!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews