Hi, we're the Gypsygals, Prime and Nina Sarmiento. We hope that our travel stories, photos, inspirational Q & As and reviews will help our fellow gypsygals craft their own journeys.
What You'll Find Here
- Supportive advice for solo female travelers who are ready to take the plunge
- Practical information on how to travel alone as a woman
- Detailed, photo-rich city guides, including the best cities for women travelers, for quick weekend getaways as well as longer trips
- Reflections to help you cultivate inner spiritual wisdom through your travels
- Inspiring stories and Q & As with experienced solo female travelers
- Environmental awareness stories and tips for green travel
The Gypsygals is for You If:
- You have a sense of adventure, are open to new experiences and love to travel
- You're new to solo female travel and want some tips, tricks and advice before taking that first trip
- You'd love to travel alone—but you're held back by fear
- You believe that travel is about more than visiting another place—it's also about inner journeys and making space for yourself
New Here? Start With These Posts:
Solo Female Travel 101
- How to Travel Alone as a Woman
- How To Find the Best Cities For Women Travelers
- On Being Culturally Sensitive While Traveling
- Safe and Solo in Europe: Travel Safety Tips
Spiritual Journeys
- Soulcraft: My Travel Dreamboard
- Travels in Intramuros and Musings on My Spirituality
- On Postmodern Spirituality
Inspiration if Fear is Holding You Back
Traveling Alone on a Budget
- "Only Rich People Can Travel" and Other Invisible Scripts That Keep Us From Making Our Journeys
- On Abundance: Here's Why I Can Afford to Travel Solo
- Q & A: How To Save Money For Your Dream Vacation
- Budget Travel Tips For Female Travelers
Green Travel
- Q & A: Ecopreneur Darlene del Mundo Talks About Green Travel
- Ecotourism for the City Gal: Traveling to Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Get Your Free Guide for Solo Female Travelers!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who are the Gypsygals?
A: We, the Gypsygals, are Prime and Nina Sarmiento, two Filipina sisters who love solo female travel and the absolute freedom and self-discovery that travel can bring. You can find more about us here.
Q: Where did the name "Gypsygals" come from?
A: During a period in her life when Prime felt lost and confused, she had a habit of visiting psychics and fortune-tellers. One day, a fortune-teller told her that she had been a gypsy in a past life. A gypsy—of course, now it all made sense! Prime had always had a free spirit and a longing to travel: in short, the heart of a gypsy.
Later, when Prime needed to choose a screen name for a chat room, the fortune-teller's words came back to her, and she became the Gypsygal. When she and her lil sis Nina decided to start a blog, the name Gypsygals, representing a free-spirited, spiritual, hip and happy solo female traveler, fit perfectly with the sisters' personalities and goals for the blog.
Q: You write about spirituality a lot here. Do you consider travel to be a spiritual as well as a physical journey?
A: Oh Goddess, yes! You see, travel gives you the space you need to practice your own spirituality, away from the pressure and expectations of your friends and family. Take some time along your travels to meditate, sit quietly, visit a temple or attend mass—whatever helps you develop your unique spiritual path.
Q: I'd love to get started traveling on my own. Do you have any posts that can help with that?
A:Start out by reading this post series on how to travel alone as a woman. For more inspiration, check out this post on The Gift of Solo Female Travel.
Q: Traveling is so expensive! What are some ways to make it more affordable?
A: We feel your pain, but for us it's all about priorities. Check out this post about traveling and abundance to learn how Prime is able to invest in traveling. Also, remember that traveling is a career investment that will pay more in dividends than the latest cell phone.
Q: How do you find the time to travel? I can't afford to take a long break from my job.
A: You don't have to take a sabbatical from your job to travel. Both of us have traveled while continuing to work at day jobs. Browse our city guides for quickie weekend getaways or trips that will take only a week or two. Just as with money, we choose to make traveling a priority among how we spend our time.
Q: Can you tell me if New York is safe for traveling alone as a woman?
A: Sorry, unless we've been to that city ourselves, we can't offer any recommendations regarding safety. Travel conditions change often, even in so-called "safe" cities. So we recommend that you research conditions in a city before deciding to travel anywhere.
Check out Prime's post on travel safety, and read through our city guides. You might find that we've covered your destination there.
Q: Do you accept guest posts?
A: We accept guest posts that fit well with the topics presented in our blog: solo female travel, spiritual journeys, inspirational stories and green travel, among others. Contact us here if you are interested in writing a guest post. But please read the guidelines first before you submit any guest post.
Q: How can I stay up to date with the latest posts from the Gypsygals?
A:We're glad you asked! Sign up for our e-mail newsletter (and free guide!) or RSS feed, like our Facebook page or follow Prime on Twitter.
