I’ve been solo traveling for ten years, and there are no bounds when it comes to where I’ll go next. No destination is off limits for me. Bahrain? Sure. Argentina? Absolutely. Tuvalu? Sounds fabulous.
I am not necessarily “trying” to visit every country in the world, but based on my spontaneous travel style, from chasing a good flight deal to randomly getting inspiration to visit Tunisia and less than two hours later having an entire trip planned to go there (true story), there’s a very good chance that will naturally happen throughout my lifetime.
On a solo trip to Jordan in 2022
(Kaitlyn Rosati)
Yet, since I mainly travel solo, I struggle with something — no, not safety like everyone thinks, but decision paralysis. When you travel alone you have to make every decision, big and small. Every meal, every train ticket, every restaurant choice, every activity is on you. It is a level of freedom I am happy to have, but it does get exhausting. Sometimes, I just want someone to tell me what to do.
So, when it came time to booking a European getaway, I couldn’t quite decide where on the continent I wanted to go to next. I had already been in Italy for over a month, and had dipped my toes in Austria and Slovakia, but I was craving something different with a blank slate in my brain. So, I googled “random country generator,” and found a site where I was able to narrow my “random countries” down to the Europe since I didn’t want to go too far, and on the screen, a country’s name whom I had never traveled to before popped up: Latvia.
My trip started with two extra destinations
Since I would be flying from Vienna, I found a better deal to a flight in Tallinn, Estonia, which was close enough to Latvia, so I started my trip there. Tallinn was like a fairytale, with quaint cobblestone streets and the Old Town buildings that looked like they belonged in Cinderella. From Tallinn, I headed to Lithuania. where I ate šaltibarščiai, a cold beet soup that tastes much better than it sounds.
After a few fun days of exploring the neighboring countries, I finally made my way to my “random country generated” suggested destination: Latvia.
Latvia was full of surprises
In all honesty, I had absolutely no idea what to expect when going to Riga, the capital of Latvia, but I would soon discover one of my favorite cities in Europe. Riga is one of those rare cities that has something for everyone. The wellness is next level with plenty of spas. The food is surprisingly veggie-forward, which I got to experience first hand by hiring a local guide for a food tour and going to some weekend-only farmer’s markets. I particularly enjoyed sklandrausis, a rye pastry open tart filled with mashed caraway seeds, sweet potatoes, carrots, and honey. On the flip side, Latvia is home to “Riga Black Balsam,” a liqueur that is best comparable to if balsamic vinegar and cherry-flavored cough syrup had an alcohol baby (it is definitely an acquired taste).
I loved the many parks in the city and was surprised by how green it was, but in Riga’s old town, which is UNESCO World Heritage protected, the many medieval buildings make for a great backdrop while going on a pub crawl. Speaking of buildings, Riga has more Art Nouveau buildings than any other city on the planet, so it’s a photographer’s and art lover’s dream.
Using this unconventional method of choosing a destination ended up in my favor
I spent three days in Riga, but even if you only have one day, it’s well worth a visit. And while Latvia was never on my radar before, I would be quick to return. All in all, using a random country generator led me to a destination I wasn’t particularly considering otherwise. Maybe that’ll be my new cure the next time I’m faced with travel decision paralysis.
