Hi, I'm Mikaela — but you can call me Mikki.
Solo traveller. Freelance writer. Certified overthinker who somehow keeps ending up in places she can't pronounce.
I started this blog because I needed proof I could do it.
Not for anyone else — for me. I was deep in a corporate career, spending my days staring at spreadsheets and dashboards, and quietly wondering if this was really it. So I booked a solo trip to Thailand (terrifying), survived it (barely), and came home a completely different person who immediately started planning the next one.
Outta the Comfort Zone started as a way to document that first trip and turned into something I genuinely love — a space where I write honestly about solo travel: the parts that look incredible on Instagram and the parts that really, really don't.
I write for women who want to travel solo but aren't sure they're "the type." Spoiler: there is no type. You just have to go.
"Greatness only starts where the comfort zone ends." — which is either very profound or a thing I tell myself before getting on a 14-hour overnight bus. Honestly, both.
A few things about me
The quick version, for the skimmers.
30+countries and counting
Aussiebased in Melbourne (for now)
Hostelconvert and proud
Formerfintech business analyst
Weakness:al pastor tacos, always
First solo trip:Thailand
What you'll find here
Real talk about solo travel. No filter, no fluff.
I don't write about travel the way it looks on a mood board. I write about it the way it actually feels — the jet lag, the wrong turns, the hostel beds, the moments that make you want to cry and the ones that make you feel genuinely alive. Sometimes both on the same day.
If you're looking for safe destinations, honest packing lists, budget tips, and the kind of advice a well-travelled friend would actually give you — you're in the right place.
Also — I write for a living
If you're here for the professional stuff...
Alongside this blog, I work as a freelance writer and content strategist for founders, executives, and B2B brands. My background in fintech and business analysis means I can translate complex ideas into writing that's sharp, strategic, and sounds like an actual human wrote it.
Looking to work together?
I offer ghostwriting for thought leaders and copywriting for businesses that want content that actually converts. Head to my Work With Me page to see what that looks like.
Recent posts
Start here if you're new.
A few of my most-read pieces to get you going:
Embrace the Wander Woman Within You
The post I wish someone had sent me before my first solo trip. A love letter to the version of you that just needs a nudge.
Read more → SafetyTop Safe Destinations for Solo Female Travel
The places I'd recommend without hesitation — and a few things to keep in mind wherever you go.
Read more → MindsetWhy Slow Travel Might Save Your Mental Health
Rushing between cities sounds exciting until it doesn't. Here's why I slowed down — and why you might want to too.
Read more → Honest TakesThe Hardest Parts of Long-Term Travel No One Talks About
Because it's not all sunsets and spontaneity. The real stuff that doesn't make it onto the grid.
Read more →