The Solo Traveller
Your independence, passion, and lifelong memories.
Fellow Travellers
Belinda’s favourite photo from her first solo trip to Italy was when she was 16 – the Fiumara (river) near Bivongi, her inspirational Nonna's village in Italy.
Belinda Coniglio
Belinda’s first solo international journey was when she was 16. She had grown up hearing her Nonna’s stories of Bivongi (her village in Italy), Reggio Calabria, the mill that her father used to own, and a Fiumara (the river that ran through the village and powered the mill). Born in 1913, Belinda’s Nonna would become a life-changing influence on her adventurous young granddaughter’s life.
Where’s home, Belinda?
Although I am currently based in Perth, Western Australia, I like to say that I live in the world. If there was a city in Australia I would call home, it is Sydney, having spent most of my adult life in the eastern states of Australia between Sydney and Canberra.
What can you share with us about the first time your travelled solo?
The first time I travelled solo was to Sydney. I was turning 12, and the condition of my travelling was that my Nonna Giovanna would accompany me to visit my aunty, uncle, and cousins who lived there. I was always drawn to Sydney for this reason.
My first solo international journey was when I was 16. I had grown up hearing my Nonna’s stories of Bivongi (her village in Italy), Reggio Calabria, the mill that her father used to own, a Fiumara (the river that ran through the village and powered the mill), how he would mill for people at night time during the war when there were quotas on quantities that could be milled, and how she was blessed to have a trade as a seamstress. My Nonna was born in 1913 when not many women were educated or had training, and I am blessed to have had her as an influence in my life. My Nonna’s blessed presence in my life, and growing up hearing our parents and grandparents speak dialect, always inspired me to learn Italian correctly.
My Italian teacher was the next inspiration in my life, and she nominated me to apply for a scholarship to participate in the Intercultura high school Italian exchange program where I was selected for a scholarship. I travelled to Italy just before my 17th birthday (which I celebrated in Italy), and spent three months living with a host family in Vomero, a district of Naples, and attending Liceo Classico di San Nazzaro (also in Vomero).
What kind of research did you do before your first trip?
I must have read about everything there was to do in Naples! Napoli Sotterana (the Aqueducts), the old town, the markets, the street with the famous ‘presepi’ (Christmas nativity scene), tombola (Italian Bingo), Capri, la Grotta Azzura, Castello Nuovo, Castello Vecchio, La Biblioteca with some of the most amazing African animals that I have seen brought back from the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. I tried to see and do it all. I also convinced my parents (with the help of my host parents), to allow me to travel solo to Bivongi to meet my Zio (Uncle) and cousins and see the village for the very first time. This was an unforgettable trip!
What lessons you have learned about life by travelling solo?
The very first trip to Italy opened my world up. In Perth, I had grown up about 30 minutes from the city and spent a lot of time in the Swan Valley where my maternal Nonno had his vineyard and winery and where we later moved to when I was about 13 years old. To some extent, my parents were quite protective, and it was a big step for them to let me go to Italy, however it also made me realise the significant difference between the traditional mindset held by children of immigrants in Australia and the progressive mindset of my Italian host parents and host sisters. If it was not for that trip, I think I would still have held onto those 1950s values that my Nonna recounted in her tales about Italy.
Throughout my travels I built self-confidence, independence and resilience. I feel like sometimes I learned more on my travels than in my formal studies, however I do feel that it all combined to make me the woman that I am today and I hope to gift the spirit of adventure to my baby girl.
Is there a destination you keep returning to, and why?
I have returned to Italy over and over again. When I was 21, I returned a student exchange program to the University of Bologna. Then in 2008 (for the Giovani Italian Nel Mondo Conference, hosted in Rome with some extra weeks travelling at the end), 2009, 2010, 2012 (for a European Union Law Course at the University of Prato), 2015, twice in 2016, three times in 2017 – walking sections of La Francigena (including three months at Bocconi), and then 2019 and most recently in 2024 for the Leopardi Writer’s Conference.
Did you make friends that you met while travelling solo that remain in your life?
I am so pleased to say that I have beautiful friendships that have remained (some quite dear to my heart), and particularly my connections at conferences (especially Giovani Italiani Nel Mondo and the Camino de Santiago) that went on to shape the next 10 or so years of my life. They know who they are.
What is on your ‘Bucket List’?
I still have quite a few things to check off my “list”!
Treks: Nepal – base camp and hopefully one day Everest; Mt Kilimanjaro; Kota Kinabalu; the Kokoda Trail, Papua New Guinea; and Italy – Coast to Coast. The next one to embark on will be Loreto to Assisi – the first with my daughter!
Destinations: Greek Islands (saving this one for my honeymoon); Japan; New Zealand; Tasmania; the Northern Territory; Cairns; and The Kimberley (believe it or not I still have not carved out time for these beautiful destinations in Australia).
What causes are you passionate about, and why?
Mental health. I have seen first-hand the impacts of mental health that is not treated and firmly believe that diet, exercise, and travel are key factors contributing to the healing process because it impacts the journey within.
Dementia. My mother was diagnosed just before her 65th birthday. It is not something that I have spoken or written about extensively yet, however the impacts on her life and mine have been profound. She is my best friend, and to watch as she becomes a shadow of the woman who inspired me to be who I am today is heartbreaking.
Belinda with the group of friends she made while walking the Camino de Santiago. Photograph: Bjorn Besse.
Can you share your top 3 tips for success?
1. Persistence. Inspired by my high school Italian teacher, all I wanted to do was work for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It took several rejections and eventually moving to Canberra to make this happen. Persistence pays off!
2. Do thing with love or choose to do projects that you love. In the past 11 years of having a solo consulting business, I have not felt like I have been working as I have combined all the enjoyable aspects of my skill set into work. The clients I have worked with have been aligned with things that I enjoy, which makes it feel like I am not really working. My approach is to add value to my clients’ businesses with my cross-disciplinary skill set.
3. Do not let money hold you back. If I was to wait until I had money to travel, I would not have done even half of what I did. I always found a way to be frugal on my travels and to consistently invest so that I always had something to come back to.
