THE SOLO TRAVELLER
Your world. Your way.
Transitions
A wee trip to see the redwoods and hike in Yosemite National Park in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Photograph Jean@Viamki.
The people you meet
For Jean Bustinza, running Scottish travel-tech company Viamki regularly takes him overseas. When the diary allows, those trips also give him opportunities to spend some time exploring alone.
Years of regular business travel have changed what Jean values on the road. A kitchen and somewhere to exercise now matter more than another restaurant meal, while walking tours offer a way into an unfamiliar city and the people who live there. Jean shares how he navigates the increasingly blurred territory between travelling for work and finding some time for himself.
Clark Point at Yosemite National Park. Californians warned me the mountain water would be freezing. After a refreshing swim, I’ve determined they clearly haven’t been to Scotland. Photograph Jean@Viamki.
What kind of work takes you on the road?
I’m the founder of Viamki, a travel-tech company based in Scotland that helps tour and activity operators automate their businesses, so I travel internationally fairly often for trade fairs, industry events and client meetings. Whenever I can, I try to combine those trips with a bit of solo sightseeing.
Are there habits or rituals that keep you grounded, healthy, and well when you’re travelling for work?
After a few years of travelling quite regularly, I’ve honestly grown tired of eating out all the time. If I’m staying somewhere for more than a few days, I really value having a kitchen so I can cook my own food. I also try to find somewhere I can exercise, whether that’s a gym or simply a park near the accommodation.
What are the greatest advantages of travelling for work on your own?
The people you meet. I’ve met some really nice people who enjoy sharing their city and go the extra mile to show you around and make sure you are having a great time. Their enthusiasm is often contagious, and you end up seeing places and having experiences you would never have found on your own.
… and the biggest challenges?
It can be difficult to separate work from personal life and completely switch off when almost every travel opportunity has some kind of work-related angle.
Is there a city or destination that surprised you, either personally or professionally?
My first trip to the US was very special. I spent a few weeks in San Francisco, and the city felt unlike anywhere I had visited before. Almost immediately after leaving the airport, I saw that the billboards weren’t advertising soft drinks or fast food, but AI, automation and technology companies. It felt both very weird and futuristic at the same time. However, I was shocked by the homelessness situation and poverty in the city centre. The contrast between extreme wealth and people struggling on the streets made San Francisco feel dystopian, to be honest.
Luckily, my experience improved after I joined a walking tour and met Filip, the director of the tour company. He showed me around with the kind of knowledge and passion that only someone genuinely in love with their city can have. Later, he invited me to play tennis with his friends on courts with some of the best views I’ve ever seen. Afterwards, we all went for coffee on the terrace of his apartment, near the top of one of the tallest buildings in the neighbourhood. Spending time with locals gave me a much richer and different perspective on the city.
The picture doesn’t do justice to how beautiful the tennis spot was. Filip referred to it as “playing tennis with the gods”. Photograph Jean@Viamki.
Saying goodbye to sunny San Francisco before heading to the East Coast. Photograph Jean@Viamki.
What is one item you never travel without?
A sleep mask. Not very exciting, but I’m a very light sleeper and I need it.
Can you share your top 3 tips for solo travelling success?
1. Bring a sleep mask and earplugs. It’s a very basic and ‘grandpa’ tip, but they can be lifesavers on long flights, very early train journeys or when the hotel room that looked perfect online turns out to be next to the highway.
2. Join a walking tour. It’s the perfect way to discover and meet other solo travellers at the same time. As someone who worked in the tour industry before moving into technology, I’m probably biased, but I still do this almost everywhere I go.
3. Travel light. Moving around is so much easier when you’re not dragging a huge suitcase everywhere. If there’s something you absolutely need that you’ve forgotten, you can almost always buy it after you arrive.
Viamki is a travel-tech platform built for tour and activity operators, helping businesses centralise reservations from their website and online travel agencies and automate operations. Travel and tourism operators can learn more about Viamki here, and you can also connect with Jean on LinkedIn.