Transitions

Alissa visiting The Galápagos Islands in 2021.jpg

Soaking up the sun at the end of a hike, Ocean Path, Maine, USA.

When every flight delay is worth it

With over 15 years of leadership experience across consulting, construction, technology, and eCommerce, Monique Cotton (who is based in Perth, Western Australia) has led large-scale transformation projects at global firms like Deloitte and eBay, scaled a construction business to a multi-million-dollar turnover, and founded and exited a patented tech company that expanded across three international markets.

“I’m passionate about women in leadership,” Monique tells The Solo Traveller, “particularly in industries where the ladder is harder to climb – construction and tech. I know firsthand how isolating it can feel to be the only woman in the room, or the only mum on the plane every week. That’s why I mentor women navigating big roles and motherhood. If sharing my story makes the path a fraction easier for someone else, then every flight delay was worth it.”

What kind of work takes you on the road?

For years, my life was a blur of boarding passes. When I worked at eBay, I commuted to Sydney like it was my local office – Sunday flights out, Thursday flights back, rinse and repeat until I took a full-time secondment, which prompted a brief relocation to Sydney through COVID. Add in the odd trips to the rest of the country, and quick dashes to the rest of the world, suddenly my ‘office view’ was a rotation of gate lounges and hotel lobbies. Having run my own business for the last four or so years, I am still zipping around the country regularly. The only difference is it’s now less about chasing quarterly targets and more about helping businesses untangle complex problems.

A quick stop on the way to the Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA.

How do you balance the demands of work with the opportunities for personal exploration?

Honestly? I have mastered the art of cheating time. I’ve learnt to sneak in ‘micro adventures’ between the spreadsheets and client meetings. Fifteen minutes in a hidden laneway café, a quick loop through a park before the taxi arrives, a wander into an independent bookstore at night. You don’t need a week off to explore – you just need to be curious with the scraps of time you’ve got. And when I’m back at home with my toddler, it’s all about presence. One solid hour of undivided Lego-building beats three distracted ones checking emails. This, combined with the next level time management skills navigating different time zones, have enabled me to see the world while travelling for work.

Are there habits or rituals that keep you grounded, healthy, and well when you're travelling for work?

I’ve learned that it’s not just about surviving the travel, it’s about making it meaningful. For me, three things keep me grounded.

1. Strangers and stories. I make a point of chatting to people I meet along the way – whether it’s a taxi driver, a barista, or someone sitting next to me on a flight. Everyone has a story, and those little conversations add colour to the blur of the hotel rooms and airports.

2. Fitness as fuel. I don’t treat travel as an excuse to skip movement. I always pack workout gear, and I’ve trained myself to see gyms and city parks as my portable playgrounds. A strong fitness routine not only keeps me healthy but also helps me reset my energy after long flights or full-day meetings.

3. Connection back home. No matter where I am, I carve out time to connect with my family. Video chats with my little girl – even if I’m in an airport lounge – make the distance feel smaller and remind me of why I do what I do.

Exploring Western Australia and the endless beaches of the Southern Coast.

What are the greatest advantages of travelling for work on your own?

Autonomy. I get to be the architect of my own schedule. If I want to power through emails with room service in my pyjamas, I can. If I’d rather detour to a rooftop bar with a killer city view, I can. Solo work travel gives you the freedom to set your rhythm – and the confidence that you can thrive anywhere, on your own terms.

… and the biggest challenges?

The empty chair across the table. There are times you want to clink glasses over a shared joke or just sigh at a beautiful sunset with someone beside you. The absence is real. And of course, the dreaded ‘Mum guilt’. Missing milestones, or just the simple everyday stuff – that’s the hardest baggage to carry, and unfortunately, it doesn’t fit neatly into the overhead locker.

Is there a city or destination that surprised you, either personally or professionally?

Berlin, hands down. I went in expecting a grey, bureaucratic capital, and what I found was a city that pulses with history and reinvention. Walking through Berlin is like flicking through the pages of a living textbook – one minute you’re standing in front of remnants of the Wall, the next you’re in a neighbourhood buzzing with art, music, and some of the most eclectic architecture you’ll ever see.

What struck me most, though, were the people. Berliners carry their history with an openness and honestly that’s rare. They don’t hide from it – they build on it, creating this culture that feels both grounded and forward-looking. The mix of grit and creativity surprised me, and I left with the sense that Berlin isn’t just a city you visit, it’s one you experience … it stays with you.

“Walking through Berlin is like flicking through the pages of a living textbook – one minute you’re standing in front of remnants of the Wall, the next you’re in a neighbourhood buzzing with art, music, and some of the most eclectic architecture you’ll ever see.”

What is one item you never travel without?

My headphones. They’re less about music, more about creating my own portable ‘cone of silence’. Planes, lobbies, screaming toddlers two rows back – gone with noise cancelling feature of my headphones. Bliss!

A random trip to Grand Canyon on a day off in Arizona, USA.jpg

Making friends with the locals in my travels through the Outback, South Australia.jpg

(Left): A random trip to Grand Canyon on a day off in Arizona, USA; and making friends with the locals in my travels through the Outback, South Australia.

How has solo work travel changed your perspective on your personal and professional life?

Travel has been the greatest teacher in resilience and presence. Professionally, I learned how to walk into a room full of strangers and build trust fast – whether it’s a boardroom in Melbourne or a conference in Singapore. Personally, it gave me the sharpest contrast: when you spend half your life ‘on’, you learn to savour the ‘off’. I appreciate stillness more because I’ve lived the chaos.

What advice would you give to someone just starting to travel solo for work?

Enjoy every minute. Don’t treat travel as interruption to your work – it is the work. Pack rituals alongside your laptop. Make peace with jet lag (it’s a feature, not a bug). And above all, stay curious. Even if you’re only in a city for one night, resist the hotel buffet. Go find the quirky wine bar, the street art laneway, the hole-in-the-wall dumpling shop. Those tiny detours are what make the miles worth it.

Discovering hidden trails and getting lost in the beauty of Maria Island, Tasmania.jpg

Having some oysters and wine at Devil's Corner Vineyard, Tasmania.jpg

(Left): Discovering hidden trails and getting lost in the beauty of Maria Island, Tasmania; and enjoying some oysters and wine at Devil's Corner Vineyard, Tasmania, Australia.

Have you made friends that you met while travelling that remain in your life?

Absolutely. Some of my most enduring friendships began from a flight, or a glass of wine at a bar on a random Tuesday night while travelling solo. There’s a camaraderie among frequent travellers – like an unspoken club where everyone knows the language of boarding calls and carry-on hacks.

Making friends in a random bar in Hobart, Tasmania.jpg

(Left): Tucking into a lovely meal with a friend I met at a hotel lobby (thanks to me for leaving my keys in my room) at a pub in Berlin; and making friends in a random bar in Hobart, Tasmania.

Can you share your top 3 tips for solo travelling success?

1. Pack like you mean it. If you don’t love it enough to carry it up a flight of stairs at midnight in a foreign city, leave it behind.

2. Build strong, anchor rituals. Whether it’s a morning jog, a nightly call home, or a journal entry – find something you do everywhere. It keeps you grounded when everything else is shifting.

3. Say yes (within reason). That client dinner you’re tempted to skip? Go. The late-night wander down a side street? Take it. Some of my best memories are from the ‘Yes’ moments that weren’t on the itinerary.