My name is Monica, and I have a passion for travel and a wanderlust to explore that will never be cured! I have dozens of journals filled to the brim with stories, and I love meeting people from around the world. I've been traveling solo for over 4 years. Find me on Instagram @monica.gray_

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I run a travel blog, am traveling the world, writing stories, taking pictures, and meeting new people! I love having experiences that I'll remember forever with people I've just met- sometimes, those are the best experiences you can have. Honestly, I use Couchsurfing for the people I meet and the unique experiences I have. I used Couchsurfing a lot in 2015 when I first started backpacking Asia and it was some of the most memorable experiences I've had to date! I stopped for a bit because I started getting odd jobs here and there while traveling in exchange for accommodation, like painting beds, cooking, bartending, promoting for a jungle rave, blogging, painting mandalas on cow dung hut walls in the desert in India...

Interests

Traveling, hiking, running, writing, and reading! And of course sharing stories about my travels as well as travel tips for the solo female traveler. I'm leading an all female tour in India in 2020 which I am VERY excited for :)

• culture
• writing
• running
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• blogging
• hiking
• skydiving

Music, Movies, and Books

Goldfinch - Donna Tartt
Night Film - Marisha Pessl

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've been to 56 countries! I love traveling slowly and usually spend at least one month in each country (although I tend to move faster in Europe - except Switzerland, I lived in a commune in the mountains for 5 weeks! ;))

I spent one year traveling solo through India and lived in Cambodia for 7 months - where I worked for a jungle rave! I also lived in London for 2 months and Copenhagen for 4 months. I've been solo backpacking since October 2015 when I started my trip in Southeast Asia.

I trekked to Mount Everest Base Camp & Three Passes in Nepal, went hot air ballooning in Laos, lived in a van in New Zealand, and did a road trip around Kyrgyzstan (where I broke the petrol tank in the middle of no where 😂) and Kazakhstan.

I also went hitchhiking for 500 kilometers in the Himalayas in India in a carrier truck LOL! It took 38 hours 😂😂😂

Teach, Learn, Share

Cultures, stories... beautiful, deep, meaningful human connection!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share some stories I've collected from traveling, as well as an open ear to hear your stories and learn about your culture!! I love learning about other people and cultures, which is why I love traveling so much!

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belarus, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Cambodia, Denmark, United Kingdom, United States