-
Flash Pack study: average American has lost seven friendships due to pandemic loneliness
-
Friendship on the road: 10 of our favourite films
10 of the best friendship films that capture the essence of soul mates on the road One of the finest elements of travel is its ability to rekindle old friendships, and cement unexpected new ones. Yet rare is the director who decides to detail this subtle alchemy. It’s far easier to place wanderlust within the…
-
6 reasons you shouldn’t travel with your friends
Friends are great. Do we love them? Yes, we do. Can you have a fun holiday with them? Yes, you can. Can they ruin a holiday? Sometimes. Can you get more by occasionally travelling without them? Most definitely. Here are six reasons why you shouldn’t travel with friends. 1. Let’s start with science As you…
-
13 things you stop caring about when you turn 40
Your bladder weakens, your jowl loosens and your desire for a ‘nice night in’ increases, but there are many reasons why turning 40 is great: one of which is that you simply stop giving a shit about a lot of things. Here are 13 of them. 1. Getting a six-pack It’s not impossible to get…
-
It’s normal to feel insecure about friends – but there’s an easy fix
Olivia June is the founder of Hey! VINA, a make friends app that introduces women to like-minded people. Described as “the Tinder for girlfriends”, it’s set to transform our friendship habits Nobody wants to walk into a party or to a bar with a sign on their head that says “Help me – I need a…
-
This man nearly died twice and now travels the world in an ambulance
Be inspired by the amazing true story of Ian Dow, whose TWO near-death experiences changed his life forever It’s rare for anyone to have a truly life-changing moment; for someone to have two, well that’s quite something. Meet Ian Dow. Not only has Dow experienced an unlikely Double Epiphany, but he’s taken those moments and run…
-
This is how to be the perfect group travel companion
Worried about the etiquette of group holidays? Fear not, from snoring to boring, we give expert tips on being the perfect travel companion Thinking of going on a group holiday with a bunch of people you don’t know? Got a slightly uncomfortable feeling in your bowels? As someone with a doctorate in nerves from the…
-
Being single gets more satisfying with age – for this key reason
In Jane Austen’s time, being a single was something that got progressively worse with age. If fine ladies were not persuaded to matrimony by 21 (ancient!), they may well end up an “old maid” who would “teach your ten children to embroider cushions and play their instruments very ill”. Though well-bred bachelors didn’t have the…
-
Meet the Flashpacker: Simon’s adventure to Chile
Simon Thompson, 32, is an architect from Birmingham, UK. He joined us on our action-packed getaway to Chile in 2017 I had never been to South America before and Flash Pack’s itinerary for Chile seemed like it covered a lot of interesting places. I liked the fact that you could go from running down sand dunes in the…
-
4 myths about true love from our favourite Christmas movies
fWe love Christmas movies as much as the next wide-eyed believer. But boy, do they peddle some dodgy myths about romance. Even the gritter end of festive flicks (hello, Die Hard and Long Kiss Goodnight) find happiness in a finale kiss, as if Christmas were one long competition with coupledom the prize. Not only that,…
-
8 group travel tips every introvert needs to know
If you think that group travel isn’t for the quiet, reflective type, think again The idea of group travel can be intimidating to introverts, who, as inward-looking and reflective people, often feel overwhelmed by spending too much time with others. As natural listeners, introverts prefer to think before they speak and can find talking in front…
-
Men, this is why you should travel solo on a group adventure
Flashpacker Tony Stevens (below) recently joined our hiking adventure in Nepal, and is now a firm convert of solo travel with a group of strangers. Here, he explains why other men like him should jump on the bandwagon too Men aren’t as brave as we’d have everyone believe (a poorly kept secret I know). We…
-
4 cool destinations to put on your solo travel hit list
On the lookout for cool destinations for solo travel? We’ve got your back Forget gin: solo travel is the tonic of the modern age, fuelling you in a way that no amount of booze could do justice to. Travelling alone builds resilience and self-belief, letting you be who you want to be. It’s a great…
-
Why your 30s are prime time to seek out adventure and risk
In our 20s, we’re encouraged to roam free and do as we please. Go wild! the message from society reads. Backpack the world! Get that burning desire for more out of your system! But venture into the 30s, and we’re suddenly expected to put the brakes on that wayward streak. Mortgages, promotions and stability are…
-
Why people who live single are often the least selfish of us all
With more and more people flying solo around the world, being single has evolved from a life stage to a state of being. Increasingly, it’s something that people are actively seeking out, as a means of finding fulfilment and purpose. Read more: Can adventure help you live longer? And yet, a common myth persists: that…
-
How to drink with strangers: bartenders share their tips
Most solo travellers will agree that the most awkward time of any trip is the evenings. The galleries are closed, you’ve done 17 laps of the open-top tour bus, there are no more ‘activities’ to occupy you, and you begin to wonder: what would I do if my friends were here? But this shouldn’t be…
-
14 secrets of a kick-ass digital nomad
Dream of becoming a digital nomad? It’s easy to romanticise the idea of working aboard. Say the words “location independent” and images of a hip coffee shop somewhere in downtown Buenos Aires spring to mind, or hazy days spent by a palapa hut on a remote Keralan beach. The reality, of course, is rather different.…
-
Can being single help you live longer?
Anyone who’s ever been single in their 30s and 40s will be familiar with the titled head gaze. The domain of well-meaning relatives, this time-honoured gesture is often accompanied by the words, “Shouldn’t you be settling down by now?” (Side note – never feel obliged to do anything that starts with the word “should”). What…
-
Why do we idolise ‘The One’? Friends are far more valuable
There’s a beautiful moment in the film About A Boy when it suddenly dawns on teenager Marcus that he and his single mum need the support of their community. “Suddenly I realized; two people isn’t enough,” he says. “You need backup. If you’re only two people, and someone drops off the edge, then you’re on your own. Two isn’t a large enough number. You need three at least.” In…
-
What is social anxiety and how can you tackle it?
Social anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues; around 12% of us will suffer from it over the course of a lifetime. According to the NHS, it means having “a long-lasting and overwhelming fear of social situations”, as well as “a persistent fear of negative evaluation by others” that often begins in teenage…