About Me

I’m here to help you travel like a pro.

Hi, I’m Cat. In 2021, I quit my 6-figure job in New York City to backpack around the world.

I’ve traveled to 60 countries and counting – more than half of them solo with a backpack – and plan to keep going until I run out of money.

Like the name of my website says, Cat is Out of the Office is all about being on vacation (currently on a 2-year career break), especially related to solo travel, solo female travel, long-term travel, and backpacking in your 30s (and beyond!). 

What you’ll get from me is the perspective of a solo female traveler who has learned how to backpack like a “grown-up.” And I don’t just mean a grown-up budget – I mean there are ways to travel the world on a budget without fully sacrificing the grown-up lifestyle you love.

Backpacking isn’t just for 20-year-old party animals, I promise!

If you’re looking for tips, tricks, and recommendations for exploring the world solo, even if you have a champagne taste on a beer budget, you’re in the right place. 

From destination guides to the ultimate packing list, the resources you need are here.

My Story

When I was 19, I transferred universities and moved from a small suburb of California to New York City. I went from living with my parents in a quiet town to living alone in a giant city where I didn’t know anyone.

After college, I started a career in Human Resources at a prestigious NYC hospital and was promoted 7 times in 12 years, starting first as an assistant and ending as a Director of HR Operations.

But after a challenging year of living and working in the COVID-19 epicenter of the United States, I decided to quit my job, give up my awesome Manhattan apartment, say goodbye to my amazing friends, pack a backpack, and travel around the world solo while living off of my savings. 

I didn’t want to wait until retirement to pursue my dreams. 

Backpacking Isn’t Just for Your 20s

The only backpacking trip I ever took before now was with a friend when I was 19 during the summer before my senior year of college, with just a couple thousand dollars saved from my high school job. 

We roamed around Europe for 6 weeks. It was our first time out of the country, and we did so many things wrong. My backpack was way too big and heavy, we spent very little time in places with hopes to check more places off our list, and didn’t have a clue how to plan a great trip.

But it didn’t matter, because we were on an incredible adventure, and loving every minute.

That was the only time I ever stayed in hostels before this trip. And I never thought I would do it again.

I’ll admit, once I started working, my vacations got a lot fancier. I worked very hard and spent a lot of money on epic vacations with friends. 

But when I decided to backpack solo around the world in my 30s, I knew that the only way I’d be able to afford it is to stay in hostel dorms. 

How could I go from luxury hotels with friends to budget dorm rooms with strangers? I had no idea, but I told myself that if sleeping in a dorm room was the hardest part of my day, then that was pretty amazing.

And I’ve found ways to make backpacking more “grown-up” so that I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing too many adult comforts.

If I can do it, you can too.

Traveling Solo Will Change You

My first solo trip was when I was 30. 

Although I had lived solo in NYC for 13 years, I had never gone on a trip alone.

After some truly spectacular vacations with friends, I got the itch to try traveling solo. Since then, in just a few years, I’ve been to more than 30 countries across 5 continents solo. 

Traveling solo is something I recommend everyone try at least once. It doesn’t have to be a crazy trip to a super faraway place. It can even be within your state if you want. But you should try it.

Solo travel teaches you more life skills than you could even imagine. You’ll gain confidence in your abilities and learn how to make good decisions, how to budget, and how to trust your gut. 

Walking into uncertain, unchartered situations will no longer scare you, but it will excite you. You’ll start seeing strangers as potential friends. And you’ll learn things about yourself that you never would have discovered at home.

You Can Do It, Too!

It doesn’t matter how much money you have. There are ways to travel on a tight budget, and ways to make backpacking fancy if you have money to spend. 

If you’re new to travel, there are places you can go that are great for first-time solo travelers. And if you’re an experienced, savvy traveler, there are unlimited adventures to be had. 

And no matter your age, you get to design your own experience and choose your own adventure. Your trip will be whatever you make of it. And there are ways to make it amazing!

It’s ok to be nervous – nerves are just a way for your body to tell you you’re excited. And you should be excited. 

Why I Blog

▶︎ To remind people stuck in the grind of life that the world is too big to go unexplored, and life is too short not to enjoy it

▶︎ To show people that you’re never too old and it’s never too late to change your path in life

▶︎ To inspire others to step outside their comfort zone, to explore incredible places

▶︎ To help travelers avoid the same mistakes I’ve made, and make all new mistakes of their own

▶︎ To empower people, especially women, not to wait for a partner or a friend to do the things they want to do 

▶︎ To remind me that there’s more than one right way to do life, and it’s ok if some people don’t understand