Eloping with Myself for 61 Days: A Solo Travel Guide to Georgia, Armenia & Beyond (Finale)

Meta Description: Solo travel for 61 days across 6 countries? Read this deep guide covering Georgia, Armenia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia & Serbia. Visas, costs, SIM cards, and insider tips for your own adventure.

Introduction: Why I Gave Myself a 61-Day Solo Birthday Gift

It's been three weeks since I returned home. To be honest, I'm not usually the type to write travel guides — I always felt that the small, fragile moments and messy struggles on the road were best digested alone. But after relentless persuasion from friends, I finally decided to type out, word by word, the experience of wandering solo for 61 days.

No flowery language. No over-filtered photos. Just real footprints and heartbeats.

I love travel. I love the grounded feeling of stepping onto unfamiliar soil, and even more, I love peeling back the surface layer of every country and city to see what history and culture lie beneath. This journey was a birthday gift to myself — on the night of August 25, I dragged my suitcase into a taxi heading to the airport, excitement and anxiety twisting together like two ropes, making my heart race.

Total time: August 26 — October 26, 2018, exactly 61 days
Total route: Georgia → Armenia → Hungary → Croatia → Bosnia and Herzegovina → Serbia
Total cost: Approximately 20,000 RMB (including about 7,000 RMB for three flights and visa fees)

If you also have a restless heart, or are planning your own journey far from home, I hope this guide becomes a small light on your departure road.

Pre-Departure Essentials: Visas, Flights, Accommodation & SIM Cards

Visa Requirements for Solo Travelers in the Caucasus & Balkans

Schengen Visa
I applied through a travel agency on Fliggy (Beijing Fuguo You International Travel Agency Store), with a service fee of 599 RMB (including 200 RMB express fee), plus 50 RMB for insurance (an extra 10 RMB per day for applications over 20 days). The visa fee of over 600 RMB was paid on-site at the visa center. Processing took 7 business days — fairly efficient.

Croatia Entry Requirements
Here's a key point: you must hold a valid Schengen visa with two or more entries to enter Croatia. Before departure, I wasn't entirely sure I'd go to Croatia, but to be safe, I squeezed a Croatian itinerary into my travel plan to secure a double-entry visa. On the road, I met a fellow Chinese traveler who was turned away at the Croatian border because of a single-entry Schengen visa. I still remember that helpless expression.

Georgia e-Visa for Chinese Citizens
The visa website supports Chinese and is easy to use. If you hold a valid US or Schengen visa, you can enter visa-free. They say multiple-entry visas from Japan or South Korea also work — I have a five-year Korean visa, but many guides mentioned that border crossing can be tricky, so I played it safe and applied for the e-visa. It costs $20 USD. I paid with my China Guangfa Bank VISA card and didn't encounter the payment issues some people complain about online. Processing took 5 business days. Remember to print it out and carry it with you.

Armenia Visa on Arrival
I took an overnight train from Tbilisi to Yerevan. Around 1 a.m., we got off the train. The customs officer asked a few simple questions: "What are you here for?" "Tourism." "How long?" "About five days." "I'll give you a 21-day visa." — Just like that. Paid 20 Lari (less than 60 RMB), took my passport to the next room for a stamp, and went back to sleep on the train.

Bosnia & Herzegovina & Serbia
Visa-free for Chinese passport holders. I traveled by bus the whole way. The staff took my passport, returned it after a while, and I didn't need to fill out any forms.

Booking Flights for a Multi-Country Trip

I booked everything on Fliggy for one simple reason: no hidden fees, the lowest prices after comparison, and I could use Taobao points to get a 50 RMB coupon.

• Beijing → Tbilisi
• Batumi → Budapest
• Belgrade → Beijing

[Link: How to find cheap flights for multi-country solo travel]

Accommodation Choices for Budget Solo Travel

I booked everything through Booking.com. Most of the time I stayed in hostels — unless the destination had no hostels at all, in which case I chose guesthouses. I'll go into detail about each place later, but overall, it's more suited to a backpacker's taste.

SIM Cards: Country-by-Country Guide

Georgia: Bought a MAGTI SIM card at the airport. 7GB of data for 40 Lari. The staff set everything up for me, even neatly taping my Chinese SIM card onto a piece of paper.

Armenia: Went to a Beeline store. 1.5GB of data for about 20 RMB.

Hungary + Croatia: Bought a European SIM card on Taobao before leaving. Didn't need to turn on 4G — the speed was fast anyway. It even worked during a layover in Turkey. The validity could be extended to 30 days.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Bought a DOPUNA card at a newsstand for 4 Convertible Marks (16 RMB). Turns out it only worked for calls, not data. After some trial and error, I figured it out: call a local number to activate the card → go to a newsstand to top up → dial *100# and follow the prompts to select a plan (3 Marka for 5 days/3GB, 3.5 Marka for 7 days/1GB) → restart your phone, and you're online. After using up 1GB, I topped up another 3 Marka at a store in Sarajevo.

Serbia: Bought a 7-day unlimited data card at a VIP store for 300 Serbian Dinars (about 20 RMB). There's one on the main street of Knez Mihailova, and you can also find them at newsstands.

Essential Apps for Solo Travel in Eastern Europe & the Balkans

I use a Huawei phone. Some apps weren't downloaded from the official store, so the versions were low and some features didn't work. Before you leave, I recommend installing all necessary apps from Google Play.

Google Maps: My main navigation tool for transportation, but it occasionally had inaccurate positioning in the Caucasus region. Don't blindly follow it — use your judgment.

Yandex.Taxi: A ride-hailing app that works in both Georgia and Armenia. I didn't use it in Georgia because public transport was convenient, but I used it three times in Armenia. The positioning was generally accurate, and I didn't need to talk to the driver — just check the license plate and get in. But it can malfunction in areas with poor signal on mountains. If you call a car and it doesn't move, ask a local to help you call the driver.

Maps.me: Download offline maps for emergencies when there's no signal. I usually used it alongside Google Maps.

GoEuro: For checking European train and bus tickets. But maybe due to version issues, the search results weren't very accurate, so I used it sparingly.

FlixBus: A German bus company that regularly offers discounted tickets — very cheap. Just show the QR code; no need to print. It includes one free piece of luggage; I stuffed in two without extra charge. The downside is that schedules in some countries aren't great.

Moovit: For checking bus routes and schedules in Bosnia and Serbia. Note: manually change the location when switching cities. Schedules aren't always reliable, especially for evening routes.

GetByBus: For checking buses in Croatia and Bosnia. I only used it as a search tool — once I found a result, I went to the station and said, "I want a ticket for the bus at [time]." It doesn't include luggage fees; you pay separately on board.

Google Translate: Essential for communication. In Georgia and Armenia, if translating into the local language doesn't work, try translating into Russian — many locals speak it. In Bosnia, you can translate into Bosnian.

Zhihu: A good tool for learning about a country's history and culture before you go. For deeper dives, search in multiple directions.

[Link: Best travel apps for solo backpackers in 2024]

Georgia + Armenia: Days and Nights in the Caucasus

Day 1: Beijing → Tbilisi (August 26, 2018)

I flew with Air Astana, with a 3-hour layover in Astana before heading to Tbilisi. I originally wanted to book a 10-hour layover to take advantage of Kazakhstan's 72-hour visa-free policy and explore, but the ticket price went up just before I bought it.

About the transfer process: For connecting flights, simply follow the transit signs. No additional visa needed for the layover.

Frequently Asked Questions About Solo Travel to Georgia & Armenia

1. Is it safe for a solo female traveler in Georgia and Armenia?

Yes, both countries are generally safe for solo female travelers. Locals are helpful, and public transportation is reliable. However, always practice common sense — avoid walking alone late at night in unfamiliar areas, and keep valuables secure.

2. How much money do I need for 61 days across 6 countries?

I spent approximately 20,000 RMB total, including flights (about 7,000 RMB for three flights and visa fees). That's roughly 325 RMB per day for accommodation, food, transport, and activities. Budget travelers can replicate this by staying in hostels and using buses.

3. Do I need a visa for Armenia if I enter by train from Georgia?

Yes, but it's easy. You get a visa on arrival at the border when taking the overnight train from Tbilisi to Yerevan. The cost is 20 Lari (about 60 RMB), and the process takes just a few minutes. The customs officer will ask basic questions like your purpose and length of stay.

4. What's the best way to get a SIM card in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Buy a DOPUNA card at a newsstand for 4 Convertible Marks (16 RMB). Then call a local number to activate it, go to a newsstand to top up, dial *100# and follow the prompts to select a data plan. A 7-day/1GB plan costs 3.5 Marka. Restart your phone after setup.

5. Can I use a single-entry Schengen visa to enter Croatia?

No. Croatia requires a valid Schengen visa with two or more entries. If you only have a single-entry visa, you will be turned away at the border. Plan your itinerary to include a double-entry visa application if Croatia is on your list.

Conclusion: Your Solo Adventure Awaits

Sixty-one days. Six countries. One suitcase. Countless memories.

This journey taught me that solo travel isn't about being alone — it's about being open. Open to new faces, unexpected detours, and the quiet thrill of discovering yourself in a foreign land. From the cobblestone streets of Tbilisi to the ancient monasteries of Armenia, from the Danube riverbanks of Budapest to the war-scarred beauty of Sarajevo, every step was a gift I gave myself.

Now it's your turn.

Ready to plan your own solo escape? Start with the visa checklist, book that first flight, and trust the road to guide you. Whether you're eloping with yourself for 61 days or just a weekend, the world is waiting.

Pin this guide for later, share it with a friend who needs a push, and leave a comment below — I'd love to hear about your own solo travel dreams!