We are so excited to share another inspiring story from a wonderful traveler, Bianca Caruana aka The Altruistic Traveller!

She recently published her book Soul Truth 🍃 and it is an inspiration for women who are looking to take that leap and embark on an adventure outside of their comfort zones.

👩‍💻 Keep reading to find out more about it!

Q&A with Bianca

Please tell us in a short paragraph about you

I am an Australian-Maltese blogger, podcast host and first-time author, specializing in stories that ignite inspiration surrounding compassion, spirituality and sustainability. Since 2015, I have been writing about sustainable tourism and journeys of growth on my blog, The Altruistic Traveller. I have also been featured in journalism publications like the Independent Australia, Matador Network and The Huffington Post. I continue to carry a passion for sharing voices and stories that shape our future for the better.

Bianca Caruana The altruistic traveler — “Tiika blessing in Nepal” by Bianca Caruana

How did the idea of writing your book come about?

2022 was the seven year anniversary of my blog, The Altruistic Traveller. After reflecting on all the writing I had done since 2015, I felt it was time to write an ode to that period of my life. One evening, a few months after I had made the decision to leave my hometown of Sydney, Australia, and relocate to Malta, I had a strong message to start this book - as if it was always meant to be, but was waiting for the right time. In many ways, writing the book was a cathartic process for me that brought about deep healing from a period of my life that shaped the woman I am today.

What have you found to be the most challenging thing about writing a book?

Writing this book certainly required a lot of discipline and focus. I intentionally created the mental and physical space to be able to tap into creative flow. That meant saying no to things that took my energy away from the book and somewhat isolating myself in a quiet studio apartment to find the stillness for deep reflection. Editing the book was more challenging that writing it. The writing process is the fun part. Editing those words and reliving moments of my life with an alternative perspective was challenging but also healing. I wanted to hug the younger version of myself who lived all those moments and tell her that everything was going to work out fine.

Bianca Caruana blog — “Learning about Buddhist teahings with monk in Nepal” by Bianca Caruana

What do you want women to get from your book?

I believe every woman will absorb this book in their own special way, just like how we all see the world through our own unique perspective. I do hope the book offers some inspiration for those women who are not yet ready to take that leap into the unknown; those who feel stagnant in a career, a relationship, a lifestyle. I hope my words offer the ability for the reader to self-reflect and gain perspective on the next steps they may want to take to live a life guided by their most inner truth.

How did you decide to focus on sustainable tourism?

It was important to me that parts of the book contained the same kind of advocacy that is prevalent in my blog. I didn’t want to focus too generally on the times I backpacked through Southeast Asia, but rather include the stories of the people I met along the way and how they are committed to social and environmental impact. The book shares ways that travelers can not only embrace their journeys out into the world, but have a positive impact while doing so.

The altruistic traveler blog — “Planting trees Indonesia” by Bianca Caruana

Any tips or recommendations for female travelers?

I’d say when you have that calling to go to a place, listen to your intuition. I believe places call to us. I believe in the signs that guide us to where we ought to be going. The world is a beautiful and vast place not to be feared. I have grown so much as a woman since I started traveling. And rest-assured, even I started slowly. I remember the first time I went overseas I was homesick and returned to Australia. Now, I can spend months traveling without a plan. I just listen to my intuition and where it guides me. If my intuition is telling me to stay still, that’s OK too. It would take lifetimes to see the whole world. Don’t make a destination an accomplishment to increase your country count. Go to the places that call to your soul.

What do you think women need to be motivated to start traveling?

Our motivations are all very unique. I’d intuitively guess that many of us share some of the same hesitations though: is it safe? What will my family/friends think? Am I going against the status quo? Am I too old/young? I think many of these aspects are limiting beliefs that come from the way we perceive others’ expectations of us - whether that be societal expectations, the expectations of our loved ones. Those expectations - whether they are true or mere perceptions - can limit us from making decisions aligned with our inner truth. When it comes to safety - that’s another story. As women, we need to feel safe and so that’s why I advocate so strongly for female-led travel communities like Greether who are making it easier for women to feel safe on their travels.

Bianca Caruana travel blog — “homestay with Ani in Nepal” by Bianca Caruana

What benefits have you had when traveling?

Meeting incredible people. There is a beauty that can unfold when we open our hearts to others and allow ourselves to connect with one another. Most of my international community are people I have met on my travels. Sometimes, we’re told in order to keep safe we must shut ourselves away from the world. But then we build walls around us and can live a very siloed existence. Deep down we all crave connection and, for me, travel has helped me connect with so many people from all around the world, which in turn fosters empathy.