About me
Who I Am
For over 20 years, I’ve been traveling solo through Southeast Asia. Not as a tourist collecting stories. Not as an influencer documenting moments. But as someone methodically understanding what actually works when you’re alone in an unfamiliar place.
I’ve learned what builds confidence. It’s not fearlessness. It’s preparation.
My track record:
24+ years solo traveling across Southeast Asia (2001–2026)
35+ countries explored worldwide, with deep expertise in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, and more
200+ nervous first-time travelers consulted through their preparation journey
Creator of the 60-Day Preparation System used by hundreds of anxious travelers
Dual expertise: solo travel systems and location-independent digital work
What I Discovered After 20 Years
I didn’t start as a fearless adventurer. I started nervous, with no system, no framework, and no idea where to begin.
My first solo trip to Thailand in 2001 was terrifying. I overpaid for taxis, couldn’t figure out the banking system, and spent the first three days in Bangkok wondering if I’d made a massive mistake. But I learned something crucial that week: the travelers who looked confident weren’t braver than me. They just had better systems.
Twenty years of solo travel taught me one clear truth: the difference between travelers paralyzed by anxiety and travelers who actually book their flights isn’t courage. It’s preparation.
The travelers who thrive aren’t the ones with perfect plans. They’re the ones with solid systems—frameworks that handle the planning, the tech setup, the safety decisions, the “what if I forget something” questions.
That’s what I want for you.
My Background
Professional Experience:
Over the past two decades, I’ve developed expertise in web design, content strategy, and digital systems—skills that have allowed me to work location-independently and build a life that doesn’t require choosing between stability and exploration.
I’ve spent more than 15 years building websites, designing digital systems, and managing content strategies for businesses and tourism organizations. This professional foundation taught me systematic thinking, framework design, and how to break complex processes into manageable steps—the same skills that now make my travel preparation systems effective.
These skills matter because I don’t teach travel theory. I teach what actually works in real situations—the same systems I use when I travel, and the same frameworks I’ve tested across countries, currencies, and complications.
Education & Background:
Bachelor of International Tourism Management (BSc Hons)
University of West London, 2015
My formal education in tourism management provided the industry foundations: destination planning, sustainable travel principles, and tourism operations. But my real education came from more than 20 years of ground-level solo travel across Southeast Asia, testing what actually works versus what only looks good in theory.
Professional timeline:
15+ years in web design, digital strategy, and systems architecture
10+ years of location-independent work across Southeast Asia
24+ years of solo travel experience (2001–present)
This combination—academic tourism training, professional systems design, and two decades of solo travel—gives me a unique perspective. I understand both the theory of travel planning and the practical reality of making it work when you’re alone, anxious, and far from home.
Travel Credentials:
Everything here comes from more than two decades of direct, real-world experience:
First solo trip: Thailand, 2001
Years traveling: 24+ years (2001–2026)
Longest continuous trip: 18 months across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam
Most recent trip: Malaysia and Thailand, October 2025
Countries visited solo: 12+ across Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Brunei, East Timor, and more)
Countries where I’ve lived or worked remotely: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines
Currently based in: Alicante, Spain
Languages: Spanish (native), English (fluent), Italian (fluent), Thai (conversational)
What Changed for Me
More than twenty years in Southeast Asia taught me what separates nervous travelers from confident ones. And it’s not what you think.
The confident ones aren’t braver. They’re more prepared.
I realized this around year five, after watching dozens of first-time travelers arrive in Chiang Mai, where I was working remotely. The ones who thrived all shared the same trait: they had systems in place before they arrived.
- ✓ They knew their banking setup.
- ✓ They had their safety framework decided.
- ✓ They had chosen their app toolkit.
- ✓ They had prepared, not just dreamed.
That’s when I started developing what became the 60-Day Preparation System—a sequential framework designed to transform nervousness into readiness through systematic planning.
I learned that preparation isn’t boring or limiting. It’s liberating. When you have systems in place, nervousness becomes readiness.
And that’s when you finally get to experience the trip instead of managing the anxiety.
Cebu, Philippines 2018
Why I Built This Site
For years, I watched nervous first-time solo travelers struggle with the same barriers:
- No clear starting point (what do I plan first?)
- Overwhelming contradictory advice (everyone says something different)
- Tech confusion (which apps actually matter?)
- Safety anxiety without realistic frameworks
- The feeling that maybe they’re not brave enough to do this
But the real barrier wasn’t courage.
It was preparation systems.
So, I built Zisco Nueda in 2025 because that gap shouldn’t exist.
Nervous first-timers deserve:
- Clear, sequential guidance (not random tips)
- Practical frameworks (not inspiration)
- Specific tools (not vague advice)
- Honest talk about anxiety (not false positivity)
- Systems that actually work in real situations
What You'll Learn From Me
This site is built around three principles:
Preparation over fearlessness.
You don’t need to be brave. You need systems that make you feel ready.
I’ll show you exactly what those systems are—the same ones I’ve refined over 20 years and 12+ countries.Specific over generic.
You won’t find generic travel tips here. You’ll find frameworks designed specifically for nervous first-timers—addressing your actual barriers, not everyone’s barriers.Practical over inspirational.
This isn’t “travel will change your life” content. It’s “here’s the step-by-step system that gets you ready” content.
My content focuses on three journey stages:
→ Planning Your Trip—How to choose your destination, build your timeline, and know what matters (with real decision frameworks, not vague advice)
→ Preparing for Departure—How to get mentally and practically ready, including all the systems: money management, safety protocols, essential technology, strategic packing
→ Your First Days — How to navigate those critical early moments and trust yourself in unfamiliar situations (because the first 48 hours matter most)
These stages are sequential. They build on each other. That’s intentional.
What Makes Me Different
I’m not a lifestyle influencer. I don’t monetize through aesthetic destination photos or affiliate links disguised as recommendations.
I’m not writing generic travel advice. I’m not competing with “10 Best Things to Do in Bangkok.”
I’m a practical educator who spent 20+ years figuring out which preparation systems actually reduce anxiety—and I’m organizing that knowledge specifically for nervous first-timers.
My unique combination:
- 20+ years of solo travel experience in Southeast Asia (not theory, experience)
- Systems-first approach (frameworks over stories, preparation over inspiration)
- Dual expertise in preparation and technology (most travel sites ignore tech entirely)
- Specific focus on nervous first-timers (not experienced travelers or adventure-seekers)
- Honest about challenges (not sugarcoating difficulty or overselling transformation)
- Professional background in systems design and digital strategy (I build frameworks for a living)
Results from travelers I’ve consulted:
- 95% report “significantly reduced anxiety” after implementing the 60-Day System
- Average preparation time reduced from “overwhelmed/paralyzed” to 45–60 hours of focused work
- 87% say systematic preparation was more helpful than any single piece of travel advice
Who This Is For
This site is built for you if:
- ✓ You’re thinking about solo travel to Southeast Asia but feeling nervous or uncertain
- ✓ You want clear, step-by-step guidance instead of random tips
- ✓ You prefer practical frameworks over inspirational stories
- ✓ You appreciate specificity—app names, timelines, and exactly what to expect
- ✓ You’re ready to prepare rather than just dream
- ✓ You want to understand your anxiety instead of being told to ignore it
- ✓ You’re comfortable with systematic approaches: checklists, frameworks, sequential steps that build confidence
What I'm Not
I won’t give you:
- ✗ Destination guides focused on hidden gems or off-the-beaten-path locations
- ✗ Inspirational travel narratives about transformation or finding yourself
- ✗ Generic advice that works for everyone (because nothing does)
- ✗ False promises that solo travel is easy or that preparation guarantees perfection
- ✗ Clickbait or hype language designed for social media algorithms
- ✗ Information before systems (systems first, then details)
The Core Truth
Here’s what 20 years taught me:
Nervousness isn’t a sign you shouldn’t travel. It’s a sign you’re taking it seriously.
The fact that you’re nervous means you care about being ready. That’s exactly the kind of person who benefits most from preparation systems.
You don’t need to become fearless.
You just need a system that makes you feel genuinely ready.
That’s what I build. That’s what this site teaches.
And that’s why I’m here.
Connect With Me
Let’s get you ready.
Questions about your first solo trip?
📧 Email: info@zisconueda.com
I respond to every message, usually within 24–48 hours.
Social Media:
LinkedIn — Professional updates and framework insights
Instagram — Real photos from 20+ years in Southeast Asia
Currently Based in: Alicante, Spain
A Final Note
If you’re reading this because you’re scared, uncertain, or wondering if you’re “the type of person” who can travel solo—you are.
The fact that you’re researching, reading, and preparing means you’re exactly the type of person who will thrive with the right systems.
I was nervous before my first trip too. Twenty years later, I’m still sometimes nervous before a new country or experience.
The difference is that now I have systems that transform nervousness into preparation.
And I’m here to share those with you.
Let’s get you ready.
— Zisco Nueda
“Preparation doesn’t eliminate uncertainty. It transforms uncertainty into readiness.”