First, we must ask ourselves the most important question : Why on Earth do such a thing as travel solo?
Your friends will probably not get it. Your parents will definitely not get it. Your cat will look at you, blank as usual when you announce you are gonna travel by yourself.
For me it is the best cause you can do absolutely anything you want, whenever you want and however you please. No compromises. Second most important reason is that you get to meet a lot more new people. Both travellers and locals alike. Now heres my favourite part, if you meet some cool travellers and get along really well, you can travel around with them for a while. When you want to head out again, you can simply leave with no hard feelings.
All said and done, solo travel is not for everyone. Some people are just not equipped to being by all alone by themselves in general let alone in a new place. I am not here to convince you to travel solo. I am here to help you get started on an adventure that is all yours and unique.
First step is choosing the destination and there are so many interesting places to choose from, it can get overwhelming. It is important to slow down and understand your pace. Have you never travelled alone before ? Is this your first time leaving your country ? How long should you plan ?
Think it through and start small till you get comfortable. Once you feel you are ready, book your flights was soon as possible for a price you can afford and secure your visa.
I like to use skyscanner.com and makemytrip.com the most. As for the location, do your research before running off to some random country. Here’s a list of my favourite destinations that might help you choose.
Book your return tickets, your first accommodation and a car to drop you there from the airport and then plan ahead. I have seen many people struggle with their bookings made in advance, especially if they are non-refundable. I cannot predict every single detail of my trip no matter how well I plan it. What if I don’t like the hostel or the people or maybe go somewhere else or stay in one place more ? Keeping your bookings flexible helps.
Travel Tip 1 : Print everything out and keep everything together in a secure file. Keep your passport on your person at all times and guard it with your life. Heres a link to the sleek waist pouch I use : http://amzn.to/3bm2hjB
Travel Tip 2 : Write down hotel name / phone number / address where you will be staying the first night. Just in case something doesn’t work out according to the plan.
One thing I learned from my first trip was the art of travelling light. Trust me, you will be grateful you did. It is amazing how little we actually need and use when we are on the road. Don’t carry things you can buy there, like toiletries or a bunch of options for shoes and clothes.
Travel tip 3 : Do your own laundry instead of paying insane amounts at the hotel. Most hostels have their own washing machines and they charge very less. Better yet, buy your own laundry detergent and use the hotel tub, bucket or sink. Another trick is to buy a few items of clothing locally instead of carrying a tons of them from home.
Currency : Very important to carry cash in the local currency, so make sure you arrange that before hand. Also, carry a Forex card. The combo of a Forex card and local currency is the best.
Travel tip 4: Keep a backup card and some money in your big backpack, just in case you manage to loose your card or your wallet altogether. Also, always check the atm and make sure you got your card back before leaving.
Travel Tip 5: Split up your cash and cards. I like to allocate daily budgets for each day and keep 2 days worth of cash and a card in my wallet. I hide the rest of my cash and extra cards in a mint box or my socks in at least two to three different spots to be safe from loss or theft. This is something I swear by and it also helps me avoid overspending.
Just for girls : If you are a single female traveller like me, here’s a few extra pointers that will help. One of the most common doubt is : Is it safe ?All you gotta remember is 99% of the time people are good and friendly and would help you out. I have hardly felt unsafe while travelling on my own. Use your common sense, dress appropriately, and take cues from the local women. Do not get drunk and wander off into dark alleys by yourself in the middle of the night and you should be fine. You can always make friends and ask other girls or groups to tag along if you don’t want to travel completely alone still. Finally, trust your instincts, learn the art of saying NO and have a good time.
One last tip : Local sim cards are available at every airport usually located right after the luggage belts. Buying it at the city is much cheaper compared to the airport, but this totally depends on your convenience. Also even though wifi is practically available everywhere nowadays, having a sim card with an internet connection can be extremely helpful. Unless you want to more adventurous, in which case more power to you.
A quick summary of this guide so you can have a checklist ready to glance at :
◦ Use www.skyscanner.com (pro tip: use incognito mode when booking your flights to avoid paying more.)
◦ Print out all your important travel documents and keep them ready in a file. (pro tip: Scan them and e-mail it to yourself to have access to them anytime, anywhere.
◦ Book your accommodation for the first night only, including airport pickup.
◦ Don’t pack too much stuff. (pro tip: avoid bulky clothing)
◦ Dress appropriate and cover up where necessary to stay friends with the locals.
◦ Get around 50 US$ worth of local currency before you travel.
◦ Bring a credit card and 2 debit cards
◦ Stay in hostels, homestays, AirBnBs or couch-surf if you want to meet new people.
Stay in a hotel if you don’t.
◦ Don’t research or plan too much. It will only get in your way - trust me on this!
◦ Don’t keep all your valuables in one place
◦ Bring 2 or 3 copies of your passport with you.
◦ Buy a local simcard at the airport if you can.
◦ Bring a smile and an open-mind and you will have an EPIC EXPERIENCE!
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