Many people put off their travel dreams until they find someone they can travel with. We make excuses and put off life-changing trips for ‘one day’ in the future. The honest truth is, a solo trip is probably one of the best investments in yourself that you can make. Sure. The idea of sitting alone in a buzzing restaurant for dinner while everyone’s socializing may sound terrifying. But it doesn’t have to be. Also, with the no. of blogs on the internet (because everyone’s a blogger) and the probability of you knowing someone who has already been to a destination, there’s far fewer unknowns. Here are the most common fears about traveling solo and how to tackle them.
TRIP PLANNING
Trip planning often sounds like a stressful burden and not a vacation when you have to do it all alone, especially with the pandemic and ever-changing requirements. In today’s online world though, there’s an incredible wealth of information on the internet and a high probability of you knowing someone (or someone who knows someone) who has already been to a destination. So you don’t really need to go to great lengths when planning your trip. There are so many travel bloggers who share their day to day itineraries and detail everything from the hotel they stayed at, the transport they took, what they saw and where they went to eat. There’s a million of these kinds of blogs and people also travel differently. Some people prefer luxury while others prefer staying in hostels. I always research and follow bloggers whose personalities and styles I resonate with, and go with some of their suggestions.
There are also plenty of travel forums and groups on Facebook especially for solo female travelers, where people are incredibly helpful and give you up-to-date advice. Of course, you can always hire a reputable travel agency who can design your itinerary including airline, hotels, and activities based on your preferences. As one of my friends would put it, ‘throw money at the problem’.
Useful websites and Facebook (FB) groups for the ladies: wearetravelgirls.com, and on FB: Girls Love Travel, Travelettes, Girls vs Globe.
Tip: Always make sure to check both your country’s and your destination’s official tourism websites before you travel. Sherpa is an incredibly useful website as well to find the latest travel and health requirements for your trip depending on your nationality, vaccination status, and itinerary.
SAFETY
Some people may think that solo travel is dangerous. But if you just take precautions, avoid being an obvious or distracted tourist, and travel with a healthy dose of suspicion, you can avoid being at risk.
First of all, never keep your money or valuable items in your checked luggage as luggage theft can easily happen even if you’ve invested in the most sophisticated travel locks. Take a picture of your luggage once you’re done packing. If your luggage is unfortunately lost or stolen, you will find it much easier to submit a thorough report as the bag will be much easier to describe and having the image will help jog your memory as you fill out the airline claim forms or police report. Make sure to always keep an eye on your belongings in busy areas. Travel light and leave behind any expensive jewelry.
Also, make sure to hide your items in different places, not all in one stash. When sitting in restaurants or cafes, don’t just put your bag on the table or chair as thieves can easily snatch it, even in the fanciest of places. Research the ‘safe’ areas of the destinations you’re going to and save the local emergency numbers on your phone. Make it a habit to update family and friends back home about your itinerary. Talk over your plans with your concierge before you head out, especially at night. If a situation or conversation doesn't feel right, leave. Always better to be safe than sorry.
LONELINESS & BOREDOM
There’s a certain social stigma that going on a solo trip means you couldn’t find a plus 1 to go with you. One of the first questions that friends often ask when I say I’m traveling is ‘Who are you going with?’. When I reply saying I’m going alone, I usually get a ‘Wow, that’s so brave of you. I could never do that’. One would think that I was climbing Everest. If I let those kinds of statements bother me, I would probably never end up traveling at all. So you need to care less about what other people think of you. Easier said in writing I know, but it’s true. The beauty about traveling solo is that there’s no one to answer to but you! You don’t need to worry about accommodating others’ preferences if you have particular interests that they don’t share. For example, one of the first things I like to do when traveling is to visit the national museum which others may not find as equally exciting.
I would suggest coming up with a basic itinerary so that you have some sort of structure to look forward to. For example, if you like going to museums, pick a couple to visit. If there’s any attractions you want to see, get tickets. I love watching performances such as Broadway, comedy acts, jazz bands, and opera which are all fun solo activities that keep you engaged. Once you have a rough idea of what you’ll be doing and when, you can then do whatever else you feel like doing or wander around and discover.
You can also book tours because they’re a great way to learn about a place and meet new people. Every time I’ve booked a tour, I’ve made friends that I’ve sometimes hung out with after the tour, even in other destinations! Find out if any friends live in your destination or ask them to connect you with others they know there. Finally, I would also make it a habit to stay in touch with friends and family back home to avoid loneliness, but also make the conscious effort to put away my phone, which can be a distraction.
DINING ALONE
Table for 1. Three words that I know bring a lot of people anxiety and who would actually opt to stay hungry because they don’t want other diners or restaurant staff to judge them. I’ve been there. But the reality is, no one really cares and you most certainly shouldn’t. A few ways around that would be to sit by the bar instead of a table. You can ask the bartender if they can recommend something to order, and strike up a conversation. Another tip would be to eat lunches instead of dinners. You get better deals anyway especially during workdays as many restaurants, particularly the fine-dining ones, offer business lunches with their most popular meals at a fraction of the price. You can also go at off-peak times so that the places won’t be too crowded.
Carry a book or a magazine with you to keep you entertained instead of staring at your phone. I would also recommend looking up any cooking classes or signing up for a food tour. You’ll then have the opportunity to try different local foods you probably wouldn’t know of while meeting other people at the same time.
EXPENSIVE
Obviously the more people traveling, the more you save because you’re splitting costs of hotel rooms, taxis, meals etc. But there are ways to minimize your costs. First of all, you can travel in the off-season. If you’re flexible with your vacation days, you’d be amazed at how much cheaper weekdays or certain times can be depending on your destination. If you’re completely flexible with dates, use the 'whole month' search tool instead of specific dates to find the cheapest day to travel to your chosen destination. Take public transportation instead of taxis or UBERs.
Stay in a single room which can often be much smaller with barely enough square footage for you and your suitcase, but you’ll be spending most of your time outside anyway. I also would skip the hotel breakfast which saves plenty. Instead, you can find a nearby bakery or supermarket to pick up a much cheaper meal from. Also, if you want to see a show or performance like Broadway, you can usually find much cheaper tickets if you’re booking for that 1 seat only.
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.
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