Traveling by yourself can be one of the most exhilarating and eye-opening experiences that you’ll ever have in your life. With preparation and an amount of careful planning, you will be reaping the rewards of your lone travel escapades for a lifetime. With solo travel, adventure awaits around every corner, new friends and acquaintances are to be made at every opportunity, and the blissful solitude that comes with experiencing the world through your own unsullied eyes with no one telling you how you should feel are just some of the many merits.
See the article 11 Travel Bloggers Share the Joy of Solo Travel.
If these are the experiences you are yearning for, what are you waiting for?
Start planning now for that first trip alone. It’s not as easy as it sounds though and planning such an adventure can be daunting in itself. Research your travel destinations, learn about public transportation, get advice and travel tips from other solo female travelers, check out walking tours and excursions, and start to save money for that first time adventure of a lifetime.
While you are still in the planning stages, there are a few considerations that can make or break your quest of self-discovery, some of which include:
Safety and Solo Travel
If you are truly going to be traveling alone, there will be no one looking out for you except you. There will be no one to truly trust except for yourself. Let your basest of instincts be your guide. If someone, something, or somewhere doesn’t feel right then it’s time to move on. How fast you move on will depend on the seriousness of the situation. Again, let your instinct be your guide and more importantly, do your best not to stand out. Blending in is even more important when travelling alone so leave the fanny packs and Mickey Mouse t-shirts at home. If you stand out as being a lonesome tourist, you paint a target on yourself for opportunistic locals of every variety.
Another important consideration especially for the solo party goer abroad, if you only trust yourself, getting yourself back to your hotel after a long night of partying can hold many dangers. It’s not just people trying to take advantage of your potentially impaired state you have to worry about, simple infrastructure failures can be easily overlooked even if you have your wits about you.
Tip: Use this opportunity to meet fellow travelers but always use common sense when it comes to safety.
Traveling with Confidence on the Road Alone
You took this plunge into solo travel for a reason so, stick to it. There will be times when you will feel daunted, confused and alone but remember, everything you came to see does not require there to be anyone with you for you to get your fullest enjoyment out of it. Don’t be afraid to be ambitious. Don’t be afraid to be impulsive. Don’t be afraid to change your plans on a whim. You are doing this for you and you alone. You are the master of this trip and only you can decide what is best and what is the right move so don’t let anyone else make decisions for you.
Having confidence in your decision-making is key. If you have the right attitude, you’ll have ideas that you’ll have thoroughly researched and you’ll be able to see your budding plans right through to fruition and trust me – it will feel good when this begins to happen. As long as you know your limitations, if any, you can be confident that whatever you do, wherever you go and whomever you meet, your solo adventure will be the trip of a lifetime.
Read more about solo holidays:
– Memories of The Way We Were – Palau de la Musica, Barcelona
– 10 Best Places to Travel Alone
– How to Travel Alone. Solo Travel. What you Need to Know
– 9 Tips for Simply Uncomplicated Solo Vacations
I’ve traveled solo a lot in the US, but took my first two solo international trips less than a year ago. I generally don’t participate in the local night life, but I was in Jamaica for the Bob Marley 70th Birthday Bash. I really wanted to go, so I hired a young man who worked at my hotel to escort me.