Solo traveling is a fun and inspiring way to discover yourself and reunite with nature.
For some people, the initial experience might be scary; however, with time, people embrace it and instead enjoy it.
Regardless of you traveling for work or fun, here are some tips to ensure your solo trip goes as planned with minimal inconveniences –
1. What to Pack
- Secure Money Locks
While traveling, you would have to carry a chunk of money around. Pouches made to carry cash like the money belts are a great option to choose from.
A money belt is a tiny, zippered fabric pouch that is fastened around the waist hidden under your pants or skirt. You wear it hidden from sight, under your clothes.
- Selfie stick/tripod Stand
Many people like documenting their trips using photos, and thus, a tripod is an absolute necessity. Tripods help avoid blur and your camera being out of focus or shaky shots.
Tripods are inexpensive and fit perfectly inside a travel backpack. A tripod stand is a must-have when you want some professional-level photography with your new DSLR or mirrorless.
Using a selfie stick might look obsolete these days, but they are incredibly useful when traveling alone. By extending the range between you and the camera, you would have some decent photos to flaunt about at the end of the trip.
- Handy First Aid Kit
Being a solo traveler, you need to have a first aid kit ready at your disposal. Ensure that you have all the required medications and prescriptions to avoid any unusual health complications.
Customize your first aid kit as per what you might need. Be sure to pack some multivitamins to help keep your immune system healthy when traveling.
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- Portable Battery Chargers
A portable external battery that comes with built-in charging cords for your phone can easily be your next most crucial gadget to own.
It would be a terrible decision to leave it behind. Be it traveling and sightseeing; you would surely be clicking pictures, using up your data to stay connected to social media, which would heavily tax your phone’s battery.
2. Always Stay Sharp
- Keeping Your Travel Documents Close
You must own photocopies of your passport, identification card, as-well-as names and numbers to all of your destination points.
It is advisable never to carry your original social security card or even your passport in your wallet, considering it comes with minimal security.
- Know Your Route
Always have a backup plan with you in case you get lost somewhere and cannot find your travel destination. It is still good to know your current location and the cost required to reach your desired destination.
Communicate with the locals to navigate your way around. It would help you stay away from wandering off too far from where you initially intended to visit.
3. Ensure Your Safety
- Be in touch With Family and Friends
While traveling solo, keeping your loved ones updated about your journey hardly takes time and is an essential thing to do.
Notify them about all the hotels you would be staying at and share your transportation departure and arrival times.
When traveling to multiple locations, inform your family or friends beforehand and tell them to anticipate a call from you in a couple of hours when you would arrive at your destination.
- Don’t Be a Miser While Traveling.
It is best if you don’t always seek the most affordable escape, or a trip into town, or city tour.
Safety must always be prioritized, and while most deals would probably be fine, try going with reputable companies whenever possible.
Take your friends’ advice from their word of mouth if they have visited that place in the past.
4. Interact and Socialize
- Befriend New People
You might encounter even more people around you who would be traveling solo. You can find some group message boards either on Couchsurfing or Facebook to help you connect with other like-minded travelers.
Post your plans there and see if any others are also passing through. If you’re open to lodging, it would be nice to consider staying at hostels with fellow solo travelers.
- Attend Happy Hour or Hotel Manager’s Receptions
There are some chains of hotels out there that offer happy hour and host Manager’s receptions. You can talk about your experiences, receive and offer travel advice, and even fill yourself up on the local hang out spots.
You can also enjoy complimentary appetizers, drinks, snacks, all while socializing and meeting other travelers. You travel solo but end up meeting like-minded people on the way.
- Strike Up a Conversation
The easiest way to initiate a conversation is to ask for recommendations. It can help you break the ice with someone who is a stranger.
Anytime you need directions for somewhere, go ahead and ask the person for restaurant recommendations or places nearby worth visiting.
It is a good idea to ask about other travelers about where they’ve been, what they’ve done so far, and stuff they enjoyed the most.
5. Embrace the Alone Time
- Create a Playlist
It is probably best to create a customized playlist to keep you refreshed along the way. Put in some songs to help remind you of your loved ones. Traveling alone might be your thing, but being having a loved one in mind is truly a blessing.
- Dining Alone
It is fine to ask for a table for one. Try getting a table with a view while eating alone.
You can enjoy your meal alone and catch up on some TV shows or reading material you brought with you on the trip.
- A day to Relax
In your entire trip, take a day out to relax and take in all the fresh memories that you have made so far. This day you can charge up your batteries for yet another adventure the next day.
Take in all the experiences and adventures you’ve had. Stay in your hotel room, have your favorite meals, and watch movies all day to stay healthy on the way ahead.
Final Words
While traveling solo might sound exhausting and a daunting task at first, by following the hacks mentioned above, it can be a breeze to have fun by yourself.
Be sure to keep everything checked and packed adequately since there would be no one else but you to look after yourself.
It will help if you socialize around to meet like-minded people who would also be traveling alone like you.
Last but not least, be sure to relax and catch your breath after being fatigued from the adventures.