Traveling alone is something that really scared me but also really interested me. If you have ever been traveling before with a partner or friend you know going away with someone else can be fraught with arguments and disagreement on places to go and things to do. When I was younger I would have never considered traveling alone however now I am older traveling alone is a challenge that excited me.
There are so many positives to traveling alone (and negatives too) however I thought I’d share some of my tips and things I’ve learned along the way to make traveling alone less daunting.
- Be organised- booking tours and hotels in advance can help to make you feel more settled before embarking on a trip alone. Leaving accommodation bookings till the last minute can be fun when traveling in a group however can be really scary if you are doing it alone. Having a plan can take away from the over whelming feeling of going away on your own.
- Be prepared to make friends- if you are doing a tour you will no doubt come across a few travelers doing it alone. It can be nice to link up with these people so you can join in on nights out, meals or outings. You’ll be surprised how friendly and welcoming most people are on holidays.
- Set a budget- one down side to traveling alone is that things like accommodation can be more expensive. Best to budget a little more for things like this as single rooms will tend to be a little more expensive.
- Make your own plans- traveling alone means you can visit the places you want to and do the activities you want to do. You don’t need to please anyone but yourself. There have been days when all I wanted to do was go shopping or sit by the pool in the hotel and I did just that! That is what holidays are about. Doing what you want to do.
- Be safe- and this one is an important one! Traveling alone comes with risks however these can be managed if you are sensible. The risk to your safety is different in different countries and you need to do what you feel comfortable doing. My tips are carry a mobile phone and know the number for emergency services in that country, send email updates to those back at home so they know where you are each day and when they should expect to hear from you next and lastly be careful when traveling at night. If possible stick to busier and well lit areas and if you are not confident in traveling at night plan ahead so you can be at your accommodation by nightfall.
Traveling alone is a fun and rewarding experience. My fear of traveling alone held me back for years but I am so glad I have done it now. I would 100% recommend it and would do it again in a second!
