Survival Guide for Traveling Solo

I usually get really excited in the wake of preparing for a long trip – alone. My packing is usually done the night before, and most of the time I often get little sleep that night, especially if I intend to travel by road. This might be easy for me being a travel and hotel junkie, but a lot of people might find it daunting.

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Leaving the comfort of one’s home into an unfamiliar place filled with a sea of strange faces can prove to be challenging.

Here are some tips that will help you get comfortable whenever you are faced with travelling alone. Either for business, pleasure and everything in-between, travelling is a vocation that must be enjoyed.

• Plan ahead

This is the most effective strategy as your travel date approaches. Your travel plans mustn’t be particularly detailed; you can make a list of things you’ll need to get ready before your trip. Also, it will be wise to have an idea where you’ll spend at least the first night upon arrival. Book your hotel before you leave, there are a lot of sites that offer this services. Endeavour to pack light; remember, you’ll be all by yourself so you should be able to manage your luggage by yourself.

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The purpose of your trip should inform the plans you make, if you are travelling for a conference and other business-like functions, you’ll want to ensure the proximity from the conference venue to the hotel isn’t too far. Since you’ll be travelling alone, it will be best you plan your arrival during daylight, as it will be difficult to find your way through an unfamiliar city when its dark.

• Meet People

One of the beauty of travelling alone is the opportunity to meet new and interesting people. If you are travelling to a foreign country, either within the continent or outside, it is the perfect opportunity to meet the locals and have a firsthand experience interacting with them.

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While travelling, you can connect with other travellers whom can become short-term friends during the trip.

• Observe

Be a fly on the wall when you travel, watch how the people interact, how things work. Watch the world around you, sit at sidewalk café, park bench and you can kill time by using public transit. Visit local art galleries, local destinations and other monumental structures while you are there.

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Open up and talk to strangers, initiate conversations ask questions, open-ended questions and follow up with more questions. Be curious. There are local tour guides in most foreign cities, maximize this opportunity and discover new things.

• Have Fun!

Go out in the evenings, visit bars go to concerts, theatres and everywhere with decent social activities that you are comfortable with. You owe yourself some fun!

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Don’t be scared of dining alone, go to restaurants ask a local about the meals start a conversation. Be comfortable in your own skin.

• Everything else

Take essentials when you head out for the day, have a name of the place you are staying on a piece of paper in the local language, a copy of emergency contacts, all the necessary documents, and stay with your phone at all times. While out on your daily adventure, take pictures of yourself by yourself; things you’ll like to show your friends when you get home. Use local apps such as GPS to find your way around town, save money on phone charges use Skype and other video calling apps to keep in touch with family and friends back home.

Traveling to me is one of the most important forms of education, although it is enjoyable to travel with family and friends; sometimes it is best to travel alone, as this boost self-confidence and reliance and above all, it’s so much fun!