Have a severe case of wanderlust but you have no one to accompany you? Try solo travelling instead!
When you think about travelling alone, your emotions are sure to be run high. You might be wondering, "is it safe to travel alone?" and "how can I have fun all by myself?" Travelling alone gives you time for yourself and also for you to be on a journey to discover who you truly are.
1. Don’t Be Afraid
Travelling alone for the first time, especially for a woman, might be scary because you don’t have someone you know to accompany you. Have confidence and know your strengths beforehand to make the most out of your first solo travel experience. Keeping your head held high and adopting a secure and open posture will make you look approachable to the right people and also give out a “don’t mess with me” vibe.
2. Stay Alert
Be aware of your surroundings and keep extra precautions on your baggage and belongings. Take care in large cities whether it is during the day or at night and be aware of any local scams. Pick pockets are likely to target woman because they are more likely to have a handbag or sling bag whilst travelling. One way to let people not bother you is to blend in with the locals. Standing out can attract you to tourist scams and unwanted lingering looks. Click here to read an article on 3 Ways of Avoiding to Become The Next Victim of Pick Pockets.
3. Triple Check Yourself
Check your reservations and bookings in advance. Make sure that you know the way around the city when you touchdown in the airport. Most major cities would have a public transportation such as shuttle buses and trains that connects the airport to the city. Check the maps and transport schedule before you leave just to make sure you’re heading in the right direction. Keep the address of you hostel in case you get lost. Remember to keep your passport in a well-concealed place when you’re travelling around and keep extra money on yourself and in your luggage.
4. Let Someone Know
Don’t just leave your hometown without letting anyone know that you’ll be gone. Leave your itinerary or your designated destinations with someone back home that you can trust, such as your family. Be sure to also leave behind a photocopy of your passport. If you are a pet owner, make sure that your pets will be taken care of while you’re gone. If you’re looking for a local pet-sitter or pet boarding house near you, check out www.petbacker.com for a wide selection of friendly pet-sitter and boarding houses.
5. Bring Only What You Need
Since you’ll be travelling alone, your baggage would be much smaller. Before you travel to another country, bring only important essentials and nothing more. You don’t need to bring 3 different kinds of shoes. Buy good shoes that are comfortable and won’t be worn out easily. When you’re travelling out for a day, keep your gadgets well-concealed and near you so it won’t be a target for pickpockets. Here’s a handful tip, make sure your valuables are never together in one bag, and always keep your money and identification in different places of your bag and body.
6. Explore
Get out there and explore your destination! Go wander the streets to find hidden street arts and eat from the road-side stall. It’s fun and exhilarating to be exploring an unknown city by yourself, but if you do decide to find a companion, don’t find one on a random hook-up app! If you want a local or private guide to help you around your destination, the mobile app www.nuflit.com/app provides a wide variety of local people ready to help tourist.
7. Learn The Language
It never hurts to strike up a conversation. Make the effort to learn new words and phrases that can be useful in small conversations when you’re buying food or asking for directions. Sentences that show that you can introduce yourself and count from 1-10 can make a big difference when you’re starting up a conversation. Locals love to see the tourist making an effort in learning new phrases and gestures.
