Travelling alone might seem like a crazy idea at first. It was something that monks and scholarly people took up in ancient days. Till the recent past, a journey all alone was for business meetings, and for meeting a distant relative, friend, etc. But nowadays it is becoming a must-try experiment, especially among the millennials.
Why travel alone?
Solo- travel is associated with much optimism and is considered the best way to quench your wanderlust. It gives you a feel of being truly free, and at the same time, you will have to take complete charge of yourself. You get a chance to think of everything that you do right from the food that you eat, the clothes that you wear to money management. The first solo trip could be the beginning of knowing thyself lesson of life. It is a way to up the confidence levels and become more self-reliant
Overcoming the fear factor:
When we are with a group of people, we feel like having a safety net around us. But at times, being doubtful can be a better safety measure. It does not imply that one has to always worry about the cons and scams involving the tourists. It is better to gather all the information about the destination before the start of the journey. So that you know about the safe places and have lesser chances of getting into trouble. As you do away with the fear factor, here are seven tips for embarking on the first solo-trip:
Choosing the right destination
For the first solo trip, choose a comfortable location. It can preferably be a place where you know the local language. You can also choose a place with good infrastructure for tourists. Guided tours, hostel facilities, and availability of your favorite cuisines are some of the factors that one should consider.
1. Proper planning:
Plan most of the journey. Fix your accommodation arrangements and beware of emergency exits in the place. Interact with the hotel or hostel staff and ensure to get their business cards. It is a must to have flashlight, compass and weather map on the phone. One can leave time for experiencing uncertainty later. On the first solo trip, it is necessary to plan for every single day of the trip.
Carry less luggage
It is better to carry one backpack for the first solo trip. One needs to remember that along with clothes, travel documents, electronic items like laptops, chargers, adapters, etcetera, and emergency medicines are part of the luggage. Items like plastics bags, tapes, umbrella, sweater, and glue are very handy too. So, one should not fill the bag with clothes alone. When you carry less baggage, you can save money by using public transport systems. There is a minimum chance of losing a single bag compared to multiple ones. One can choose a backpack or a suitcase with different zipped compartments. They will help you organize things as per the travel itineraries.
Take charge of your health
One needs to learn to eat alone in a restaurant and be comfortable. One can practice it a few times before the actual journey. One must altogether avoid fast foods and should go for balanced, complete meals. One can read a book or browse the net while waiting for the order. It is essential to have a sound sleep and exercise too. Joining group activities for travellers can be refreshing for the mind, and you also get some physical work. One can try dry red wine for suppers as it has less alcoholic content and it’s good for heart as well.
Maintain online safety
We live in a digital world. We save all our documents like travel tickets, insurance cover and policies, and various bills as soft copies. One must use a VPN (a virtual private network) when you connect through public Wi-Fi. It helps you with safe financial transactions. One should also use password management tools to avoid online fraud.
Spend money wisely.
It is better to plan the entire travel budget and have some cash reserves for emergency use. Keeping track of all the expenditure helps you to save more. One should not be flashing wealth on a solo trip. You might end up attracting pickpocketers. It is better to arrive during the day as one can take public transport. One should also have rough ideas on taxi fares and their availability.
Keep people at home, informed.
Your solo trip should not become a worry for others in the family. So, one has to be trackable and approachable to their near and dear ones. There are apps in mobile phones, where you can share your location details with other people.
The points above might seem to make Solo-travel hard. But as you complete the first solo trip, the list of places that you wish to travel alone keeps increasing. One can have a world map scratch to record their solo trips and plan for the next holiday trip. You can even have newer friends through your journeys. You become a unique and more accepting person. You become more decisive and learn to appreciate every small accomplishment of life.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your backpack ready and dash into new territories.
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