To be fantastic means not to yearn alone with yourself. Prince Rogers Nelson
“Traveling alone? Not that!” – this is what most tourists think. First, it’s boring. With whom to share impressions? Who to be the photographer with? Who to try the national food with? With whom to discuss residents? Secondly, it is not safe. Anything can happen on the road (temperature, poisoning, sunstroke), and who will help if not friends?
This article will learn that the best trips for solo travelers are not so bad, and you might love them.
Summary
What Solo Travel Gives
Route
When traveling with a company, you are forced to plan a route so that everyone would be interested. And, as a rule, it all comes down to the top places, which are the highlights in bold in the guide.
Thanks to the “Must See” project, you know that even the most touristy cities have many secret places. Best trips for solo travelers give you a unique opportunity to choose a route that will be of interest to you.
Time management
One of the great things about traveling alone is that you don’t have to wait for anyone. You can wake up and go to bed whenever you like. You can stare at the Eiffel Tower or walk along the Charles Bridge as much as you like. A lone tourist himself manages his time and does not adapt to anyone.
Appearance
Solo travel has another advantage – you don’t have to think about how you look. You can walk all week in the same jeans or combine incongruously, and no one will judge you (well, or you will not know about it). The only requirement for your appearance is neatness. Even if you are a lonely wanderer, it is not worth walking around dirty.
Oddities
Walking through the city cemetery, swimming in a fountain, and taking a subway ride may seem strange, but it is the ultimate dream for some. On best trips for solo travelers, you can indulge in all sorts of oddities and not be afraid that someone, looking at you, twists your head.
Time for yourself
There are three types of people: extroverts, introverts, and ambiverts. The first needs communication, like water to fish, the second, on the contrary, prefers to be alone with themselves, and the third is something in between. But both those, and others and the third need time for themselves. Time to weigh your achievements and aspirations on the scales and weigh everything carefully. Best trips for solo travelers are an excellent opportunity for this.
It should be noted that extroverts will still have a difficult time. But for them there is a small life hack: before leaving, you need to constantly be in society, visit all your friends, call all your relatives. In a word, to communicate to such an extent that the next week or two do not experience social hunger.
Taste of life
Imagine that you are standing at the railing of the Skywalk, the majestic Grand Canyon is spreading in front of you, and you are overwhelmed with feelings, and you want to feel and remember this moment forever. But your friend’s emotions are also going through the roof, and, alas, he cannot be silent about it. When traveling alone, it is easier to catch the moment, feel the taste of life and enjoy it.
Memories
There are several ways to keep your travel memories alive. For example, you can take a “billion” of photos and shoot a “ton” of video or stock up on magnets and other banal souvenirs.
But there is also another way. Usually, tourists buy everything they need at home – do not go abroad in torn sneakers. What if you go and buy a new pair already on vacation? Buy clothes and other household items while traveling – these things will keep memories for much longer than souvenirs. “Oh, this is a jacket that I bought in Germany!”, “And these are my favorite sneakers from Thailand.”
How To Organize A Solo Trip
Transport
One of the advantages of best trips for solo travelers is the ability to change your destination at any time without consulting the group or person you are traveling with. Trains, buses, and planes will be your means of transport. To choose the best one, think about how vital comfort and flexibility are to you.
Take The Train: Trains, especially in the European Union, offer convenient short- and long-distance connections. Although single ticket prices increase day by day, a better solution is to buy a Eurail or Interrail ticket (Eurail is intended for non-EU citizens). Traveling by train is also possible in Asia, Australia, and many other places. To find out about train connections around the world, go to the virtual seat of Seat 61.
Take The Bus: Convenient ‘hop on and off bus connections (hop on / hop off, ride on one ticket) can be found, for example, in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. It is another good option for traveling through several regions or even countries. The advantage of such a bus is that you decide how long you want to stay in a given place before continuing your journey. On the other hand, the bus only stops at selected stops, which means that the place you are going to is not necessarily included in the timetable (many companies offer “hop on and off” solutions, Google will help you find them. Enter “hop on-off bus” + country you are interested in and compare prices and service).
The Plane: Another good option is an airplane. In Europe, you will find a whole network of cheap flights offered by incl. EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizzair or Vueling. To compare ticket prices, just use Skyscanner, Momondo, or Kayak, for example. Traveling has the advantage of saving time, although getting to the airport, checking in, and walking through the security zone can take the same amount of time as traveling by train.
The most significant disadvantage of flying, especially with low-cost airlines, is the lack of flexibility in changing the date of departure and the inability to reimburse travel costs in the event of canceling the ticket. Therefore, think carefully about where and when you want to fly. Moreover, unlike buses and trains, airlines have a baggage allowance you can take on board. You will avoid problems when traveling with light hand luggage.
Baggage
The essential thing when going on a long journey is light luggage. If you are away from home for a month or more (which sounds incredible now!), You will have to be on the move. Light luggage will make it easier for you. Think about what you should pack in your hand luggage and don’t worry about the rest. You will find that nothing is impossible.
Choose what is most important: From hygiene products to electronics, be selective and take along things you can’t do without. As for clothes – pack for a week, just make sure you can adjust the clothes as much as you want. For hygiene products, take the mini version; you will have to buy them anyway, especially if you are going away for a long time (the same applies to clothes). Don’t take a ton of electronic gadgets with you. Currently, the world is very well connected; you will find many cafes and hostels with Wi-Fi on your way. If you’re planning to study abroad, consider taking a laptop with you, and if you’re traveling from place to place, a smartphone or a small tablet will probably be fine.
And remember: you’re not going to Mars. So even if you forgot to take something from homes, such as phone chargers, toiletries, over-the-counter medicines, or clothes – you could buy everything on the spot.
Hotel Vs. Hostel
Hostels are trendy today. It’s cheap and convenient. In addition, many perceive them not just as places to sleep, but as centers of communication, where you can meet new people from different countries. It’s like that.
But when you are an alone tourist, you need to think about safety first. Who knows who your random neighbors will be and what will be on their minds? So for an overnight stay in solo travel, it is better to choose hotels. Even in a cheap hotel, you will feel safer than in a hostel, which means you will have a better rest. In addition, they will always wake you up when you need them, and they will serve food to your room if you are too lazy to go to a cafe.
Local Sim Card
The first thing to do when you arrive in an unfamiliar place is to buy a local SIM card. Many people think this is a waste of money, and they are wrong. Firstly, getting rid of roaming, you can freely use the mobile Internet, and he, in turn, will not let you get lost or stay hungry. Secondly, affordable mobile communication will help you feel safer – you can always tell your loved ones where you are or where you are on your way.
Social Media
Facebook, Twitter, and other social media are a great way to involve your friends, who may be thousands of miles away, on your journey. For example, your friend collects turtles. Walking along the embankment of Jurmala, take a picture for him of the turtle sculpture located there, post the photo on the social network and mark his friend on it. He will be pleased, and you will receive comments and likes.
Solo Travel Things To Do
Walking
Turn on your favorite music, open Google Maps, and go wandering around the city. Walk along tourist routes and little-known places. There is nothing more exciting and rewarding than just wandering around an unfamiliar city, breathing fresh air, basking in the sun, and exploring the sights. You read that right – useful. In addition, hiking is an excellent workout for your body.
Leisure
There are indeed some things that you prefer to do alone—for example, reading, shopping, or watching a movie. Traveling alone, you have an excellent opportunity to organize your leisure time the way you like. No one will bother you and whine that he is bored.
Weekdays
During the week, most of the locals work and go about their daily activities. But on weekends, everyone strives to “go out,” order tables in restaurants, and buy tickets for entertainment events. If you do not want to “admire” couples in love during your solo trip, then try not to look into public places on weekends.
Experiments
Who likes to eat alone? Or who would think of going to a water park alone? So many activities would seem unthinkable without company. But this is the essence of the experiment. Try going to football or a nightclub alone in an unfamiliar place. Perhaps you will discover something new for yourself.
Security
Safety issues are of most significant concern when traveling alone. While most countries are as safe as yours, the people you meet are sure to be very helpful and friendly. To reassure you (and your parents) a bit, remember that staying safe while on the road is not that hard as long as you follow these tips:
Let Loved Ones Know Where You Are: If you study or live abroad, give your family your address, write it down in your notebook or phone and always have it at hand. Also, remember to inform your loved ones about the approximate itinerary and inform them about any changes if you decide to make them while on the way.
Keep An Eye On Valuables: Do not flaunt jewelry, cameras, and other valuable electronic equipment. Best of all, you shouldn’t take them with you at all. Keep money and other valuables with you (but never in your pockets!). Do not leave your backpack or suitcase unattended or, as is usually done, on the seat next to you. After all, you don’t want to attract pickpockets.
Divide The Money: Never carry all your money and credit cards with you. Leave at least one payment card in your room and take only enough cash with you to last for the day. Also, make a copy of your passport, credit cards, and other documents, send them to your email and your loved ones so that they are safe. Both of these simple tips will save you time and your sanity in case you need a copy of your paperwork while traveling.
Don’t Put Yourself In Unnecessary Danger: When you’re in your hometown, you’re unlikely to be walking down the dark streets in an unfamiliar neighborhood, right? Dangerous places and situations can be easily avoided by making informed decisions and trusting your instincts. For example, you will reduce unnecessary risk by not leaving your drinks unattended. Also, do not visit the city alone at night. Observing local customs, how people dress and behave can tell you a lot about a place. Also, don’t go anywhere with strangers, but you probably know that from your mom.
With all this, traveling alone is quite difficult. It is a gamble but worth the risk and inconvenience.
Thank you for reading!