Do you need tips for traveling alone? If this is your first time to go on a solo adventure, it can be scary and intimidating. If you can’t adapt easily, are not comfortable being alone or have trouble socializing, you might find yourself having a bad time on your solo trip. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! To know what solo travel skills you need to learn, read on and take notes!
Tips for Traveling Alone | How to Survive by Yourself
1. Be Adaptable
Thinking about flying solo or embarking on some solo travel? I’m sharing my experience & top tips! https://t.co/TKmfkRMps3 ✈️ #TravelTuesday pic.twitter.com/sm1fo5VG6i
— Ellis (@ellistuesday) November 7, 2017
Perhaps, the most important entry on this list of tips for traveling alone is this piece of advice. Being adaptable is an absolute requirement when traveling solo. Things will not often go as planned. If you’re the type who likes having a carefully-laid out plan, be prepared to unlearn this type of thinking.
When traveling solo, you’ll be thrust into a foreign situation more often than not. Exchange rates might change, places might be closed when you least expect it, you might get sick on your trip… so many things can go wrong. However, if you’re adaptable, these unexpected events won’t ruin your overall experience.
2. Start at Your Comfort Zone
If you’ve never learned how to travel alone before, you might need to start slowly. Not everyone is ready to travel alone right away. One of the best tips for traveling alone for the first time is to start at a level you’re comfortable at. Try a country you’ve visited before or go to a place closer to home.
You can also consider going with a tour group first. Joining a tour group will allow you to meet other like-minded solo travelers. At the end, you do travel as a group, but it’s still a lot different than traveling with someone you’ve always known. Additionally, this makes things a bit easier for all of you, with perks such as splitting bills and never having to be alone in a foreign place.
3. Be Open to New Experiences
One of the common reasons why people travel is to experience new things. If you’re not the type who’s open to new experiences, examine why. After all, traveling on your own is a great learning experience, one that will let you rediscover yourself, and teach you how to adapt and be flexible in different situations. However, these positive changes can only occur with an open mind.
Don’t take anything for granted, and experience things for what they’re worth. Try the squat toilet. Eat the haggis. Try base jumping for the first time. More often than not, stepping out of your comfort zone lets you have experiences you never would’ve had otherwise.
4. Be Patient
Remember the saying, “Patience is a virtue?” This must be your motto when traveling alone. Assuming most of our readers are city dwellers, patience is often left untested. However, developing this skill will help you a lot when you’re traveling alone.
After all, your flight might be delayed, jet lag might cause you to oversleep, and people might move slower than you’re used to back home. Rather than be frustrated, learn to be patient. You’re on a holiday, and you’re here to relax and have fun. Why stress out? For you, every day is a weekend, so there’s no need to worry. Relax and just enjoy the bliss of being somewhere else, other than your bed at home!
5. Things Will Work Themselves Out
Solo travel tips – Even if you’re a seasoned traveler, taking a solo trip can feel totally disorienting. You might get on each other’s nerves, but having a companion to lean on, complain to (and about), drink with, and get lost with, can really make t… https://t.co/5XPfk5bgoJ
— Mhde Askar (@mhde_askar) December 13, 2017
Murphy’s Law states: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” Things going out of whack is inevitable, especially when you’re traveling solo. This will definitely stress you out and might even spoil the whole trip for you. In some cases, people have been discouraged enough by one thing going wrong that they refuse to travel solo ever again.
However, an important thing to remember when traveling alone is this: things always work themselves out. No matter where you are, things that went wrong will end up being a blessing rather than a curse. Your delayed flight might give you a free upgrade to first class. Missing a bus can open up a chance for you to meet someone new. Remember, for every action comes an opposite reaction, so whenever something bad happens, something else great will arise!
6. Be Friendly
Solo travelling doesn’t mean you can’t get bomb pictures. Most of my fave travel pictures, are pictures such as this, taken on one of my solo trips.
Check out my ten tips to get amazing pictures on your solo trip ⬇️https://t.co/1xHsabgB5B pic.twitter.com/1RqvFWOUFw
— Debbie ????✌???????? (@wanderlustcalls) November 12, 2017
Traveling solo doesn’t mean you won’t be talking to anyone. No man is an island, as they say, and this especially applies when you go to a foreign destination.
Being friendly opens up a lot of doors for a solo traveler. You get to meet new people and perhaps, find yourself in situations you’ll never forget. If you’re single, you might even find the love of your life! Learn to be open to new friendships. In time, you’ll find making all these social connections can lead you to the greatest solo adventure of your life.
7. Face Your Fears
The unknown is always scary. Your fears will always come up whenever you go to a foreign place on your own. Getting lost is a very real possibility, as is being stuck in a place where no one speaks your language is bad enough. You might get mugged and lose your pocket money. Your camera might fall into the water. All of these situations are, clearly, very anxiety-inducing incidents.
However, no one ever moved forward by coddling their fears. The best experiences are born out of facing one’s fears; so this is one skill you’ll have to learn. Accept the fact that while your fears are legitimate, they might not ever happen to you. Being courageous enough to get on your flight in the first place is enough motivation for you to continue facing your fears during your solo trip!
Want a friendly face to tell you about tips for traveling alone? Nicole Andersson got you covered!
There you have it, a few quick and workable tips on traveling alone! Wherever you go, keep these things in mind, and you’ll find traveling solo is one of the greatest experiences in your life. Being able to do this on your own will foster a sense of confidence, independence, and fearlessness in you. Without a doubt, this is something you must definitely experience for yourself.
Do you have other helpful tips for traveling alone? Tell us in the comments below!
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