Last week I espoused the perks (some obvious, some not) of solo traveling. For those of you who missed it, you can catch it here – 5 Reasons I Solo Travel After 50.
If you are of the “I want to try traveling on my own,” ilk, there are some easy to employ tips I can share from my own experience. After 33 days abroad, many on my own, I developed some great hacks to ensure my enjoyment and safety.
Here are the top 5 hacks to ensure success in your solo travel:
“Hanging with other travelers helps mitigate potential loneliness.”
1. Take advantage of small group tours.
It is a great way to meet other travelers – often times also solo traveling like you. On my first full day alone in Porto, I spent eight hours with a friendly woman from Luxemburg and a set of grandparents with their granddaughter. It was a lovely and very fulfilling way to share an experience with people I would never get to meet. And if I had been with my own entourage I would have been less likely to engage and be present. Hanging with other travelers helps mitigate potential loneliness.
2. Plan your evenings.
Personally, I am an early riser. I also work while I’m on the road. Most mornings are spent on Kuel Life and then I set out on that day’s adventures. In full transparency, I don’t always feel comfortable out late at night alone. So I use evenings to plan future travel days, write, or catch up with family and friends.
3. Find a supermarket.
It’s good to have some staples on hand that make you feel “at home.” For me it’s my coffee, water, and some pieces of fruit and other healthy snacks. I don’t always want to eat out or go somewhere for coffee. I find that if I set up a “routine,” even in the midst of all the novelty of a new country, culture, or language, it aids in my feeling centered and safe. This is critical to staying out on the road for any length of time.
“Guess she wanted to make sure to be able to find the body.”
4. Location. Location. Location.
First and foremost, let people know where you are. Yes, you can allow family members to track your phone. But what happens if you lose your phone or it gets taken? My sister insisted she have the locations, dates, and the contact information of those I intended to see along the way in hand. Guess she wanted to make sure to be able to find the body. Secondly, make a physical list of emergency contacts and numbers. If you’re like me, you have no one’s phone number memorized. See the potential for disaster?
5. Create a repeatable routine when preparing to leave for the day.
Where does your key live, your passport, your information for the day’s activities? You can have routine — even in the absence of one. This helps me not lose things or panic.
“Stay tuned for our next Kuel Life Travel Adventure coming soon.”
Group Travel Is Fun Too:
Love to travel but have no one to go with? Don’t let that stop you. Now is the time to live the life you want. There is a great deal to be gained through the exercise. Hope these hacks to ensure solo travel success are helpful to you. And if solo travel just does not appeal to you in any way, that’s ok too. Stay tuned for our next Kuel Life Travel Adventure coming soon.
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