So, you have finally decided to go it alone?
Awesome!
So have I in over 34 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It’s almost always going to be a worthwhile experience when you step out of your all very familiar circle of friends or family. When you check out alone and go so far that no one knows you and you probably know no one there, you face the world head on, you discover places so different from the normal, meet people who may not look or think like you, and see how ideas transformed other worlds out there from the one you’re used to.
From my experience, here are the top 10 ways how to travel alone and enjoy doing it.
1. Just do it, it’s worth all the hype
One of the most regular questions people ask me about traveling alone is; why, are you not scared? And my answer is often this; Why Not? When you travel solo, you get to do things your way, the only way you have always wanted to do it, and only on your terms. You get to choose where, when and what to do. There’s no body to consult or agree with first before you hit that famous city junction that you always dreamed of. You’re in total control here. You’re the captain and there are no passengers to worry about, only you and you can steer in any direction, as you want, all you want!
2. Choose a great destination
Traveling solo requires some bit of motivation. You’re going to want to choose that destination that the mere thought of going makes you want to go there as soon as it’s possible at all. That being said, once you’re there, the simple fact of being there makes you feel good. It goes without saying that being out there all alone might come with a frequent feeling not wanting to do anything, staying over in the room all day – motivation. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In most of the countries and cities I have been to, I had already a good amount of curiosity about the particular city or attractions. Once on the ground, my curiosity drove me to go do or see that which I was already obsessed about as soon as I could.
3. Do enough research about the destination
A good amount of information is always an indispensible tool when you travel alone. All countries and cities are different in one way or the other. The rules, the culture, the way of doing things, what is viewed as acceptable and unacceptable – even in human behavior, can change from place to place. For example, you will be fined if you pose for a photo or selfie with your back turned to a Buddha image in a Thai temple. You could be fined as much as $588 for just sitting in an “undesignated area” in Venice! What you can’t and even what you have to do in some areas around the world might surprise you when you get there. You don’t want to learn the hard way that might end up spoiling the fun. Many places of interest are also open to the public only on certain days and at certain times. Inform yourself well in advance. This can also save you money in addition to your time.
4. Stay safe
This is one of the biggest concerns for solo travelers. What I have to say is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be – if you’re willing to be reasonable cautious. There’s some degree of crime in virtually all places inhabited by humans. The only difference is how much of it is there and in what particular areas and especially at what time. I’m that long eyed dude who will do anything to see “all there is,” and do all that can be done at any place at any time. But I try to inform myself in advance, of the limits and how far they can be stretched in order to take that extra one million dollar picture, selfie or video!:)
- It all starts at where you will stay. Booking a hotel or hostel online? Be sure to read its reviews before hitting that reserve button or else you will be stunned to be welcomed, if at all, at a very disorderly, disorganized, unlivable place that best way to stay there would be to go elsewhere! It happened to me in Cambodia. The Guesthouse looked cool (at least in pictures), but once in, their very own female receptionist came in the room at night and made off with my money while I was asleep.
- Act like a local. When you easily come off as that only stranger in the crowd – which is OK, you might attract unwanted attention, especially that of the bad guys. Confidence is key here. Ask for directions or recommendations with a smile; do not be afraid to approach people. It’s human nature that we naturally want to help others in need, no wonder it feels good when we do. Simply because I was holding a city map on the street in Singapore, a woman approached me and asked if I was looking for something. Sure enough, I had got lost looking for some cool restaurant I had read about. It was just around the corner and I didn’t know it!
- Go out with only a minimum of things. Parisian metro stations are fairly safe. But you will not want to walk around so late with golden rings, 10 small bags of valuable merchandise from the Champs Elysees, without attracting the attention of that guy in the corner who might want to help himself to it. It’s great to sip that evening coffee or grab a bite at one of those world famed restaurants at the beautiful Mandela Square in Sandton, Johannesburg; but it might just be another thing if you just strolled down a dark street corner after stocking up on expensive jewelry at the same location. And the same goes for all other major cities.
- Keep those valuable items on you all the time. It was a beautiful afternoon in Rome while at a Mc Donald’s grabbing a quick bite. I was charging my iPad a meter or two from where I was seated. Being the kind of guy who will talk to anyone anywhere and at random, I hit up a conversation with a guy on the other side of the desk. Sure enough, this turned out to be another traveler just like I. Turning back my head to check on my iPad after a couple of minutes, it was gone. And there were other people around. I asked everybody, I even reported to the Police nearby if anyone had brought it in, but no. I wasn’t vigilant and I lost!
- Go where there’re people, you’re so alone already! Now, however much research you may make, you won’t know everything about everywhere. However, there are others who do. If you’re not familiar with a place, it might be a good thing to do it with others. Join that free guided city walk; jump on that hop-on hop-off tour bus so that you get a little familiar with most of the areas of interest, then do it alone. If there is no one at all at a place of interest or very few people than it should seem, that might be for a reason. It might just be the wrong time or the wrong day to go there.
- If it feels wrong, that’s because it is! I don’t know if it’s only me who is like this, but I almost always know when something bad is going to happen, or when something is wrong. That gut-feeling! It’s quite rare for something really bad to happen before I “feel” it. I can’t explain it, I don’t know what it is, but I will surely know. As if that wouldn’t be enough, once it happens, I also know if it’s going to be all alright or if it won’t be that easy! And I always try to do something about it in time. I was once about to leave home for work on my motorbike. I felt that something was going to happen. I immediately knew I had to be cautious throughout the day. After turning only a few corners from home, I will never know why that guy didn’t stop at the crossroad stop sign and instead rammed straight into me with a pickup van yet I had the right of way! That gut feeling! Trust it. If it doesn’t feel good to do, it doesn’t feel good to go there right now, maybe that’s because it’s not.
- That being said, it’s equally important to note that things are not so bad and so dangerous out there as the media will make you believe. Once you begin to travel a lot and have been to a good number of countries, you will be amazed to find out that you only need to be as much cautious as you would be in your home country, as in most others out there. Apart from a few obvious handful where there’s real chaos currently going on.
5. Stay in touch
Stuff happens! I’m sure you’ve heard that said over and over. Sometimes, things will just happen, and they may not always be good. Now, just in case something does happen, you want a loved one to have as good an idea what to do and where to start. Many people prefer to stay offline as much as possible when they vacation, and that’s OK. But when you’re out there alone, it’s in your best interest that someone knows where you’re and where you’re might be heading next. Always leave a trace, it might just save your life!
6. Meet the world
The main reason why I like to travel alone is that I get to meet new people. One of my greatest joys is to meet and speak to total strangers, those folks I’ve never seen or met. It’s fun when you start to learn about them, hear their story, learn about their culture, their desires and dreams and goals. How often I discover that we’re much more similar than we’re different! Only the skin color does change sometimes, the origin, the culture, and job or profession; but in my experience, rest quite stays the same.
Be open and willing to meet and mingle with the locals, hit up random conversations with any responsible looking person in that café or restaurant.
I have made many friends this way but striking conversations with strangers in the train, at the park, on the bus, at the hostel – all at random.
7. You’re not exactly alone. Look out!
One of the things I love about hitting the road alone is that I often find out that I’m not really that alone. There’s a very good chance that someone else nearby is also roaming solo and they would appreciate some company. I have no problem joining person A for a tour of a certain place of interest, then person B for another trip somewhere else, or going to lunch with the local that I just made friends with. You see, the choices of company are limitless if you dare to be open and friendly, and we all can! On a cold Saturday morning in Prague recently, I had just left the train station and I didn’t know exactly what I was going to be doing in the city the whole day. I rushed to the nearest coffee shop and stood in the line. Little did I know that somebody was curiously watching my every move. Once I sat down, she quickly sat next to me and started a conversation. As it turned out, she had also just arrived and was indeed solo like myself. We ended up touring the city together the whole day. Life long friendships do start this way so often.
8. Have a reasonable phone roaming on you.
Yes, these days, WiFi is so common that you will be tempted to think that you will find it everywhere else. It’s not. And even where it is, it may not be at the exact spot and exact timewhen you most need it. One of your best aides when traveling alone is surely your phone. The internet, Google maps, that quick skype call, will surely be some of your greatest companions out there. Bad things can happen in a city or country and they will sometimes, but if the world media was to be believed, I wouldn’t be going out any more at night in my own city, Paris; yet to me, this still remains one of the safest cities in the world today.
9. Look out for places that encourage exchange
I almost always stay at hostels, guesthouses or B&Bs. But even with these, I check enough to see that they have a common area. This where everybody will come to sit, have a drink, work on their computer or simply meet others. Even if I had loads of cash, this I find priceless. Here, you get to meet other travelers, other solos, and who knows even that long lost high school friend! I have made many friends this way, go many invitations to go out and told more about the places I wanted to visited in advance. That should be the same as in the restaurant or coffee shop where you go. Put yourself out there up for something, visibly up for a chat. I always eat or drink at a place that is organized in a way that someone will come to sit beside me or in front of me. Once they’re seated, I act as if I knew them already, wear my usual million dollar smile and ask them if that particular food is so tasty. Then what? You guessed right!
10. Save and don’t stop
Now unless you really have a lot that you don’t have to care at all, you will want to save up as much money as you can. Some countries are so close to one another that once you’ve seen one, it will feel silly to not go see the other just a few hours’ drive away. That is especially true here in continental Europe. Once in Paris, Amsterdam is not far at all, and so is Brussels, Cologne, Zurich, Luxemburg, Milan, and even London.
Do you have anything to add or just want to share your experience? Hit the comments below!
