Exploring places by yourself at your own pace is quite an amazing adventure. There are things you shouldn’t forget. You must know that you are travelling all by yourself so you have to take care of yourself in the foreign land. We have already decided the destination if not, check the article Top 8 Destinations for Solo Travellers.
In this article, I have shared a few tips and tricks which have proved to be effective as a solo traveller.
I hope that you find this article helpful.
Carry a Backpack
While travelling solo all the luggage are to be carried by you so don’t be harsh on yourself by packing a lot of baggage. It is necessary to carry a backpack rather than a suitcase on four wheels. A backpack is easier to carry and you don’t have to worry about losing it as it is attached to your body. Moreover, it's comfortable to carry it around to places. So, if you don’t have one Go and Get it.
Pack the necessary items only
It is easy to overload your bag as we find everything so important to carry, but don’t get into the trap of overpacking. Be minimal and pack those items only which are actually important and necessary for survival.
Bring a lock and a chain to tie your bag
There will be times when you have to leave your backpack at unfamiliar places, and to ensure its safety you need to have a lock and a chain to wrap with and tie it on some pole or with some steady place so nobody would drag it. And it would be safe until you come back.
Take the printout of all essential documents
In the first place, You should keep all of your original documents safely. Either scan all the documents on phone or have a hard copy of them with you all the time. So that you don’t have to dig in your bag for those documents whenever asked. Essential documents include passport, other identity cards, tickets, and any other relevant document.
Have a hard copy of the map or itinerary or Download offline google maps
Apart from the map app on phone, you must download an offline app or have a hard copy of the map of the place you’re visiting. Just in case, you lose any one of the options you must have other options to rely on.
Ensure you tell your itinerary to your friends or family
Whenever you travel solo, you must inform about your location either your family or to your friends about your itinerary. If you are travelling to a place where there might be some network problems then tell them about your itinerary before hand. There must always be a person who knows about your travels.
Blend yourself with the locals
In a foreign land, you don’t want to grab all the attention so one can always try to blend in with the local culture there or don’t wear any clothing or accessories which makes you stand out of the crowd. As standing out of the crowd would make you an easy target.
Listen to your gut feeling
Whenever things are about to happen either consciously or subconsciously you get a feeling from within and never ignore that feeling. Always trust your gut feeling, always! Through experience, I got to know that my mind is more conscious than me, whenever alone. So trust your gut.
Learn basic language if English is not the first language
If you are landing in a place whose first language is not English ensure to have a translator or an app or learn a few basic words of that particular language. It will make you more friendly towards the locals.
Do not consume too much alcohol
You're alone and you don't know many people around you, getting drunk in that situation to such a level that you loose your conscious sense is not at all a good idea. I'm not saying don't drink, it just take drinks according to the situation.
I have attatched a PDF for the Packing Checklist for Solo Traveller. Click on the bold text to download yor PDF.
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