How to Travel Solo Successfully

Have you ever woken up tired and not wanting to go into school or work? You are not alone, everyone experiences these doubts. According to a NYTimes article, “Experiencing another culture on your own terms, at your own pace, with a budget of your own choosing can be an incredibly rewarding and insightful adventure.” (nytimes.com, 2019) Traveling can be an excellent way to relax and put your mind at ease. This is not a new concept, people have been traveling for ages. Unfortunately, friends and family do not always have the same schedule as us and sometimes traveling alone is the only option. Learning how to travel alone is easy and fun.

Without a plan traveling can be difficult, in order to travel solo successfully it is essential to have an itinerary. When traveling alone it is important to research accommodations. Because traveling alone can be lonely, some people like to stay at hostels. Planning ahead where to stay will save time. Decide on what country, cities, and tourist attractions that you would like to visit. Start packing for the trip a week or two before your flight. Either find a website or book to aid you in planning the trip, or find a friend that can give you recommendations. An article titled “Best International Destinations For the Solo Traveler” suggests going to a few destinations- Riviera Maya in Mexico, Dublin, Thailand, Vancouver, or Iceland. (nytimes.com, 2016)

Another way to travel alone successfully is to make a budget and save enough money to travel. Before heading out into the unknown, research how much money the accommodations, buses and flights, tours, and souvenirs will cost. Then add up all the costs, put in some extra cash, and save sufficient funds for the trip. Perhaps your costs will outweigh your savings, in this case, it might be best to stay home or travel with a friend. Remember, if you get stuck somewhere far away from home with no money, all by yourself, your solo trip will end up being a disaster. “Perhaps all adventures need a disaster to offset the triumphs. It teaches resilience.” (Bradt, 2021) If you save enough money and face hardship during your solo travels, this speed bump in your travels will transform into a fond memory of a crazy trip.

Having fun is at the top of the list, when traveling alone. If you try to do too much on your solo travel, you will get stressed out, and that would defeat the whole purpose of traveling successfully. It is highly recommended to either meet up with friends or make new friends. Humans are social creatures and they need some sort of social engagement in order to have fun. It is also easier to travel alone when packing lightly. Having multiple heavy bags is not ideal and you will quickly become tired of carrying them. Many people like to buy gifts and souvenirs for friends and family. This makes the experience memorable and you will look back at your solo trip with nostalgia.

Now that you have read how to successfully travel alone, go ahead and book a flight or drive a car or motorcycle cross country. Remember to plan ahead, make a budget, and most importantly have fun.

Works Cited

Bradt, H. (2021, July 12). Good golly Mollie: why I rode 1,000 miles around Ireland on a Connemara pony. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/jul/12/why-i-rode-1000-miles-around-ireland-on-a-connemara-pony

nytimes.com. (2016, October 18). https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/18/travel/international-destinations-solo-traveler.html nytimes.com. (2019, April 16). https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/travel/how-to-make-friends-while-traveling-solo.html