No matter how experienced you are as a solo traveller, there’s always something new to learn. Travelling alone is a unique experience and can be intimidating at times. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of all the things we wish we’d known before planning our first solo trip around the world.
When planning a solo trip, take a safety course.
If you take a safety course, you will learn how to use a fire extinguisher and how to use a defibrillator. This will help you if there is an emergency. You should also learn how to use a fire blanket as well because it can help put out fires easier than other things.
It is important that when traveling alone or with someone else, they should always know where their partner or friend is at all times so they don’t get lost or hurt themselves in any way while traveling around the world on their own without knowing where they’re going next!
Book an exciting trip
If you’ve read my blog before, you know I’m all about the adventures. That’s why when it came time to plan my first trip around the world, I was immediately drawn to the idea of taking a long-term adventure over just a quick weekend getaway. However, with all of the exciting details involved in planning an extended journey like this one (such as figuring out how much money you’ll need and where exactly on Earth your next destination will be), it can be easy for a solo traveler to lose sight of what made them want to travel in the first place: having fun!
So if you’re thinking about going on a solo backpacking trip or road-trip through Europe—or any other exciting destination—and need some inspiration or tips on where best to go and how much money is necessary for such an adventure (as well as other helpful information), then keep reading!
Stay in contact with home
When you’re planning a trip around the world, there are lots of things to consider. One important aspect of your trip is staying in contact with home. You want to make sure that if something happens, people know where you are and can get help for you. This will help reduce stress for everyone involved, which is important during an already stressful time like this. Additionally, it’s just safer in general; traveling alone puts more responsibility on yourself than traveling with others would if they were hurt or sick. Here’s what we recommend:
- Make sure that everyone knows how they can get in touch with you while abroad – whether that be through email/phone/social media platforms (or whatever is easiest). This includes friends at home who may not have access to technology but would still like some assurance that everything is okay if something happens while away from them as well as emergency services both local and back home where they could report any issues without knowing exactly where they occurred (if someone went missing overseas).
- Make sure all emergency numbers are saved into your phone contacts so no matter where or when something goes wrong – whether just before getting off a plane because there was bad weather at the airport causing delays or even worse – later down the line when being attacked by another person due during travel between countries alone – make sure there’s somewhere available locally where one could go immediately after making contact with authorities back home about what happened so nothing slips through cracks during busy times when people might forget important details such as names etcetera.”
Pack smart when planning a solo trip
If you’re going to be traveling solo, you need to have a small backpack that can hold all of your essentials.
- A water bottle – You’ll be parched after hours of seeing the sights and exploring new places. Make sure you always have some water with you on your travels!
- Camera – Take as many pictures as possible! You never know when something will happen that makes for a great shot or memory (like seeing an endangered animal in the wild). It’s better to have too many photos than not enough!
- Guidebook – Always bring along a guidebook so that if anything happens and there’s no one around who speaks English well enough, they can look up words in their language using this resource. Also, it contains helpful information about how people live in different countries around the world.
Have a rough itinerary, but be flexible
The first thing you should do when planning your trip is to create a loose itinerary. This will help you get an idea of how long it will take for you to see the places on your list, and will also allow other people to help with planning your trip.
I was able to plan my entire year-long trip around the world with just four months’ notice because I had already been planning this type of trip for years. I knew that I wanted to travel around the world by myself, but I also knew that if I was going to be able to go solo, then I would need some sort of plan in place beforehand so that things would run smoothly during my travels.
Bring a book
>Bring a book.
Just bring it, and read it when you need to. You’ll be sitting in airports, on trains, and just generally waiting for things to start moving again. Bring a book that makes you happy! I ended up reading “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho because the Lonely Planet guidebook recommended it and it made me feel like I could do anything after reading about Santiago’s journey through his own personal desert.
Become a local commuter for the day
- This is a great way to get into the rhythm of your city.
- Sometimes you don’t want to spend all your money on transportation, so local commuting can be a great option.
- If you like going somewhere new every day, but still want to return home at night, this might be right for you!
Go on a hike
Hiking is one of my favorite ways to explore new places. I find that hiking gives me a better understanding of an area’s geography and helps me see the sights from a different perspective. Hiking is also a great way to get exercise and meet local people who may live in the area you’re visiting.
Many people think hiking is only for those with some experience, but this isn’t true! If you have time before your trip, take advantage of any free classes offered by your local gym or community center. You can also find helpful information online about how to prepare for a hike (e.g., what gear you’ll need).
If possible, try doing some research on hikes near where you’re staying so that when friends ask where they should go hiking during their travels they’ll know where not just because it looks nice but because there are opportunities there too!
Learn some of the language
When planning a solo trip, learn the language. The more you speak the language, the better. If you are able to say at least a few words, it will help your interactions with locals go much smoother.
I was in Thailand and wanted some pad thai (a delicious noodle dish) but didn’t know how to order it! It was embarrassing enough just being in Thailand speaking English, so I had no desire to look like even more of an outsider by trying to speak Thai like a native! Instead, I asked my friend what she ordered and mimicked her order: “pad see ew please.” The waitress understood me perfectly and got right down on making my delicious noodles!
I also knew how to ask how much something was when we were shopping in Bangkok so we did not get ripped off or buy anything too expensive!
Some other phrases that came in handy: Where is…? Can I have…? Thank You (with hand gestures too!). Did I mention learning numbers as well?
See what’s in the area beforehand so you aren’t wasting your time going to see something that won’t interest you.
Before you start your trip, look up what is in the area. This will help you decide whether or not there are any places that interest you that may have been overlooked. You can also look up local attractions, food, culture and people. If there is something that looks interesting to you then I would recommend going and checking it out.
Local history can be really interesting too so make sure to check out the local museums before going on your travels as they often have exhibitions dedicated to their region’s past which can be very educational and give insight into what life was like at one time.
When planning a solo trip, or travelling alone, remember to stay safe, stay in contact with home, and plan ahead.
If you’re planning a solo trip or travelling alone, it’s important to make sure that you stay safe, stay in contact with home and have a plan for emergencies.
Staying safe is important when travelling alone. You’ll need to be aware of your surroundings at all times and be prepared in case of an emergency.
It’s also very important that you keep your family and friends informed about where you are going and how long it will take for them to get hold of you if there are any problems at home.
You should always carry some kind of personal safety device (like a mobile phone) so that someone who finds you can call for help if needed as well as contact other people back home directly from their own devices if necessary (e-mailing photos from their mobile phones etc).
Conclusion
The world is a big place, and there is so much to see. Just remember that while solo travel can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, it can also be daunting if you don’t plan ahead and stay safe. Make sure you read up on safety tips before travelling alone, speak with someone who has done it before so they can give pointers, pack smartly and bring a book or something else to keep you entertained throughout your journey!