If you have the time and money, go ahead and travel.
We all need a break once in a while from our hectic schedule. And what could be better than going on a wanderlust trip with your friends or family and explore the world?
However, at times, you may find that there isn’t anyone available to tag along on your trip, leaving you feeling hopeless and disappointed. But wait, there is another alternative, a solo trip! It seems everyone else has done it, so why not give it a go. Unfortunately, solo traveling for women poses a few extra challenges.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some great tips to all the female travelers who are about to embark on a journey with themselves.
After all, you are your own best friend first.
Be prepared mentally and physically
Traveling solo means that you have to be well prepared and brace yourself for any circumstances. For better or worse, you can only count on yourself.
It’s good if you can travel light and carry only the essentials. Ask yourself if you really need 3 pairs of shoes during the trip and you might find you will be thanking yourself in the future.
Make a detailed preparation about your trip, the itinerary, traveling expenses, the place you are staying, etc.
With comprehensive details, this will help you paint the picture of what you should expect while traveling to a foreign place and most importantly, ease your mind.
Plus, your health should take precedence above all things.
You can’t travel if you are sick right? So, be sure to bring along some medication if you need it and practice some tips to stay healthy while traveling.
Safety first and be vigilant
Wherever you go, your safety should be your number one concern. As a solo female traveler, these are some of the precautions that you should follow.
Always reach out to your family and friends, so that they will know your location.
Inform your embassy if you are traveling abroad. Keeping them informed will make your traveling journey a bit more secure.
Keep your belongings to yourself and avoid branded or excessively expensive items. Also, watch out for problematic areas or ones with high crime rates.
Try to blend in
There’s always this aura that lingers around solo female travelers because sometimes, they stand out from the crowd. They might have an uncertain look on their face or look lost and confused. Well, some of us can’t help it, it’s inevitable.
Hence, it is always helpful if you can try to blend in and look as if you are familiar with the place.
You have to look and act confident as if you belong in that place. It can be uncomfortable at first but you just have to wing it. Fake it until you make it!
Build friendships
Feeling sad when traveling alone with no one to talk to or share your experience? Don’t just dwell on your sadness – this is the perfect opportunity for you to build meaningful relationships with new people while traveling.
Mingle with the locals and befriend them. This is the time for you to make a connection with people and be open to meet new people.
Why not channel your inner Elizabeth Gilbert from Eat Pray Love and who knows, an opportunity may come to you.
Broaden your horizon and welcome all positivity into your life. Trust us, you would be surprised.
Listen to your instinct
When everything else fails, listen to your gut. Whilst it is important to enjoy your trip, you should always listen to your gut when you feel like something is off. First, you must keep a level head and try to untangle yourself from the situation.
If you feel like the place you’re staying is no longer safe for you to stay the night, leave. But before you leave, you need to make sure that you have a backup plan of where you can stay.
And if you happen to be walking alone at night and all of a sudden, an unfamiliar sensation hits you in which you start to feel unsafe, run.
Have fun being alone
Don’t forget to enjoy and have fun while you are traveling. It can’t be compared with the feeling of having someone else to enjoy the trip with you. But as we mentioned earlier, you are your own best friend and this is the time for you to get to know yourself and explore another side of you.
Pro tip: Carry a tripod wherever you go. It will be troublesome to ask someone to take a photo of you and with a tripod, you can take amazing photos.
Everyone can travel but not everyone has the will to travel alone. Be proud of yourself and after the trip, you will emerge as an independent, strong-willed, and confident woman.
And surprise, surprise, you may want to travel alone more often.
*This article is a guest contribution by Nina Osman from Printcious.
