If you need to travel for work or you just fancy getting away for a bit then you may have to go alone. This can be incredibly tricky and you might think you can’t do it. Well, we are here to tell you that you can in fact do it and you will have a great time. If you need some hints, tips, reassurance, and advice then take a look at the article below to find out more.
Work Out Your Budget
One of the very first things you will need to do is work out your budget. Without money, you may not be going anywhere or venturing too far from home. Vacations can be expensive so it might take some time to save up or you could be planning on paying with a credit card. Whatever you decide to do, you will need to know how much money is needed. For this to happen you will need to shop around different booking sites. Comparison sites can be incredibly helpful for this as you will be surprised at how prices can vary.
Pick A Destination
The world is a big place, and while some of it is undiscovered, a huge chunk is just waiting for you to come and visit. You may already have a bucket list of destinations you are wanting to tick off. If this is the case then there is no better time to start doing so than now, you aren’t getting any younger. You can always make more money but you won’t always be able to travel when you have free time.
If you don’t know where to go then it might be worth speaking with an independent travel expert. If you tell them exactly what you want out of your trip then they will be able to advise on the best places to go. For example, if you love theme parks and water parks then you could save and head to one of the six Disney parks around the world, soon to become seven!
Do Your Research
When you decide to go anywhere, you will need to do your research to check whether it is a safe place for tourists to go. You should decide where to go and then check out your chosen destination to make sure there are no issues there. This could include but of course isn’t limited to, illness, war, or not being very safe for visitors in general.
You may have friends or family who have previously visited this country so it comes recommended. If they have been there before then they will also be able to tell you about the areas to avoid and if you can venture out at night.
Get Vaccinations
Something else to be aware of is that some countries will require you to have vaccinations before you travel there, this is common for a lot of the African countries. However, there is a global issue currently ongoing with measles so this is something to bear in mind. Make sure that you have received all of your routine jabs and vaccinations. If you aren’t sure then you can check online or even phone your doctor to ask if you are needing any jabs before you go. Give yourself plenty of time to receive these as you don’t want to miss the appointment, you are then putting yourself at even greater risk of catching something and bringing it home with you.
Stay In Touch
Make sure that as a solo traveler you are always checking in and touching base with friends and family back home. They may worry about all the news stories they hear in the media about solo travelers going missing and never being found. Although there are always reports on the news, the actual cases of tourists going missing is still relatively low.
However, while you are away, make sure that you have charge in your phone and other devices. This will give you and others peace of mind you can get in touch if anything untoward was to happen. Many countries abroad will have different plug points in the wall than the ones you are used to, make sure you check this out and take the correct adapter with you. Chances are you can pick some up while you are over there, however, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Book Excursions
Is there anywhere or anything you would like to see while you are away? If so, it is sometimes best to book these before you go. That way you know it has been booked, you can print off any and all documents you need, and then look forward to your trip when you get there. Some excursions will have a small print attached, or a waiver that you will need to sign. This can slow things down if you haven’t done it beforehand.
If you are planning on doing an activity or excursion as soon as you get there and your room isn’t quite ready yet then you could make use of radical storage options in the local area.
Be Patient
Lastly, remember to be kind and patient with yourself. Solo travel can be rather daunting, especially if you have never done anything like this before. Have everything planned out before you go, that way you don’t have to panic about anything going wrong while you are there. Of course, you may encounter issues along the way like delayed flights or bookings being canceled, but this is incredibly rare.
If anything were to go wrong, it is essential you remain calm. Panicking, worrying, or getting angry will never solve anything when you are on your own. Don’t be afraid to speak to locals as they may be more than willing to help you out with anything you need.
We do hope you found this article helpful and it gave you some ideas on how to manage solo travel. It is an exciting time to be exploring the world, get out there and have fun.
Leave a Reply