Travelling on your own can be a daunting prospect but also exhilarating as you are the captain of your ship, you are in charge of your destiny and other such clichés. But yes, it’s all down to you. Hmm, now it sounds more unnerving. If it all goes wrong – you don’t reach your destination, the perfect hotel has closed since your guidebook was printed, and the road is shut due to extreme weather, etc – now it doesn’t sound like so much fun.
Solo travelling, as it is called by many, isn’t for everyone but there any many positive reasons to give it a go. We don’t all have a partner or one who wants to visit the same places as us. We don’t all have friends or family with similar travel interests or bank balances to cover the exotic places we’ve saved up to see.
When your time is limited it can be great to sign up for an organised tour where the transport, accommodation and sightseeing are all planned and you pay a set price which allows you to budget better such as these China tours. Similar tours can be found all around the world and are great for exploring distant lands safely. They attract solo travellers so you won’t be faced with the standard dilemma of how to dine alone each night although the answer to this is to always take a ‘companion’: book, notepad, laptop, etc.
Group tours usually start with a chance to get to know each other such as dinner or drinks as you’ll often be travelling in a small bus together for long distances so it helps to make friends early on. If you’re a shy person these tours allow you to bond with a small group and build your confidence. You’ll also have a local tour guide with you so the language barrier issues can be resolved.
Leave Valuables at Home
Some valuables have to come with you on your travels: passport, credit card, cash, etc – but if you don’t need it for the trip then don’t bring it. If you usually wear jewellery each day consider how you’d feel if you lost it all and that can help you decide what to bring. If you simply feel naked without some jewellery, practice for a few days leading up to the trip wearing the pieces you plan to take and consider where you’ll leave them while you sleep. Remember, expensive looking jewellery makes you stand out in many parts of the world and you don’t want to be a target for pickpockets.
Hold Onto Your Daypack
A small day pack is ideal for carrying all your daily needs but if you put it down to take a photo or stop at a cafe, remember to put your foot through the bag strap so it can’t be whisked away while you’re distracted and you also won’t forget to pick it up after a lovely meal.
Top Image by Get A Trip.com
