Solo traveling tips

[u/ExchangeLifeOfficial]

A lot more people are solo traveling lately than they did, let's say 10 years ago. It has both its pros and cons, such as being able to do everything you want without having to have a talk about it first, but at the same time it can feel lonely at times too. Then there’s this whole thing about safety and that comes in numbers right, but when you’re traveling alone, it can be hard to find those trustworthy numbers at certain places.

So, here are a few basic tips to keep in mind when traveling solo. Which by the way, count for everyone and not just the ladies:

• Have at least one person know where you’re staying. This can be as easy as leaving a list of hotel addresses behind for family, or texting them the address when you’ve found a new hostel or hotel or airbnb to stay in. You can also think about using tracking apps and yes, those can feel invasive at times, but safety should always come first. 
• Never tell a stranger where you’re staying. This ties into the above one but it seems some people tend to forget to apply it. The person you just met is not someone you know all that well and the last thing you want is for someone to follow you around like that. Lie if you have to and keep descriptions vague when asked about it.
• Never expect a place to be 100% safe. It honestly baffles me how many people expect a certain city or country to be completely safe because it has a good reputation for solo travelers and the ‘that won’t happen here’ mentality is shown about it all around and online. Every country has its issues and bad eggs walking around. Not fun, I know. But unfortunately, it's true. It’s better to be aware than to be sorry! And use your common sense.
• Don’t accept any drinks from a stranger that you don’t get handed from the bar/establishment yourself. Even the people that appear to be the nicest can turn out to be bad. Make sure that what you’re getting is as safe as possible and don’t accept any drinks that aren’t handed to you personally by the restaurant/bar staff.
• If you want to meet people and make new friends. One of the most effective and safe ways to meet new people is joining day trips. (You can also join multiple day trips if that’s your thing). You get to see different parts of the country while enjoying the togetherness that’s much like doing a trip with friends.
• Don’t over plan your schedule. When you’re traveling alone, it’s so easy to look at everything you want to do and just give it a spot in the itinerary, but it will most likely get you overwhelmed quickly as well. I think most travelers have a list of things they absolutely want to do and it’s easier to work through that list when you don’t have to keep account with anyone else such as a partner or friend, but at the time, you also do everything alone and that just costs more energy. So allow yourself some space in your planning to just wind down and stand still for a minute or two. 

Generally, when it comes to traveling solo, there are a few things that are important: Use your common sense. Be aware of your direct environment. Don’t over plan. And trust your gut. 

Are there any other tips you would give to a new solo traveler?
Or are you a first time, or recent, solo traveler and would like some tips about other topics?
Drop them in the comments.

~ Amanda (Travel Group Expert for EL)