Lifestyle transformation has influenced a paradigm shift in the way people travel. Though family trips and couple outings haven’t lost much sheen, solo traveling has become the norm in the current times.
Solo travel usually happens by chance, in cases where there’s no one to travel with. However, it is now becoming a clear choice among the wanderlust who have the time and money along with the desire to travel alone. Contrary to popular belief, traveling solo has many advantages that are generally overlooked. After all, solo travel is all about you and your choices.
The many advantages of traveling solo include:
● You can do whatever you want, whenever you want to. It’s your schedule.
● You can easily meet and strike up conversations with locals, and other fellow travelers.
● You can focus and learn about the destination at your own pace.
● You can enjoy as much downtime as you want.
● You can be yourself and indulge in a foreign culture completely.
● You can follow your own interests and enjoy special treatment.
● You need not wait for, or answer to anyone. It’s your own expedition.
● You gain ample amount of self-confidence and improved self-awareness.
● When you’re traveling you want to experience the unknown, and when you travel solo, you don’t have someone familiar to lean back and confide in. This prepares you to be highly self reliant emotionally.
It’s important to note that while traveling alone, you also need to be more responsible and do all the work by yourself. This can include planning the trip, remembering hotel room keys, keeping track of landmarks, managing your time, rescheduling when required, and others. Another advantage of solo travel is that you can get cheap airfare, book cheap hotels, and save your money for exploring and other adventure activities.
Solo trips, as exciting as they may sound and actually are, can be a nightmare if the following safety tips are overlooked:
● Research completely about the destination before planning.
● Choose the destination carefully. For example, if you’re wondering if a particular country or city is safe, don’t just rely on the word of travellers who may advise you, but check online and with your country’s embassy as well
● Stay connected, but take a healthy break from technology.
● Know your strengths and weaknesses.
● Keep your friends and family informed about your whereabouts regularly.
● Keep credit cards and passport safely in pouches.
● Get a cheap airfare and save money to buy travel insurance.
● Book a flight where you arrive during the day.
● Study the map thoroughly before you leave.
● Learn something about the culture before leaving.
● Choose transportation from authorized transport agencies and stay awake while commuting.
● Connect with others cautiously.
● Look confident and know where you are going.
● Get a single occupancy room in the best cheap hotels without splurging on room fare.
● Know when to be polite and when to avoid situations.
● Don’t flash expensive items or jewelry.
Your solo trip can be entertaining, thrilling, safe, and exciting if you adhere to the above safety tips.
Remember, solo travel is a self-indulgent affair, where you have to make compromises only with yourself and push yourself harder or enjoy more slack, as per your wishes. Also, cheap airfare and cheap hotels are the norms for every solo traveler, unless you have the money and willingness to splurge on expensive options.
