First steps to start preparing for your solo travel journey

September 6, 2021

Have you ever felt your heart beat so hard like it’s going to come out of your chest right before you get on a new ride at the amusement park?

Or, when you are about to perform a dance, or deliver a speech or poem in front of an audience you’ve never met before?

But then, once you get on the ride, or when you finish that last pose or verse, you feel giddy and a rush of adrenaline— Like you can conquer the world?

That is what traveling alone for the first time can feel like. It’s a huge step to take but equally, it’s a huge accomplishment that brings on so many rewarding opportunities.

If you have already done it, you must understand what I mean.

But, if you are here because you are looking for that push to do it, I hope that you know that I’m proud of you and I’m here for it.

I hope that this piece helps you see where to start and that it guides you through your journey of solo traveling.

Just know that there are many, many, many other things you can and should do before your first solo trip but these will get you started!

HOW TO START YOUR SOLO TRAVEL PLANS

DO YOUR RESEARCH

I’m going to be honest. You can talk to as many people, listen to as many stories, or have other people (myself included) tell you what’s it going to be like, but you’ll never truly know until you do your own research.

Doing research would mean that you sit down with the intention to search and gather information on a set of topics.

I don’t mean sitting and aimlessly Googling your life away. What I mean is that you create a list of things you want to understand. Some examples of topics to research are:

• The country’s customs and traditions

• What does the city you will stay in look like

• The safety levels you’ll encounter

• The cost of living for expats

• Attractions that will be open when you visit, etc

Having a list handy will help you make sure you are doing intentional work for your future solo travel adventure.

Why is research important?

Because we are talking about your future self taking on a big challenge!

You want to ensure that you’ll feel comfortable wherever you fly yourself to. You want peace of mind knowing that you’ll be able to spend days visiting the places you want to see and to be able to spend money without struggling.

You’ll understand better how to keep yourself safe too.

You want your future self to know that there is a plan to make the most of your solo trip. I can guarantee you that your future self will thank you for it.

RELATED POST: 10 STEPS TO KICKSTART YOUR TRAVEL SAVINGS

CREATE A TIMELINE

If you are like me, you probably will find comfort in planning your day-by-day trip so you know exactly where you’ll be on a specific day.

It’ll feel like a safety blanket.

But also, if you are like me, you also won’t plan your entire day because being spontaneous is just as important!

Long gone are the days when you can only fit one box or the other. This is perfect for those of you who would like structure but only when it comes with the perks of freedom and going with the flow.

Create a timeline for your solo travel adventure by writing down the dates of your solo trip on a piece of paper (or a Google Drive document for easy online access) and considering the following:

→ TRAVEL DAYS

Let’s say for example that your trip begins on a Monday and ends on a Saturday. First thing first, you’ll know to put down Monday and Saturday as “travel days” because that’s when you’ll be traveling.

Whether it’s by vehicle or plane, moving from point A to point B always takes time.

So setting travel days aside will help you determine what exploring activities you can and can’t do on those days.

It will also reinforce the importance of research— You may decide that you want better lodging that’s closer to where you want to be or heck, it might even inspire you to go somewhere completely different!

But I digress, all you need to know is that “travel days” should be crafted seriously. Your future self will thank you for it as you don’t want to miss your flights or bus departures and potentially ruin your trip.

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→ ACTIVITIES

After setting travel days aside, you have X amount of days to explore. The possibilities are endless!

My suggestion is to create a list of the places and activities you want to see and do, then determine which days and times you can visit! Such examples are museums, shops, festivals, and restaurants.

Check their days and hours of operation and jot down the information about how to get there and when’s the best hour to visit. The last thing you’d want is to plan to visit The Louvre on a Tuesday only to get there and see it’s closed!

Keep in mind that all activities you’ll want to do will likely take 1+ hours each to complete. This means that you should set realistic expectations of how much you can do in a day’s worth of exploring.

An ideal number of activities to aim for is around 2-3 per day.

→ FREE TIME

After all your desired spots have made it into the timeline, you’ll notice that you didn’t exactly fill all the hours in a day, or all the days in the week.

Or, if you decided you only want to aim for 1-2 activities per day, then you’ll have quite a bit of free time.

This is that sweet, golden part of the day you can use for anything you want. It’s your free time to do those last-minute plans or call it a day early.

This is where the beauty of solo traveling comes into play. You are free to follow your heart and not have to compromise with anyone else about what to do!

During your solo trip though, you may meet people in the places you go. You might meet another solo traveler and if you want to meet up later this would be the ideal time to do so.

In conclusion, having a timeline has its own advantages but don’t get carried away with the minutiae.

When preparing to travel solo for the first time, be flexible and definitely prepare to be open and spontaneous whenever you feel it. Give your future self a bit of structure and a lot of freedom!

PICK A REMOTE TRAVEL BUDDY

The last item to get you started on your solo travel journey preparations is to share your travel plans with someone you trust back home.

After booking your flight and accommodation for your trip, you have a better idea of what your adventure is going to look like and you can start gathering all your documents for safekeeping.

Make copies of documents that have details about your flights and your lodging and provide them to a trusty contact that’s staying home. This can be your parents, your best friend, or a trusted travel agent!

The documents will serve their purpose as a central location for you to refer to when you’re traveling, as well as, as an emergency backup sheet about you for someone back home.

Be extremely picky about who you choose to share this information with though. There’ll be sensitive info about your whereabouts and you do NOT want this to end up in the wrong hands.

Who you pick should be someone that is also willing to keep an eye on you from a distance and that you can reach out to via text or call if you are feeling a bit off during your travels.

What if you want to go ‘off the grid’?

This may sound unpleasant because it makes you think as if something bad is going to happen. But the truth is that you just never know.

The first time you solo travel, go easy on yourself and take as many safety precautions as possible. Going off the grid can add unnecessary pressure to you. It truly can make your first solo travel experience a stressful one.

Regardless of how adventurous and confident you are, I will always advise that you let a trusted contact know your plans.

You don’t need to provide all the details but give them the main things like a copy of your paperwork and passport, flight numbers, lodging addresses, and contact information for them to reach out to you in case of an emergency.

They’ll be able to get in touch with the places you’re staying and also help you make contact with them in case you lose your phone and don’t have access to your devices.

It has been, and always will be, my core belief that it’s better to be prepared and safe than sorry.

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