One of the most common excuses that keeps people away from traveling is the fear of doing it alone. Many individuals I know have the thirst to explore new places, but they keep on postponing it because they have no one to go with.
Important factor is the fear of the unknown dangers they will have to deal with, the moments of loneliness or even the judgment by the society. Social media planted the idea into peoples’ minds that if you want to be happy and “normal”, you need to be constantly surrounded by many friends. Also that you must spend every beautiful life experience either with partners, family or companions.
Of course, sharing travel moments with people you love is very enjoyable and heartwarming, but traveling solo means getting one step closer to yourself. Let me explain to you why I think everyone should travel alone at least once, and which dangers might come on your way. I will also give you some tools to overcome these dangers and be prepared for unsafe scenarios while being abroad.
Why you should travel solo
Choosing between traveling alone or with companions can change tremendously a journey’s experience. When being alone, the chances are you will get out of your comfort zone in order to meet other people. You will give yourself the opportunity to meet people that you wouldn’t really care to know if you had the comfort of your friends with you. Social skills, and being adaptive in dealing with various types of personalities are important tools to carry in life.
You will meet many more locals, and you will have the chance to dive in a more authentic experience. You could discover parties, restaurants and sites that you cannot find in any travel guide. Break the group of tourists and try to join groups of locals that want to share their culture with you. You won’t regret it!
The freedom of doing what you want at any time is hard to beat. We all have bad travel memories with friends who were always late, long arguments about where is the best place for dinner, disappointment over how much time you want to spend on the beach… All those issues are non-existent when you travel solo. Plans can change and traveling becomes more flexible and at your own pace.
One of the biggest lessons while traveling alone is that you can depend on your own powers. There will not be someone by your side to solve your problems for you. Learning however to be more confident and independent is worth dealing with demanding situations. The feeling of getting life in your own hands and overcoming obstacles in every part of the world is incomparable.
We all have characteristics that need improvement or issues that we need to reflect on. Traveling pushes you quickly into dealing with personal issues. When you are alone, you cannot hide or distract yourself from them. Investing some time into thinking about your life and your inner world is one of the greatest gifts you can offer to yourself.
Concerns on traveling solo
You should be aware that not everything in your trip is going to be easy. But that’s how life works, there are moments that everything seems rolling smoothly and times that the whole universe seems against you. Difficult situations will arise, but if you take each one of them as a lesson, you will come out of the experience much wiser!
Loneliness is part of the traveler’s life. You will quickly realize that it is super easy to meet people while being solo abroad, but it is inevitable to spend some days alone. Even if surrounded by many travelers, it’s common that you won’t feel connected or related with any of them.
Feeling lonely is humane and sure to happen. Dealing with loneliness and not letting it affect your trip depends completely on you. In the moments I felt the most alone , it was usually when I met the most important people in my travel life.
Female solo travelers usually have to be extra careful during their trip. It is important to know the cultural and religious differentiations in their destination, and try to respect them and go with them.
Difference attracts attention. For example a western girl would get a lot of attention in regions like Asia or South America. During my travels I come across many instances of local men (or other male travelers) harassing female backpackers. However, most of those girls have already been equipped with experience on this issue, and they knew how to end this uncomfortable situation. With precaution, the danger for a girl traveler is usually no higher than in her home country.
How to stay safe while traveling?
Keep a low profile
This is good advice for life in general. But especially when traveling, keeping a low profile can keep you out of trouble. In countries where citizens struggle more with poverty, foreigners are considered (and usually are) privileged and are sometimes being targeted for pickpocketing and robbing.
In South East Asia, there are motorbike gangs which spot unaware tourists who are carelessly holding their phones in their hands. Passing by on high speeds, they grab the phone and disappear.
It’s wise not to show off your personal belongings and keep cameras and other electronics off site. I know you might want to show off the expensive t-shirt you just bought, but believe me, it won’t attract the attention you are looking for in a country where your shirt costs as much as the average monthly salary. Be humble, and fit in your surroundings.
Make your online research
Getting useful information regarding your destination should be the first part of every trip. Learn some basics about the political situation, customs and religion, quality of life or neighborhoods to avoid. It will not just help you be more secure but also get a more authentic experience out of the tourist bubble.
Make a copy of your important documents
A great source of discomfort and stress while traveling comes from losing one of your precious documents like your passport. Bureaucracy can get really annoying and the extra fees and lost time could bring an early end to your trip. Issuing a new passport is even more complicated when you cannot provide a copy or picture of your lost one. Secure important items like your passport, and keep backups for safety.
Keep some emergency cash
While being abroad, you will most likely use your bank card to withdraw cash. However, there is always the chance of losing it, or another issue that does not allow you to use it. For cases like this, keep always with you some extra emergency cash. I choose to carry some extra dollars, because they are the easiest to be accepted and exchanged around the world.
Don’t get irresponsibly drunk.
Most of the scary travel stories start or have to do with alcohol drinking. When you are in an unfamiliar environment it is irresponsible and dangerous to lose your consciousness while drinking. Getting involved in fights and looking for trouble is also definitely not the way to go.
Drink spiking in bars and clubs is a real danger for both men and women. Keep an eye on your beverage, and don’t trust drinks offered by strangers. Keep having control and think wisely under all circumstances.
Be careful of your food and water.
Your stomach will be one of the last parts of your body to adapt to your new destination. You might be excited to try every dish in the local cuisine, but wrong food choices can lead to a bad experience. Always select eating places that are clean and have a good reputation among locals.
Keep in your backpack some allergy tablets, since you never know the impact of new ingredients in your health. Finally, do not drink tap water from regions that it is not safe to, and avoid ice cubes wherever fresh water is not potable.
Conclusion
Traveling alone might seem difficult or scary for someone who has never tried it. However, like most things in life, it is ignorance that creates this way of thinking. Spending quality time with yourself should be one of your main goals for evolving and becoming your better version.
Especially while traveling, where quickly you will have to deal with situations out of your comfort zone, you will develop a healthy and valuable relationship with you. In the end of the day, if you never try, you will never know. It might not be for everyone, but you might be the one that it is for.