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A lot of people think solo travelling is scary and whenever I tell someone about how I travel by myself, the first thing they always say, "Oh my God Kesvi! You are so brave!" Now that is not a way that I would describe myself.
When I made my first abroad trip, I was terrified. I was going to Borneo (I didn't ease myself in with a short trip); I was doing two months of voluntary work there. I felt so afraid.
Before that trip, I had never gone anywhere by myself, and I had never made a connection flight on my own. I had never been that far away from home or spent two months anywhere where I couldn't see my family and friends.
I jumped into the deep end, and it's one of the best decisions that I've ever made. But first, before we get into the tips, I just want to say this isn't just for people who want to go away for a long period of time, you could be going to Rome for the weekend and these tips will still be helpful.
So let's talk about the fears of solo travel:
1. Being Alone
Many people think that when you travel solo, you do a lot of stuff by yourself. This is obviously not true. Yes, there are times when you are going to be by yourself. You will be on the plane by yourself, or you're going to be travelling to a hostel by yourself. But that is not the case for the whole holiday or the whole travel experience, because you will meet people along the way who are doing precisely the same as you. The people who I've met while I've been travelling are some of my closest friends. Even though we have spent the only couple of days or weeks. (shout out to all my travelling buddy)
If you want to make friends while travelling, I suggest you stay in hostels. You don't have to stay in dorms. I mean, I always recommend staying in dorms, but it doesn't have to be big. A dorm of six people is enough, and you will hit it off with one of them.
Hostels do also have private rooms. You don't have to share a room just because you are staying in a hostel. If you stay in a private room, it's like staying in a hotel. But with the added social aspect, which is incredible. And it is also important when you are going all by yourself, even if it's for a week.
This is not only beneficial for social aspects but when you spend time with other people, you end up having a better holiday. Because you are with people who really want to be there, and you can know about their culture and stories.
So, you see, when you are travelling, you are not alone.
2. Your Safety
Another critical concern for people who want to travel alone is if it's safe. When you are travelling alone, safety is the key, you need to feel like you are not in danger. I have been to different cities and towns around the world and there have only been a handful of times that I have felt truly in danger. I remember when I decided to spend a week in El Salvador - all my friends and family back home were scared for me. But to be honest, the people there are nothing other than lovely. I once got off the bus at the wrong place and couldn't find my hostel, I had no phone signal or internet. The locals did everything they could to help. They found me a taxi so that I could get to my hostel. It's one of the loveliest experiences in my life. They were so kind; I was surprised.
Similarly, when you stay in hostels, everyone is very welcoming. It feels great because you have each other's back like any other travel experience with friends. Remember, you and everyone else are in the same boat. Everyone wants to be safe, and they want to have a good time.
I can understand why people are concerned about travelling alone, predominantly as females. From my experience, I can tell you it's possible to travel safely.
3. You Don't Know How or Where to Start Planning
The last thing that people say to me is that they don't know how they should start or start. And they don't know where they should go. It's easy when you start looking. There are many resources at your fingertips.
I am going to list some ideas so that you guys understand. These ideas will help you whether you are planning a one-week holiday or three months backpacking journey.
i) Make a List of Places You Want to Go
My first tip is to make a list of places where you want to go. Then group them. Write down how long you want to be in each of those places. If you are not sure how long you should stay there, my second tip will help.
ii) Find Blogs or Travel YouTube Channels.
My second tip is finding blogs or YouTube channels that have suggestions on the places you want to go. Many people are talking about those places and what they liked about those places.
iii) Talk to Friends and Family About Places They've Been
My third tip is if you don't know how to start, ask your family and friends. The best things about your close people's tips are they know what you like and what you don't like. Their tips will be concrete.
iv) Facebook Groups
You can find so many Facebook groups for each country. Each group has a particular back. I am added to many Facebook groups. I was added to an Australian group, but I had to leave later. Every time I see a post, I am so upset. Because all these people are still there and I am not. Facebook groups kind of tie with my first and second point. You can find many people to network with. I am doing a very similar thing here. It's a great way to make friends and network.
I wanted to make a road trip around Jasper and Bath. I found three people in a Canadian Backpacks Group with whom I made the road trip. And we had the best time. It was one of my favourites two weeks in Canada.
v) Go with a travel group like G Adventures, Contiki, Intrepid
Point number five, you don't have to travel on your own in the sense that you have to sort everything by yourself. There are a few tour groups you can join who are doing the same thing. People like G Adventures, Intrepid, Contiki do tours everywhere in the world. G adventures specifically, I went on a tour with them around Peru. And I absolutely loved it because I had a short amount of time and wanted to see as much as possible. I wasn't confident about going all the way by myself because I didn't want to waste my time. The tour itself was excellent. I saw and learnt so much. So, it's definitely worth it.
You can find the whole list here. (please add the link here)
I hope that I have helped you guys subside the fear. Now you can start planning your next adventure. Let me know in the comments below if I have helped at all. Let me know where you want your next trip to be.
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