Everyone is so busy that they have no time to enjoy a little. All this is due to their hectic life schedules and dull lifestyle. People think they woke up, go to their 9 to 5 job, and coming home is the main work. But this is not true. Enjoyment is also necessary for everyone. Even the famous Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience.”
It is essential to have some free time, whether you want to spend it with family or solo. If you have fun with your family, you do not have to worry about various things. You can divide the stuff with the family members, which can also remove some burden from your shoulders. However, solo trips can be exhausting as you must manage everything independently. You could be a perfect travel planner; solo trips are the best idea, even if you prefer an organized trip or wandering and seeing what happens in your surroundings.
Planning a solo trip is difficult; however, moving forward step by step, you can enjoy your solo trip as much as you want.
Follow the below-mentioned steps for a happy solo trip:
Plan your trip
Planning all the needed things, such as destination, residence, what to do there, how to reach, and all the related stuff, is essential. It is needed to lessen the burden and dilemmas at that moment. When you are unsure about these things, you may ruin the whole trip with your hands. It is essential to plan your trip ahead of time. It will help you in many ways. You are not burdened with managing all the things independently.
Here are some essential benefits of planning before time:
- Time saver: When you sort all the things, such as where to go, how to stay, what to do, and many more such things, you save a lot of time in scheduling it at the last moment. From hotel and flight bookings, the decision of various destinations to visit at that place will help you a lot.
- Prioritize and maximize: There are many places to visit at a particular destination. When you have decided about the destination you will see, it is best to list various locations based on a priority of what you want to experience there. This way, you will not wander here and there and will get the results according to your wish.
- Budget and spend accordingly: Travel is not an open-cheque vacation. Planning your things by making a budget and spending according to it is good. Always keep some emergency funds in your budget to help you in difficult times. You can dismiss the least important attractions to save money on your trip.
- Remember your essential needs: When you plan before time, there is no chance of forgetting everything you can need on your trip. Group tours can let you share things if you forget some to bring, but on a solo trip, you must be attentive. Essential needs may include suitable clothing according to the weather, travel vaccinations, medications, and many more.
- Preparation for immigration issues and emergencies: When you travel alone abroad, you may come up with some immigration issues and rules of that country. So, preparation in advance will help you to ensure the visa requirements and other necessary things. Emergency phone numbers should be with you to contact for any help. These phone numbers should be saved on the phone and in written form in case of an emergency.
Choosing a destination
It is very important to decide where to go for fun without stress. Considering all the factors and safety measures while travelling alone is important. While choosing a place to visit, always note your interests based on food, accommodation, budget, sightseeing, and adventurous activities. Then, prioritize the main place which attracts you the most.
After listing all these things, pick a suitable destination for your solo trip. Also, remember to take safety measures during solo travelling. It may include location sharing with your family and trusted friends. Also, you can take some required medicines with you for emergencies. If you plan to travel to hilly and mountain areas or want to trek, take all the trekking precautions.
Booking tickets and accommodation
After selecting the place to visit, the next step is to book the tickets and residential accommodation. It should be budget-friendly and comfortable. There are many types of lodgings available at every tourist place. So, you can book a suite or a simple motel room, whatever suits your budget. Be attentive while booking it. Keep in mind these tips to stay safe in unfamiliar surroundings:
- Stay with your luggage. It is easy to get theft in a strange place, so keep an eye on your luggage.
- Never book your room on the ground floor, as it is being said they are easy to break in. So, stay safe upstairs.
- Check your booked room thoroughly when you move in. Ask the helper to wait outside and check every corner properly. Learn how every door works so you will not get stuck inside.
- Remember not to share your room number or hotel name with strangers. Always check the area around your room and move in when no one is around you.
- Remember to take your cards at paying reception or show your pin to others. It may indulge you in fraud and scams.
- Always make a booking with your last name. In this way, no one will know your name and let confuse you with others easily.
- Remember to share your location with family and friends and put their contacts in SOS to call them in emergencies.
- Keep an eye on your hotel key, as the golden egg must always be protected. If you lose the key, inform the staff immediately and change the room for your safety.
Planning activities
Always plan the activities you want to do on your trip. You can check the activities online or with any tour guide. These will help you a lot in deciding and maintaining your budget. Research the activities that can be done alone and that you can enjoy on your solo trip. On the other hand, you can join group activities in which you are all strangers. This way, you can get to know new people and give a chance to new relationships.
Tip to remember: Never compromise your safety while travelling alone. Always check the safety measures of every activity you are going to do.
Preparing for the trip
Now, you can start the preparation for your trip, which include packing essential, documents, paperwork, and all the related stuff. Try to follow the following steps not to forget the things behind you:
- Always pack your stuff in a bag that suits your need. It should not be so small and light that you must carry 2 or 3 bags at a time, or it should not be too big and heavy, making you tired even after a short walk. Even it should be of manageable size so that you can handle it alone.
- Always pack less and try to mix and matching of your clothes. This way, you do not have to burden yourself with too much weight.
- Remember to pack your valuable things near you and secretively. This way, you can save yourself from theft.
- Pack all the needed medications in a pill collector, saving some space in your bag.
- Always take into consideration of personal hygiene, such as toiletries. So, pack enough of them, so you do not have to compromise with others.
- Never forget to take a power backup in the form of a power bank to keep your phone charged all the time. This way, you can contact your near and dear ones.
While on a solo trip, you must let your near and dear ones know your whereabouts. They can help you in any emergency as the moment of your location can be suspicious in danger. Sometimes you indeed feel alone and lonely on the trip, but this takes you to make new friends and relationships. Solo trips are best for introverted people as they develop the habit of indulging in a new environment and people easily.
Remember only to expose your details to anyone once you trust that person. While making new connections, always try to be approachable while making new connections so that everyone can learn about you. Minimize the use of electronics and smile with happy body language. Try to mix up with the locals to learn their dialect. This way, you can also improve your knowledge.
Advantages of solo tours
Solo trips are very advantageous in all aspects. Some of its advantages are mentioned below:
- Get to know yourself: Solo trips are the best way to increase your knowledge about yourself. It also helps you make decisions and take stock of your feelings at a given moment. When you travel alone, you spend your time with yourself. This results in letting yourself know more. Solo trips are a journey of self-discovery.
- Improve your language skills: When you travel in a group, you will get busy with your near and dear ones. It does not allow you to try new things, and you also do not feel the need to learn new culture and language. However, solo travelling helps you in getting involved with native speakers and learn some odd words that you can use in your speaking.
- Good for your mental health: Today’s generation is evil at keeping good mental health. That is why solo trips are the best, as you spend quality time in peace. No one is there to disturb you for things. You do not have to listen to the work orders or conflicts of the family. All you have to listen to is your heart and mind. Improve your mental health by being selfish sometimes.
- Make new friends: When you travel alone, you have a lot of time to spend with the natives of the place. It results in getting involved in their daily activities and helps you to form a solid bond with them. This bond will stay with you forever and assist you in every up and down of life. These travelling bonds result in great friendships.
- Do whatever you want: When you travel with your family or friends, you must consider what everyone thinks. For example, if you want to go somewhere, you must ask everybody about it. Mostly, the decision goes in favour of majority votes, and this can be against your wish. However, it will not happen on a solo trip. You are the incharge of everything and can do whatever you want.
Winding up
Solo travelling is indeed difficult in the case of heavy luggage, loneliness, and safety measures. However, it can be a smooth trip if you move further step by step. Also, a solo trip gives you freedom and independence to live as you wish, which is very important due to the chance to get to know yourself better.
FAQs
Q1. How to make your first solo trip fun?
Ans: To make your solo trip fun, plan everything in advance and stay carefree everywhere on the trip. Let yourself go with the flow.
Q2. What is the best time to travel solo?
Ans: When you are at peace with your decision, be carefree and enjoy the trip. If you are doubtful, there are other better times to have a solo trip.