Try telling someone you’re going to go solo traveling. See how they respond.
I guarantee you’ll hear something like this:
-“It’s not safe to travel alone. You should be careful.”
-“None of your friends want to go with you?”
-“You’re going on vacation for “X” amount of months… must be nice”
Don’t let this stop you! Listen to the people who will say things like:
-“That’s amazing. Do it while you’re young.”
-Wow, I wasn’t that brave, good for you.”
Traveling solo doesn’t mean you’re lonely and friendless, filthy rich, or going to be unsafe.
Solo Travel does not Equate to Lonely Travel:
People seem to have this misconception that traveling alone means that you’ll be lonely. I have had people look at me inquisitively and ask why I would want to be alone for “x amount of months” while traveling the world. They’ll often ask me, “oh, could none of your friends go with you?” And I always counter back with, “I didn’t invite them.”
What some people fail to recognize is just how social solo traveling can be. There are fellow solo travelers waiting around at every hostel to make a connection with fellow travelers. As a self proclaimed ambivert (I think I fall almost 50/50 on the introvert extrovert scale) I have been able to experience solo travel through both lenses. When I’m feeling extroverted I, almost without fail, will find a friend/group of friends to spend the day with. When I’m feeling introverted, I will take out my journal, plug in some headphones, and keep to myself.
The cool thing is: you’re solely responsible for you. You get to be selfish and decide just how social (or antisocial) you want to be.
Solo travel is for extroverts and introverts alike. When you are looking to be social and make connections, there are endless opportunities to do so.
Tips for Making Friends
Stay in Hostels:
You will find a whole community of travelers also looking to find friends and make meaningful connections.
Attend hostel events: many will have group dinners, pub crawls, day trips, etc.
Go on Free Walking Tours:
Look up “Free Walking Tour (city you’re in). While you’re walking with the group look out for other solo travelers and start a conversation or invite them to a meal after the tour.
Try Out BumbleBFF:
This is especially helpful if you’re planning to stay in a place for an extended amount of time. “BFF” is a feature on the app better known for romantic dating , Bumble. Instead of the romantic dates, you go on friend dates. I found friends this way while I was living in Madrid as an Au Pair. The app is great for finding longer term/more consistent friendships.
Facebook Groups:
The internet has made finding friends abroad even easier. There are so many different Facebook groups out there to meet basically any need. Look up the city you’re in and key words of the types of things you’re looking for: “expat”, “au pairs”, “rock climbing”, “horseback riding”, etc.
Ah, You must have some sort of Trust Fund:
Being able to travel the world is a privilege and should be acknowledged as such. No matter the circumstances, we who travel have the monetary, physical, and circumstantial ability to do so. While travel is a privilege, it does not mean that all travelers are affording the lifestyle with a trust fund to back them.
There are so many ways to travel the world on a budget. Just look up “budget travel” and you will find a million and one tips on how to make the lifestyle attainable. While there are undeniably people out there who are relying entirely on money they did not earn, that is not the norm and certainly not how everyone is able to afford to travel.
I’ve met countless travelers who saved up for months or years before quitting their full time jobs. Travelers who never pay rent because they rely on volunteer opportunities with free accommodation. Travelers who work and save up, travel, work and safe up, travel, and … repeat.
People choose to spend their money in all kinds of ways. Travelers are not necessarily any more wealthy than someone paying rent and living in a big city, they just choose to spend their money in a different way
Budget Travel Tips
-Stay in hostels to save on accommodation
-Look up all possible forms of transportation before deciding which to take
-Use a travel rewards credit card!!! Build up points!
-Get a Charles Schwab debit card to avoid foreign ATM fees
-Always have emergency money that you do not touch (no matter the circumstances) until there is an actual emergency!
-Overbudget and Underspend
-Find jobs working abroad in hostels, on farms, teaching english, etc. to make money or avoid accommodation costs while you travel
-Take less stuff. The less you pack the less you check.
Have you ever seen the Movie, “Taken”:
This is my all time favorite response I get to sharing my love for solo travel, (and probably the least creative). In the movie, a young girl goes abroad and is quite literally “taken” by some scary men and needs to be rescued (I only ever watched like half of the movie when I was 13… I think I just refuse to watch the rest on principle now). So, obviously, this is what will happen when you go traveling alone.
I do not in any way want to minimize the fact that solo travel can be dangerous, especially as a woman. We as a group need to be more careful to look up the appropriate way to dress in a country, how men may approach us and the best way to dismiss them, and more. This may mean we need to dress more conservatively, wear a fake wedding ring, and change aspects of ourselves to comfort to the culture we are in.
HOWEVER,
I always tell people that there have been more times in my home city in the US that I have felt threatened as a woman moving about alone in life than I have in a foreign country. That is not to say that there haven’t been times I’ve felt unsafe abroad. There have been.
The unfortunate fact is that no matter where we are in the world, there is always a threat to women and a need to be more careful and more aware of our surroundings. I think most of us are unfortunately (and fortunately) incredibly aware of this. I don’t see this as a reason to not follow our dreams of seeing the world, on our own terms. With the appropriate research and preparation, solo travel is fully accessible and incredibly enriching for women.
*My perspective comes through the lens of a straight, white woman. I cannot speak on behalf of all women and it should be acknowledged that women with a different lens may have nuance to bring to the conversation.
Safety Tips
Tell Someone at Home Where you are:
Select a friend or family member who you know will look out for you to have your information. Send them the name of your hostel, hotel, or airbnb. Tell them the dates you will be in a location. If you stay with a friend/someone you meet tell someone their name and where you will be. Have an understanding with this person that if you do not respond to their messages in x amount of time, something might be wrong.
Research a Place Before you go:
Spend some time researching the culture, customs, and expectations of a place. If women dress more conservatively somewhere, you will want to follow suit. When traveling solo as a woman, you don’t want to stick out and draw unnecessary attention. A good practice, no matter where you’re going, is to leave expensive/flashy jewelry at home and to dress as similarly to local women as you can. Read feedback from other women who have travelled in the area. Gather some advice and go from there.
Tell your Home Country Where you’ll be:
As a traveler coming from the US, I register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program through the US Department of State. This allows you to input dates and locations of places you will be (I usually put rough dates and add as I figure out my plans). This is useful because you will receive emails with anything you may need to know about the location you’re in in order to stay safe and aware.
Bring an Alarm that does not Need to go in a Checked Bag:
I always bring my Birdie Alarm with me (even at home in the US). Pepper Spray is a good option, however, it has to go in a checked bag and it is illegal in some places! An alarm is something small that you can always have on you, is always legal, and can always stay with you through the airport. It is an extra safety precaution that I think every solo traveler should have.
Trust. Your. Intuition.
If something (or someone) feels wrong, they probably are! It is always better to be safe than sorry. So, if someone is rubbing you the wrong way or making you feel uncomfortable, forget pleasantries and get out of the situation. If you come off as rude… you come off as rude. Your safety is simply the number one priority, no if’s ands or buts.