Solo Travel For Dummies (eBook)

Lee Mylne (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2023
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
978-1-394-21818-9 (ISBN)

Infos

A friendly resource to help you prepare for exciting domestic or international travel-on your own

Solo Travel For Dummies teaches you how to plan the solo trip of a lifetime with must-know info, insider tricks, safety essentials, and more. Whether you're a seasoned jetsetter or nervous first timer, you'll learn everything you need to know. Choose your destination, plan a fulfilling itinerary, save money, and stay safe, no matter where in the world you may roam. As a solo traveler, you'll appreciate this book's specific tips on how to avoid loneliness, what to do if you get lost, and how to plan ahead so you can enjoy your trip. Tuck this portable Dummies travel guide into your backpack or suitcase, and you'll be ready for your once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

• Find expert travel tips for minimizing stress and maximizing enjoyment
• Learn how to plan the perfect solo itinerary for your goals
• Discover unique destinations and can't-miss cultural experiences
• Get expert tips on safety, budgeting, and so much more!

Solo Travel For Dummies is for anyone who needs a trusted, comprehensive source of information as they prepare to travel independently.

Lee Mylne is an award-winning travel writer who has visited more than 60 countries, often traveling solo. She enjoys the freedom to go wherever the road may take her.

Inhalt

Introduction 1

Chapter 1: Exploring the World as a Solo Traveler 5

Chapter 2: Preparing for Your Solo Adventure 19

Chapter 3: Managing the Logistics of Solo Travel 55

Chapter 4: You Can't Take It All with You: Packing 81

Chapter 5: Don't Leave Home Without Them: Money, ID, and Devices 95

Chapter 6: A Room of Your Own 119

Chapter 7: Table for One 143

Chapter 8: Meeting People and Making New Friends 159

Chapter 9: Keeping Healthy 181

Chapter 10: Ten Tips for Successful Solo Travel 201

Chapter 11: Avoiding Ten Common Mistakes Solo Travelers Make 209

Chapter 12: Ten Great Destinations for Solo Travelers 215

Index 227

Textauszug

Chapter 1

Exploring the World as a Solo Traveler

IN THIS CHAPTER

Coping with the challenges of traveling solo

Exploring a destination for the first time

Opening channels of communication

Going out into the world as a solo traveler is something you should do at least once in your life. Even if you have traveled widely, the experience of traveling alone is one that will change you and the way you see the world.

Traveling to places beyond your home base expands your worldview and shows you that despite our differences, people are fundamentally the same the world over. By going it alone, you will open yourself to people and experiences in a way that traveling in the cocoon of companionship prevents. It’s a brave step, but one that will change you in ways you can’t imagine before you set out.

In this chapter, I discuss how to build your confidence when traveling solo for the first time, how to get the most out of going back to favorite destinations, and give you tips on how to stay safe when you’re on the road alone.

Throughout this book, I reference all kinds of online resources to help you plan and enjoy your travels. To find a handy list of links to all these resources, go to www.dummies.com/go/solotravelfd.

The Pros and Cons of Going It Alone

If you’re new to solo travel — or just contemplating it for the first time — it might seem daunting. It’s no small thing to be out there in the world on your own, with no support system or ready-made friend to share the ups and downs with. It’s a worthwhile exercise to weigh up the pros and cons of traveling alone before you decide to abandon the idea — and with luck, you will come to see that the benefits of solo travel do outweigh the downsides.

Like life in general, all travel has its bad days and disappointments, especially if you are on the road for a long time. The hotel room might not be quite what you expected — but oh, how that sunset from the balcony makes up for the tiny bathroom! Then there are the truly awful days when you really just want nothing more than to go home to your own bed … but the next day will reveal something wonderful, and you remember why you are on this journey!

This book is definitely pro–solo travel, but I also guide you through all the realities of a traveling life on your own, not just the good ones. As with all styles of travel, traveling alone can be a rollercoaster that you need to learn to ride. Knowing what the ups and downs might be is the first step towards a smooth ride.

Why traveling alone may be the best decision you ever make

Traveling solo may be the most empowering decision you ever make. No matter your age or gender, learning to be self-sufficient while dealing with everything that travel throws at you will teach you more about yourself than you could ever imagine before you start out.

From the moment you begin to plan your trip, you’ll be free of the shackles of traveling with someone else. There’s no need to wait for others to confirm their vacation dates or save up enough to travel. By traveling solo, you can start your trip whenever it suits you — and you alone! Take advantage of cheap deals, make your bookings instantly, and be spontaneous.

The same applies once you are on the road. Want to stay somewhere an extra day or two, or move on more quickly than you planned? You can do it. There are no compromises or negotiations to be made, no one to consult … just the freedom and flexibility to do exactly what you want to.

Solo travel will definitely push you out of your comfort zone, even if you’re traveling in your own state or country. Knowing that — expecting it — will help you deal with it. You’ll face your fears and overcome them (the worst ones will probably never even eventuate).

Making all the decisions, from where and when to go, how to get there, where to stay, how to cope when things go wrong (which they inevitably will sometimes) and meeting new people along the way will give you a new sense of independence. Your confidence will grow and your self-reliance will be stronger every day. You’ll learn to deal with people of all kinds and to keep yourself safe in situations that you may not have encountered at home.

Most of all, traveling solo will change your perspective on the world. Without the distraction of a companion, you’ll be more aware of your surroundings and more observant of what is around you.

Solo travel also allows you to learn about yourself. Time on your own inevitably results in self-reflection — “Hey, I did that!” — and time to contemplate what you’re seeing as you travel. It may make you appreciate what you have at home and how your life has panned out so far. Then there may be those moments when you give thanks for a life that is far removed from those you are seeing on your travels. Clean running water — or hot water for your daily shower — may suddenly seem not so much a necessity, but a privilege.

If you’re traveling to escape a difficult or traumatic situation — a romantic break-up, a job that didn’t work out, a bereavement that you need time to adjust to — then traveling alone can be a healing process. Getting away from your everyday life and thinking about challenges you face on the road, or simply soaking up the beauty of the world, can put things in perspective again.

Solo travel gives you the space to be yourself, to take each day as it comes, ditch the pressures of your everyday life, and — even for a short while — become the person you know you really are.

Knowing it won’t all be smooth sailing

All travel has its ups and downs, whether you’re on your own or not. Solo travel might seem to amplify those highs and lows when you have to cope with them yourself. But knowing from the outset that it won’t all be easy is the first step to dealing with problems when they occur.

There are moments when things go wrong when you’ll really wish you had a traveling companion. For example, when you’re waiting by the luggage carousel in Lisbon while your bag is holidaying in Havana, you’re on your own, with no one to borrow clothes or toothpaste from. Or you lose your wallet and cards and there’s no travel companion to lend you money to tide you over until the bank can sort things out for you. But you will cope because you always do!

Travel can be exhausting and it’s important to look after yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically when you’re traveling alone. It’s quite natural to go through periods of loneliness or to feel homesick from time to time, and those times are likely to be when you’re tired. Sometimes all you want is to have someone along to help you make decisions or to toss ideas around with. Just know that these feelings will pass. Take a day off from everything, curl up with a book, have a cry, and you’ll be ready to tackle the world again.

Culture shock is one of the big things that can upset your equilibrium. When nothing is familiar, people don’t behave the way they do at home, and you’re floundering to make yourself understood, it can feel like you can’t cope. But you will.

Doing your research before you leave home can help you anticipate and deal with culture shock if you are going to a foreign country. If you are well prepared for what you are seeing or experiencing, culture shock can be a great learning experience. Be open to the differences between what you are used to and how other people live. There may be a degree of discomfort, but that will ease as you adjust to new surroundings, new languages, and new sights, sounds, and smells.

Language barriers are one aspect of culture shock that may be hard to deal with; not everyone in the world speaks English, and communication may be difficult in some places. One of the biggest challenges you may face in some parts of the world is that you may not be able to make yourself understood, particularly in a situation where it is important, such as illness or being a victim of crime.

Solo travel will definitely help sharpen your problem-solving skills, and you will learn to be self-reliant very quickly.

Why solo travel doesn’t have to break the budget

Travel expenses can be higher when you’re a solo traveler, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to scrimp to avoid busting your budget.

The most annoying part of solo travel on a budget — any budget — is the single supplement that’s imposed by some tour companies and cruise ships. Hotels generally charge by the room rather than the person, so you’d be paying the same amount with a friend or partner, but sharing the cost; while that’s not strictly a single supplement, the effect is the same. However, there are ways around it (see Chapter 6 for more details).

While solo travel means you don’t have anyone to share the cost of things like accommodations or car rental with, it also means you have complete control over how, when, and how much you spend while you’re traveling. Effective planning, knowing how much you have to spend, and pre-booking where you can in order to know what your available funds can stretch to are the keys to sticking to your budget.

The cost of accommodations can be kept to a minimum by...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 27.12.2023
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Reisen ► Reiseführer
• Schlagworte: Alleinreisende • Australia travel • budget travel • Europe Travel • Gap Year • Individualreise • International Travel • Reisen • solo backpacking • solo female traveler • solo travel • solo traveler • southeast asia travel • Travel: • Travel Guide • travel on budget • travel planning • Travel Safety • world travel
• ISBN-10: 1-394-21818-4 / 1394218184
• ISBN-13: 978-1-394-21818-9 / 9781394218189