The Mistakes Every Solo Traveler Should Avoid 

For any person who is significantly into traveling, then the travel bucket list will inevitably include a solo trip. Solo trips can be one of the scariest experiences. That being said, they can also be incredibly life-changing experiences. Traveling alone can change your entire mindset and give you a new lease on life.

 

That being said, it is a challenge at times. In this article, we’ll be going over some of the mistakes that are commonly made by solo travelers so you can try and avoid making the same mistakes. 

 

Choosing the Right Accommodation for You 

 

Traveling alone can be tempting to try and cut corners on accommodation. Sticking within your budget is a fine tip to follow, but the places you’ll be staying are not the area of travel to try and save money. The place you’re staying should make you feel safe. Many cheap options offer safety options, such as hostels. You’ll quickly be on the massive list of people who have tried to save in the area of accommodation when travel who have gone on to have massive regrets for their entire trip for doing so. So, avoid skimping out on accommodation if possible.

 

Budgeting

As mentioned in the previous tip, budgeting is one of the most vital parts of traveling, especially when alone. Even if you don’t plan on spending a lot of money, planning your financial spending is needed. Checking exchange rates for currency and the prices of food in the local area of the place you’ll be traveling to can all be helpful to know before traveling.

 

This will ensure that you’ll have some background knowledge on how much money you’ll need to have a comfortable experience when traveling. 

 

Do Not Fear Asking for Assistance  

Those who travel alone are probably all too familiar with being stubborn and sticking to their plans. That being said, embarking to an unknown location alone is not the time to let your stubbornness get in the way. Before departing, get as much information from others as you can. You’ll thank yourself for doing so once you have arrived at your intended destination.

 

Even when abroad, so long as you are certain the person you’re asking for assistance is safe and trustworthy, do not fear asking for guidance when in another country or general location too. Not everything has to be done alone, as tempting as that may be as a solo traveler. 

 

Be Prepared  

Take your safety very seriously. Any warnings you discover and other information you find should be taken into account. Accidents and any unseen events can occur at any given time too. This is why it is important to ensure that you have a plan in place if any of these scenarios were to occur. Share your emergency plan with those you trust and buy travel insurance to cover yourself regardless of what may or may not occur. As mentioned earlier too, budgeting is important, but even if you think you have enough funds, have emergency cash on you at all times just in case. You’ll be thankful you took the precautionary steps if something unforeseen does occur.

 

Overpacking  

When traveling abroad we all tend to overthink, which usually leads to overpacking our luggage. However, when traveling alone, you will be relying solely on yourself for any assistance with luggage.

 

When traveling alone only bring what you feel you’ll 100 percent need. If you’re going to be on the move a lot, then smaller items such as toiletries or smaller clothing items such as socks and underwear can be purchased in your location as you go rather than taking up unnecessary space in your luggage. Thus, preparing a backpacking checklist would be a life saver.

 

Balancing Your Trip Just Right  

Initially arriving in a country or location it can be quite tempting to just jam all your plans into your first few days in the area. People often fail to foresee just how tired one can be after actually traveling to the location itself. This is why it can be important to plan to give yourself a day to just settle down. Don’t try and jam everything into the beginning of a trip, you’ll just end up being disappointed come to the end. If you cannot fit everything into the one planned trip, do not fret, you’ll have all the more reason to return in the future! 

 

Balancing ‘Solo’ with Meeting New People  

There are usually two types of solo travelers. Those who take the solo aspect of traveling alone to heart, and commit to going the entire trip alone, and those who embrace their surroundings and try to meet as many new people as they can. It is important to find a common ground where you aren’t completely isolating yourself on your trip, but also aren’t relying solely on strangers, it is a solo trip after all!

 

As well as these aspects, it can also be important to keep your expectations tempered. Trips are not always what we expect them to be, and that is okay. Sometimes we just do not vibe with certain places or activities, and sometimes we have some of the most euphoric experiences of our lives. It all varies, and it is okay to feel that a trip did not live up to expectations.