[The following tips are taken from my article 'Going Solo: 7 Best Tips for Travelling Alone', published in print on 15 November 2017, for University College Dublin's newspaper, the College Tribune (http://collegetribune.ie/going-solo-7-best-tips-for-travelling-alone/)]
Whether we plan to travel alone or with friends/family, there are always several pointers we should be aware of before, during and after our trip.
Whether we plan to travel alone or with friends/family, there are always several pointers we should be aware of before, during and after our trip.
Get a map
Whether you are visiting a quaint seaport or trekking up a hill, a traveller’s best friend is a map of their place of intended travel. Not Google maps; mind you, as a solo traveller you should never be reliant on Google maps, which should be reserved only for emergency. You shouldn’t rely on Google maps because firstly, your phone might run out of battery when you need it, and secondly, it will not improve your sense of direction. It is indeed a highly convenient device with even a pointer that tracks your location and guides you to the exact point you want to get to, but using that will not help you build your navigation skills that are extremely handy when you are visiting a new place. What you need is a good old physical map – you could print it off the Internet or get one from a visitor centre at the destination site itself. Consulting a map while moving about will enhance your awareness of the new location tremendously.
What if you're lost? It is completely natural to lose your way. It happens to all of us! Stay calm and figure out where exactly you are on the map and slowly make your way around. For moments like this, use Google Maps. |
Be thorough on the journey routes
While exploring the destination is important, it is equally important that you know exactly how to get there. If you are taking a bus, you should know the exact route number of the bus and the stop number where you are boarding beforehand. If you are taking the train, ensure you know the exact time of departure from the station well in advance. You should try to never be in a situation whereby you have to find out these finer details on the day of your travel. Also, make sure you check when the last train or bus are leaving – you do not want to be left stranded!
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Get a portable charger (and the correct connecting wires)
You should bring along your phone when you travel for a few reasons: you will take photographs and videos, you might want to Google up the important sites to visit (it is advisable you make a list of this before you travel to save time), you might need to contact someone during an emergency and you might need to use Google maps as a last resort. For these reasons, your phone’s battery cannot die. Charge your portable charger in advance and bring it with you, along with the correct connecting wires. It would be very infuriating to realise that you had brought the wrong wire but have a fully-charged (and unusable!) charger, when your battery is down to 3%!
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Wear proper clothing and footwear
This is a bit of an obvious one, but very sensible advice. Do not wear your best cream satin blouse when you go on a hike, even if it is supposedly a relatively easy one, because you never know when things might get rainy and mucky. I would advise comfortable, cotton clothing for all kinds of trips, for everyone. Ladies, as far as shoes are concerned, avoid wearing heels. You can reserve them for formal events and date nights. Even if you aren’t trekking, simply walking unexpected distances in new places (even a long day of shopping) in heels will make your feet ache to the point where you genuinely consider walking barefoot. Stick to your trusty old boots or closed-toe shoes when you travel.
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Don't forget to bring snacks and water
While it may be relatively easy to find a café or bistro where you can get food, you never know when you might need something to munch on. This is especially true for those anyone with issues with hypoglycaemia, low heat tolerance or low blood pressure like me; you may find that you suddenly become light-headed after walking for a while. Always bring some food items and a water bottle (or two). Where necessary, bring medicines too. That being said, packing light is also important so don’t overdo it!
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Check the weather and climatic conditions
You might have made an exciting itinerary to explore a certain town or national park, but what good is that in the (likely!) event of a downpour? Always check the weather forecast before you select your day of travel. Also, do not forget to check the time of sunset for the day you are travelling – you wouldn’t want to be stuck halfway up a mountain when it’s 5.18 p.m. and pitch dark. |
Document your travel
It need not be like an article you would write for an issue of Lonely Planet, but it is a great idea to write about your travel in detail once you’re back home and your trip is still fresh in your memory. You could maintain a diary or blog about it. You may decide to visit this place again, alone or with others, after months or even years. Without a record of your travel you might not remember all the interesting locations and street names that you explored. As such, re-visiting your diary entry or blog post will help you recollect the various things you did and will act as a guide if you visit the place again.
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Know the place
It is essential to know the safety level of any place before going. For that, you need to stay up to date with the news. If a country is not terribly unsafe but has issues of pickpockets, you need to watch out. Usually this problem of pickpockets is prevalent in countries with a large tourist crowd like parts of South and Southeast Asia, Southern European and Mediterranean regions. Try not to carry too much money; a credit card is preferred, so that even if you happen to get robbed, you can notify your bank and cancel any transactions the thief could make on your card. If you're carrying a backpack, make sure you carry it in front of you. If your backpack is swung against your back, it becomes an easy target when you're standing in queues or in crowded trains as anyone could unzip your backpack. Which brings me to the next point - try to keep your bags locked at all times. You can get small, light locks (preferably numerical) for this purpose.
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Get a local SIM card
This is something I could echo many times. As much as you might have a tight budget, investing in a SIM card of the country you are visiting is one of the wisest things a traveller could do. Firstly, it will allow you to make local calls if needed, and secondly, you will have data on hand. Data is probably one of the best reasons you should consider purchasing a local SIM. No matter how sure you are that your destination has sufficient places where you can connect to Wi-fi, it's still a hassle and a waste of time to try connecting to the Internet while you are on the go (trust me, I've been there). Also, not to mention, sometimes, connecting to Wi-fi just doesn't work.
When you're exploring the countryside or visiting a more rural area, you can't expect Wi-fi. To stay connected to the rest of the world, to check Google maps, anything, we need data. It's usually not that expensive, and always worth the money. The advantage is that you could use the same SIM the next time you visit that country again, or lend it to a friend. You can usually purchase SIM cards at airports, or some places like Iceland allow you to place on order online and collect the SIM card while you're on board the flight. Alternatively, if you have a friend who has a SIM card of the country of intended travel, you can borrow it from them and top up credit either online or when you reach. |