All my life I considered myself very independent, so with that traveling alone always came easy for me. Not only do I love the solitude but also enjoy going at my own pace.
My first solo vacation was to beautiful South Africa. Now I had gone to work on the ships long before that alone, but I wouldn’t call that a vacation.
Why do you travel alone?
This is the question I get asked every time I travel. So why do I do it? As I noted before, solitude. Being alone is such a great experience. You truly get a full understanding of, not only what’s around you, but a better knowledge of yourself.
In November 2019 I decided after a few vacations of traveling with friends it was time to head off on my own adventure. And with that I headed off to Thailand. This was truly the best decision I had made in a long time.
Are you afraid?
This is the second question I get asked most and the answer yes. But not for the reasons you think. I don’t fear where I am going, because I do a lot of research for the place I am traveling to. My fear is my anxiety.
I have had anxiety since I was 18. Over the years my attacks have changed and that part scares me. For years I was able to get my attacks under control within a short time. However, in Thailand I had my worst attack yet, it lasted days. If you want to know more how I deal with it read here.
Where are the best places to go solo?
When choosing my destinations I look at world politics (aghhhh) and social media. You might be asking why politics? In short, you don’t want travel to a place that sounds nice, only to end up in protests and violence. Perfect example, I wanted to see these ruins in Thailand. However there was a border war going on and it was completely unsafe.
Social media is a great place to look. Maybe that is how you found me? There are so many women out there giving great advice who are doing the research. Check out my top 10 list of places.
Where to sleep?
So this is a hard one, as this depends on what kind of vacation you are planning. If you are staying at an all inclusive resort well that is your answer. However if you are like me and wander around the country you are in, hostels, hotels, bed and breakfasts. But mostly hostels.
I love hostels, and no in your 30’s and 40’s is not too old. This is a great way to meet people from all over the world. Now with that said, I don’t stay in the bunk room. I have nothing against them I just like my own space. You can join everyone in the common area during the day or night but have a quiet space to yourself if you need it.
Is it more expensive?
In short, a little. So with myself I am a budget traveler to an extent. I find cheap flights, I stay at hostels or cheaper hotels and I go on tours. They only thing you are paying more on is where you sleep.
Here is my tip for this, if the reviews don’t have bugs or mold and it has a nice bed, and the price is good, book it.
You can find solo female travel groups and there are apps you can use when you get to a city, however I have never used them. To be honest I probably won’t.
Travel Tips
What to wear
Well this depends on your vacation again. Are you going to a luxury place? You will need bring your best of everything. Since I am not big on luxury that is truly all I can tell you, sorry.
Now if you are going to be backpacking or just a budget adventure here is my best advice. Leave the nice stuff including jewelry at home. Here are some packing checklists for any type of vacation read more
Another pro tip, pack light. Just think of dragging your suitcase, carry-on and purse through the cobble stone roads in Portugal. Not fun at all, trust me. One case and a medium sized purse, done.
Safety
This is a worry for most women when you are venturing on your own. So here are the 5 rules I have for myself
- Emergency list – I give 2 people a list of where I am staying and the contact info for that place. I also have emergency numbers for the embassy (never had to use it) and 2 people back home in my wallet or shoe.
- Don’t get lost – I download area maps from google on my phone. This way you can look up where you are anytime offline.
- Fake wallet – Yes I have one in my purse at all times. This will have an old bank card, an old drivers license and I will keep up to $40 in it. I have never been robbed but it is something I learned in South Africa and do it on all my travels.
- Read the news – as much as twitter is a neg, I love it for looking up events good and bad in the area I am staying.
- Keep your head up – Oh so many things will tell you to keep your head down and walk. How are you supposed to know what is going on around you if your head is facing your shoes. I walk like I do at home, as if I belong.
The most important thing to remember is to trust your gut. It is the only alarm that is natural. If you feel a situation could get out of hand, walk away. If you think to yourself, hey this doesn’t feel right, it most likely isn’t and you should remove yourself.
Meet new people
I know I just had your heart beating like crazy with the safety stuff, so lets slow it down. We will conclude this with the best advice I can give. Get out there and make friends. On every adventure I have made a new friend, one for a life time.
This is the part of my vacation I look forward to more than the solitude. Getting to know someone that is from another part of your country or from a different continent all together is honestly the best experience in any form of travel.
I had the pleasure of meeting 6 amazing people on my trip to Thailand. Each one of them brought a new light to my life. 4 amazing ladies that helped me with my anxiety and 2 men that were true rays of sunshine.
Discover yourself, learn new things about your way of life. Trust your female intuition and follow your heart. As women we are fierce, strong, bold and are much better with directions lol. If you need to start small, a tester really, just book an overnight in your city or a city a few hours away. If you need advice send me an email, I will always try my best.
Happy Travels ladies.