Travelling by yourself does not make you some weirdo loser. In fact it can be the most freeing and confidence boosting thing you ever do. If you are planning to go backpacking or travel alone then here are some tips that may help. Also don’t forget if you need help with planning your trip check out the previous ‘How to …. Travel’ post here.
Do what you want to do – It is easy when you are travelling with friends or your partner to have a list of things to see and do and spend the day working your way through that list, making compromises along the way. When you are alone you answer to no-one and can wake up each morning to answer the simple question of ‘what do you want to do today?’. This can feel really selfish at first but trust me it is so satisfying to do what makes you happy without having to think about others, there wont be many times in your life when this happens again so enjoy!
Stay safe – You will need to be more aware of your personal safety (especially when out drinking) as you have no one to look after you if things turn nasty or you get too drunk on buckets in Thailand. Obviously don’t be paranoid to the sense that you don’t leave your hostel room but don’t trust anyone 100%. You know your limits so just be sensible. In the advice that my mum gave me ‘look after yourself as you would do for your best friend’ helped me alot.
Become a bookworm– I love to read so constantly carrying round a book with me is natural but this worked even better when I was backpacking, as it is both a source of conversation for others who see what choice of novel you have gone for and also if you don’t want to get involved in with a rowdy group you can sneak off in the corner to get your head down. Also a good companion if you find yourself alone at mealtimes and for long bus journeys. Most hostels have ‘swap shops’ where you could leave your battered copy and pick up another (equally as battered) for free.
Be curious – You will already be the sort of person who wants to explore, discover and learn new things otherwise you wouldn’t leave the security and comfort of your home town. Have the confidence to start conversations with other travellers and locals, take photos, eat new foods, go out and take a walk alone as sometimes getting lost can help you find yourself.
Silence is golden – I was never comfortable with being by myself until I went away backpacking, always relying on others to entertain me. However you need to embrace those moments when it is just you and your thoughts. I remember being alone outside my hostel when a huge thunderstorm happened in Thailand, there was not a soul about just me and this amazing heavy rain and instead of being scared it was incredible to sit under cover and just watch the heavens open up around me. I felt so comfortable to just enjoy mother nature not needing to say a word to anyone.
Have you backpacked solo before? If so I would love to hear what other tips and advice you can share. I will be posting a weekly ‘How to …Travel’ series so send me a tweet or facebook message if there are any questions you would like answering!
