Ticket for 1
Italy
Solo travelling seems to have regained its popularity lately and I love that. I’m a strong advocate of travel not only because of its personal benefits but also because of its benefits to the world at large. By exploring new destinations and supporting local businesses, we contribute to the livelihoods of those business owners (and their families) while expanding our own understanding of the world we inhabit and the people with whom we share this planet.
Of course, trips with friends and/or family have their benefits… so, too, does solo travel.
The Benefits of Solo Travel
You can do what you want, when you want. There’s something so freeing about being in a new country or city with an itinerary that you can change at will without consultation… or just leave open to walk down that random street.
You decide the pace. Part of what I love about travel is that time feels suspended. You know what time of day it is and you may have an itinerary but time seems to pass quite differently when you travel. When you travel alone, you can respond to your own whims as time moves. For example: you can stop to eat when you feel like it (instead of at a set lunch time) or linger on the beach for a few extra moments because you may have seen something across the sea that moved you, or maybe even rush through an attraction you were just checking off the list.
Connections. I also find that people are often more open to conversations with solo travellers – it’s like it feels less intimidating talking to one random foreign visitor than a whole group. Plus, I often get the best local recommendations when I travel solo.
Top tips
So my top tips for travelling solo?
Be intentional. This trip is all determined by you so choose places that mean something to you or that you really want to see. Yes, there are some attractions you may feel you have to visit because it’s “what everyone does” in that country/city/destination but you actually don’t have to.
Plan…at least a little bit. You should have a loose plan of what you would like to do and how you’ll do it. This will help you make the most of your time there.
Always share your plans and contact info with a trusted loved one. Have someone (or more than one person) who knows your plan, how to contact you/where you’ll be, and where you should be when. Just in case anything happens to you, you need someone else who is also concerned for your safety and can do something to help.
Have a backup plan…especially for transportation. You just never know so make sure you understand local transport options so that you have more than one way to get somewhere. Most places now have e-hailing services but it’s also good to have other options in case that doesn’t work.
Set up a roaming or e-sim plan. Yes, more and more places have free Wi-Fi but it’s smart to have your own, reliable access to internet. I learnt this the hard way while taking an Uber somewhere and I lost internet connection.
Understand the basics of the destination. This is a top tip for all travel. You’re in this new place to explore but do a bit of research so you can understand what local customs are and how things work. For example: do they have a late culture and so most places you want to visit will only open later? Are there customs around how to approach people or what you should wear in certain spaces?
