5 reasons why you shouldn't be worried about travelling solo

One thing I'm often told is that others' have always wanted to travel solo, but are too scared. I'd like to reassure you about any worries you have while travelling solo, so here are the 5 main points.

1. Being alone

This is what travelling solo is all about, and becoming closer with yourself. The feeling of having no-one to rely on, and equally having no-one relying on you can be both terrifying and exhilarating. However, you are never truly alone and your friends and family are only ever a phone call away if you're feeling lonely. There are so many new people to meet and friendships to be made. Something you probably won't experience if travelling with others.

2. Language barrier

A lot of people speak English, so there will most likely be someone else around to translate if you encounter a language barrier. Before you leave, try to learn a few common phrases in the local language. Over the past year, I have been learning Spanish to help me when I go to Spain and Central/South America. There are also other ways of communicating such as gesturing and showing photos, so there's always a work around.

3. Getting lost

This one's likely to happen, and the trick is not to panic. Follow signs, use your phone map, and ask for directions. Allow yourself enough time to get lost, and travel during daylight hours so you're not lost alone in the dark. If you need help, call a taxi, or ask somebody to help.

4. Safety worries

No matter where you are in the world, there are going to be safety worries. Don't let this stop you from doing the things you've always wanted to do, because you will only regret not doing them.

Be vigilant, and make friends so you can call someone if you need help. Take note of the local police number - 112 is standard across Europe and many other countries worldwide. You can also press your power button 5 times to call the police.

Set up 'Find my friends' if you have an iPhone so your friends and family back home can see where you are.

5. Losing your phone

Make sure you have insurance to cover this. Have your family and friends' phone numbers memorised or written down so you can use another phone to contact them.

Print out your boarding passes, covid passes, visa, travel insurance, etc so if you do lose your phone you have a backup.

If you have any other worries about travelling solo, send me a message as I'd love to help and have a chat about your plans!