There can be hundreds of reasons to go on an independent journey: from the mismatch of vacation schedules with those who deserve the proud title of your fellow traveler to simply following your lifelong dreams. Solo travels are a chance to get a unique experience and usually prove to be extremely rewarding. I have compiled a list of 10 common mistakes solo travelers make – truth be told, most of those come from my own past endeavors.
1. Justifying Your Choice
Why would you even want to waste your time explaining what made you opt for solo travels to your friends and relatives? Only you have the complete picture with your past, priorities, and values, and it doesn’t need proof or explanation. Anyone who tries to dissuade you from solo travel is probably just concealing their own fears. If you’re ready to go on a private date with the world, is it worth talking to others?
2. Omnia Mea Mecum Porto
Remember, in solo travels, a giant suitcase is more often a nuisance than a source of truly needed things. Also, there is a high probability of losing your baggage. Traveling light is a dozen times better, but let this lightness be a thoughtful plan, not an airhead decision – there is always a chance you might forget something vital.
3. Not Having a First Aid Kit
People with allergies, asthma and other health conditions that increase the risk of requiring urgent medical attention should be especially attentive to this point. Keep all the inhalers and medications you need to improve your condition in your hand luggage (when you are at the airport and on the plane) or in your clothing pockets (when you arrive at your destination). And keep in mind that everyone may need medicines. Buying them abroad can be an ordeal you don’t want on your travel checklist.
4. Being Ashamed of Eating Alone in Public
All of us have had breakfast or dinner alone. It doesn’t make a difference if your stomach started rumbling on the go and you stopped for a snack in the middle of a tourist sight. So what if a bunch of foreign people you’ll never see again are looking?
5. Limiting Yourself to the Advice of Travel Guides
Traveling on your own is a great way to realize the value of listening to yourself. It is necessary to use the guidebooks, but the words in the guide should be a suggestion, not the law. Do not be limited to the recommendations and routes noted there. Make your own must-do and must-see lists, trust your intuition, walk around an unfamiliar city, turn into those streets where your feet and your heart lead, and not the pages of a paper guide. Going in search of adventures without relatives, friends, and acquaintances, you grab a chance, which is virtually unique in our fast-paced times, to dissolve in the environment and live according to your own schedule.
6. Being Afraid of Talking to Strangers
Solo travelers should maintain contact with the natives (unless we are talking about exotic countries with peculiarities of interpersonal communication). Local residents can help understand the everyday intricacies of their country, customs, and common colloquial phrases. In the end, they can take some memorable shots for you if selfie sticks aren’t up your alley.
7. Ignoring Unsafe Area Warnings
Contrary to the previous point, I urge solo travelers to remain vigilant. There is absolutely no need to talk to a 7-feet hulk with an animal grin, especially if you met him at night in a poor district. It is generally much easier to avoid than to deal with wallet-or-life situations.
8. Irresponsible Budgeting
Everyone has their own financial habits and attitudes towards spending. In this sense, solo travel is a great advantage – you can spend money at your own discretion, giving preference to Michelin-starred restaurants or, conversely, opt for cheap street food. You can decide whether to stay today in a fashionable hotel or a tiny apartment. To manage this financially, though, you should focus on all possible scenarios. You might find yourself in a situation when nobody would be around to lend you some spare cash.
9. Digital Detox Philosophy
The desire to become as independent as possible from enslaving mobile applications is attractive, but it is wiser to stay in touch. At least with those who won’t bother you with endless questions and requests to publish as many photos as possible. Why is it important? Firstly, think about those who care about you and the usual means they use to stay in touch. Secondly, there are many useful apps designed specifically for travelers. They will allow you to organize a trip, book accommodation, capture memories, and much more.
10. Digital Intoxication
Still, if you feel the urge to check on notifications every so often, just remember why you ventured out on a solo trip in the first place. There are fewer and fewer things one can’t experience through a 5-inch screen, but living a different life while you’re on the road is still one of them.
