7/10/2015 SoloTravelBasics|SoloGuideshttp://sologuides.com/solotravelbasics/ 1/3SoloGuidesTravel Guides for Solo TravelersSolo Travel BasicsPlanning your rst solo adventure?Youre in for a treat.Traveling alone is a truly liberating experience. From start to nish, youre in full control of what you seeand do. Dont feel like sticking around somewhere? Move on. Come across a potentially interestingdetour? Explore at your leisure. Simply put, theres no schedule to follow (except your own). Youre freeto go about it any way you like and be whoever you want to be.Some are turned o by the concept the idea of being alone in a foreign place evokes images ofloneliness and boredom. As any seasoned solo traveler will tell you, these fears are overblown.Traveling alone does not mean you have to be alone the entire time far from it. Its actually mucheasier to meet people when you show up alone (youre more approachable, and others are naturallycurious about your story). You will be surprised at just how easy it is to meet people on the road.Its also one of the best ways to get some real thinking done. Solo travel clears the mind the experienceof spending parts of the day in solitude is akin to meditation. Just by being alone, you will quickly get toknow yourself better. There is no more pretending only the reality, and your reactions to it.Excited yet?It gets even better. Thanks to our wired and interconnected world, travel couldnt be easier. There areplenty of free tools and resources online to help you at every step of the way (see the TravelResources page for a curated list).With that said, below is some of my personal advice for aspiring solo globetrotters.1.If youre worried about being alone, dont be. Just wait and see once the journey begins, youwill see rsthand just how enjoyable solo travel is.7/10/2015 SoloTravelBasics|SoloGuideshttp://sologuides.com/solotravelbasics/ 2/32.Set aside enough time and money for travel. One common piece of feedback from recentlyreturned travelers is: I wish I had brought half as much, and taken twice the money. While I canhelp you with the former (see the What to Pack page), youre on your when it comes to nancingyour travels. Some nancial tips for the road:Dont plan to see everything at once slow things down. Give yourself enough time to fullyexplore a city before you move on (ideally, at least 3 days). This will not only make your tripmore enjoyable, but will save you money. A good chunk of money is typically spent ontransportation (e.g. airplane tickets), and taking it slow is a great way to save.Try to stick to a daily budget. Some days youll go over, and some under. But do try to stick toone if youre trying to stretch money out. For an idea of how much things cost, Numbeo isaninvaluable resource).Before you set o, gure out how you will be paying for things abroad. First of all, avoidusing physical currency exchange services they often have horrible exchange rates. Whileyour credit card will probably have the best exchange rate, keep in mind that manybusinesses are still cash-only (especially in third world countries). For this reason, it maymake sense to go with a bank that oers refunds on foreign ATM fees (in the US, CharlesSchwab is a great choice). If you do take money out abroad, try to do it at ocial bankbranches or in hotels/airports (in other words, not on a random street corner).If you dont have much cash saved up, consider traveling to a more aordable part of theworld. Case in point: South East Asia, Eastern Europe, and parts of Latin America can bedone on $40-50 USD per day, while costs go up dramatically once you set foot into NorthAmerica, Western Europe, or major East Asian cities (e.g. Hong Kong, Tokyo). Note: these aremerely ballpark gures, and the real cost will depend on your preferences (i.e. if yourewilling to stay at a hostel or not). (For some ideas based on your budget, check out the latestBackpacker Price Index)Remember that there are many viable alternatives to traditional hotels. Consider booking abedroom (or an apartment) on Airbnb. Look around for sublets on Craigslist if youretraveling long term and are willing to spend at least 3 4 weeks in one city.There are ways to earn money while on youre road (e.g. bartending, teaching English,manual labor). If youve got some skills and/or willing to work, you can probably make endsmeet. Some travel this way for long periods of time (it pays to be resourceful).Note: if yougo this route, check to make sure what youre doing is legal. Also, double check the tax lawsof your country of citizenship to make sure youre following the rules.3.Take advantage of the fact that youre traveling alone. If youre willing to be exible with yourschedule, there are all sorts of deals to be had on tickets and accommodations (i.e. airfare is oftencheaper when departing mid-week). Many places have a peak (tourist) season, usually when theweather is optimal if you want to beat the crowds, try going there near the start or end of theseason (each city guide on the site has Best time to visit info). Note: many travel booking siteshave a price alert feature that will send information about price drops to your inbox this is agreat way to snag deals/discounts as they come up. Simply put, do your research ahead of time.4.Sort out your medical needs before you leave. While there are many countries with great7/10/2015 SoloTravelBasics|SoloGuideshttp://sologuides.com/solotravelbasics/ 3/3healthcare systems, the last thing you need is to worry about getting a prescription rell on theroad. Get it sorted before you take o. In addition, make sure you get all the relevant travelimmunizations (check the CDC site for destination-specic recommendations).5.Keep a diary of your travels. Whether its something as simple as an Instagram feed or a full-blown WordPress blog, try to keep a record of where youve been it will be useful later, whenyou want to remember your time at each place visited.6.Let your family and friends know where youre going. They will be worried if you dont!7.Let your bank know youre going, too. Call ahead and give them a heads up nothing worsethan nding out all your bank/credit cards are frozen due to illegitimate activity (foreigntransactions get agged immediately).8.Use common sense on the road. Youre traveling alone, so keep your wits about you. Try not towalk by yourself in dimly lit areas at night, pick ghts, or start a scene for no reason. Dont rely onlocals to help you out. Respect local laws, and be polite. If youre unsure, do as the locals do andtrust your gut instincts.Finally, remember to slow down, relax, and enjoy it all!Its going to be ne. Have you ever regretted going on an adventure? This will be no dierent. Travel no matter the form it takes will open your mind to new possibilities, cultures, and ways of living.In fact, the best part of your trip very well be the moment you return. Travel has a way of remindingeven the most jaded of us to treasure what we already have.Bon voyage!