Walking alone in an
unfamiliar place filled with strange faces and eccentric tongues for the very first time may be daunting to
some, but there are also those who find it thrilling. Personally, I felt the
same when I had my very first out of the country
solo trip. Thoughts like “what will it be like going around as a foreigner in another country without someone who
will act as a security blanket?” and “what if I ran out of budget while I'm miles away from home?” made me want to back out a day before my scheduled flight. I admit, it was a bit scary at first, but how would you know if you could also travel solo if you won't give it a shot?
Here are four tips that can somehow help you decide:
- Try to do domestic travels first. As mentioned in my previous post, my passion for solo travels didn't come in an instant. Since I was going through a rough situation during those times, I sought for a quick breather (Baguio City on my case) which allowed me to travel by my lonesome. From there, I found solace and yes, I did enjoy walking around at my own pace. If you haven't tried it yet, I suggest to do it first so you can gauge if you could last a day or two in a faraway place without a travel buddy around. It's the easiest course for a first time solo traveler in terms of preparation of itinerary and budget.
- Set a travel goal. Okay, you aren't convinced by item number one yet. But remember, you wouldn't know what's on the other side of the planet if you won't take the first step. Don't wait for that drive to push you to travel alone. Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and explore the beauty of the world around you! Set a travel goal, or if you already have, include solo backpacking adventures on your bucket list. Make a "travel dream board" -- a photo collage of the places you wanted to visit and look at it everyday. This will somehow awaken your desire to travel abroad, with or without someone to tag along.
- Ready to travel abroad alone for the first time? Start small. Now, you're already decided to take your very first solo trip. You took your smart phone or laptop to check the lowest airfare (or promo airfares) available only to find yourself confused on where to go. You already wanted to visit your desired country (as shown on your travel dream board) but you are wary that you might not have enough budget for the trip yet. My take on this: start small. If you still can't afford to go to your dream destinations, start from the least expensive places. When I decided to travel solo for the first time, I searched for countries that are backpacker-friendly. I've been to six different cities in Asia and the most budget friendly for me so far are Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi in Vietnam (backpacking budget was from PhP 13,000.00 to PhP 16,000.00 or USD 280.00 to USD 337.00 inclusive of promo airfare, airport taxes, accommodation, food and some shopping for four days and three nights), and Bangkok, Thailand (PhP 20,000.00 or USD 426.00). The other three cities: Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Seoul are quite expensive by my standards but backpacking is still possible. Just don't forget to set a travel budget limit and strictly stick to it to avoid overspending (my most expensive backpacking so far was in Seoul, with total budget of PhP 22,000.00 or USD 470.00 inclusive of promo airfare, airport taxes, accommodation, food and a little souvenir shopping for four days and three nights). It made my solo traveling experience possible without hurting my travel funds that much.
- You've already traveled out of the country with friends before and want to give solo adventure a try. Why not? If you have the chance, go for it! I do enjoy traveling with friends, but sometimes, I prefer traveling alone because it gives me more freedom to explore many places at my own pace (no waiting, no itineraries and schedules to follow). Not only that, it also allows me to discover myself more. Just bring a nice book, your smartphone filled with your favorite music and you're good to go!
If you're still not comfortable with the idea of traveling alone, it's best to give yourself more time to contemplate. No need to rush. For some, emotional preparation is needed. I believe it requires more guts to get out of your comfort zone, but believe me, your worries and fears are just all in your head. Once you go beyond your usual thing, you'll learn to embrace the extraordinary. ^_^
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