Going it alone can seem a scary venture, particularly when venturing off to far-flung destinations with completely different cultures and languages. To brave it by yourself, though, offers rich rewards to the traveller willing to take the risk. Whatever the reason, tobler’ travelling for the first time can be daunting, so here are our top five tips for making going solo a singularly unforgettable experience.
5. Research your accommodation
Depending on whether you’re looking to luxuriate or don’t mind roughing it on a creaky single bed in a hostel dorm built for 32, finding the right place to stay could be the difference between having some ‘me time’ or making a host of new friends.
When booking a hostel, don’t merely look at the price and location, but also consider the value of a nice communal area. Going it alone can, at time, get a bit lonesome, so finding a bed for the night in a place that has a café, bar, or Wi-Fi fuelled seating area means there will be other people with whom to strike up a conversation, work your trademark Irish wit, and get the best tips of what to see and what to avoid.
[Flickr/nest hostels valencia]
4. Pack Lightly
It’s worth remembering that you only have yourself to look after, so travelling alone means you should only pack the essentials so that you’ll be able to move around with ease.
Depending on where you’re planning on jetting off to, and what kind of weather you can expect on arrival, it is possible to pack everything you’ll need into one piece of hand luggage, meaning you can fly for cheaper and avoid waiting at the baggage carousel when you get there.
Take only what you really have to bring, bearing in mind that it’s not too hard to pick up anything else along the way. And going light is an ideal excuse to hit the shops when you arrive.
[Pixabay]
3. Take to strangers, but don't tell them everything
The only way to meet new people is to bite the bullet and be brave, meaning at some point you’re going to have to make some attempt to talk to people you don’t know. It might mean simply responding to someone else’s attempt to strike up a conversation, or doing that yourself.
But do so with a pinch of salt and heavy dose of wherewithal; you don’t have to blurt out immediately that you’re travelling alone. In the unlikely event that you cross paths with someone you’d rather not, you could be putting a target on your back by revealing you don’t know anyone in the area.
Being safe should trump politeness, and watching out for yourself shouldn’t come at the expense of feeling guilty or rude.
[DiabloMag]
2. Avail of free tours
Almost every city in the world offers free walking tours – though if factual information is what you’re looking for, remember that you often get what you pay for – and the guides, who work for tips, attract big crowds of other tourists who speak the same language as you. Wandering through a city for up to three hours with the group means you can take it all in while not being alone, and give you a good chance to get to know other tourists in the same boat.
[RunnerBeanTours]
1. Give it a go
Flying off by yourself puts all the responsibility on you not to blow it and mess things up, so after you arrive, it can be easy to lapse into the comfort of staying connected to friends and family back home from the comfort of your room. Don’t blow the opportunity to see the world, and to see it exactly the way you want to.
Get up, have breakfast, make a plan, and go outside.
Every Tuesday on The Right Hook, travel writer Manchán Magan joins George in the Dublin studios of Newstalk, where he opens up the world to the rapt host. You can listen back to this week's segment below:
