Traveling solo is an exhilarating experience, and most of my journeys start out as solo ventures or require a period of traveling alone. Whether you're about to embark on your first solo adventure, or you're an expert in the endeavor, these travel tips will keep you going.
Try to book the first flight out in the mornings, because those planes usually arrive the evening before. Meaning your flight is less likely to be delayed due to a late incoming plane.
-Another advantage to leaving early is that you usually arrive to your destination before sunset, so you won’t be navigating your way through a foreign area alone in the dark. I learned this lesson first hand when I arrived in Guatemala City at 10pm and was greeted with a gun fight in front of my city hostel (luckily I was in a car with my Guatemalan abuelo I had met on the plane ride, so I didn’t end up staying at that hostel after we saw the gun shots).
-For fresh smelling clothes while backpacking or extensive travelling, pack a fabric softener sheet with your clothes. The sheet absorbs dampness and any odors to keep clothes smelling fresh (even if you’re not). It’s especially beneficial in warm, humid climates or out at sea.
“Ten days into the PCT, I was blessing Brooke for her recommendation of fabric softener sheets in my pack. Seriously helped with the smell (well as much as it could!).”
-Along with the topic of fresh clothes, to make your suitcase or backpack feel more organized and less like a mix of clean and destroyed garments, always pack a large trash bag to keep dirty items separate from your clean items. Usually I’ll bring a plastic bag from the grocery to put my running shoes in, because after a few months of working out in overused socks (or let’s be real, no socks at all), you’ll have some smelly sneakers.
-When I plan to wear expensive or delicate jewelry, I pack the pieces in empty film canisters. Diamond earrings or a special family heirloom are not items of jewelry I can risk getting stolen or lost. The film canisters hide any evidence of valuables, and are looked over by potential thieves if you’re staying in a shady hotel of sorts. Usually I just leave those pieces at home, but this tip is for any of you ladies who are planning a trip to Paris, for example, and want to dress to impress.
-Chewing gum can be a universal gesture of kindness. Offering a piece of gum to the lady next to you on a flight can be an icebreaker. I’ve seen so much joy from giving out pieces of gum or little mints to some of the young children on the streets in less developed parts of the countries I visit. I wish I could carry excess amounts of food and supplies with me to give out to the people that I meet on my journey, but for now a small treat is all I have to offer whenever and wherever I am.
These two cuties loved playing with my camera and taking videos during the time I spent at their home while trekking on the Mayan Trails to Quetzeltenango. They were also big fans of chewing gum!
-Duct tape is a universal tool for travel emergencies and should be a staple item for any long thru backpackers. However, carrying around a bulky roll of duct tape is less than ideal. I’ve found that wrapping around 2 feet of duct tape around a no.2 pencil or ballpoint pen creates a miniature roll that saves a lot of room and weight in the pack.
-Dental floss is like duct tape- an essential travel emergency superstar. I’ve used floss as a clothes line between tents, to replace a lost screw for my sunglasses, as a measurement for my waist to get the right size at a flea market in Italy, and much more. It can also be used for its intended purpose of keeping your teeth clean.
-Carabiners can be an extra hand for you when travelling with a handful of items. I have to bring a lot of equipment with me when I travel and I’ve gotten used to looking like a pack mule, but for small bags or extra items I bought after packing I can easily attach them to my pack with a carabiner till I get the chance to re-organize. I’ve also used a carabiner to hook my backpack strap to a bench once when I was alone and really needed to sleep for a few minutes at the airport. This just adds an extra sense of security for your belongings. I’ve had a friend attach her purse to a chair while dining outside in Paris because she had witnessed a thief run off with another woman’s purse in that same scenario a couple days before.
Carabiners helped me fit this light travel pack on to a RyanAir flight!
-It may seem like a no brainer to make a paper copy of your passport, but a lot of people that I travel with will forget to make a copy and end up bringing their passport out with them everywhere. This is dangerous if you get pickpocketed or lose your purse while out at a nightclub. There are some things you can be relaxed about while travelling, but your identification is not one. Save yourself a headache and be overly prepared with printed copies of your passport and visa information.
-Since I’ve been plagued with a combination of food allergies, I have to be careful about what I eat when I travel abroad. I always look up the words for gluten, wheat, peanuts, and soy when I am in a country speaking a foreign language. As long as you take control of your diet situation, you’ll find that there are always options available for you to still try local cuisine and street food. I used to feel extremely stressed and anxious about eating while traveling, but now I remain vocal and never feel deprived or sick while abroad.
As you travel by yourself and meet other solo travelers, you'll start to form a list of your own travel tips. Take every tip as a guideline, because you are the only one who truly knows what type of traveller you are, and whether or not those pieces of advice are realistic for you. And most importantly, remember to stay active, remain aware, and be confident. BON VOYAGE!
