Traveling solo can be really strange. It’s awkward and maybe a little clunky and takes some serious getting used to. I found it downright terrifying. I read quite a few blog posts on the upsides of solo travel and how to make the most of your adventures in order to prepare myself for nearly six months of mixed solo travel and meet ups with friends and family. This is a list of basic steps to take to get out of your own head and to survive your first solo trip.
1. Make a plan
I generally like to keep things pretty open when I travel with others. We make some plans for big items that we would be sad to miss, but otherwise leave a lot of time open to see what we feel like doing. I initially used that same approach on my first solo trip to Iceland and I think that was a big mistake. I checked into my Airbnb and immediately panicked because I had no idea what to do for one day, let alone a full week. I wanted to leave right away for no reason except I was terrified. If this sounds like you, make a plan. Book some tours, make reservations, and map out your road trips.
Generally, I really dislike organized tours. I find them cheesy and I hate to feel like a tourist (even when I am). Solo travel has officially converted me. If you want to have a fun and successful trip, you need to make some plans for how you will spend your time. And what better way to learn some new things and meet some new people than a tour. I wouldn’t recommend scheduling every moment of every day, but I did find it really helpful to have a plan for every day. Some days I had structured tours. Some days I had a plan to drive to a certain destination and had reservations for dinner so I knew I needed to make it back by a certain time. If there is something you are particularly scared of or a thing you might have a hard time doing on your own, I would recommend scheduling it ahead of time. In my case, I really wanted to try some local beer and food while I was in Iceland, but didn’t think I was up for going to a bar alone just yet. I ended up booking online for a food and beer tour at a local brewery. Once it was booked and paid for, I wasn’t going to back out. This will also make you feel like you have a purpose, a schedule, a plan. It’s an easy way to squash the awkwardness.
2. Get the lay of the land
This one may be fairly obvious, but I like to get the lay of the land where I am staying. Take a walk around the neighborhood during the day to get an idea of what is around you. I like to use this time to scope out restaurants and coffee shops I may like to check out later. I find having an idea of what is around already makes me much more comfortable getting around. It’s also helpful to have ideas of where to eat when you are making your plan for the day!
3. Find something to occupy your time
Before my first solo trip I was staying with my best friend in Texas and we were talking about all the places I was going and the things I would do. I was quizzing her on different adventures and if she would do them on her own. I would say, what about that dark bar we went to in London together with all the different types of gin, would you go there alone? “Yep”. She said yes to every example I gave her. Her comment was “you just need to find something to occupy yourself”. Hmm well that seems both obvious and totally genius. So I read a lot (at this point 12 weeks into my time away from real like I’m on book number nine). And just a few days ago I sat in that same bar I quizzed my friend on, GinTonica, sipping on their Portobello Road Gin 171 Gin & Tonic Plus, and cracking up reading Anna Kendrick’s book Scrappy Little Nobody. I think it’s really a testament to how much I’ve changed already because it was only for a split second that I thought “I can’t believe I’m sitting reading a book in a bar”. But I dismissed the thought and continued reading and cracking up. And guess what? Literally no one cared!
4. Put it in perspective
You may feel a little lonely or out of sorts when you are on your own. It’s important to put your circumstances into perspective – I was feeling a little like a loser being in Iceland alone and seeing so many groups of friends and families having fun. I had to remind myself that I travel with my friends ALL THE TIME. My being alone was not due to lack of friends, but due to the availability of time and the freedom to roam. Not everyone in my life has that freedom at this very moment as I do. I also had to remind myself that I specifically wanted to travel solo to grow as a person (ugh this was part of that painful growth). Bottom line, you CHOSE to travel on your own, this is what you wanted. Get it together, girl.
5. Get over yourself
Along the same lines as above, I can’t emphasize enough how much you just need to get over yourself. No, no one cares that you are traveling alone. No, no one thinks it’s weird that you are dining alone. No, no one thinks anything of it at all. If anything, they probably think you are brave and really bad ass for having the guts to do it. Just get over yourself. Get out there and have a blast. You won’t regret it!
