Travelling solo for the first time 7 top tips

Travelling solo for the first time

Travelling solo for the first time is extremely scary, I get it. I waited 6 whole years for friends to travel with me until I had enough of waiting and went solo at age 25. I was terrified but alas I am glad I took the plunge and have never looked back. As a female solo traveller, I found it particularly scary mainly because of my safety and there are still countries to this day that I would avoid travelling to solo.

Having said this I am so glad I took the plunge and haven’t looked back ever since.

1. Choose a country that has your native language as its main language

Visiting a country that speaks your language greatly helps when travelling and will probably make you feel more comfortable if you travelling solo for the first time. If you get lost or you want to order food this is incredibly helpful in all accounts.

If English is your first language the United States of America and Australia are very popular options.

2. travelling alone tips – flights and accommodation

If you are travelling solo for the first time at least have your flights and accommodation for the first night already booked. I would also look into transportation to your accommodation. If you are arriving late at night perhaps a taxi may be a better option for your safety. Usually, it helps to pre-book at least this way you are least likely to get scammed.

The reason I recommend booking the first night of accommodation is the price is usually higher on the day as the hotel will think the guest desperately needs a room – which is true.

I am a planner however, I understand that circumstances change and you may end up changing your mind so keeping some days free is essential for this purpose.

Speaking of hostels if it is your first time and you are not sure what to expect check out my 20+ Really Helpful Tips For Staying In a Hostel for the first time. Hostels are cheaper however you do have to share a dorm. They are also a great place to meet other travellers – friends!

3. Tips for first solo flight

Flying can be daunting for sure and you will never know what flying is like solo until you do it – scary stuff!

So here are my top tips for travelling solo for the first time solo:

• Get to the airport 3 hours before your departure time – I wouldn’t get to the airport any earlier as you won’t be able to check in bags (if you have any). This gives you plenty of time to check in, head to security, check out duty-free and maybe grab a bite to eat as well.

• Bring noise-cancelling headphones – this is a game-changer for me. I hear nothing and it is wonderful. Invest in some good quality headphones, you won’t regret it, promise.

• Bring an eye mask, earplugs and a travel pillow – if you want to sleep. eye mask blocks out the light, ear plugs block out the sound and the travel pillow makes you sleep like a baby.

• Plan your flight – most people don’t know this but you can actually see what meals are available and what movies there are on a flight BEFORE you leave. If you have any dietary requirements this can be done via your managed booking.

• Download your airline app – it is always helpful to download the airline app with who you are flying as it can give you all the information about your flight. If you have notifications on it even tells you the gate number so you don’t even have to look at the screen.

4. Apps to download before travelling solo for the first time

Google Maps – You probably have this one already but did you know that you can download certain areas on Google Maps? this is really handy as you may not have a signal and everyone relies on maps these days – myself included.

Trip It – This amazing app organises your itinerary for you. You can set it to sync to your email and it automatically creates your itinerary. TripIt also allows you to share this data with friends and family.

Whether it is American Airlines or British Airways, your airline app is worth downloading. Have your notification turned on and it will show you if your flight is delayed and also tell you what gate to get to before the screens – super handy.

Travel Spend – to keep your budget on your trip Travel Spend allows you to input your expenses and shows you how much you are spending. It even has all the different currencies. Annoyingly they now charge if you have multiple trips however one trip is always free.

5. Travelling solo for the first time checklist

• Make sure you have travel insurance – I cannot stress this enough, I would get travel insurance as soon as you book your flight. In this case, if something goes wrong you will be covered. Also, make sure that the activities you will be doing are included in your policy.

• Money – depending on where you are going it may require you to get some money before you leave. Some countries are still cash-heavy but be careful when you have cash. If you lose it it is gone for good. For this reason, I would recommend taking 2 purses, 1 with the money you think you’ll need for the day and a card to take money out if necessary and leave everything else in your suitcase or backpack. Do not take money with you. If it gets lost or stolen you really’re in trouble. Believe me, as I’ve learnt from my mistakes.

• Keep your friends and family informed at all times – If you plan on going out for the evening or heading to a new place always let someone know where you are going.

• Take more money and less stuff – as an over-packer myself (what can I say I like to be prepared) I often take items I never end up using mainly clothing. To overcome this I check the weather the day before and pack accordingly. Every time I travel I always spend more money than I was planning to.

• Take a non-foreign exchange card – If you use your bank card from the UK it would charge you 2.99% on every purchase which is a horrific amount to spend that doesn’t need to be. If you are not sure which card is the best card to use click here for my recommendations.

• Entry requirements- depending on which country you are travelling to you must check out their entry requirements if they have any. For example, if you are travelling to the US you will need to get an ESTA at least 72 hours before you fly – this is a visa waiver program for any UK citizen visiting the US as a tourist. Thailand currently allows you to visit the country for 30 without any entry requirements so it really does depend. You can check out all entry requirements on the UK government website here.

• Passport validity – Yes you need to make sure that your passport has not expired but you also need to look at the issue date and make sure it’s within the 10-year mark. Some countries also require you to have at least one blank page left in your passport.

• Bring a pen – this is for the customs forms you may have to fill in on the flight.

6. what to bring with you when you are travelling solo for the first time

Here is my packing list for backpackers with everything you need. However, I would recommend investing in the following:

• Down Jacket – not only will this keep you warm but you can get one that is so compact it folds into a bag which is super handy to pack

• Raincoat – highly recommend investing in a decent raincoat (do not get one from Primark as you will get soaked). Make sure it has tapered seams which will keep you dry.

• Comfortable shoes – The rule of thumb is never to wear new shoes when you are travelling, it may be uncomfortable or get blisters which is never pleasant. I would get 1 pair of trainers, 1 pair of sandals and 1 pair of flip flops (if you are staying in a hostel these are to be used in the showers and/or bedtime shoes.

• Tampons – for the ladies, some countries do not have tampons widely available and if you do find them they are incredibly expensive. I would suggest bringing your own or using a moon cup.

7. Am I ready to travel alone?

The right time to travel alone is now. To make yourself feel a bit more comfortable I would suggest starting small. Maybe visit a new place in your own country by yourself for a day or two before you go abroad.

It honestly depends on your comfort level. If you feel going to the States is a bit too far, try somewhere in Europe. If it feels a bit overwhelming go smaller. Travelling solo for the first time will I ever be ready? Probably not but it is definitely worth taking the plunge.