Wanderlust.
Itchy feet.
Nomadic tendencies.
Eleutheromania (a manic yearning for freedom).
Screwball.
Alongside whatever label societytries to slap on your insatiable appetite for travel, you’ve probably noticed that your unending enthusiasm for globetrotting has made you a human paradox in the eyes of your friends and family.
They understand that your modus operandi is to work hard for a short period and squirrel away your dollars.
There’s one thing they don’t understand, however: your thirst for traveling solo — they find it hard to comprehend how you can bear to spend so much time away from home alone.
However, like a less hirsute version of Cabot or Magellan, you recognize the emotional and spiritual benefits of seeing the world, which is why you’re not prepared to wait for your old college friend or workmate to get their act together before booking a trip.
But what if you’ve never traveled alone? Where should you go? When should you go? Where should you avoid? Fear not! We’ve put together three top tips to help new solo travelers get into the swing of an unaccompanied adventure.
Take a look …
- Travel on a budget
When you’re traveling solo, you avoid the face-saving activities you may indulge in if you were with a friend. For instance, hitching an Uber to the airport, spending money on champagne in the departures lounge or staying in an eye wateringly expensive hotel.
As a lone wolf, however, you can be as prudent as you like without being on the receiving end of your travel companion’s awkward glance. Our top moneysaving tip when taking your own car to the airport is to book parking online through the parking comparison site Looking4.com. Thank us later.
- Go in the off-season
There are a number of reasons for the rise of solo traveling: for one, the world is arguably less opaque now than it was just 20 years ago thanks to apps like Google Maps and Skype. Secondly, more of us are single—and staying single—than ever before.
This fondness for their own company is a trend for solo travelers, which is why so many choose to book their adventures for the off-season. This is a time when the masses are nowhere to be found. In fact, the majority of solo bookings are made for May, October and November.
- Force yourself to take part
Traveling solo for the first time can be daunting, and it’s easy to bury your head in your smartphone, avoid eye contact or scurry back to your room—but you didn’t go all that way to hide out in a faceless hotel.
You may need to force yourself to take part in activities, but you’ll be glad you did. The chances are that you’ll make friends very easily, even if you’re naturally shy. Sometimes you simply need to remind yourself why you booked a solo adventure in the first place.
Now it’s over to you …
Do you have any solo traveling tips you can share with our readers? Please let us know in the comments section.
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