Solo & safe

Do you think that travelling alone makes you vulnerable? It doesn’t have to! Keep your wits about you, use your common sense, trust your instinct. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

Starting out is scary. I was pretty terrified. I had planned everything out so that there was no chance I’d find myself alone at a bus station, in the middle of nowhere at 3am. But I slowly figured out that I didn’t need to be quite so rigid and was missing out on opportunities to deviate from my plans if something more fun came up. So yes, you can travel solo and be safe!

Here are my top 5 tips on how to stay safe and have a ball!

• Do a bit of research before setting off. Get your hands on a travel guide, read a few blogs, or join one of the many online groups to get a feel for what to expect. Start here with the country guides.
• When arriving in a new place have your first night’s accommodation booked so that you have somewhere to stay. That way you don’t worry about delays or being stranded until the morning. I mostly use Booking.com as well as Hostelworld from time to time.
• If arriving late at night, get your accommodation to arrange for a pick-up from the airport, bus or train station, or port.
• Use apps like maps.me that work offline and let you track your route. They help put your mind at ease that your driver isn’t taking you the long way round!
• Get advice at your accommodation or from other locals about how much you should be paying for buses, taxis, or tuk-tuks. That way you won’t get ripped off as soon as you step foot in a new country. They can also advise on whether you need to negotiate a price before you set off.

There’s lots more you can use to help you prepare before you go so that you can be solo and safe when you get there. Head over to the resources pages for all the details.