- This video is all about solo travel hacks.
Because, let's face it, sometimes people aren't
as cool as you, and they don't wanna travel because
who knows why, but you are gonna go anyway,
and experience a trip of a lifetime.
Here's some hacks for you.
(upbeat music)
Hostels, my favorite type of accommodation.
And the reason is the community.
It is filled with travelers.
People who are traveling solo, like you,
people who are traveling on a budget, like you.
Just like-minded people who are doing exactly what you are.
You are 100% guaranteed to meet other travelers
who have already traveled around the area
you're currently in.
They can offer advice on things to do,
places to see, places to eat.
Everyone is super friendly.
Everyone is a traveler, open minded,
and you will make friends.
If you wanna travel with those people
for the rest of your trip, you can.
If not, that's okay, too.
Walking tours, food tours, pub crawls
are great ways to meet people when you
first arrive to the destination,
and really get to know a place.
You'll get to experience one of the local hangouts.
You can make friends with other travelers
who are on the trip with you.
A lot of cities actually have walking tours
that are free, so be sure to Google free walking tours
in the city that you're going to,
and you'd be surprised what you can find.
All of that beautiful jewelry you own,
silver, gold, leave it at home.
Do not bring anything flashy that will
draw attention to you.
Packing less is more.
This is especially important when you're traveling solo.
'Cause you don't wanna be lugging around
a couple of really heavy bags when you have
to get somewhere and you don't have anyone to help you.
So when you're packing, pack as light as possible,
and then take it a step further,
and take out five more items from your suitcase.
If you can pack just a carry-on,
and a small day bag, you will make your travels
so much easier.
Learn the basics of the language of the
place you're going to, that way you can really
dive into the culture and make friends with locals.
It also makes you feel more confident.
So when you're walking around you can ask for things
in the local language.
There are two language learning apps I highly recommend.
You can try Duolingo and Babble.
This next one, I've been doing since my first solo trip,
and it is taking a Lonely Planet Guidebook with me.
The Lonely Planet Guidebook is like the travel Bible.
I have found that it's such a comfort to have with me.
If I arrive in a new place that I know nothing about,
I know I can rely on the Lonely Planet book
to give me great and safe recommendations
for accommodations, for restaurants,
or even tours to do.
Always let someone know where you're going to next.
Let your friends and your family back home
know your itinerary.
Always keep your head up, and eye contact.
When you're walking down a unfamiliar street,
maybe you're even lost, do not look like you are lost.
Always look like you know where you're going.
Look like you own the place.
Look like you've been there for awhile,
you know exactly where you're going.
Confidence is key, especially when you're traveling solo.
This next one is specifically for my ladies.
Sometimes wearing a fake wedding band,
even if you're not married, or you don't even
have a boyfriend, can make you feel safer,
can prevent harassment, and even questions,
like, in places like India, where people think
that you should be married, and you should be with a man.
Of course, I do not agree with that.
You do not need a man in your life
to be a confident, successful woman,
and you definitely do not need a man to travel.
But if you wanna avoid some harassment and questions,
wearing a fake wedding band can help with that.
Take advantage of solo benefits,
like getting that discounted last ticket
to that concert that's in the front row,
because there's only seat available.
Or, if you're at an amusement park,
like Disney, for example, there are so many times
where they ask if there's any single riders
to come all the way to to the front.
You can skip a line.
The rule of three, I call this one.
It's asking three different locals the same question.
So if you're looking for a certain place,
ask three locals where that place is.
And if at least two of the three of them
tell you the right place, then you know
you're going in the right direction.
Purchase a local SIM card.
In most countries, they are super affordable,
and it's nice to have that peace of mind that
you can always use your phone to make a phone call,
or use a GPS if you need to.
Travel solo without traveling solo.
If you wanna travel, but there's no one back home
who wants to do it with you, or can't do it with you,
but you still wanna be around other people,
join a tour group.
There's tour groups like G-Adventures,
which I really like, who put together amazing trips
all over the world with really cool individuals
that will remain your friends forever.
I went on a G-Adventures trip about 11 years ago in Peru,
and I'm still friends with some of the people
that I met on that trip.
And even after the tour was over,
we continued traveling together.
Use community sites like TravBuddy or Travel Chum
to meet other travelers who are going
to the destination that you wanna go to.
You can talk to each other to discuss your trips,
offer tips and advice to each other
on places to go, things to see,
and even travel with each other, if you choose to.
There are also really great Facebook groups
where you can connect with other travelers,
plan trips together.
There's a really, really great Facebook group called
Hopscotch the Globe, if you've ever heard of it.
There's also Girls Love Travel,
which I really like.
Arrive during the day, instead of at night.
And I know that there are those budget flights
that look really good when it comes to the rate
because they arrive in the destination
in the middle of the night.
But if you have to spend an extra $100
to arrive in the day, I highly recommend it.
It's just generally safer to arrive in the day
and travel during the day,
especially if you're traveling solo.
If you're traveling on a budget, I know the last thing
you wanna do is spend more for something
that you don't necessarily need to,
like a train ticket or a bus ticket,
but your safety comes first.
You always need to remember this.
So if you need to, pay a little bit more
for a better seat on a train,
or a better seat on a bus, do it.
One of the first things I recommend doing
when you arrive at your hostel or hotel guest room
is to get a business card.
That way, when you're wandering around
the new place that you're in, you have
the address on hand of where you need
to go back to at the end of the day.
Dining alone.
This is one of the number one fears
of people who are traveling solo.
Actually, eating alone.
I personally love it, because I can really enjoy my food.
I don't have to talk to anybody.
I can really focus on just what I'm eating.
But if you are feeling a little bit uncomfortable,
or if it's your first time dining alone,
bring a book, or bring music to keep you company.
Take your vitamins.
You wanna do anything you can to stay healthy
when you're on the road.
The last thing you want to happen is to get sick,
especially when you're traveling solo.
Schedule rest stops.
When you're traveling alone,
you're making all the decisions.
There's no one to help you out.
It's just you figuring out where to go,
where to stay, and it can be really exhausting.
So it's good to take time once in awhile,
and spend a couple of days just in one location,
just doing nothing.
Just completely veg out.
Go to a spa, get a massage, read a book,
have some drinks.
Just recharge.
Ask the hostel or hotel you're staying at
places to avoid, especially when you're traveling alone.
And to follow up on that, don't go out by yourself at night.
Now, I admit, I've done it.
I've been out at night by myself in many countries.
And looking back, there are times where
I absolutely shouldn't have done it,
and I'm very lucky.
So it's just a good idea to have someone else
to go out with at night.
Know those really goofy selfie sticks
that everyone laughs at?
Bring one.
They are light, they're easy to pack away.
They're great for when you're traveling solo
to really capture your trip.
When you're holding your camera out
just using your hand, you don't get to see
a lot of your surrounding.
But if you have that selfie stick,
you can see so much more, and get great shots.
Always have a fully-stocked first aid kit with you,
especially when you're traveling solo.
Anytime you go out, bring a portable battery charger.
The last thing you want to happen is
needing your phone, whether it's a safety concern,
or just trying to get from one place to another.
You don't want to have a dead phone,
and it's so easy to bring a battery pack with you.
Make copies of your travel documents.
Your visas, your passports.
And give those to your family back home,
to keep with them, as well as email them to yourself.
That way, if you do lost something like your passport,
let's hope that doesn't happen,
if you have copies of it, it'll make the process
of getting a new one a lot easier.
Using transportation services like Uber or Lyft
is better than using a taxi, in my opinion.
And you can actually set an ETA of where you are,
and it'll track your journey and send it
to your friends or family so they actually
can see where you're going in real time.
Using Uber and Lyft tends to be more affordable as well
than using a taxi.
Dress like the locals.
This is one of my favorite hacks,
because not only is it respectful,
it's also a lot of fun.
You really get a better sense of the culture
and becoming part of it.
When you're in India, for example,
buy some Indian clothes like the locals are wearing.
Not only will the locals love it,
they will respect you more,
it will be a start of conversation in a positive way,
and you will not stick out like a sore thumb
when you don't wanna be.
Even if you're into spontaneous travel like me,
I would recommend booking your first two nights
in a place before going.
That way if you just had a really long flight
and you arrive, you don't have to think about
where you're gonna spend that night.
And if you're staying at a hostel,
it'll give you time to just settle in,
talk to other travelers, see where they have
traveled to already, and where they recommend
so you can plan the rest of your trip.
This one, so important.
Trust your gut.
The crazy thing and incredible thing
about traveling solo is your intuition,
that instinct that you have is just like super heightened.
So when you feel like something is wrong,
or something just doesn't feel right,
you are most likely correct.
So follow your gut.
If you don't feel safe in a situation,
get out of there right away.
And last but not least, is embrace being alone.
Especially if this is your first solo trip.
This is one of the best things that you will
ever do for yourself.
Traveling solo is something I
recommend everyone try in their lifetime.
You learn so much about yourself.
About your likes and your dislikes.
It makes you a stronger person,
it makes you more confident.
It is one of the most rewarding experiences
you can ever have.
(sighs) That was a lot.
That was a lot, and I hope it was super helpful,
especially if you're currently planning a solo trip,
and it's your first solo trip, especially.
You are in for an incredible experience.
And these hacks will definitely help you
get the best of that experience.
I'm so excited for you.
And if you wanna share any solo travel hacks
that I haven't mentioned, please do so below.
If you're traveling solo, you do not want
to miss the video below.
Where is it?
It's gonna be like over here.
Check it out.
Me and my fellow travel ladies talk about
everything that you're gonna wanna know
about solo travel, especially if this is
your first time doing it, and you have any questions
or concerns, we answer them all in this video.