Traveling Alone Tips

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Traveling alone doesn't automatically translate into the word “lonely.”  Traveling by yourself can be a wonderful experience! Think of the advantages: you can do whatever you want, whatever time you want, and ditch any and all of it if you are not in the mood. You can sleep late or rise early, eat dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. You can spend the entire day at the beach or the entire day in a museum. The choice is yours and yours alone!

Many people travel alone for a variety of reasons and love it. Whether you are single in life already, or leaving behind a spouse and family for a few blissful days, here are a few things to think about while planning and enjoying your trip al la solo.

Try not to look like a “tourist.”  If you look lost, out of place and confused (and are desperately looking at a map) you are an easy mark for the unsavory. An elementary way to overcome this is to be prepared.  Know exactly where you are going the moment your plane touches ground. Prior to your trip, make sure your transportation to your International Vacation Home Exchange Property www.ivhe.com  is set in stone. Being stuck in an airport, train or bus station late at night and not having a ride to your hotel or exchange property can put you in a vulnerable situation.

Sign up for a group activity such as a walking tour. This will automatically put you in the company of like-minded individuals. Seek out another single person or similarly-aged couple, or mother and daughter traveling together and start with coffee together at a café after the walking tour. Who knows what you may have in common?

Meeting other tourists is easy with the use of Social Media. You can find friends and friends of friends traveling in the same area using Facebook. Or try www.MeetUp.com.  It’s a site dedicated to letting folks organize their own groups or to find a group being organized in your area. Meet up with a group and presto! New friends.

If you are far from home, find out where the expat hangout is at your new destination. There could be a club or café where expats from your country tend to congregate.

Dining out solo doesn’t need to be stressful or intimidating. Start small by eating in a café at lunch. Choose a busy place so you won’t feel in the spotlight. At some establishments, those eating by themselves tend to eat at the bar section of a restaurant. The design of this area is amenable to starting conversations with your neighbors.

Most important, stay sharp and smart, be safe (no cash machine use at night) and have fun!