Aspiring to join the Solo Travelers bandwagon? Read on…
“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.” —Paul Theroux (American travel writer and novelist, best known for The Great Railway Bazaar)
Before you start the nomadic lifestyle, test yourself. Go on solo trips on weekends to nearby places. This will help you to test your strength, your endurance and whether you can do it on a long-term basis.
Without further ado, here are the 10 tips for aspiring Solo Travelers:
1—If you aspire to be a long-term traveler, have a steady source of income. You can rent out your apartment(if you own one) for the period you will be away traveling. This will ensure a fixed monthly income. Use your other skills to earn money like blogging for example. If you’re good with a camera, sell your pictures online.
2—Always carry a medium size backpack. Carry just the essential things you need like few pairs of clothes, a sleeping bag, any instruments that you can play(a guitar, a camera or your painting kit), a map and a torch. The lesser the size the better it is
3—Buy cheap clothes in the country you’re in. Donate them to a charity once you leave the place. This will not only save your costs but you will always be able to travel light. Never take expensive clothes or accessories with you. You can lose them or you can attract unwanted attention from thieves etc.
4—Keep your food habits very local. Research ahead of your journey to find out the best places to find cheap food, other useful stuff, or hotels/dormitories/hostels. Carry a chocolate bar or instant food like noodles along. This is a good way to get instant energy. When you are hungry (with no food counter in sight), just break the noodles, mix the spices and eat raw.
5—Don’t rush through a place while traveling. Always ensure you have the luxury of time for a given place. Don’t run around to places and burn a hole in your pocket by renting cars or cabs. You should always check with locals about how to reaching your destination via public transport. Take your time to explore a place and understand it. That is what traveling is all about. Just remember when you leave the place or move to next one, you should never require a map. Use your skills to interact with people as this will ensure a lot of good things like free food, free accommodation or free rides.
Read More on Solo Travelling & Solo Travellers
6—Learn the local language, at least few words and use them to your advantage. While wandering around the streets, most of the locals knew him. Great local people in their language. This not only warms up the atmosphere but scammers and cheaters stay away from you. Be part of the community you’re in.
7—If it is safe and if you can find a good place, then park your tent and get out your sleeping bag and sleep in there. Not only will you be able to experience the vastness of nature but it is cost-effective. If it is not possible, try to rent a local house and stay there. Ask people if you can trade your skills for free accommodation.
8—Keep in regular touch with your family and friends. You can stay in touch with them via Skype, WhatsApp, email and other apps. This way not only will you save money on international calls but your family will know about your well being and where you are in case something goes awry.
9—You will meet other long-term travelers on your journey. Try to bond with them. Be part of their community. Share your knowledge and expertise and learn from theirs.
10—Just remember that having a nomadic lifestyle can have its repercussions. But it also gives you a wonderful insight of this world. You are away from your family and friends for a long time and this could lead to burnout, longing for home etc. Whenever you feel like this, take a break and return home. Start again when you’re fresh.
Further Advice for Solo Travelers:
There are plenty of good sites that can connect you with experienced travelers. Some of these sites which will be beneficial to you are:
- Wikitravel
- Lonely Planet forums
- Couchsurfing forums
You will need a multi-currency card and a travel insurance for your long-term travels. We at BookMyForex will help you with that. Visit our website or call us on 09212219191.
Leave a Reply