Why You Need to Solo Travel: My Top Tips

Hey friends,

Today's post is going to be about something I wanted to do but was absolutely terrified of for a long time:

Solo travelling... dunn dunN DUNN!!!!

Travelling by yourself in a foreign country certainly sounds nerve racking, especially if you haven't travelled a ton, but please don't let fear stop you from a life changing experience.

There is a certain magic in facing a country alone. You can do whatever you want, be whoever you want, eat as much ice cream as you want.

And trust me, I did.

It is not as scary as you think, I promise. Just be smart about it.

You will meet a ton of other solo travellers, it is a lot more common than you'd think. Some of my coolest experiences have come from going somewhere by myself. It doesn't only give you the opportunity to create a schedule of everything you want to do, but it will teach you a lot about yourself. Learning how to spend time fully satisfied alone is so important for your wellbeing. Putting yourself in a situation where you're forced to push past your comfort zone is so good for the mind and spirit, it teaches you lessons you'll never be able to learn at home watching Netflix. It will help you mold into the best version of yourself. 

Here are my best solo travelling tips:

✰ If meeting people is what you want to do, I highly suggest staying in hostels. There are a TON of blog posts about which hostels are best for solo travellers, read them before you book. I try to stay in places that have "family dinners", common rooms/ attached bars, or pub crawls.

✰ Do research on the place you want to go, certain locations are a lot safer for solo travellers than others. Especially if you're female!

✰ If you are going to a country that is a little more on the ~un-safe~ side, look into booking a tour. Tours are a great way to meet people while ensuring you stay safe and comfortable. They are also a great way to ease into a longer trip.

✰ Force yourself to talk to other people. When you get to the hostel, head to the common room or bar, take a deep breath (or a shot of tequila) and approach people who look like a fun time. People who travel are generally very like-minded, everyone's there to meet people and create experiences. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there! It's very rewarding. 

✰ Don't be afraid to spend the day alone. Make a playlist of your favourite songs and explore the city you're in. Do whatever you feel like in that moment.

✰ If you want photos, ask a stranger for them. My go-to line was "I want to send a photo to my mom". 

Was it true? Well, I usually did end up sending the photo to her, yes. 

Did I mostly want the photo for Instagram? No comment.

If travelling by yourself is something you are considering doing, please take this as a sign. DO IT. One of the greatest lessons I've learned through travelling is to not let fear stop you from doing what you truly want to do. Personally, I'd rather die on a bed of memories than regrets. What about you?

So get out there, book that ticket. You have your whole life to work, now's the time to explore. I am so excited for all of the adventures you have ahead.

Safe travels!

xx Ellis