My travel adventure started less than a month, travelling to Mexico for 3 days before I start the first of my internships in Costa Rica as part of my Year Abroad. While it’s only been a few days, I’ve had enough mishaps to be able to bring you;
TRAVELLING SOLO – The Dos and Don’ts
1) DO print off all your documents before you go – I mean, literally EVERYTHING.
I printed a copy of my passport, driving license, insurance, every single flight I have booked, all my accommodation, and the field brief for Camp Osita where I am based in Costa Rica.
In times of no Wi-Fi, which can be frequent in a foreign country with a different service provider, getting by without the internet is a must. Until it happens, you don’t realise how much we rely on our phones for everything
2) DON’T go off exploring without a map or some way to find your way back to your accommodation.
What may ensue is a much longer excursion than you originally planned, wandering around, admittedly beautiful, streets as you hope to find the one on which your hostel is located! A great way to see the city, of course, but somewhat exhausting and a little stressful if you get completely lost.
3) DO try and learn some of the language of the place you are going.
I feel like I have a huge advantage in being able to speak Spanish as I travel around Latin America, as whatever incident that befalls me, I can usually ask for help or directions, etc. Things would be a lot more difficult, and definitely more stressful if I couldn’t communicate with anyone!
4) DON’T turn up to the WRONG AIRPORT for your flight.
You may think this is an obvious one, but trust me, it’s much easier to do than you might think. Catching my flight from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez, a small regional town in Costa Rica, I had to fly on a teeny tiny little plane, which only went from a teeny tiny little airport, rather than the international one. The airline was the only one to operate from that airport, while all other domestic airlines operate from the main interantional airport in San Jose. Silly me, I presumed there was only one airport in San Jose…
5) DO check and double check all flight times and airports.
Yes, I just mentioned this, but honestly the stress is not worth it. I went to the wrong airport, ended up missing my flight as I desperately tried to get across San Jose in time, then had to return to the original airport to catch another fight later on which I had to pay for – $150 – not to mention two long Uber journeys! (Thank you, emergency bank of Mum and Dad.)
6) DON’T forget to charge your phone frequently.
Arriving in an unknown city with 3% battery and trying to order an Uber is not really an experience I would wish on anybody. Character building, yes, enjoyable, not really.
Who knew you could learn so much in only 3 days? This Year Abroad is turning out to be more than I bargained for…