Now that it is a new year, and everyone is setting new year’s resolutions, it’s time to set goals that challenge you. Last year I set myself the challenge of doing a solo trip and if this is something you are thinking about here are my top tips.
1. Keep it short and simple
Some people might want to jump in at the deep end when it comes to new experiences, however, I decided to dip my toes in first by choosing to do a weeklong trip within Europe. I chose to go to Czechia Republic and Slovakia, stopping in Bratislava, Brno and Prague. This gave me the experience of planning a trip, getting transport between places and being on my own, giving me confidence for future bigger trips further afield.
2. Hostels
I would highly recommend solo travellers to stay in hostels. Not only is this often the cheapest option for a central location, but it is also a fantastic way to meet people. There are numerous ways to make friends at the hostel from people in your room to events the hostel may host. I have also been to a few hostels that serve really cheap dinners which is a great way to save money on food whilst meeting people. I always use Hostelworld to both find and book hostels. Hostelworld is useful as it shows the distance from the city centre as well as the food and drinks and services offered. I usually look for hostels with a bar as this offers cheap drinks and a good place to socialise. I always check the reviews to see if the hostel is known for good nightlife and socialisation. However, if you have different priorities Hostelworld has many quieter hostels as well.
3. Researching Activities
Researching and coming up with lots of things to do keeps you busy and can help if you’re worried about getting lonely. I find free walking tours an excellent way to explore cities, seeing the sites while learning all the history. They are really great value for money as you only have to leave a tip and often get many local recommendations. I also like to look on Get Your Guide and see if there are any interesting activities in the area. When I was in Bratislava, I did a wine tasting in the dark. I am a complete novice when it comes to wine usually picking based on what is cheapest and the highest percentage. However, wine tasting in the dark was one of my favourite things even though it ended up just being me and the sommelier in the dark as he crept around in night vision googles, making it a slightly strange but memorable experience. Although having to do all the research yourself can take a lot of time, it means that you get to do everything you want to do.
4. Freedom
I loved being able to do exactly what I wanted when I wanted and the freedom I had. When I travel somewhere I like to explore a mix of cultural and touristy sites as well as enjoy the nightlife of a place. Travelling alone gave me the freedom to see and do everything I wanted in my own time. I also liked that when I was exhausted, I could nap and being alone not having to talk to anyone was nice at times. Make sure you use this opportunity to travel exactly how you want to.
5. Loneliness
Getting lonely was a concern of mine, especially at times like eating dinner in a restaurant. I ended up not having to eat alone a lot as had dinners at the hostel or went out with people I had met at the hostel. However, when I did have dinner alone, I bought a book to keep me entertained. Meeting friends at the hostel was easier than I thought and some were even doing a similar route and I ended up seeing them multiple times. As long as you’re willing to put yourself out there and go up to people, you will be able to find friends easily. Some of the best parts of my trip were the nights out with people I’d met at the hostel.
I absolutely loved going on holiday alone and would recommend it everyone to try at least once. I hope if you do, you find my top tips useful.