Why I Travel Solo ~ And Tips to Keep You Safe
An article published in the New York Times on Monday, March 25, 2019 titled Adventurous. Alone. Attacked told a story of how the world is greeting women who travel alone. While stories of violence and death among female travelers is real and should not be dismissed, it sends the wrong message that traveling alone as a female is dangerous and that a woman should never, ever travel alone. Everyone, both men and women should take the necessary precautions when traveling to unknown territories for the first time.
I have taken countless domestic trips alone and have visited four countries out of the 21 visited so far as a solo traveler. I have honestly never felt unsafe on any of my travels. In fact, I feel more unsafe right here in the United States but that’s a topic for another day. I try not to focus on all the negative that could possibly happen and instead choose to focus on all the good that can happen like making new friends, doing fun activities, eating amazing food and deepening my learning for a new culture and people.
The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey on a Recent Solo Trip
I think solo travel for anyone, is just as important as traveling with friends and family. Firstly, solo travel allows you to connect with yourself in ways that you might never have known otherwise. Being somewhere new with no one around that you know, may make you more comfortable to try something new that you wouldn’t otherwise if people you knew were watching. Personally, traveling solo allows me to connect with myself and makes me more aware of how I am showing up in a space especially as a Black woman. Solo travel allows me to be on my own schedule and do things at my own pace. If I decide to stay in my hotel room and just watch cheesy movies in a language I don’t understand and order room service instead of going out and seeing the sites, I don’t have anyone complaining about it. I can do what I want to do, when I want to do it.
I often hear people say they wish they could go to XYZ but they have no one to go with. Why wait to do something because someone else is not able to? I found myself missing out on so many travels because friends couldn’t get the time off from work or they didn’t have the money to go. That wasn’t my reality but yet I was deferring my dreams for others. We do this with so many other things in life too and not just travel. When you see a good flight deal, you have a very limited window to book, usually only hours, so trying to coordinate with someone else’s schedule and pockets is not always feasible, doesn’t mean you should miss out though!
Traveling solo for the first time can be intimidating, make you anxious, nervous, and sad that you won’t be able to post up with your squad for that perfect IG photo. DON’T LET THAT STOP YOU! On the other side of your fears are beautiful, encapsulating adventures that awaits you. Traveling solo allows me to appreciate what I have so much more. It humbles and challenges you, and pushes you to be creative when situations arise. To me, these are necessary survival skills to have.
The Golden Mosque in Doha, Qatar - A Solo Trip
To help quell some fears about traveling solo, I have listed below some things to keep in mind when traveling solo (especially as a female) and a few tips that will hopefully make your solo journey less intimating:
Book your accommodations in advance: Know where you are staying and how to get there from your port of entry. The last thing you want to be doing is risking booking a room on a moments notice at the airport. If using Airbnb, be sure to have your hosts contact information saved in your phone in case you don’t have cell service, you can find a pay phone or ask to use someone’s phone to contact them
Know how you are getting to your home away from home: Nothing screams “I’m here alone” like you having your head buried in your phone looking at a map for directions. I either book a car through the hotel I’m staying, use a car ride app like Uber that can track my whereabouts or plot my route via public transportation ahead of time. If I have to ask someone for directions, I generally ask an airport staff member or the bus driver, train conductor etc. Never take a ride from someone coming up to you in the airport. Chances are they are not licensed.
Do not keep all your money in one place: More than likely you are going to have a good amount of cash on you so that you are able to exchange it for local currency. Separate your money ahead of time so that you only take out the amount you are going to exchange. After you have exchanged your currency, find a private stall to divvy it up in different places. People may be watching for where you have tucked your money so do not do this in plain sight. Keep some of your home currency tucked into different places in the event that you are robbed. This way, the thieves don’t make away with all your cash and leave you stranded.
Buy an External Charger for Your Phone and Other Electronics: Nothing sucks more than sightseeing all day, using your phone to post your wonderful pictures and videos to Instagram than getting that low battery signal with no way to charge it. You can pick up an external charger from Amazon that will keep your phone and other devices charged when on the go. This is especially helpful if you need to make an emergency phone call. I use this particular charger and it gets me two full iPhone charges.
Get an International Phone Plan or SIM Card: This tip goes hand in hand with number 4. Look up on your phone carriers website if you will need an international plan for your phone to work in the destination you are traveling and make sure to add it to your plan ahead of your travels so that you can stay connected to friends and loved ones. You can also use an old phone of yours and get it unlocked with your carrier and add a local SIM card when you arrive at your destination.
Bring a Lock: You can buy a travel approved lock for your suitcase that will help to protect your valuables in case your hotel or AirBnB doesn’t have an in-room safe. I picked up this Master Lock travel lock from Amazon for less than $8.
Bring a doorstop: This may seem odd but hear me out. Most hotels have a lock on the inside of the door as well as a chain or other double lock system that if someone tried to open it, the door would only open halfway. I recently stayed in a single room hostel in Amsterdam and the door did not have an extra lock from the inside or safety feature such as a chain. Anyone could have a copy of the key and enter the room while I’m asleep. Putting a door stop under the door will give someone trying to enter a struggle long enough for you to climb out a window if possible or to call for help. I picked up this door stop for less than $5 on Amazon.
Anti-theft Bag: When I am out and about in a new country, I like to keep my essentials in a theft-proof backpack or cross-body bag. These bags are water-proof, RFID proof so that your credit card information can’t be stolen, and features hidden zippers or a locking zipper mechanism so that someone cannot easily pick pocket you. I have this backpack and cross-body bag that I use interchangeably. And the best thing about these bags is that it keeps your hands free to grab the sucker who tried it!
Never tell anyone you meet you are traveling alone: This one should be a no brainer but sometimes in conversation with a friendly local, you may let it slip that you are traveling alone. Coupled with this point is that when traveling alone, do not disclose where you are staying. If I am sitting at a bar or in a restaurant alone and asked if I am with someone, I simply say I am waiting for a friend. No need to go into details and if they seem to press for more information, simply vacate the area.
Be aware of your surroundings: Blasting the new Kanye album while walking around taking pictures (clearly looking like a tourist) is a sure way to get noticed and singled out. You need to be able to hear what is going on around you in case you need to make a fast break. Maybe it’s the New York in me but I’m always looking around to see who’s looking at me and if anyone is following me and take a good mental picture of what the person looks like in case I need to describe them later on.
BONUS TIP - Trust Your Gut: Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your gut and move to a safer place. Never second guess yourself.
I hope that you will take the leap to your first solo journey, and if you are used to traveling solo, I hope these tips help you to practice good safety habits. Travel On!
Some New Friends I Made in Istanbul, Turkey!
