I read an article last year that listed “top 10 trips to take before you turn 30.” I scrolled through the list, feeling a bit cocky about the fact that I had already taken most of those trips and I still had room to age! Then I saw “take a solo trip.” My first thought was, “Um, nope, no thanks, don’t need to do that before I’m 30 or even 40 for all I care!” That was just the fear talking though.
I remember the first time one of my friends said she was taking a solo trip I thought it sounded crazy but at the same time I was a little jealous of how brave that sounded. With all of the stories we hear in the news about women getting kidnapped here or there or strange things happening, the idea of traveling alone almost seemed reckless! But then I really got to thinking, for every one bad thing that happens, there are THOUSANDS, or even MILLIONS of things that DON’T happen. Every day millions of people travel solo around the world and are perfectly safe.
So when the opportunity presented itself, I finally decided to take my first solo international trip! I picked Krakow, Poland so that I could check off a new country and because I had heard that it was a safe, lively place to visit. I planned things a little bit differently than I may have with others in order to feel safe so here are the 5 things I did to plan my first solo international trip
1. Stayed at a Sheraton
I typically stay away from chain hotels when we travel, opting for boutique hotels, guest houses, or other spots with history and character. The problem with places like that is that they rarely have a 24 hour front office. I wanted to make sure I was in a place that had a few more eyes looking out and an easily accessible front desk in case I needed something.
2. Booked Large Group Tours
Generally I like small, private tours or to just grab audio guides and go by ourselves but I opted to choose one of the well-known travel companies for a tour each day. This way I was busy and able to see the highlights but I didn’t have to worry about solo transportation
3. Headed in by 10
The city was very much alive and hopping each night when I turned in but the later the night, the drunker the people, the more likely things can happen in my mind. I know a lot of times this is where people make new friends, living it up and partying with strangers but I made sure to head back to the room by 10 pm each night so I didn’t start getting weirded out or paranoid.
4. Uber’d More
When it was getting dark at night, instead of walking back to the hotel, I took a 5 min uber instead. Similarly I opted to uber to the tours early in the morning instead of walk. If I was with other people, the short walk would have been nothing but getting dropped off right at my destination made me feel safer. I also like that uber tracks where you are and where you are going. I kept my phone in my hand on every uber so I could text my husband as well. Probably a bit extra, but you can never be too safe!
5. Posted Later
I did a post on this last year, but the safest way to post on Instagram is to wait until you have left. I took all the photos and videos direct to the phone and only posted them to my insta-stories a couple hours after I had left. This way, no one can try and head to your location to find you or predict where you may head next. I also didn’t post anything about my hotel until after I had checked out.
These things may make me sound a bit paranoid but the truth is I had an amazing time traveling solo. I never got the creeps from anyone or felt like I was in an unsafe situation. None of the habits I adjusted detracted from my experience in any way – I didn’t miss out on a thing! I even made friends with people both days and interacted with others. The world can be a scary place at times but people are generally good and they just want to have fun and enjoy life too! There is no reason you can’t plan your next solo trip as long as you just give a little extra thought to your own personal safety.
Xx
Kali