If You are Traveling Solo, Check these 7 Safety Tips
Traveling solo is an altogether different thing than traveling with your near and dear ones. Here, you alone have to take care of and do everything for yourself. It is normal if you are feeling nervous about the coming few days. Though it is a learning experience like no other, it still has some perils like loneliness, uncertainty, safety concerns, etc. But if you prepare yourself in the right way and amount, your solo trip would just be perfect.
Choose and study your destination
Research is a very important thing that will save you from getting into trouble, wandering in unsafe areas and getting wrong information. Select your trip places, where you will go, stay, etc. check the safety of those places, political situation, crime situation, etc. what is located where, the emergency numbers of the places.
Research on who to call, where to go, in case of any issue. Also, know the local languages spoken, and if possible learn the basic and important sentences. You can always take the help of translators, dictionaries, etc.
Get a Travel insurance
Life is assured and simple when you have travel insurance for you. You alone will not have to bear the full weight of any inconveniences or mishaps. If you have planned to take part in adventure sports, see to it that the insurance covers those activities and medical evacuation coverage.
Arrive during daylight
This is because you will get to see your accommodation options clearly in the day. Check the area where you will stay for the trip. If you don’t like a place, you will have ample time to check other accommodations. Give priority to a single occupancy room if it is available, that way, you save money plus get total privacy.
Blend in with the Locals
Malicious locals specifically target tourists, esp. those who are alone. The more you will look and be like a local, lesser trouble you will get into. This involves more than walking with confidence. You should project yourself as if you know exactly where you are going and what you are doing. Stay alert, sober and always trust your intuitions.
Keep your belongings close
As much as you can, leave expensive things at home. Hold your mobile and camera close to you. Never keep your wallet in the back pocket. It is a wise thing to take a digital and a Xerox copy of your passport and other such documents. Store these documents, credit cards, money, etc. in separate places, so that I case of any theft, all will not be lost. Keep spare money in different places in your pocket and luggage for the same reason.
Tech and staying connected
Load your phone with a VPN and Wi-Fi finder to always stay connected to the Internet. Save some important numbers in your phone of the tourist places, and some of the trusted near ones. You should also have some other useful apps in your mobile like a compass, weather, flashlight, Google maps, Phone finder, Dictionary, Language translator, etc. Regularly inform your near and dear ones about your location, where you are going, etc.
Cautiously connect with others
Most people you meet will be good with you, but you never know the real intentions of some of them. In any case, don’t reveal too much about yourself and don’t get too personal. But that doesn’t mean you should keep with yourself, approach people and chat up with them, about the place, general topics, etc. whether they are locals or fellow travelers.
Solo travel has so many plus points about it that we all should experience it at least once in our life. It can also turn out to be an experience you want to forget with issues, hurdles, problems strewn over. Hence, have a detailed plan of your entire trip, studying everything about your destination; all of which will guarantee a happy trip for you.
