Your Safety Guide to Traveling Solo
It’s common to travel and vacation in groups, whether with family or friends, and for good reason: Experiences are shared with those you consider closest to you and the company makes for added support, both emotional and related to personal physical safety. While we can appreciate the experiences we share with others, traveling alone can be just as amazing.
Traveling alone makes for an incredible journey, where you’re able to explore the world on your own terms: Set your own schedule, make decisions based solely on your interests, and take in a region while valuing nothing more than your own interaction. Solo travel can be an enriching adventure, one that allows you to explore the depths of who you are as a person, from understanding your levels of comfort and discomfort to determining how well you fit in with the rest of the world.
Yet traveling solo can have its downsides, too. Along with occasional feelings of loneliness, adventuring by yourself might leave you appearing vulnerable to locals. But with the right self-defense tools, you don’t have to worry about traveling on your own.
Before you depart for your next adventure, consider taking the following tips to heart.
Pre-Trip Preparations
- Know your budget.
While you might be tempted to buy whatever interesting thing you see, set a budget for yourself you can effectively stick to, helping you make smart financial decisions while still having a fun time.
- Pack light and efficiently.
You should already have your possessions thoroughly packed before traveling, double-checking your bag to make sure you have everything you need. Necessary items should be in order, including device chargers, passport (if headed abroad), and enough changes of clothes.
Consider packing personal safety devices, too. Although the type you’ll be allowed to bring will depend on their legality by state and country, carrying non-lethal weapons can be a great way to improve overall security.
Fit In with Your Destination
- Get to know the area.
Research your destination before you go. And, once you’re there, spend your first few hours exploring to get a feel for how the city moves, feels, and works. It will make the rest of the trip easier.
- Be patient and proactive.
You won’t fit in from the start, but remain patient and make proactive decisions to become a part of your destination. It will help you get a feel for how the culture works, and you can adapt to it once you understand it better.
- Mimic the locals.
One of the easiest ways to fit into a new area is by watching how others move, act, and communicate. Mimicking their behaviors can make it easier to appear like a local, helping you to blend in and not seem like a foreigner.
- Remain social.
Talk to local bartenders, baristas, and restaurant staff. Locals are a great option when looking to learn more about the area. To get an idea of safe options for nightlife, travel, and eating, talk to industry folks, including servers, baristas, and bartenders.
- Partake in social events like museum tours.
Remaining in a collective group of people is a great way to stay safe while still seeing the sights. Consider signing up for a tour of the city or a curated tour of a famous museum. You can meet new people while taking in some incredible sights.
- Try to meet other people.
Take initiative and meet people from the area, whether chatting with them on public transit or in a small shop. Further, talk to the people lodging beside you, whether it is in an Airbnb or a hostel. You might end up making a friend who you can travel the city with.
Get to Know Local Transportation
- Learn the bus and train schedules.
Once arriving in the city, you should take the time to learn the basics of public transportation. Trains and buses can help you easily get around cities, especially to popular spots, all while remaining in the public eye.
- Know how to get around with ease.
Beyond public transport, take the time to learn the basics of the city layout, too. If you’re planning on going to a specific restaurant, try to memorize the directions before you leave—it’s unsafe to be staring at directions on your phone, as it will point you out as a non-local.
Remaining Safe at All Times
- Stay aware of your surroundings.
The best thing you can do while traveling is to keep your wits about you. No matter where you are, it’s best to remain aware of what’s going on around you, whether it is your environment or the people in your vicinity.
- Carry a personal safety device.
Non-lethal weapons can offer you necessary protection as a last line of defense while traveling elsewhere. If you’re looking for effective protection sure to stop anyone in their tracks, a small canister of pepper spray can be carried on your person whenever by yourself. Current TSA regulations allow for one 4-fluid-ounce canister of pepper spray to be carried in checked baggage.
- Listen to your gut.
If you ever have that gut feeling of “something doesn’t feel right,” listen to it. Whether it’s caused by a person talking to you or a situation taking place around you, remove yourself as soon as it is safe to do so. There’s no use in taking risks if you feel uncomfortable in a foreign place; rather, listen to yourself and take the space to guarantee your own protection.
Give It a Go
Traveling solo can be one of the most enriching experiences in a person’s life, but you should take precautions before heading out on your own. With proper preparation—from carrying personal safety devices to researching public transit to getting to know the local culture—you can embark on a life-changing trip you can carry with you for the rest of your life. Moreover, you might enjoy the experience enough that you’ll start traveling alone more often!
Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay
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