7 tips for solo travelers

7 tips for solo travelers

1. I don't have the feeling of having to find friends

All travel experts sworn about how to meet great people on their travels and find lifelong friends, but sometimes that is simply not true. Admittedly, the locals are usually friendly, surprising, eye -opening and adorable, but fellow travelers are often more individual portions.

I recently climbed into a plane and chose a place next to two young women because I thought you could hang out well with them. Almost immediately they started talking about 100 words per minute about pockets and shoes and shopping, and which shoes you should wear while shopping and in which bags you can best keep shoes when you swap shoes with paragraphs for flat shoes when shopping. I put on my headphones inside groaning and turned on the volume.

In the course of the trip I made some acquaintances, but none with which I wanted to be friends with “life”. If the same thing happens to you, don't worry. If you find as many single serving friends as necessary, take part in a tour when you feel lonely and then go home and look forward to knowing that you will never have to spend an hour again with these people about pockets and shoes ...

2. If you are in Rome ... be not an idiot

When you are in a big party city, go on and get crazy. If you are at a peaceful retreat, try sophisticated Pilates. There is nothing wrong with putting yourself into the spirit of the place you are on, but just don't be stupid. A few years ago I was on the beach of Miami when a green -eyed modella copy of a man came up with me (green eyes and dimples are my two biggest weaknesses in life, so they endure me here).

After a short conversation, he asked if I wanted to go swimming. My British reluctance mixed with my Asian conservatism (and the fact that I just felt a bit pale and limp next to him) caused me to reject me. I never did the casual one, so I tried to convince my gentle to convince myself.

Finally he looked at me admonishly and said: "Come on! You are in Miami! 'These words were triggered in me. He was right. I was right in Miami! I just had a dirty divorce behind me and although I was not able to start with the casual one if I couldn't go swimming with a model type in Miami, then I was too decent to be there.

And so I climbed with the warning that it was "just a bath", out of my dress and waded into the warm water with him. A few minutes later he started becoming tactile and almost immediately I frozen. Gentle persuades quickly turned into urgency and wrapped around me with his arms, I started to panic. "Relax," he said to me again and again. 'Relax.'

I tried in vain to push him away. My protests became more and more panic until I finally discovered someone who came up to us. I unequivocally told him: "Let go of me or I scream", which had the desired effect. I ran out of the water, grabbed my things and hurried back to the hotel.

I don't think I felt really threatened in the water; It was only when I was sure that I realized how shocked I was. I realized how wrong things could have been going if I had made this quick decision in a slightly different place at a slightly different time. I don't say that someone who makes a similar decision is an "idiot" as the title suggests; It's just one way to say, be careful.

Yes, when traveling is about reducing inhibitions and having fun, but simply keep your mind and do not do anything you will regret.

3. ... but stay opened

After all the above points have been said, it is worth noting that you should remain impartial (without endangering your safety). Women in particular apply all sorts of mechanisms to curb come-ons.

Some run around with a dark look, others with headphones and a newspaper. Most are practiced in avoiding eye contact when a man tries to catch him so desperately (yes, boys, we know when they do that). All of this armor can form an unassailable barrier when traveling, so start conversations and be open and accessible. I

If you fear that someone interprets too much into your interaction, then mention a friend in an interview early in the conversation (even if you have to come up with one). This will not always be deterrent, but at least they make their intentions clear.

A thing that you will learn when traveling is that people generally have more depth than they may think (unless they spend hours talking about bags and shoes and shopping). Take the guy whose great-mouth drama caused me to dismiss him as a bleaching, airy mykonos type, which, however, turned out to be the son of a diplomat who had lived in seven different countries and who was one of the most amusing people I met.

or the type who joined me to a coffee, but - instead of the sexually aggressive Italian who looked superficial - a real gentleman that was entertaining with stories from Perito Moreno to anthropological studies on polynesian tribes.

be wise, but not paranoid. It's a narrow ridge, but you will find out.

4. Pay attention to your snack

Maybe it's just it, but instead of society it can be tempting to eat a donut in the morning and then a coffee in the morning and then a crepe in the afternoon and of course a slumbering before you retire for the day.

5. Travel with light luggage ... no, easier

I'm not a girlish girl. I never wear jewelry, I hate shopping, I was bored by The Notebook and how the former beauty editor of the Asian Woman Magazine can confirm, I can hardly open a lipstick-but I am known to take four types of shoes on vacation (flip-flops for the beach, flat shoes to run, paragraphs for parties and boots for the actual Travel part).

optimize as much as possible. I was recently in Cambodia for a few weeks and wore about 10% of the clothes that I took with me. Wash and wear, especially on long -term trips.

opt for a backpack instead of a suitcase if possible. Traveling alone means that nobody will take care of your luggage, and believe me, the attempt to maneuver yourself with a suitcase in a bathing acceptance cabin

6. Learn language (yes, even if "every English speaks"!)

I was in the Tiergarten in Berlin and watched the Italians lose 0: 4 against Spain when it started to rain. The stranger next to me galant offered me his umbrella. I went down and thanked what he asked me a question (in German). I replied: "I'm sorry, I speak English." He tried again and I shook my head. He said, "Tourist?" I nodded.

I usually try to snap a few sentences of the national language, even if it is only a parlais pas francais in preparation for Paris, but in this case I hadn't taken care of it because apparently "everyone in Berlin speaks English" and since Berliners have not been high in their language like the Parisians, I thought I would be okay.

The German Lord managed to ask if I support Italy or Spain. When I said Italy, he pretended to take the umbrella away (since they had hit Germany in the previous game) and we laughed: a brief exchange that didn't need any words, but also a conversation was impossible.

I was quite ashamed that I couldn't even say "I don't speak German". The morality of history is: Learn something from the national language, even if your own is widespread!

7. And of course: do not forget the practical one

regularly share someone where you are and do not do without the boring things such as creating copies of your passport, taking out travel insurance and the use of protection (both the UV type and the more funny type). Travel should be liberating to indulge in the free spirit in them, walk wild and freely, but people at home take care of them, so they don't miss to tell them where they are and where they will be.

All in all, it is one of the most exciting things you can do to see the world. It can change your perspective on life (it will be if you do it right). So if you really want to go somewhere or just need a break, but you can't find anyone with which you can go, just go.
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