Solo Travel Tips and Advice

Many of us are afraid to travel solo.  On today's show we delve in to how to travel solo safely, plus the pros and cons of solo travel.  I interview three expert solo travelers to get their best advice and encourangement.  Visit the website to delve deeper into the pros and cons of traveling solo safely.

COMPLETE SHOW NOTES  See important links for planning your adventure, photos, videos and more cool info about today's show.

Get FREE Travel Planners, Checklists and Packing Lists for ATA adventures (and each month you will get an email from Kit with links to all future Travel Planners (no spam promise!).  Get the monthly newsletter here.

CONTACT KIT

Resources 

RECOMMENDED TOUR COMPANIES

******* EMAIL ME FOR PROMO DISCOUNT CODES*****

Saily Affordable eSIM Overseas Mobile Phone Plans - No need to insert a physical SIM card when you travel.  Buy just the data you need to avoid expensive roaming charges.  Use Promo Code SPECIAL5 to save 5%

Travel Insurance:  Quickly and easily compare rates and policies from different companies - no need to give any identifying information unless you decide to buy!  The best way to find the right policy for your adventures. 

High Altitude Travel Insurance Most insurance policies do NOT cover high altitude adventures.  Check out Rise & Shield for your next mega adventure!

Train For Your Adventure  Ask Becki at Trailblazer Wellness to customize an at home, online personal training program for your upcoming adventure using whatever equipment you already have!  You'll get phone consultations, instruction videos and a plan to give you the best chance of success.  Becki offers a FREE initial phone consultation to see if you are a good fit.  AND she offers ATA listeners a 10% discount!

Buy Me a Beer Want to support the program?  You can always buy me a coffee or beer - thanks!

Tinggly:  Give Gift Experiences instead of stuff (plus your loved one gets to choose)! Promo Code ACTIVETRAVEL saves up up to 20%

Amazon Kit's Picks   Please use my Amazon link to access your Amazon account.  Even if you don't purchase any of my recommendations, I get credit for anything you DO purchase - at no additional cost to you, you'll be helping to support the show and keeping it AD FREE:)

SUBSCRIBE to Active Travel Adventures (fantastic adventure destinations)

Episodes Mentioned in this Show:

Galapagos

Dolomites

Kilimanjaro Part I

Kilimanjaro Part II

Machu Picchu

Annapurna

Travel Safety Tips

Join the Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group

Follow ATA on Instagram

Follow ATA on Pinterest

Solo Adventure Travel Transcript

We're going solo. That's right. Even if you have a partner, I want you to read this blog post because

there are definite advantages and challenges to traveling solo. Even if you think,

"There is no way I

would ever travel solo,

" please read on with an open mind. You might change your mind.

I'll be interviewing three solo travelers about the challenges and joys of traveling solo. Since I usually

travel solo myself, you'll hear my two cents' worth as well. It's a great show. Even if you think,

"No way,

I could never travel solo,

" I beg you, please read on and see if you don't change your mind.

If you're like me, you don't want to live an ordinary life. You want to live a kick-ass life, and one way to

do so is to add adventure travel to your life. I find adventure travel brings out the best in me. It

challenges me, it encourages me, it enlightens me, and it inspires me to lead a bigger life.

On this program, you'll learn about amazing adventures from around the world plus get the tools and

information you need so you can do these adventures with confidence. You'll come home feeling

empowered and with amazing memories and stories you can relive forever. Don't worry—the bar is

such that my relatively fit 58-year-old body, particularly with some training, can do these adventures,

and you can too.

This episode is a roundup episode. I've got three guests that I will be interviewing separately about their

experiences with solo travel.

Our first guest is Jackie Norris, who we met on one of our episodes. She is the host of Traveling Jackie

and The Budget-Minded Traveler and has been traveling solo for a long time. She has a ton of insights

to share with us.

When I interviewed her in Quebec, I asked her casually about solo travel. We got so engrossed in it that

I decided to take that section of our interview and add it to this solo episode.

Our other guests are Monica and Jason. I'll let them introduce themselves.

Let's start with my interview with Jackie.

Jackie Norris Interview

Kit: Jackie, why do you travel solo?

Jackie:

The reason I do solo travel is that I'm solo. I don't let that stop me. For years and years, a lot of people

struggle with the idea of getting out on their own. It's a necessity for me. It's what I have to do, and so I

do it.

I never thought I would enjoy it, but I do love it now. You have to get to a point where you're comfortable

with it. I'd already been traveling for a number of years by the time I went fully solo nomadic a few years

ago. Even after that much time of being comfortable traveling, it was weird to be on my own all the time.For the cons, you are by yourself. All of those travel decisions are made only by you. Even where

you're going to eat for breakfast or whether you're going to get a beer in the afternoon—everything is

solely up to you. There's no one you can confer with.

That also happens to be one of the advantages. Sometimes it depends on which perspective you have.

Maybe it depends on the day. Sometimes it's amazing, and sometimes you wish there was someone

there.

Loneliness is a real thing. I have written about that before, and most solo travelers will face real

loneliness. It's not just the point of being solo in a place—it's feeling alone. There's a big difference, and

that can get to you if it lasts a while.

I traveled for months at a time, and it can get draining to be alone. At the same time, this is where I am

in my life, and this is what I'm signing up for. This is also my work, and this is what I'm choosing to do.

It's part of the territory if you look at it that way.

The freedom that solo travel provides is unmatched. There is a feeling that comes with being on your

own in some far-flung corner of the planet, completely left to yourself and your own thoughts. What you

want to do for the day—everything is your will. It is the most freeing feeling ever. It's incredible.

You can do whatever you want. There are definitely pros and cons of solo travel. I always encourage

people to at least try it out because you get to know yourself very quickly. Even if you think you know

yourself, you don't—not until you solo travel. You see what you're capable of and what your

weaknesses are.

It's an incredible tool for life to solo travel. Everyone should do it at least once.

Kit: You had a quote in The Budget-Minded Traveler episode number 63 that I loved: "Lose yourself

until you find yourself.

" Could you talk a little bit about that?

Jackie:

It gave me chills when you read it. That came from a piece that I wrote on my Traveling Jackie blog. It

was when I decided to leave everything behind and go out on my own to travel the world solo for real

for the first time.

This was many years after having traveled a whole bunch already and studying abroad and all that.

This was different because I had a relationship, I had a house, and I had all these things.

I felt very lost at times because I had to recreate what my life looked like. That was my moment to

decide what my new normal was going to be going forward. I did lose part of myself there in a good

way though. It's like you have to go see what the world has for you and then figure out what you look

like in that new normal.

Figure out what the path forward is in this new reality that you've created. That's at least how it applied

to me. It depends on what your situation is and why you're choosing to solo travel.

So much about experience outwardly when you travel has to do with what's going on inside. That was

my experience at the time. I totally went out and lost myself until I started to rebuild and find what it

meant to start over.

Kit: It's obvious that travel in general and solo travel in particular changed your life.Jackie:

I'm grateful for that because I feel so much surer of who I am. I'm so much stronger now. I have so

much more confidence.

These are the things that come with being on your own for so long in a place. It's not being on your own

at home where you're comfortable and you know the name of the store owner down the street.

Everything is different—foreign languages, foreign currency, borders, flights, hotels. Everything is a

challenge.

When you add that element to being completely on your own for a long time, maybe for the first time, it

changes everything. Your personal growth is expedited more than anything.

"The world outside of your comfort zone is not a place to invite fear. It's a place to invite

curiosity.

"

Kit: Since I lost my husband, I've been traveling solo. The question I get over and over again is about

safety. How do you deal with safety concerns?

Jackie:

Are you not afraid of those things at home? Bad things can happen anywhere. It doesn't matter where

you are. In fact, the U.S. these days could be less safe than a lot of other places I travel.

I don't dwell on that stuff. I have some tricks up my sleeve to make sure I'm safe and my belongings are

safe. I pay attention. Common sense is your best defense. Don't leave your common sense behind

when you walk out the door.

Go explore the world outside your comfort zone. It's not about fear and safety—it's about adventure,

life, growth, people, connection, culture, food, language, activity, and beauty. That outweighs the fear.

Monica Aranguren Interview

Kit: Can you introduce yourself and tell us your age?

Monica:

I'm Monica Aranguren, and I am 58 years old.

Kit: How did you get into adventure travel?

Monica:

Quite honestly, I found myself single again around 2007 or 2008. I started hiking on my own. When I

turned 50, I decided I wanted to do something bigger and planned a trip to New Zealand.

Kit: Was that your first adventure trip?

Monica:

Yes. I didn't want to leave adventure behind.

Kit: How did you make the mindset shift to go on your own?Monica:

so I went.

I've been independent all my life. I wasn't waiting for life to happen to me. I wanted to see these places,

Kit: Did you go solo or with a company?

Monica:

The New Zealand trip was with Active Adventures. I've made many trips like that since.

Solo travel lets you expand a little bit more in getting out of the box. You meet people you wouldn't meet

otherwise. I don't really see many cons—except I always choose a single room so I can sleep!

I've always felt safe. On guided trips, you're surrounded by your group. On self-guided trips, I had GPS,

instructions, and 24-hour support. I always felt supported.

Loneliness happens occasionally, especially on self-guided hikes, but overall it hasn't been an issue.

It empowers me. When I get back, I think,

"I did that.

" That confidence carries into real life.

Jason Waitkins Interview

Kit: Can you introduce yourself?

Jason:

My name is Jason Waitkins, and I am 37.

Kit: How did you get into adventure travel?

Jason:

My first trip was in 2003 to New Zealand. I wanted to hike. That was the driver.

I grew up next to the Appalachian Trail and hiked sections near my home in the Hudson Valley.

Solo travel is easier to coordinate. I go when I want. If no one else wants to go, I go anyway.

Safety is always a consideration. I research countries, crime, and logistics. Awareness is key. I use

common sense, just like I would anywhere else.

I once got injured hiking solo in Acadia National Park and had to be carried out. That experience

reinforced the value of group travel for certain adventures.

Using tour companies removes logistical stress and adds safety.

Solo travel hasn't dramatically changed who I am, but it keeps me going. I want to keep visiting places

and hiking everywhere I can.

Final Thoughts and Solo Travel RulesWhen I travel solo, I make rules for myself:

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

I know where I'm staying by noon

I arrive before dark

I watch my food and drink

I'm cautious of overly friendly strangers

I use official taxis or rideshare services

I trust my instincts

I always have an exit plan

Someone knows where I'm going

If you're not sure solo travel is for you, try a weekend trip. Then try a week. Build confidence gradually.

In all my travels, I've never had a serious incident. You heard the same from our guests.

If you want to help shape future adventures, reach out to me by email or on social media.

Until next time, this is Kit Parks—adventure on.

(C) Active Travel Adventures, LLC - All Rights Reserved