10 Tips For Travelling Alone with Vicky from Miss Tilly and Me
Today I have a guest post from the lovely Vicky of Miss Tilly and Me, all about travelling alone. Check it out:
My name is Vicky and I blog at www.misstillyandme.co.uk, I have been blogging for 5 years and it really is all part of my everyday life now. You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Although I don’t actually travel alone, I do travel with my 8 year old daughter, so I might as well be a lone female traveller. I do often worry about travelling with her alone but the potential adventure always outweighs the worry.
Luckily for me, she has the same adventurous streak as I do and she is happy to travel. She calls me ‘The Adventure Mum’.
I kinda like that! Whether you’re travelling alone or travelling alone with children there are so many tips to follow to avoid anything going wrong and keeping you safe as you roam.
Always check in online whilst you’re travelling or when you have reached your destination. My daughter makes me do this, with Europe being the centre of terrorist attacks, it does make her worry.
So I check in as often as I can. If anything happens on holiday, I always mark myself as safe.
People will know you have gone to a certain country or city, but they will never know how close or far away you are from an incident.
Keep a photocopy of your passport and back up of your travel details. You can even take a photo on your phone and save it to the cloud.
Then if your passport is lost or stolen, you can easily get help as you have a backup copy.
Always stay somewhere that has multiple good reviews. We booked into a hostel in Budapest once and it looked lovely on the booking website, but in fact, it was awful and there were plug sockets loose and it was extremely dirty.
We refused to pay and walked straight back out, we were walking the streets of Budapest at 10.30pm looking for somewhere to stay.
Make online friends that are going to the destination at the same time as you. I know this isn’t always the safest option but people have been travelling for year and years on their own and they meet people at the airport or on a train and they go travelling with them.
It means you get some company. Just make sure you really vet the person that you’re meeting.
Never get in a car with a stranger, never get in an unmarked taxi. If you can pre-book airport transfers and then they will normally meet you in arrivals.
If you just jump in a cab at the airport, you will end up paying more because they charge extortionate rates.
Leave a copy of your holiday route with someone, this way there is always someone who knows where you are going or what you are doing. If your route or travel plans change, let them know.
I know it’s difficult to let people know, whilst you’re away but it really is so they can keep track of you.
Do something that you wouldn’t normally do with anyone else. Be adventurous and climb a mountain if you want, don’t let anyone else put you off.
It’s a great way to get stuff ticked off from your bucket list too.
Use a website like Air BnB or Expedia to book excursions, they can range from visits to the cinema or visits to tourist places. Many solo travellers do this and it’s a great way to meet new people and it’s completely safe because it’s organised properly.
Stay alert to your surroundings, don’t flash your cash around for everyone to see and make sure you always put your money in separate places. I usually stuff some down my bra, in my bag, in my purse, in my kid’s bag.
I have even put money in my shoe before! Don’t let go of your bag and always walk with your handbag on the inside of the pathway, so nobody driving past can grab it.
Do your research on places that you’re going to visit. There can be some beautiful places to see in a city, but there can also be a dodgy area too.
You don’t want to book a hotel or hostel because it’s cheap and then find it is the wrong area of the place you’re visiting.
You can feel quite alone in a big city as a solo traveller. But it will be one of the best things that you will do.
Fancy checking out another post? Just click here!
Pin it!
Really great blog post! I found this to be really helpful!
Great tips, I love travelling solo. ‘You can feel quite alone in a big city as a solo traveller. But it will be one of the best things that you will do.’ I couldn’t agree more, I went to New York for the first time on my own a couple of years ago and it was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever experienced!
Great tips but I should think they wise even if you are travelling with family or friends
Nice tips, I was just looking for an entry like that, the advice is very interesting. The hostels are one of the best ways that the trip is not so hard when you travel alone
I’d be so scared to travel alone, more so because of anxiety. However these tips were great and actually gave me confidence to even start thinking about the concept.
AirBnB and couch surfing were always a great way for me to meet new people when I travelled alone.
Great tips there. A very informative and enjoyable article.
Great traveling tips and my mum loves to travel solo when she can x the majority of the time it’s family holidays though which she also loves but for different reasons x
These tips are great! I love the idea of photocopying the passport and travel documents that is so clever never thought of that you never know when you are traveling! x
I don’t know whether I will ever get to travel alone I think it could be enjoyable one day
I have never tried to travel solo. But this ten tips makes me wanted to try traveling alone. It sounds so fun.
I have a few friends that have taken various trips alone. It’s not something I would personally feel safe doing. I always travel with friends and family, it’s more fun x
I have only travelled with others but do have a trip coming up that I’m doing alone so this has been super helpful, thanks x
Never get in an unmarked taxi – so important – in the UK too. You just don’t know who you’re getting in a car with sometimes do you? Personally I find solo travel invigorating but you really do need your wits about you.
It’s fun to travel alone but you definitely have to make sure you have everything that you need. I think these are awesome tips on how to do that. Safety is definitely a priority!
Good tips – I think good research is the key!
These are really useful tips. Don’t think I’ll ever travel alone though, I would be too scared
I don’t really get a chance to travel and I don’t think I could go anywhere alone as I panic when just nipping to town, but I think the idea of taking a picture of your passport is such a good idea, I think I would take a picture then email myself a copy.
I enjoy the beat of both worlds – every few years i go solo – daunting at first but its amazing how many great people you meet
Nobody else to please apart from yourself – its great
Some great tips. I have never travelled just with a child or children but I often travel alone as part of my work. I always make sure that I have given family and friends my itinerary and stay in touch everyday. It’s a good idea to check out hotels etc before arrival and I love to be adventurous to get a few things ticked off my bucket list – I was recently able to tick off kayaking and scuba diving!
Great tips, these! I love travelling solo, but I have never travelled with an 8-year old before, so I think that would be a completely different situation. More responsibility, for one.
The thought of travelling alone used to fill me with dread but when I had to go on solo work trips I started to enjoy it. There is something liberating about travelling by yourself! Great tips 🙂
Great tips! I never travel alone other than the odd night here and there for work, I’m not brave enough unfortunately! Will send this to a friend who often travels alone!
These are all very good tips for when you travel on your own. I am guilty of not sharing my itinerary beforehand but I always make sure to stay in touch with my dear ones and let them know where I am.