If you're looking for adventure but don't want to wait for others, you're not alone.
Forbes has named 2024 the Year of the Solo Traveler and it may still ring true for you.
Forbes' statement was based on the Adventure travel abroad And Solo traveler annual survey which found that 68% of respondents considered themselves independent travelers. Likewise, globalization Booking.com 2024 survey found that 59% of travelers were looking to venture out on their own.
Travel coach Dawn Pick Benson transformed her life and career through solo travel.
After divorcing her husband of more than 20 years, Benson was looking to move on in 2018. She packed her bags and lived in Eastern Europe for three months.
She rediscovered herself in Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro and returned with the idea of guiding others. She has traveled to 42 countries and says each trip has changed her.
Today, she is both a life coach and travel guru through her Grand Rapids-based business that mentors new solo travelers. She offers group and one-on-one coaching to check in with travelers as they choose a destination, book flights, develop an itinerary, and even check in during the trip.
Benson emphasizes the intention of the journey, more than the location.
He takes the idea of an American tourist and turns it on its head a little. What if traveling was less about what you saw and more about what you felt?
“The kind of trips I hope to inspire women to do are different from the 'let's go see 75 places in two weeks and not waste time on ourselves' (trips),” she said.
MLive asked Benson for her best advice for new solo travelers. Here is what she suggested to ensure the safety, autonomy and presence of travelers.
Only bring as much luggage as you can handle yourself
This is perhaps the most important advice I have to give to women traveling alone. When you know you can handle your baggage yourself, no matter what, it gives you incredibly empowering power. Whatever your situation or environment, this means you don't have to wait for help with your luggage or struggle to get on or off a train or bus alone. Taking only what you can handle means you can always rely on yourself – and that's the most empowering feeling of all.
Walk with purpose, even when you are lost
The surest way to announce to those around you that you are a hopelessly lost or distracted tourist (i.e. a target for theft) is to walk around looking at your phone, confused. If you ever feel uneasy or unsure where you are going, keep walking deliberately until you find a store, restaurant, or even hotel in which you can hide. Once there, you can look more carefully at the map on your phone or even ask a local for help.
Trust your instincts
If you ever find yourself in a situation that doesn't suit you, don't overthink it and don't worry about appearing rude to someone. Trust your instincts. If your gut tells you no or you want to get out of there, don't ask questions, don't feel bad, just leave.
You have more power in a given situation than you think
A taxi driver one day decided to change the fees to take me to my accommodation during the trip. The situation didn't suit me because we had negotiated the fee in advance and I knew what the approximate cost should be to drive me from the airport to the area I was staying in. So I quickly looked at the map on my phone (I had downloaded the area to Google Maps before leaving the United States), studied the surrounding neighborhood to see if it seemed safe to walk, and assumed that my luggage was easy enough to manage on my own. , and asked him to either honor our agreed upon fee or to stop and let me walk the rest of the way. He was so surprised that he immediately waived the higher fee and drove me straight to the location – no questions asked. I even felt a little respect from him for the way I held on!
Know approximate transportation costs before arriving at a location, even if you plan to use Uber.
It's easy for many travelers to rely on Uber or Lyft and the ease that similar apps can provide. But there are times and places where Ubers aren't available or, for whatever reason, your phone dies. When this happens, you need to know an average rate to negotiate your rate so you don't get ripped off.
In many parts of the world, taxi drivers do not accept credit cards, so having the amount in local currency avoids any confusion or additional hassle. These days, many of us use credit cards and apps, but when we travel, there are still times when we need cash. This is why I always arrive at a location with local currency in hand, or my first stop inside the airport is at an ATM to ensure I have local currency.
Buy an e-SIM or local SIM card
One of the most stressful situations for solo travelers is not having access to data (eg: Google Maps) when you need it. Rather than adding an expensive international plan to your phone, consider using an e-SIM or physical SIM card, both of which are considerably cheaper. Apps like Airalo are great as you can search for your destination and choose an e-SIM for the location and time that suits you.
If you need a physical SIM card, you can usually purchase one directly at the airport from someone who will help you install it.
One caveat is to do your research beforehand and make sure you know if your phone model accepts both electronic and physical SIM cards (not all phones accept both).
