Spending the summer travelling sounds like a dream. The thought of jetting off somewhere warm, to
lie on white sands, as you listen to the waves crash against the shores and soak up the sun’s rays.
Perhaps the thought of relaxing and unwinding on the beach or by the side of the pool is not the
holiday for you.
Your dream holiday might be travelling to different countries and exploring the towns and cities. Immersing yourself in the culture and treating your tastebuds to delightful dishes sounds like the ideal holiday.
When planning a holiday, finding a location to visit, accommodation to stay in, and days people can
book off is a stressful task. Accommodating different styles and preferences can minimise the
excitement of planning a holiday. For some, it has swayed them to consider the option of solo travel.
Solo travel can sound like a daunting concept. However, it has become a popular way for people to
travel. There has been a noticeable rise in the total of solo travellers, individuals choosing to spend
their holidays exploring somewhere new on their own rather than with friends.
If you haven’t considered solo travel before, perhaps this summer might be the start of your solo travelling adventures.
Are you preparing to have a summer of solo travelling? If so, keep reading, as this guide will help to
prepare you for your first solo travel season.
Choose The Locations
Starting simple, choosing your locations. Of course, this will be the first task to tick off your list! The
world is your oyster, so deciding where to go can feel overwhelming. To help you decide, think about
the type of holiday you want.
Do you want your summer of solo travelling to be interrailing between cities, or would you rather be island hopping and relaxing at each destination? Answering that question will help you condense your list of choices.
Another element worth considering is the safety of some of these locations. Read up on locations
solo travellers have felt the safest in and places they would not recommend visiting on your own.
Absorbing all of this information before you book anything will help you narrow down your choices
of places to visit.
Plan The Route And Transport
Now that you know where you intend to travel in the summer, the next step is planning how to get
there and how you will travel around.
Create a timeline for the overall trip of when you plan to leave and return home. Within this timeline, decide how long you intend or hope, to stay in each location.
Your solo travel season might be visiting one new location at a time. In this case, think about how
you will get to and from the airport or train station at the start and end of the trip.
If staying in a city centre of a new country, decide if you plan to walk most of the time, take taxis to locations or use any public transport services they have. Alternatively, your solo travel adventures might be a road trip.
You could hire a car and take it on a road trip through the country you plan to visit. If you plan
to visit multiple countries, you may decide to drive your own car to feel more comfortable driving
between destinations.
Know Your Accommodation
Location? Decided. Route and transport? Chosen. The next factor to consider is accommodation.
Knowing where you will be staying and how long for can provide a level of comfort to the trip.
Having this sorted will give you a base to return to after a day of exploring or travelling between
locations.
Remember, the accommodation of the trip can be a costly factor, especially where you choose to
stay. To keep costs low, some solo travellers choose to stay in hostels. Aside from a place to stay,
they can meet other solo travellers and build friendships.
If you prefer more privacy, consider booking a holiday apartment for your stay or checking into a hotel. Find options and see which choices suit your budget for the trip.
Stock Up On Medication
Whilst travelling, you want to ensure that you enjoy the experience as much as possible. As such,
you will want to keep any worries and concerns to a minimum. If you take medication regularly,
understatedly, you will want to ensure that you have plenty to last you the entire trip, and extra just
in case.
Before your trip, allow yourself enough time to get your medication ready. However, if you have
limited time to restock your medication, you could place your order online using providers
like Oxford Online Pharmacy.
This way, you can get all the medication you need for your trip delivered to your door. The convenience of using a service like this means you can focus on other tasks to sort before your departure date arrives.
Plan Some Activities
You might have chosen some of the places you are travelling to for a specific reason. It could have
been a dream country or city you have always wanted to visit, or there might be a specific attraction,
museum or landmark you have dreamt of seeing. In these instances, it might be worth looking at booking in advance.
This way, you can avoid the disappointment of being unable to visit a specific exhibit or museum or participate in an activity or event that initially attracted you to the place. On the other hand, if the theme for your solo travels is spontaneity, you might decide on what activities to do when you arrive.
You might discover tours or events happening in the area you are staying when you are getting your bearings. These spontaneous decisions can sometimes lead to the most memorable moments of a trip.
Know What To Pack
After accommodation, transport and holiday dates have all been booked, medication ordered, and
insurance sorted, the countdown to your trip begins. In the lead-up to departure day, deciding what
to take is the next hurdle to overcome.
Where you plan to go will help influence your choices of what to take. If you are planning on interrailing, consider packing light clothes and comfortable footwear.
This way, you will be comfortable when travelling and not have to carry heavy bags to and from locations. However, you might not pack as light if you plan to spend a week around the pool or on the beach relaxing.
It can also be worthwhile checking to see if there is a solo travel packing list you can use as a guide.
This might reveal some items worth taking that you did not consider taking. For instance, you might
not have thought to take a power bank.
You can use this to charge your phone if you are low on battery whilst exploring a new city. This way, you can still keep in touch with loved ones and have access to maps should you get lost. These lists could feature items to help keep you safe when exploring somewhere new on your own.
Enjoy Your Summer Of Travel
Before you realise it, the departure day will soon arrive. You will be jetting off to the first stop on
your summer of solo travelling. When travelling on your own, remain vigilant and aware of your
surroundings. Of course, have fun and enjoy the moments. It will be an experience like no other. You
may even find yourself planning your next trip before your holiday ends!
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