Travelling is a sacrosanct human activity, as it helps individuals and goods move from one place to another, typically over a distance of some length. However, an individual travelling alone could be scary, boring, and cumbersome, especially if the distance of the journey is quite far. Yet, such a voyage needs to be undertaken.
Travelling alone may be challenging for some people as they have no companion to keep them company throughout the journey, thereby feeling lonely. Therefore, with no companion, travelling solo involves lots of preparation – both physically and mentally – for such a trip to be successful.
To prepare adequately for solo trips, this piece puts together 12 tips for persons who decide to travel alone or are necessitated by circumstances.
Research your proposed destination
It is important for individuals planning to embark on solo trips to plan by researching and reading about their proposed destination properly. Travellers should read about the history of the place and its transportation system, make inquiries about the hotels (especially if you are not going to be picked up by a relative or an associate) and educate themselves on the culture and traditions of the place they are visiting (especially if you are visiting for the first time) to know the norms that are prevalent in society.
Make early bookings for your transportation and accommodation
Whenever possible, travellers should buy their transportation tickets in advance to avoid stress and anxiety on the day of their journey. Since they have done their pre-trip research, it is also advisable that they book their accommodation ahead of their arrival. The choice of accommodation should have been properly scrutinised to ensure that they have a bit of knowledge about the neighbourhood, its level of security and safety, and places close by where they can access public transportation.
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Pack light and travel with a first aid kit, emergency contact information
Travellers should, as much as possible, pack a maximum of two portable suitcases and stuff them with the important clothes and other essential valuables and items needed. This ensures that the traveller can feel comfortable during the journey, rather than being worried about being inconvenienced. Also, light luggage helps travellers be mobile in emergencies that may need immediate evacuation.
Therefore, the hand luggage should only be filled up with essentials such as:
- A file of the medical history of travellers and emergency contacts
- First aid box (bandage, plaster, methylated spirit, adhesive tape, iodine, gloves, paracetamol, CPR pocket mask, scissors, safety pins, anaesthetic spray, first aid manual, gauze Pads)
- Torchlight
- Oxygen masks and/or smoke hood
- Necessary identity documents (ID card/voters’ card/NIN slip/driver’s licence; passport and visa; ticket/boarding pass; ATM cards e.t.c.)
- Emergency mobile phone and charger
- Necessary clothes
- Water and non-perishable food items
Inform close family members and/or reliable friends about your journey
For safety purposes, travellers should inform their close family, relatives, and their reliable friends about their journey. While there is the understandable palpable fear of not disclosing plans to avoid issues such as robbery and kidnapping, there is also an equal measure of anxiety if travellers fail to confide details of their trips and their family members and friends are forced to search for them, especially if they do not arrive at their destination at the stipulated period.
Therefore, travellers should inform their close relatives or friends they deem close. Even their hotels they have made reservations about their itinerary such as the time of departure and the estimated time of arrival, the mode/means of transportation, and the particulars of the vehicle or other device used, routes to be used (for road and water transportation). The name of arrival is lodged in upon arrival at destination.
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Guard your valuables at all times
Virtually every transporter informs their passengers to protect their luggage at all times during the journey, warning that they are not at liability for the loss of any property. Travellers should, therefore, heed such waning by ensuring that they secure their valuables.
For instance, travellers should get a waist pouch or a small cross-body wallet bag where they can keep valuables such as ID cards, passports, money, and emergency contact details separate from their general backpacks or luggage. This helps them to monitor such valuables at all times. Keep the waist pouch, or wallet bag concealed at all times and only bring what you need at certain times.
Adhere to all safety instructions and tips
Travellers should ensure that they adhere to the safety instructions and tips reeled out by any of the drivers, pilots, or ship captains piloting the means of transportation used in travelling. The drivers, pilots, or ship captains are the leaders of every journey, and every passenger’s safety is his or her responsibility. So, when they reel out instructions before departure and arrival, passengers should strictly comply with the message passed.
Mingle with other travellers
Travelling alone could be an emotional wreck for some people. To remove that burden of loneliness and enjoy the travel experience, it is good for travellers to mingle with other travellers. Beginning with the process of boarding and seat allocation, strike a conversation with other travellers, particularly your seat partner. You can, for instance, inquire where he or she is travelling from, the person’s occupation, and his or her favourite places in the country/world, among other things. These small conversation starters can quickly form new friendships that such a person never thought of.
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Be alert at all times
Meeting up with fellow passengers and making new friends or being entertained with films while in transit can be enticing, yet they also serve as a distraction. It is, therefore, important that travellers are always alert whenever they are on the move. While enjoying all the perks of travelling, they should also steadily observe their environment and raise the alarm whenever they feel something is wrong.
Also, rather than sleeping for long hours and getting lost along their journey, they can keep themselves mentally awake by tagging along with a book or two to read.
Avoid unnecessary chit chat
While it is good to mingle with other travellers to prevent their journey from being boring, travellers should ensure they do not draw unnecessary attention to themselves with their comments. It is, therefore, advisable that travellers should strike relevant conversations with their co-passengers on lighter and trivial issues rather than on sensitive matters.
Also, travellers should avoid making comments that expose themselves, their families, and the nature of business. Revealing sensitive personal details to persons they barely met does not bode well for travellers and could constitute a security risk in the short or long term.
Limit alcohol consumption
Travelling can, at times, be quite fascinating, and passengers sometimes enjoy themselves by having a bottle(s) of booze (these days, one can easily access alcohol packaged in pet bottles or sachets) while either chatting with people, reading books, or watching movies, it is, however, pertinent to be mindful of consuming substances while in transit.
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This is because alcohol impairs judgment, coordination, and balance. It affects a person’s ability to make swift decisions, and consuming drinks could debilitate them. Passengers, therefore, have to exercise caution by drinking responsibly while travelling.
Plan all journeys accordingly
Travellers must figure out when they will depart and how many hours they will be in transit before their trip. It is important because night-time travelling is not suitable for safety, security, and visibility. If they are to arrive at their destination at night, travellers should make reservations for the hotels and/or lodgings where they will stay and how they will move away from the arrival point immediately.
Trust your instincts
Travellers should always listen to their instincts. They should always remember to trust their inner voice and follow their instinct, as gut feelings steer people away from potential danger. Whenever they feel something is not right, abandon it, raise the alarm or, better still, leave. It is better to be safe than sorry.
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