Best Things To Do and Experience When Traveling Alone


Going on a solo trip is something we should all do once in our lives! Is it something you’re interested in doing once the opportunity to travel returns?

If you want to take a solo trip in the future, here are 15 things you should do on this unique trip.

1. Going to a restaurant alone

We often associate a meal in a restaurant with a moment of conviviality and sharing with friends or family. If it is very pleasant to go to dinner in good company, it is also pleasant to do it alone.

No, it’s not weird and no, you won’t feel uncomfortable if you do it. And no everyone is not watching you like an alien because you are eating alone.

If the establishment you’re going to has a bar, that’s where you should have your meal! You’ll have neighbors to engage in conversation with and can chat with the server as well.

2. People-watching

If you’ve never done it before, solo travel is the perfect opportunity to try this activity, which is much more interesting than it seems at first glance: sit at a café and watch people go by.  Do not miss it if you have the opportunity to learn how to make a cup of coffee by espresso machines, it will be very interesting. Imagine them having a life, a story, where are they going? Are they a couple or a brother and sister?

In a park, or just walking down the street, you can observe the world around you and the people and it’s exciting!

3. Meet the real people

No matter what you do, you are never alone when you travel. We can only encourage you to connect with the people you meet on your trip. Meet the “real people,” not just those who interact with tourists.

Before you leave for the country, ask around; perhaps friends or relatives know people who live there and whom you might meet once you arrive.

Otherwise, don’t hesitate to talk to people in a bar or on public transportation; a simple “Hello, I’m from Canada” can lead to a long conversation.

4. Get out of your comfort zone

Being a solo traveler means daring to step out of your comfort zone, daring to do new things, not being afraid to be alone.

This damn comfort zone in which we are almost all stuck throughout the year, it’s time to get out of it and open up to the new world around us!

5. Communicate in the local language

It’s always easier to break the ice when you speak the language of the country you are visiting.

So always learn a few phrases and expressions from everyday life, you have no idea how useful it will be to establish contact with the people you meet!

6. Do without technology

It has become like a social lifeline for some of us. As soon as you’re at a party and you’re alone, you pull out your smartphone and check your email, your Facebook page, even if there is no activity. This allows you to be consistent.

When traveling, forget about this attitude as much as possible. On the contrary, assume the fact of being alone, not isolated in your digital bubble. This will force you to interact with the real world around you. Besides, you probably don’t have a network, so why bother!

7. Take a sensory journey

When you’re alone you have more time to look at things, so you can be attentive to details, to the sounds around you, to colors, to scents.

The journey is also through the senses. This smell of spices in this Indian market, you will surely keep it all your life in memory, so breathe!

8. Stay safe

When you’re on your own, you have to be a little more vigilant than when you’re in a group. If you’re taking a nap on a bench, make sure you’ve put your stuff away beforehand so that a thief can’t take it while you’re sleeping.

Being careful without becoming paranoid is the challenge!

9. Being selfish

You are on a solo trip, so assume 100% that YOU are enjoying yourself. It’s YOUR trip, YOUR vacation. Assume this selfishness which is not really selfishness at all.

10. Take a class

One of the best ways to connect with the country you are visiting is to take a class. Whether it’s a salsa class or a pottery class, the important thing is that you get to experience the locals.

11. Forget about time

In our modern societies, time, schedules, and appointments punctuate our lives, and our agendas are packed. When you travel solo, it’s time to forget about your watch and live by the sun, according to your desires, without worrying about what time it really is!

12. Keep a logbook

This may sound old-fashioned, but it is a good idea to keep a logbook when you go on a solo trip. You write down what happens to you, it makes a nice souvenir to make for yourself and you can open it again at home and tell your loved ones about all your adventures.

13. Taste the local specialties

If you go to China to eat only in Western-style restaurants, you lose some of the fun that comes with such a trip. Every traveler should make it a point to try at least one culinary specialty a day.

14. Meditate

You don’t have to be an expert in meditation to take the time during your solo trip to sit down somewhere and contemplate, to unplug and simply enjoy what is in front of your eyes, the atmosphere, the landscape, the smells.

It’s a form of meditation to do nothing but be aware of where you are. And it feels really good!

15. Trust your instincts

When you go on a solo trip, you can’t rely on the advice of your travel companions and for good reason! It is therefore important to trust your instincts. Trust yourself, it is surely more reliable than you imagine!

 



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Founder and author at Tho Dia Media, loves photography and travel.