Lifestyle: Travelling Solo

Travelling solo is fun and exciting. You get to live the adventure, just like on TV travel shows. Experience a different culture and language, taste foreign cuisine, get lost and meet exotic strangers. It almost sounds like it could be a plot of a movie, doesn’t it? But there are other solo travel stories as well; ones that start with: “I had the worst trip of my life.”

Once you’ve sorted budget and picked a destination here are 5 things you need to do before you embark on your first solo adventure:

Your Apps

Who doesn’t travel with a smart device these days? Not many considering they serve as your currency converter, weather forecaster, translator, library, theatre, music player, public transport guide, map, camera, flashlight… you get the idea. To get the most of them load up on apps before you leave. Like a Local collates reviews and experiences from locals, so you can avoid packed tourist traps, and experience something unique. Need to quickly learn a few foreign phrases? Quizlet allows you to study anywhere, off other user’s shared notes – luckily plenty of them are learning another language. Chances are you’re going to be spending a lot of time in transit. Let LoungeBuddy find you the most comfortable and affordable lounge in more than 500 airports worldwide.

Your Accommodation

Today, shared economy services like Airbnb offer home-style alternatives to the traditional hostel and hotel options. But how do you know you’re getting a decent place? Always contact your host before you book, the way they respond to you can tell you a lot about them. As will their reviews. If they don’t have many reviews you might want to avoid. Also, if they ask for money in advance and not through the Airbnb site you should give them a miss. Many Airbnb renters are just offering a room, so your live-in host can provide a local’s view of the city you’re visiting. A guide and room in one transaction! But, if it’s all about price try HovelStay where nothing is over $99 a night.

Your Flights

You can spend days comparing flights to find the cheapest option. Even when you settle on a price a cheaper deal is bound to pop up. Global airfare shopping engine, CheapAir, recently analysed over 4 million airline flights to track price fluctuations. They determined prices are at their lowest 54 days before take-off. So start counting back days on your calendar. Speaking of days, travel search engine Kayak has found the cheapest day for domestic travel is Friday while for international it’s Tuesday or Wednesday. To make sure you get the best deal use an airline comparison site which finds the cheapest price for you.

Your Insurance

Travelling alone means also being prepared for any kind of emergency. Baggage lost, stolen wallet, accidents, hospitalisation are all emergencies that you need to protect yourself against. This is where travel insurance plays an important role. Find the insurance that fits your travel plan so you enjoy your break. Get a quote now to enjoy worry free travel.

Your Luggage

Travelling light is a lot more comfortable. It makes getting from A to B simple, doesn’t slow you down and is easier to monitor. It just takes self-control to only pack what you need. What no one ever suggests though is choosing a bag that’s easy to recognise. You’ll be able to easily spot it as it rolls off the baggage carousel and be out of the airport quickly to enjoy your trip.