When did we stop travelling?

A pendulum will swing right to left but will always return to centre. Homeostasis.

That is how I feel about travelling. How I maintain my homeostasis.

So how do you travel solo?

You set realistic travel goals. -I am the queen of lists, schedules and timing things down to the second, but when it comes to travel, - be realistic. Things happen, you f***k up, you miss that flight, even I have missed a flight in my life!! I wanted to cry, and my cc got dipped into, but hey, that is what travel is all about!

This is how you experience, you mature and you grow.

In order to truly experience travel, one must travel alone. People go, “sorry, what!!” – In the new age of social media platforms where we can and DO know where everyone is at all times, people feel that suddenly, the world is unsafe. Why? Surely, it has become safer!! Who decided that it got “unsafe”, when did the “environment change”?

Now you can share your location at all times, update a status, send automatic UBER notifications, take selfies with the UBER driver if you must! This growth in awareness and constant presence of social media has increased safety, increased documentation of your life but– has it created destruction of experience all at the same time?

I am one of those lucky people (90’s baby) who grew up without the constant social media and the new tech that is currently available.

When I was 18, I decided to go travelling SOLO around Nepal, SouthEast Asia, a landlocked country, with no great aspirations apart from the fact that I wanted to experience the world and explore my boundaries. My very understanding parents allowed me to go on this trip, even though secretly terrified I later found out, because they knew I could fend for myself. I landed in Nepal with no phone, no internet and no access. I went to an internet shop and paid my money to log on for one hour every evening I was in the city, and bought a little phone that would make the Nokia 3210 at the time look like an Iphone, only to get about 60 minutes out of the very expensive credit at the time! I then travelled out to the remote countryside, with zero connectivity and my parents had to trust in the fact that I was safe, WHICH I WAS!

It never became “unsafe”, we became too aware, too obsessed and too feckin nosey! Now I am not saying that is 100% a bad thing. In this day and age we need to be connected to work, to educate and to keep in touch, but you can admit that perhaps we have gone to another level when it comes to travel. Now before anyone jumps down my throat, I am not saying that bad things don’t happen to solo travellers…. Of course they do. Easy targets. But, they ALWAYS happened, now we are just more aware because of social media. Travelling smart should be educated, not NOT travelling.

When I returned to Nepal not 3 years later, internet and connectivity had expanded and we had wifi access on ipads/phones! Welcome to the new age!

So I compiled a small non exhaustive list on how to be a smarter solo traveller in a modern world.

How to be a confident solo female traveller.

Look confident, – now I do not mean well dressed, I mean the look on your face. Always appear to be in the know, *even if you are completely lost and have already walked down this street 3 times*

Don’t succumb to free invitations – for obvious reasons

Leave breadcrumbs. – let people know your plan, - give your best friend a copy of your passport and a rough outline of your trip. – It wont hurt! Some people like to register with local embassies/police stations when travelling in very remote or troublesome areas.

Get out of your comfort zone. – Every time I travel alone, I have a ritual. Every time I land in a new city/town/beach, - I get to my booked accommodation, check it out, freshen up, hide the valuables and head to the nearest bar/local café and people watch. I have met some of the most amazing people within 5 minutes of landing at my destination, and those people have changed my entire trip! As much as it is amazing to travel solo, meeting fellow solo travellers open your mind, educate you, and they are great for sharing late night taxis. Safety always comes first guys!!

Pack smart. – This is a whole other blog, but off the top of my head, - copies of documents, charging units for devices, pillow cases, microfibre towels, a shawl, bug spray, a book and a diary are some of my top must haves.

Eat & Drink smart. Try all of the local cuisine but make sure you only drink potable water. There is nothing worse than making a mistake of drinking out of a tap and being in bed for the rest of your trip. On that note, a handy medicine kit is always a must.

Bring your camera and your diary, - it gives you something to do in times of loneliness.

Invest in travel insurance, do a quick search on your nearest hospital/embassy/police station. – Better to be knowledgeable.

Always carry small amounts of cash. We are becoming addicted to tapping our debit cards. Be cash ready while travelling. A small amount, - enough to pay for dinner, your taxi, and enough to deter a robber from dragging you to an ATM. Prepare!

Just a little titbit inside my traveller knowledge, I hope you enjoy!

S