Monica from themkare.com is guest posting on my site and she shares her solo travelling tips. Unlike me, Monicah has travelled a bit wider and is more knowledgeable on the topic than I am.

I am also guest posting on her site so head over there and read this article I wrote about

When I began travelling, 3 years ago, it was with a large group. Then with time, I learnt a few tricks and solo travelling is now almost a piece of cake, well except with a language barrier which I’m yet to experience. The more you travel, the more you learn the art of travelling – just like the old adage, practice makes perfect. It’s good to experience both travellings in a crowd and travelling solo.

What Travelling Solo Teaches You

• Self-indulgence – you connect with yourself, you communicate with yourself, make decisions yourself.
• You step outside your comfort zone and own up to yourself.
• New experiences that only you know about and help you connect deeply with yourself. You become your own friend more. Some experiences you may choose to not even share but keep to yourself. 
• Healthy social media break – we all need that once in a while.
• Meeting people outside your circle hence building confidence around other new people.

To see more benefits of solo travelling, go to lifehacks.

Before You Travel;

Research – you are about to venture into a new place alone. Do yourself justice by gathering all the information necessary. Read the rules and internalize them. Understand the culture of the people there. 
Create your itinerary – this is fun! Here you are planning for your travel escapade. You plan what to do when, where to visit when. It’s important because it’s a guide to a well-spent vacation so as to not waste it by sleeping or repeating just one activity. 
Budget – through your research and itinerary, find out the costs through websites and making calls to inquire. Make sure to budget for emergencies.

I’m already feeling the rush of planning for a vacation. Having researched, created an itinerary and a budget, and actually booked for the necessary activities, you are now ready to travel solo. 

Precautions when travelling solo:

• Follow your gut – Since there’s no one to watch your back, being cautious comes almost automatically as you are in a foreign place. So, if something doesn’t feel right, it isn’t right. Follow your gut, thank it later.
• Carry your identification at all times – if you are in a foreign country where you require a passport and visa to get through, then carry them with you throughout. You never know when you will break the foreign country rules which are probably overlooked in your country. Or simply you need access to certain services.
• Stick to open public spaces – there’s a way residents of a certain area can know newcomers. Just like in high school; you can always spot the new ones. You will be spotted especially if your act and dress like a tourist and don’t blend in. This makes you prone to “bullying” by the locals. So keep within areas that you are most safe.
• Be open-minded – your reasons for travelling are numerous and among them could be to interact with the locals. That’s totally okay, but remember you don’t know them. So keep your guard up and be aware every time.
• Know that it’s okay to rest – solo travelling can wear you out depending on your schedule. Plus the looks you’ll get from locals and you might want to hide. Take a break, swim at your hotel, drink at your hotel bar and take a nap.

For more information, you can visit Potentash.

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