Solo travel as a young woman has been the most empowering and humbling experiences of my life. Empowering because I am a young woman making my own decisions, forging my own path, creating the life that I want and learning more about myself than ever before. Humbling because I have to make my own decisions but also realising it’s okay to rely on other people (sometimes you have too).

There are versions of me from 12, 6 and 3 months ago that have so many wise words of wisdom, at least things that current me knows what to do and what not to do when it comes to travel, so I thought I’d share a few of those with you all.

Dealing with Nerves
The honest truth is, no matter how well traveled you are, nerves will always be lurking somewhere. I have struggled with anxiety since I was young, and it only amplified when I started solo traveling. It mostly comes up when I have to catch a flight/train/bus and despite never having missed a pre-booked ticket thus far, I can’t help the rise of anxiety in my stomach as I arrive earlier than necessary on my travel days. 

If you’re a planner and have all of your tickets pre-booked for your trip, you’re probably already the type of person who will show up to the airport earlier than necessary, and that’s something we should all take note of. On the other hand, a trip led by intuition and freedom to explore what feels good can bring up feelings of anxiety when you don’t know where you are going to stay or how you are going to get to a new destination. Having recently been traveling like this, my biggest recommendation is to at least know where you’re going to stay for that first night in a new location. This way you can get a feel for the area and if you want to extend or move location you at least have an idea of where you are. 

Booking Insurance
The first thing I do once a flight, tour, accommodation, anything to do with travel is booked, I am straight on to sorting out my insurance! This way I am covered from the very beginning if anything goes wrong. As someone with a heart condition, I used to find it challenging to find insurance that would cover me, however for the past 2 years, I have been using GO Insurance who covers me at no extra cost, as long as everything is declared.

Why is travel insurance so important? Because you don’t know what’s going to happen and if you plan on doing any high risk sports and activities this can make or break your travels. On my recent adventures to Japan, I thankfully added snow sports to my insurance cover; I just so happened to fracture my leg whilst skiing and had the insurance available to help cover medical expenses – These expenses can be costly depending on where you’re travelling. Don’t add to your nerves when you’re about to bungee jump, or you’re snowboarding for the first time, make sure your insurance is sorted and then take a deep breath before taking the jump!

To Create an Itinerary or Not…?
Am I a Type-A personality, sometimes. Is this helpful when solo traveling, absolutely! No matter where I’m going or how long I’m going for, I will always have a loose itinerary to send to loved ones, just in case something was to happen. This doesn’t always come immediately, but I will update them on the weeks rough plan, especially if I’m moving locations. 

When planning for Japan, I had a note on my phone with a very basic outline of where I would be and on what days, for example;

20th Feb: Fly to Japan
21st – 25th: Tokyo
25th – 4th March: Hakuba

It went on like that for the rest of my trip, only outlining where I would be during those dates but no additional information.

Not having a set structure allowed for some spontaneity, but I also spent a lot more time trying to book transport and figuring out those details instead of having a bit more structure and security in getting to and from places. 

My Euro Summer was a three month adventure with a range of pre-planned events, so a slightly more in-depth itinerary was a must. Still utilising the notes app on my phone, I created a slightly more structured outline of where I would be, where I was staying and if I was meeting up with friends. Whilst the countries I were visiting were all locked in, I still had an open schedule at times that allowed for spontaneous adventures as well as giving myself rest days in between all the hiking. 

London Example itinerary (some details excluded for privacy):

August 6: MEL – LAX – LHR
7th-9th: LONDON
       7th: Heathrow-Euston 10am train
              Moulin Rouge 7pm
       8th: Explore Day
       9th: Check out, Explore, Travel Evening (meet Hetty)
       Stay: Generator Hostel 2 nights
9th-12th: NORFOLK
       9th: KC-KL Train with Hetty 4.30pm
       10th: Explore Day
       11th: Explore Day
       Stay: AirBnB
12-14: LONDON
       12th: Norfolk – Deptford train 10.40am
              Arrive at Hostel 1.30pm
              Cabaret 6pm
       13th: Explore; Notting Hill
              Wicked 7pm
       Stay: Deptford hostel 2 nights
       14th: 12.34pm Train to Luton
       14th: Luton Stay

This is definitely how I will continue to plan and share itineraries in the future, especially if I’m traveling with someone then we can both add to the note and have all the information in one place. I also started adding in costs along the way so I could see everything in one easy place – spreadsheets for travel overwhelm me, but this way allowed for peace of mind and a quick snapshot of everything. 

Packing for Your Trip
One of the best parts about going on a holiday is picking out the perfect wardrobe to take with you. I always make sure to have a colour palette within my wardrobe, not only do all my clothes match but I can match to the location I’m traveling to. Toiletries are a tricky one for me, I have a pretty basic skincare routine and I wear makeup most days, so instead of packing all of my makeup, I decided to bring a tinted sunscreen, BB cream, eyebrow pencil and mascara. Before I left, I spent a month using only these products and found I felt comfortable and confident, and could layer the BB cream if I wanted more coverage, so I didn’t go into this trip not knowing how I would feel using only these limited products.

My biggest advice when packing is to colour coordinate your clothes so that everything can be mixed and matched – but don’t forget that gorgeous outfit that makes you feel super confident that you want to wear out for dinner! Also remember that you can buy things when you get over there, and also leave things behind that you don’t want to bring back with you. A lot of hostels I’ve stayed at have ‘free’ cupboards where you can leave different items for someone else to use, and you can always donate clothes. If you can fit everything in a carry on, do it! 

Staying Safe
Share your itinerary with friends and family, even if it is very loose, at least they will have an idea of where you are at certain times or if they haven’t heard from you in a little while. Share your location, the best thing about my iPhone while traveling is ’Find My,’ not only am I tracking my AirTag which is always in my checked  luggage, family can also see where I am which is helpful if my plans have spontaneously changed and don’t match up with the current itinerary they have. 

I noticed in Japan that I felt safe walking the streets alone, and at nighttime. Not once did I question going down a random alley to find the most delicious food. In London, it felt very different. I wasn’t walking alone down poorly lit streets, and I found myself sticking close to families or couples when I’m out and about – both during the day and at night. Hostels are a great way to find people to go exploring with, however it can be hard to find people who travel the same way you do, so make sure to let them know if you’re a fast walker and want to see everything kind of person or if you’re more relaxed and take things as they come! 

You have a gut instinct for a reason, listen to it. I’m not saying don’t say yes to new experiences, but make sure things feel right, and remember that at any point after you’ve said yes, you can always change your mind. 

Hostels, Hotels, AirBnB, & More
Being in my mid 20’s I am still enjoying the hostel life, to a degree! I’m definitely not budgeting so much that I’m staying in a room with any more than 4 people, but even then 3 other people can be a lot! When in Japan, I booked a fancy hotel for the first week I was there because I wanted to ease myself into the trip and have some time on my own before venturing into the world of hostels. London was straight into a four bedroom hostel, which was tiring after traveling for 35 hours to get there, but it has meant that I’ve already met a bunch of people who I can go out exploring with or even just grab a drink together once we’ve done our own things for the day. 

I recommend having moments throughout your trip when you book a room for yourself, allowing yourself to rest and reset your social battery. As much as I love socialising and new adventures, sometimes the thing I look forward to the most is a private room to get some peace, quiet and a good night’s sleep!

If you have some more money to play with or want to base yourself in one place for a longer period of time, I would recommend an AirBnB or similar. This is something I’ve done around Tasmania, giving myself a central base and doing a lot more day trips. This can mean longer days which are also exhausting and having to navigate different modes of transport, but that’s all part of the fun when traveling. 

Ultimately, no matter which way you go your budget is going to be the biggest factor to where you stay and for how long. These costs can creep up so keep an eye on them throughout your travels.

ESIM or Travel Options on Your Plan
An ESIM will save you from burning a hole in your pocket, don’t rely on your own country’s service provider, you may think this is a good idea, but I can tell you now, it’s not. Telstra offers $10 a day for 2gb data, now this sounds great for the amount of data you get, however I rarely use even 1gb of data in a day when traveling. Also these rates compared to a travel sim add up very quickly! 

I used a Mobal ESIM in Japan which gave me 50gb data for 31 days, which was perfect for the time I was there and only cost me $50. This time, I am using an eSIM from Roamless where you pay for what you use and can top up as you go through the app. Depending on your location, the dollar per GB varies, however the app makes it easy to track your usage and spendings so you can stick within your budget, and not be wasting money on data roaming or esims that don’t reflect how you use your phone whilst traveling. 

Final Thoughts
With all these factors when travelling solo, you can sometimes feel like you’re traveling wrong but you need to to remind yourself that there is no right or wrong when it comes to traveling and making new memories. I am constantly learning new tips and tricks when traveling, from my own experiences and from stories of fellow travelers. There’s something magical about the bond you make with other travelers, some for only a few hours, others that can last a lifetime. Travel is a great opportunity for everyone. Hopefully my travels will help you on your way. Remember to be safe and take the plunge and make those new memories.

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