Archive for the ‘How to Travel Alone’ Category

Posted on March 10, 2010 - by Janice

How to Travel Alone: tips for the shy solo traveler.

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It might be easy to conclude that solo travel is for gregarious, outgoing people. But, truth is, shy people enjoy traveling alone as well.

Solo travel is for the confident and to build confidence.
Just because one is shy doesn’t mean that one is not confident. I am a case in point. I am, by nature a shy person. But I am also a confident person. I like quiet but I’m also a social being. Respecting the fact that we all want everything, I give you 5 tips to allow you to solo travel in silence and 5 more to get you engaged socially when you travel alone. (more…)

Posted on February 15, 2010 - by Janice

How to travel alone:
10 tips to survive culture shock.

When you travel alone, it is important to slip into the scene rather than stand out as a foreigner. Doing so, increases your safety and typically means that you are more respectful and, therefore, more accepted by the local culture. (more…)

Posted on January 23, 2010 - by Janice

Travel Partners Make Sundance Affordable

As this post comes out I am on a plane headed for Salt Lake City where I will be collected at the airport by my new friend M, from Slovenia. We’ll drive together to Park City where we’ll meet another new friend, A, from San Francisco. There we will check into the condo we’re sharing at The Canyons then go our own ways to explore and experience the wonders of the Sundance Film Festival as volunteers.
(more…)

Posted on January 20, 2010 - by Guest

Getting ready to travel solo: Four top tips for going to India.

Mariellen publishes BreathDreamGo, a blog about travel in India.
This is the first in a series of four monthly posts in which she will share
the highlights of her upcoming trip to India.

I am just about to embark on my fourth solo trip to India in about as many years. This time, of course, feels very different than the first time I left, in December 2005. Back then, I had almost never traveled by myself and had never been anywhere like India (is there anywhere like India?).

But of course everything worked out, I learned a lot about myself, traveling and India, and I’ve put my knowledge to good use by returning several times. Here are the four most important things I’ve learned about traveling solo:

1. Courage is its own reward. The amount you gain by leaving your comfort zone, facing fears and taking risks is immeasurable. Just the massive increase in self-confidence alone was worth all the time, money and energy I spent getting ready to go and seeing that first six-month trip to India through to the end.

2. Preparation is key. Preparation will soothe your anxiety and smooth your trip. Find out about the customs and culture of your destination. For example, dressing modestly is important in India. Plan your itinerary and research transportation and accommodation options. There are lots of resources on the Internet and great advice, too, on sites such as TripAdvisor.com and in forums such as Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree. Women should check out Journeywoman.com. And don’t forget to bring a guidebook with you: I like Lonely Planet and Rough Guides.

3. Watch your attitude. I often say that going to India is like that scene in Star Wars when Yoda sends Luke into the cave. “What will I find there?” Luke asks. “Only what you bring with you,” Yoda answers. The same is true for traveling. If you bring fear, you will be scared. My advice is to be as open and trusting as you can, while remaining cautious and using common sense, of course. Remember that traveling is just as much about learning about yourself as it is about your destination.

4. Blog! Even if you‘re not a writer, your blog can still be a very satisfying experience for you and your loved ones. Just keep it simple, tell it like it is, and add lots of pictures, even video. It will keep people back home informed and reassured while you’re away and, because it is interactive, it will keep you connected. It also provides you with an invaluable record of your trip after you get back. You can start on a travel blogging site like Travelblog.org, which automatically notifies your subscribers when you update your blog – freeing you of the need to manage email lists. The more technically inclined can set up a blog on Wordpress.com or Blogger.com; or even design their own.

I started out four years ago on Travelblog. Blogging was just a sideline to my six-month trip to India. Now travel blogging is becoming my full-time job! I will be blogging as I travel in India for three months, from late January to early May 2010. I hope you will join me on BreatheDreamGo.com and get inspired to start your own travel blog. See you on the road!

Mariellen Ward
Blog http://breathedreamgo.com/
Twitter breathedreamgo

Posted on January 13, 2010 - by Janice

How to Travel Alone – 10 tips for road weary travelers.

To travel alone for two to three weeks is one thing. But to travel alone for two to three (or five or ten) months, is quite another. It takes a different attitude and a different pace. And even when you do it well, it can result in you becoming road weary.  It’s a kind of rattled feeling. It’s a need for stability and a wish for home. Well, there are things other than returning home that you can do to feel good. (more…)

Posted on January 9, 2010 - by Tracey

How to Travel Alone:
Planning for Food and Wine Fun

It’s a new year, so naturally I am starting to think about where I might travel in 2010. As I consider my options, I thought I would share my top 5 tips for researching and planning food and wine experiences for when I travel alone. (more…)

Posted on December 14, 2009 - by Janice

10 Tips on Clubbing & Pubbing Solo.

Last week I wrote “Pub Life in the Lake District – Solo“. The response was interesting. It was evident that many people aren’t comfortable doing the club or pub thing. So I thought I’d offer a a few tips.

Many solo travelers find the evenings the most difficult part of traveling alone. As for me, I actually go out to clubs and pubs more often on the road than at home. Here are my 10 tips for clubbing and pubbing. (more…)

Posted on December 7, 2009 - by Janice

How to travel alone: Have a Back-up Plan for your Travel Documents

When traveling alone, your personal safety, that of your body, is your number one priority. I have written about this in many ways in the Solo Travel Safety category. Number two is your travel documents. Yes, in my books, money only ranks third. Your travel documents – your passport, visas, travel insurance, credit card information, driver’s license and any important health information – are vitally important in these times of health scares and tighter security at borders. (more…)

Posted on November 25, 2009 - by Janice

10 tips to travel solo large on a small budget.

It’s called the “Lipstick Effect”.

According to a Global Trends Report released at the World Travel Market earlier this month, the tourism industry is feeling the Lipstick Effect — consumers are forgoing large luxuries and buying more small ones.

Buck the trend.
Don’t give up travel just because the economy is bad. Be creative, research a bit more and you’ll find deals and freebies that let you travel well, sometimes in luxury, without breaking the bank.  I give you: (more…)

Posted on November 23, 2009 - by Janice

3 Steps to Buying Perfect Hiking Boots

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I recently took a solo trip to the Lake District in England where I planned to do a lot of walking. (Pictures & story here: Falling in Love in the Lake District). But walking in the UK is like hiking in North America. The terrain needs more than the “walking” shoes I brought so, on day 2, I headed to one of the many outdoors shops in Ambleside to buy a pair of hiking boots. (more…)