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Solo Traveler

Posted on December 14, 2009 - by Janice

10 Tips on Clubbing & Pubbing Solo.

How to Travel Alone
    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.

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Many solo travelers find the evenings the most difficult part of traveling alone. Not me. I actually go out to clubs and pubs more often on the road than at home.

Here are  10 tips to get you clubbing and pubbing solo and safe.

  1. Don’t carry a purse. Use your money belt for most money, credit cards, passport… Have some money in different pockets for drinks. And dress conservatively for the culture.
  2. If there’s a huge line-up outside a club and you’re feeling a bit uneasy about going into such a large place, find someone in line who looks really safe and approach them as if they are old friends. Then explain that you are alone and would like to join them just until you get inside. They’ll understand that you need a bit of safety. Once inside, you can make a graceful exit from them or, you may have made new friends.
  3. If it’s a small place, arrive early so that you have your choice as to where to sit.
  4. Sit at the bar. It’s ‘more social at the bar and you’ll be sitting physically higher than most people in the room giving you a good view for safety.
  5. Alternatively, choose a seat with a good vantage point. Pubs often have bench seats with tables along two walls. Sit on the short side of this “L” configuration. It’s like sitting at the head of a table. You are in a position of power and have access to more people for chatting.
  6. Make friends with your bartender or server. They’ll notice you’re alone and take care of you in case of unwanted attention.
  7. Notice where the exits are. If anything goes wrong you want out fast.
  8. Choose who you want to talk to and go for it. By being proactive you prevent the wrong person from monopolizing your evening and you’ll have a great time with the right people.
  9. Never drink too much. In fact, drink far less than you would if you were at home. You want to have all your faculties about you to deal with any surprising situations.
  10. If you have made friends, how you exit the bar is important. However nice they may seem, don’t accept a ride from them. Get a taxi. This may require leaving early or after them. You can also discreetly leave and ask for a taxi to be called so that when the offer does come you have other arrangements.

Going to bars, clubs and pubs alone is a bit of a challenge. I always take a deep breath before entering because I really don’t know what I’m walking into.  But, if you read the following posts, you’ll know that the results can be very worth the effort.

  • Pub Life in the Lake District
  • Seedy Bars & Luxury Hotels on the Blues Highway
  • How to Crash the Club Scene Solo
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This entry was posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 11:22 pm and is filed under How to Travel Alone. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Comments

We'd love to hear yours!



  1. Visit My Website

    August 19, 2010

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    solotraveler said:


    Yes. You never tell anyone where you’re staying. That’s important. I hope you have a read of Safe Answers to Common Questions



  2. Visit My Website

    August 19, 2010

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    Lynn Adamson said:


    Me too, that is one challenge I haven’t overcome. I tend to do more cultural things at night, concerts, plays, outdoor cafes, theatre anything that keeps me out of the way of alcohol fueled men. If I do go to a bar it is usually very close to where I am staying so I can just go home quickly if I need to.

    On a recent trip to Ecuador, I spoke at length with a man in a restuarant while having my dinner, very nice conversation and I left after I had eaten. He showed up at my B&B, my first mistake was telling him where I was staying. I learnt my lesson on that one.



  3. Visit My Website

    July 28, 2010

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    Derrick said:


    I think tip #7 should be tip #1. As soon as you get into the club, figure out how you’re going to get out if need be. And throughout the evening, always check that the path between you and your exit is unimpeded.



  4. Visit My Website

    December 16, 2009

    Permalink

    Shelli said:


    Really helpful tips. I’ve always found clubbing and going to bars on my own an intimidating challenge!




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