My own solo travel adventure didn’t start from one day to another. I remember being on a group trip to New Zealand in my early twenties and meeting another Danish girl on a track we did as a group. She was having a gap year as well, but the big difference from myself was she was travelling solo around New Zealand and Australia. At the time, I didn’t understand how she managed; being alone on the other side of the world. Ten years later and having started my own solo travel adventure several years ago, I totally understand her.
What I didn’t know then, but know now, is that travelling solo takes practice! Just like everything else we do in our lives. And it depends on your own mindset. For some it might be easy to just jump into it and for others it takes lots of consideration and worrying, before you’ll be able to take the first step. I was in the second of those two categories. My solo travel adventure didn’t start before I was in my mid-twenties and I had gained enough confidence to travel solo. Before that I had mainly been travelling with my family and my friends. Now that I’m in the beginning of my thirties I have been to several countries alone, both in and outside of Europe. And I must say starting this solo travel journey is the best thing I’ve done for myself!
Below you’ll find my 5-step guide to starting your own solo travel journey:
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: Getting to know how to travel.
If you’ve never travelled before or haven’t been to another country besides your own, it’s important to know that travelling can take a lot of preparation and every country is different in culture. To make it easier for yourself I’ll recommend gaining travel practice by travelling with others, here I mean your family or friends. Another thing you have to take into consideration is how you want to travel; by plane, train, car or bus. There are pros and cons about every transportation and travel form.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: Go on a group trip by yourself.
Group trips are great ways to travel by yourself while also meeting new, likeminded people. You likely won’t be alone very much and you can always find someone to talk to or continue to travel with. Some of them might even become your friends or new travel buddies as you share the same passion: To explore the world!
Going on a trip while not knowing anyone beforehand, is one step closer to your solo journey. You’ll hopefully experience that it’s very easy to meet people while on a group trip and easier to talk to strangers, because people who do travel by themselves become openminded towards other people. I don’t want to generalise, but it’s often seen when people travel with a friend or in a group, they are rarely as open towards other people as they would be if they were travelling by themselves.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: Go on a small solo trip.
I often hear about women who don’t like to be alone in their own company. I understand that. When I was younger I was afraid of becoming lonely. But being lonely and being alone is not the same thing! I’ve never heard of anyone who wants to be lonely, but being alone can be a physical need for some people. For others it can be a challenge, if you’ve never much enjoyed your own company. This is a challenge to overcome and deal with. It will be a developing process, but it will also be a part of your journey.
If you’re not used to being alone, start by going to a café or eat dinner at a restaurant by yourself. Because you’ll most likely have to do this while travelling anyway, and you’ll experience that other travellers do it too. When you feel comfortable in this setting, you can go on a solo weekend trip in your home country. You don’t have to start in another country at first, but if you feel ready for it, go for it!
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: Start in a country you’ve been to before.
It’s always a good idea to travel somewhere that seems familiar and safe, if it’s your first solo trip. Visit a capital (where there are lots of other people and tourists), a neighbouring country (which is not too far from home), or somewhere you might have been on holiday with your family. Somewhere you know, where you already feel safe. This will hopefully make your first solo travel experiences much better, as you’re already familiar with the culture and other differences.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: Start your solo travels in the continent you live in or are most used to be.
I’ll recommend starting your first ever solo travel somewhere the culture is not too different from your own. If you are a European travelling solo for the first time and going to Asia there are some very clear cultural differences, that may come as a shock. Traffic and transportation for instance. If you feel like you just want to jump out there without hesitation, Southeast Asia is a very safe continent to travel solo. People there are so friendly and helpful.
If you are more careful as a person, I’d recommend you to start in a country where you know they have some of the same values as your own and where the cultural differences are not too big. I understand now why the Danish girl I met in New Zealand in the beginning of my twenties journeyed there on her own, of all places, because the cultures in New Zealand and Australia are very similar to Scandinavian culture.
If you follow these 5 steps, you’ll definitely start to feel more confident, get to know yourself on a higher level, and find out that solo travelling is not so scary after all. Lots of people are already doing it because it’s amazing!
Good luck on your solo travel journey. I’m cheering for you!
Travels by Trine 
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