We grow up travelling with family and friends, but the day will come when you want to spread your wings. Travelling solo is a daunting prospect – what happens if something goes wrong? How will I pay for everything? Will I get lonely? These were all questions I asked myself when I first started considering a solo adventure. But whether it’s a gap year, a month-long road trip or just a weekend break, travelling solo gives you the freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want.
Group tours or do it yourself?
A common choice for solo travellers is to book onto a group tour. These trips, often designed for people going on a gap year, are perfect if you’re not massively comfortable doing everything yourself. In 2018 I booked a trip to New York with Gap360, who specialise in these trips. It included accommodation, a trip organiser, pre-booked excursions and 24 hour support – all I had to do was book my flights. It also came with the added bonus of other likeminded solo travellers, who I stuck with throughout the trip and became friends with.
That being said, I would feel comfortable travelling completely solo, providing I had done enough research into my location. But the added bonus with these trips is that they can often save you a lot of money, especially if they include usually expensive excursions or any meals. Our trip included one meal, a walking tour of the city and a visit to the One World Observatory, which isn’t cheap on it’s own!
Unfortunately Gap360 don’t run this trip anymore, but they have plenty of other USA tours that I’d love to do in the future. They specialise in the more typical gap year destinations, such as South America, Asia and Australia. One that’s at the top of my list is a 24 day adventure around Japan and South Korea – something I definitely wouldn’t be able to do on my own.
Flying solo
This was probably the most nerve-wracking part for me! Not the wandering around a city on my own part, but actually getting there. My trip to New York involved getting an ESTA before I could travel, which was a relatively easy process. I didn’t take hold luggage, which made things much easier at both Heathrow and JFK – all I had to think about was getting myself on the plane. I’m already quite an anxious flyer, so not having someone with me for reassurance was tricky at first, but the long flight allowed me to get stuck in to a film and just relax.
Keeping safe
As a woman travelling on my own, I am unfortunately more at risk. The trick I’ve found works best is making sure you don’t look like a tourist – if you look like you need help, you’re more of a target. This involved me planning exactly where to go so I wouldn’t need to get a map out, and just generally acting like a local – as someone who lives close to London, it wasn’t difficult for me to blend in with the New Yorkers! Another essential is keeping friends and family back home updated on your location and plans for the day. It’s always good to make sure they have a copy of your itinerary, so they know where you are at all times (and also know specific times when they won’t be able to reach you, for example if you’re travelling somewhere with no signal).
Is it worth it?
Absolutely. Obviously I love travelling with friends and family, having someone to share my adventure with. But there’s also something really special about traveling solo. It allows you to be more present, and really appreciative of your surroundings – walking solo around Central Park was one of the best things I’ve done. It’s just you and the world around you. You may feel lonely, but the key is keeping yourself busy and really getting immersed in your destination, so you don’t have time to be lonely. And when you get home, you’ll have even more people to share your stories with.
Jetsetterss 
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