Backpacking as a solo female traveller(18 Essential points to take care of !)
SOLO TRAVELLING, sounds like such a dreamy idea with a hint of danger just to keep you on your toes. isn’t it?
To be honest until 2013 i never really felt the need to travel to a certain unknown place, just to taste the cuisine or experience the culture and cut off from the rest of the world… just for a few days, but then one day someone poured out this idea in my head “Solo Travelling”, and BAM, i was hooked like an addict.
As a matter of fact, the idea was so infectitious, i started googling around, looking for places, or areas famous for a certain quality
For example, Italy , an absolute heaven for amazing cuisine and shopping in general.
Netherlands, for a free spirited living with high quality coffee shops and lovely canals
Switzerland, For the swiss cheese and the super expensive lifestyle.
France, The amazing wine and ofcourse the fashion paradise in the world
Germany, Well, germany has a very special spot in my life, so i might get into a few very intricate details about a few places
Slovenia, a small petite place to spend a perfect day with its amazing lakes and serene boat rides.
As a rookie traveller, who started travelling back in 2013, i would like to share a few do’s and don’ts, while travelling from a rookie’s perspective.
To be honest this guide is more a set of guidelines on what to do or how to start navigating an unknown place while i started travelling alone, or so as to say learned from my own experience.
So here is a list of items u need to know or have before you decide to travel.
- Search for a hotel or a hostel(if you are on a budget), an area which is quite close to the station, provided you are travelling by train or a bus.
- Try to download some offline maps before hand, so that in case you don’t have access to internet, you shouldn’t end up homeless in unknown streets (worst case scenario, of-course..never happened to me though…so Chill ).
- Always carry cash , mostly dollars or euros and most importantly, don’t pile up your cash in just one place. Redistribute it in your luggage or pockets.
- Carry a rucksack, where you basically can throw in all your stuff and hang it on your shoulders, preferably a water-proof one.
- Hide your passport and other identification documents in a place where you can easily access it but don’t make it easy for the thieves or pick pocketer to find it.
- Always keep copies of your passport in a separate area of your luggage or your wallet, and handy, just in case if you have to show it when being asked for .
- Keys, most importantly keys, keep the keys of your place in a compartment of your rucksack separate, as in the heat of the moment while travelling you might have the risk of leaving it behind as you wont be using it much.
- Medicines, for cold, digestion, fever and antiseptic, some bandaids and of-course a mask and disinfectant.
- Keep a pepper spray, just in case
- Toiletries
- a calculated amount of clothes with underwear, coz i don’t prefer travelling with a lot of baggage , i know i would collect a few souvenirs and might as well end up shopping, so i need quite some free space in my rucksack
- Try eating in McDonalds or burger king as much as you can if you are on a budget, even if you are not i would generally recommend it, and of-course the occasional fancy dine out alone is always recommended.
- Try choosing a stay which has a free breakfast or paid breakfast option as it can be a pain to find a cup of coffee in the morning in an unknown place.
- Always avoid the restaurants which are too touristy or are located in the tourist areas as those places can be a rip off, so try to walk a few miles to find a nice little private place to have a cozy meal at a reasonable price.
- A small bottle of Water, a must. you might be surprised how handy it can come when you’re in the middle of nowhere and you cant find a place to get a decent bottle of water.
- Comfortable shoes, as mind it, you’re gonna walk, A LOT.
- A power bank for emergencies.
- a few small locks for your luggage.
So these are the bare essentials, i would recommend while you are travelling and of-course the main idea was not to pile up on stuff and carry just the necessary items, and of-course be in the mindset of shop for essentials while you are on the go. That’s a personal choice, of-course depends on the taste or style of an individual.
So, HAPPY TRAVELLING !!! :)
