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

cinque terre — italy

For example, Italy , an absolute heaven for amazing cuisine and shopping in general.

Monaco

Netherlands, for a free spirited living with high quality coffee shops and lovely canals

Switzerland, For the swiss cheese and the super expensive lifestyle.

Mt. JungFrau — Switzerland

France, The amazing wine and ofcourse the fashion paradise in the world

Eiffel Tower — Paris

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

Marienplatz — Munich

Slovenia, a small petite place to spend a perfect day with its amazing lakes and serene boat rides.

Lake Bled — Slovenia

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 !!! :)