This is for you. You don't need your friends, your boy, your husband, your kids, or your mum and dad. Here's the equation. Money for a plane ticket to the places of your choice + Free time + You = the world. Don't be afraid. Here's what I've learnt:
Travel in summer. Daytime hours are longer for sightseeing and dinners out. I travelled around Italy and France in winter and it was beautiful but bleak.
If you want to meet people, stay in hostels and go on tours. If you're not fussed on meeting people to travel with like me, stay at hotels and pensiones which I find through Lonely Planet or Expedia.
Mealtimes are the loneliest parts. Either self-cater by scoping out the nearest food hall, market or grocery or suck it up and sit down at the restaurant of your choice. Bring a book, write your postcards, even your laptop. Don't miss out on the food, whatever you do.
Getting from the airport/wharf/train station to your accommodation, I find the most stressful, especially if you land in the middle of the night or very early morning. Have a plan. Get directions from google maps, splash out for a transfer, know the nearest subway or metro station, ask at the Tourist Information desk for a map.
Don't be afraid to look like a tourist. Take those pictures, get that map out in the middle of the street, ask strangers for directions. Suck it up.
Use commonsense. When its dark, stick to well populated places. All that sort of stuff. Need I say more?
Do what you love, not what guidebooks tell you. This is the best thing about going solo. You're the master of your day and the mission is to indulge yourself.
Forget good pictures of you. I travelled with a Yashica, a Polaroid, and a Canon SLR with a Nikon lens so auto-focus wasn't an option. Thrusting it at a stranger and asking for my photo to be taken was never going to be easy. Or possible. Let the classic "LOOK AT ME! I'm standing in front of this SUPER FAMOUS sight thing" tourist photo go.
Go solo. You won't regret it.
♥ Pictures by me on a Yashica Electro 35GSN with Kodak Ektar 100. More pictures here ♥
19 presents:
What lovely photos, beautiful words and tips for travel and it sounds and looks like you had such fun !
Phew Ana.B - more gorgeousness! Those photos of yours really knock my socks off - when's the book coming out? Seriously - it is something that I would be very keen to see!
That advice you give is very good speaking as someone who has travelled quite a bit alone. The hostel advice for pals is so true - I met some true gems on my travels that way.
Beautiful as always. Ana, you are my blogger idol: your posts have photographs that blow my mind and their accompanying text read like a proper novel. Thank you for the inspiration.
Arianne from A + B in the Sea
i love your adventures, ana b. take me with you!
amen!
luckily for me i've always had someone dear to travel with but i honestly think i would go alone if i needed to.
and gorgeous pictures as ALWAYS. i am so inspired by your blog.
ohhh my god, this sounds and looks wonderful. this is such good advice.
You are so gung ho, I love love love your spirit! I like what you said about never missing out on the food, never! I do have one question tho, what do you do when you just wanna share your excitement like you would with your guy or your best friend? I'm such a talker, I'm so terrified of having to swallow my words.
really nice pictures:)
Great guide and lovely photos. Since realising that my fears of travel and planes are stopping me living my life, I am thinking more about starting small and getting into travelling. I am actually thinking of coming to New Zealand first because it will be my first time out of Australia and the plane trip is not too far so it would help me to get used to it.
great tips, love the pictures :)
the pictures are sooo pretty!! no words! and you are so right, everybody should travel solo at least once! i am not so good at it, therefore I always try to go to places where I know some people... I do feel lonely quite fast :)
These photos are absolutely lovely!
I really don't mind traveling alone. I have a bf who really loves to travel and we travel really well together so that it's not stressful or anything. So that's nice, too. But I moved around a lot in my life and always had to explore alone at first.
This is such a nice post filled with good advice. Going solo is definitely something to try at least once!
Wow, inspiring post and beautiful photos! I would definitely consider traveling alone if I had the funds. I really enjoy spending days out by myself from time to time.
Hi Anab!
I've just traveled all over Eastern and parts of Western Europe with you (catching up on all your absolutely gorgeous blog travel posts)! I love your photography and what you capture - I feel like I'm there with you watching the sleeping dogs and walking behind ladies in pretty dresses.
I'm so impressed that you did so much of your trip solo. I've never traveled more than 12 hours alone (might have something to do with having a twin), and it sounds scary and incredibly freeing and exciting.
Thanks so much for taking us a long on your travels! Next year you will have to come to Edinburgh and visit (I'll be moving there in September ;)).
xoxo,
Lar
So wonderful. I love all your photographs so much.. x
Fantastic advice.
You DO take the most beautiful pictures;what a wonderful eye you have!
Awesome pictures! I always hear that traveling solo is the best way to go and these are awesome tips.. might have to do this one day..
All the best, Angel
I wish I had travelled more by myself - although I feel as though you need to be more motivated to go see things. In general, loving the post.
As for the pants.. I find it hard to get ones that suit my body shape - Am heading to the US soon so helps if I can try them first. Fingers crossed!
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