Congratulations! You are ready to escape your comfort zone and you have booked your first flight abroad. You are now ready to take on the world as a solo traveller. Wait! Hold on! Not so fast! This would be a great idea if you were an experienced solo traveller.
For those of you who have never travelled alone, remember you have to learn to walk before you can run. Solo travel is much like training for a marathon, you have to take it just one step at a time.
“Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere” – Mae West
HOW TO ESCAPE YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND TRAVEL SOLO LIKE A PRO!
Solo travelling can be daunting and intimidating for those of you who have never ventured out on your own before. My first recommendation would be to start small. The following are the baby steps that I recommend be taken before stepping out on your own to far.
The more often you take that step on your own, the easier it will become to escape your comfort zone and you will then be ready for that first big trip abroad and to travel solo like a pro.
Ideas to Prepare For Travelling Alone
If you don’t know where to start to prepare for travelling alone, here are a few ideas:
- visit your favourite local weekend destination. You may even already have a favourite hotel or B & B that you like to stay at. This is even better, as the fear of solo travel is the unknown and a familiar place is a good place to start, so book it!
- do your research to determine what your destination has to offer. Whether it be cute little shops, wineries, cycling tours along a river, be sure you create an itinerary. If you don’t do this, you will find yourself sitting in a room alone trying to figure out what you want to do, all while feeling sorry for yourself. This defeats the purpose of travelling solo.
- If you don’t feel comfortable stepping out on your own, book a tour with a group. This is also a great way to meet other travellers.
- Even after a decade of travelling solo, I still find meal time the most intimidating. There are ways to get around this. If you don’t feel comfortable eating at a restaurant alone, grab some food to go (make sure that it’s healthy), or hit the nearest grocery store and pick up some snacks. If you really want to escape your comfort zone, the following can make eating alone easier for you:
- sit in a corner of the restaurant against a wall. This is also a good idea for safety, so that you can see what is happening around you;
- sit at the bar and chat up the bartender
- bring a book or newspaper with you to read while you are waiting for your food;
- scroll through your phone
- this is a good time to journal your travels
Solo travel is all about discovering your inner strengths, connection with people, nature and culture, as well as getting out of your comfort zone. Enjoy the freedom of solo travel and get out and explore your surroundings. After-all, you deserve it!
I hope you enjoy your first solo travel experience. If you are anything like me, you are probably hooked now and ready to move on to the next step and venture further abroad. Remember, escaping your comfort zone requires just one step at a time.
To gain more insight into solo travel, you might also enjoy reading The Good, Bad and Ugly Truth About Solo Travel, and Let’s Get Ready for Takeoff. But first, you must read everything that solo travellers wished they knew before taking their first solo trip. These tips will save you a lot of stress and headaches and will prepare you to venture out into the world on your own.
I can’t wait to hear all about your first solo experience. The good, the bad and the ugly I want to hear it all! Leave a comment letting me know how successful your experience was, or send me an email. I can’t wait to hear all about it. I would also love to answer any questions or provide any encouragement that you may need.
HAPPY TRAVELS 🙂
Kelly xoxo
SAVE TO LEARN HOW TO TRAVEL SOLO LIKE A PRO!
JUST ONE PASSPORT 
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Beth Ann Borchers
Hi Kelly, Getting ready to START solo traveling and while I am slightly trepidatious I am more excited! I found you on Instagram when you commented on one of TheglobalGlutton’s posts. Noticed you are older and I’m 61. Feeling great though and so ready to see the world for the first time.
I’m InnerChildReboot on Instagram. Following you everywhere I can on social media.
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Just One Passport
Beth Ann what you are feeling is completely normal but solo travel is the most liberating thing you’ll ever do. I’m here to help ever step of the way. I can’t wait to here about your 1st solo adventure!
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Sage Scott
My biggest (maybe only) hang up with solo traveling is eating out at a restaurant. In addition to your awesome suggestions to combat that I’ve tried two other things: 1) If food is served at the bar, sit there. Not only will the bartender chitchat with you, but there are often other solo travelers/diners sitting there, too. 2) Get carry out and eat back at your hotel/hostel. 🙂
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Just One Passport
Take is a good option. I know a lot of people like to sit at the bar. I’ve found mostly men sit there and I still don’t feel comfortable doing it.
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whereivebeentravel
I love to travel solo for work and have become very comfortable eating alone. These are great tips! Thanks for sharing!
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Just One Passport
I’ve been travelling solo for almost 10 years and at times I still struggle with the eating alone part. I find it the worst at all-inclusive resorts. They just expect couples all the time
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WanderlustBeautyDreams
Such great tips! Getting out of your comfort zone always makes for better experiences.
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Just One Passport
It certainly does and such a feeling of accomplishment
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Andi Fisher (@andi_fisher)
As an introvert, I enjoy solo traveling, even if it is in my own backyard! I think when you are by yourself you can see more than when you are with someone or with a group who may distract you. It is a great thing to do from time to time!
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Just One Passport
I agree. I love being by myself and I don’t consider myself an introvert although the older i get the more I find that I just want to do things on my own or with my kids and grandkids
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Stephanie
I love this post, getting out of your comfort is not easy when travelling solo, but it is so liberating!
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Just One Passport
It sure is! You learn so much about yourself
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itsasweetsweetworld
These are really great tips for traveling solo. I totally agree that meal times are most uncomfortable during the trip when you’re alone.
http://www.itsasweetsweetworld.com
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Just One Passport
I sometimes still struggle with it
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Michelle
These are great tips. Eating alone has really never bothered me. I just sit there confidently and people watch usually, lol. I can see where this is intimidating for many people though, so your tips are great!
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Just One Passport
The thing that I get so upset about whenever I go into a restaurant, is that they ALWAYS ask one or 2? Hence my name “Just One” lol
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trekkiehousesitting
These are some great tips for solo travel. I travel with my boyfriend full-time, but now I’m itching to break away once in awhile to experience this.
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Just One Passport
You should. Even if it’s for 1 night away.. we all need our alone time sometimes
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whatilearnedis
It used to be so easy to pick up and travel with people, I was always blessed to have a big travel squad. Now, as the squad moves onto other big adventures like having children and buying houses, it’s super hard to have them commit to bigger trips, and even sometimes small ones. I know I’ll have to embark on a solo trip at some point if I want to see more of the world, and I’m SO damn nervous! I really love your point about starting out at a place I already know and love, I think I can handle that. It’s like you say, one step at a time!
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Just One Passport
That’s exactly what pushed me into solo travel. Everybody had spouses kids etc. And didn’t want to travel. I didn’t want to Give it up so off I went and haven’t looked back
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Jim Jones
My wife and I are getting more used to the idea of each of us (occasionally) taking a trip on our own. I love photography, she doesn’t. She loves sleeping in, I’m an early riser. And so on, and so on. She’s my favorite travel companion in the whole world – but sometimes, a guy’s just gotta go their own way for a while.
Great article packed with very good tips on getting outside your comfort zone. I know the “eating alone” thing is hard for some people – that was my biggest challenge at first, too.
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Just One Passport
When I was married both myself and my husband went away on our own once a year. It was a great way to unwind and do our own thing. It’s important.
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Jac | Texan Travels
Eating out is still the hardest thing for me to do on solo trips! I like to grab and go back to where I’m staying or find a nice place to sit outside. I just feel less awkward eating in a park than a restaurant!
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Aditi Sharma
I always enjoy traveling with friends and family but can completely see how traveling solo can help you connect more to yourself. I think if I ever travel solo, I would probably prefer booking a group tour. Oddly though, every now and then I enjoy having lunch at a nearby restaurant by myself and find it the perfect time to catch up on some reading. Appreciate your tips on how to get out of the comfort zone during solo travels.
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Just One Passport
I often book a group tour, depending on where I am and what it is I want to see.
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annickpeek
I don’t often travel solo and when I do, it is often for work. I do tend to sit at a bar to eat so that I can find out more about a city. While I still prefer to travel with others, there is something about traveling alone. Last year, I just ventured out on a crazy adventure for my birthday – kind of an impromptu adventure to the Outer Banks. It was a great trip and wouldn’t have been the same with someone else. I should do that more often!
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Just One Passport
The impromptu trips are always the best!
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