How to be a smart independent traveller?

Fortunately, traveling solo is a choice more and more women are increasingly taking – in fact, according to this 2013 poll, ladies now take more solo trips than men. Sometimes that’s by choice, and sometimes it’s just easier to take the trip you want without worrying about finding someone to drag along with you.
So, how do you make the most of this experience? What do you need to plan ahead for, how do you stay safe, and what choices might you make that you wouldn’t if you were traveling with a partner or in a group?

1. Stay alert and aware of your surroundings. If you’ve ever been to a big city, this is a natural part of being out and about, and we’re not talking about any measure much more extraordinary than that. But it does mean you should be careful of how much you imbibe, so maybe cut yourself off from the vino a little earlier than you would have at home. When all you have to rely on is you, you need sound judgment.

2. Know where you’re going. Do as much research as you can on your destination. Being informed is half the battle. What are the cultural expectations of women in that country? Because guess what, you will be temporarily joining their ranks. For example, even in Muslim countries where it’s not expected for western tourists to cover their hair, you still shouldn’t show off that sexy wrist or ankle. Even if changing your wardrobe that much makes you feel a little repressed or indignant (something I struggled with a little), it’s better than dealing with the unwanted attention (which I got anyway, but could have been worse). Also find out what kind of crime is most common there, what neighborhoods not to go to, and how to get help if you need it. Wikitravel and TripAdvisor are my go-to websites for getting a cursory knowledge of my destinations, and the State Dept. has country-specific safety information. Guidebook quality can vary by publisher and destination (making it impossible for me to blanket-recommend any one publisher over another) but most now include a section on safety for female travelers.

3. Stay in public areas whenever possible, and especially when you don’t feel safe. The more people who can see you, the more pressure creeps feel to act in a way acceptable to overall society, and generally the safer you are. You might be traveling by yourself, but that doesn’t mean you should be truly alone when you’re out exploring if you can help it.

4. Be careful of who you give information to. Don’t reveal too many details of your itinerary to people you meet, especially where you’re staying. Your hotel or hostel needs to be a safe haven. This can be tricky because asking the name of your hotel can be an innocent question, but if you’re alone you should be a little more cautious.

5. On that note, make sure the right people do know your plans. Give a trusted family member or friend a copy of your itinerary and let them know if anything changes mid-trip. Check in with them regularly so they know all is well. To be extra safe, you can also register your travel with the State Dept.

6. Trust your gut. If a person or situation feels off, there’s probably a reason. Your brain takes in way more information than you can reasonably process, and it’s putting two-and-two together under the surface. Intuition and gut feelings aren’t made of fairy dust or unicorn farts – they’re real and should be heeded.

7. Protect your stuff - this usually means leaving nice things at home. When you’re out walking around, don’t carry too many valuables – and remember that even things you may not consider all that expensive could be worth a lot where you’re going. Leave expensive jewelry and electronics at home. If it would be devastating to lose it, you probably shouldn’t bring it. I’ve never worn one, but money belts are a good way to keep valuables safe. They even make ones that clip onto your bra. I also prefer to carry cross-body handbags to make it a little less easy for a thief to grab it from me – and then wear them so the purse-side is opposite from the street, with my hand on it always. That alone is usually enough to deter thieves from targeting you, because you look alert.

8. Protect your travel documents. Book rooms that have safes in them if you can, because in most locations you’ll want to leave your passport in your room. Carrying it around with you on days you’re not flying is asking to have it stolen. I have a photo of my passport saved in my phone at all times and this, along with a driver’s license, is usually going to be sufficient to identify yourself if needed when you’re out exploring. The State Dept. also advises having the address and emergency contact information of your nearest US Embassy or Consulate on you at all times. I’ve never done this, but it couldn’t hurt.

9. Study maps ahead of time and access them discretely when you’re out and about. It’s important to have a general idea where you’re going, but nothing screams “I’m a tourist, take advantage of me!” like studying an open paper map on a street corner. I myself have occasionally had to do it, but it’s a good idea to avoid this situation. Get to know the layout of the city you’re visiting – and then download an offline city map on your smartphone. I recently discovered an iPhone app called CityMaps2Go and now I can’t imagine travel without it. For $2.99 you can download almost 7,000 interactive maps for all parts of the world – and they’re all available offline, which is important because you should always have data roaming turned off while traveling to avoid crazy $20/MB charges. It’s a lot more discrete to study your phone than a paper map, but of course you should also be careful not to flash your phone around too much either.

10. Write down the address of where you’re staying and keep it with you, hidden in a safe place. If you get lost and can’t communicate in the country’s native language, you can still show this to a cab driver to get home safely.

11. Wear clothing that is both modest and makes you feel confident. Writer and career coach Jennifer Dziura recommends making the classic blazer your light jacket of choice when traveling in an article I’ve personally referenced many times, “How To Travel Like A Gentlewoman”:

12. Consider travel insurance. Rarely appreciated until you need it, travel insurance can be a safety net for the financial investment you’ve made, which might be worth it just for your peace of mind. If you have an AmEx card, check with a customer service representative because you get some (limited) travel insurance benefits with card membership.

13. Stay open to new experiences. The whole point of traveling at all is to expose yourself to new cultures, ideas, people, and environments. Going solo opens you up to this aspect of travel to a greater degree than if you travel with friends. Solo travel can be (and usually is!) just as safe as traveling with others, so don’t let irrational fear keep you from having an amazing, life-changing trip.

14. Keep a travel journal. There’s a lot going on both around you and within you when you travel by yourself, and later you’re going to want to remember it. But once you’re back, home life settles in again and the memories of your trip will start to fade or run together. Keep a good record of your time abroad without letting it pull you out of the moment.

15. Plan the first day of your trip well. Booking international flights with miles for free as I do, I have to be flexible about the timing of my flights. But if you can make it happen, you’ll feel much better about arriving during daylight hours. Try to plan your trip so that you arrive in each new location with plenty of sunlight and time to get to your accommodations. Most international flights leave in the evening and arrive in the morning, so this is pretty likely to be the case anyway, but it’s worth noting.