Female Solo Travel Mistakes you Should Avoid Making

Solo traveling is such a great experience however when you are traveling alone, safety is always key. It is important to make the best of your trip, but you have to take a couple of precautions to create a fun and memorable vacation that you will look back on fondly.

These are some common solo travel mistakes you should avoid.

NOT PREPARING BEFOREHAND: Sometimes, you think that it is better to just ‘wing it,’ but getting lost in a foreign country is only fun in the movies. Be prepared beforehand by packing the right clothes, doing some basic research on where you should and shouldn’t visit. Not every city is solo-traveller friendly.
BEING HONEST: When travelling alone, there’s no reason to be telling strangers you’re alone. You can even invent a fake boyfriend or husband and tell people you are waiting for him. If you don’t trust someone, or they are giving you a weird vibe, there is nothing wrong with faking a story.
ARRIVING LATE AT NIGHT: As much as possible, try to take a red-eye flight so you can arrive early in the morning. Try to avoid arriving at airports and hotels late at night. You must not arrive late if you’re unfamiliar with the city. Daylight is your greatest friend in a foreign country.
DRINKING: It’s perfectly fine to have a drink alone at a bar but you shouldn’t have multiple drinks when travelling alone. Being intoxicated puts you in a vulnerable and dangerous position. Know your limits and be firm even if you are offered a drink. Know when you’ve had enough and politely say no thanks.
BEING TOO POLITE: Your biggest concern on a trip is safety and not hurting someone’s feelings but when travelling alone, you need to be firm and assertive. Being too polite might be taken or interpreted as weakness.
AVOIDING SMALL TALK: Meeting people is one of the greatest joys of travelling and you can learn a lot from people, especially when they lead entirely different lives. When you travel, make an effort to fully invest yourself in the culture get to know their history.
BEING IGNORANT OF THE CULTURE: This is possibly one of the biggest mistakes you can make. You need to take some time ahead of the trip to read up on the customs and traditions of the country you’re visiting. Remember you are a visitor and it is your responsibility to make adjustments out of respect for the country you’re visiting. You will feel much less out of place if you take the time to truly learn and assimilate to the culture, even if your trip is just for a couple of days.