The Student Room Group

solo traveling

Hi everyone,

Basically, I am planning a trip for 2024, and will most likely be going alone. It's not that I have no friends, but none of them could afford or would be willing to travel. So it's either go alone or don't go at all.
I've never really traveled apart from my hometown. It's a bit difficult situation to decide where exactly to go. do you think it would be a bad idea?

Thanks in advance.
Depends a little on your age, if you're male or female, what sort of activities you're into, and where you are going.

Example: solo travelling and clubbing in Turkey or Moldova for an 18 year old white girl, could be risky. Right?

No matter who you are or where you're going, it's a good idea to stay in touch with some people back home on a regular basis and update them on your location & what you're up to. Just so that they're aware on the same day if for some reason you stop answering the phone, instead of a whole week later.

Smartphones also allow you to turn on a tracking feature which logs your location 24/7. Depends on your device. Google it and do it.
(edited 3 months ago)
Reply 2
Original post by NonIndigenous
Depends a little on your age, if you're male or female, what sort of activities you're into, and where you are going.

Example: solo travelling and clubbing in Turkey or Moldova for an 18 year old white girl, could be risky. Right?

No matter who you are or where you're going, it's a good idea to stay in touch with some people back home on a regular basis and update them on your location & what you're up to. Just so that they're aware on the same day if for some reason you stop answering the phone, instead of a whole week later.

Smartphones also allow you to turn on a tracking feature which logs your location 24/7. Depends on your device. Google it and do it.

thank you for your reply.

I'm an 18-year-old girl not white, after a bit of research I've thought of going to Italy with some other solo travelers. I've found this organization called WeRoad. I'm still not 100% sure yet cause never done this before.
Original post by kbarbosa
thank you for your reply.

I'm an 18-year-old girl not white, after a bit of research I've thought of going to Italy with some other solo travelers. I've found this organization called WeRoad. I'm still not 100% sure yet cause never done this before.

It's the first time I heard of WeRoad. A google search didn't show anything suspicious, but I only spent a minute on it.

Make sure you know in advance what the sleeping arrangements will be, who you're going with, how many people, etc. I presume the company requires you to submit some documentation proving your identity, before you can book a trip with them? That way at least there is some security monitoring the sorts of people who enrol.

Whether you are white or not has slightly different effects depending on the part of the world. I haven't researched this properly, but know anecdotally from someone who was involved in these kinds of missing cases, that white girls (particularly virgins) have a higher 'sale value' in some parts of the world. It is really disgusting and I tbh feel uncomfortable writing about things like this, but also it's important for people to be aware. Something called 'atmosphere modelling' that has been getting popular lately, involves young women being paid to act as an entourage at fancy parties to rich men and have photos of them taken for instagram. If we lived in a straightforward world, and that's all there was to it, it would be a vain and useless career but otherwise harmless. The world isn't nice & straightforward though. They target young women who need the money, and often these men expect 'extra services' similar to that which an escort would provide, and sometimes these jobs require those women to fly abroad - and this is the dangerous part.

That's slightly besides the main point of this thread. I included this information so you're aware & take appropriate precautions. You'll be mixing with strangers, some of whom may themselves have "interesting" backgrounds and be into this sort of stuff & maybe even try to introduce you to it. I have brushed against those kinds myself on some trips. I'm not trying to scaremonger. Just recommending that you stay vigilant. You could also meet some great people.
(edited 3 months ago)
Traveling solo is a fantastic idea, but if you currently feel uneasy about it, perhaps considering it when you're a bit older might be more suitable. Deciding to travel with strangers may not be the safest choice. It's true that solo travel, especially for a girl and someone of your age, can raise safety concerns.
However, traveling alone or with a group, the experience can be extremely enjoyable. If you decide to go, thorough preparation, such as familiarizing yourself with the destination and utilizing smartphone tracking features, is crucial for a safer journey.

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