Hey there, I just really want to advise you against travelling with some random internet stranger you might recruit on TSR!
Thank you for your concern, I appreciate it. I completely understand the potential risks of traveling with someone I meet online. Safety is a top priority for me, and I plan to take necessary precautions, such as thoroughly vetting potential travel companions and meeting in public spaces before making any decisions. If you have any specific tips or advice on ensuring a safe travel experience, I'd love to hear them. Safety first, always!
me except i’m broke
Well, I'd start by not recruiting some random stranger off the Internet but oh well. If you're hell-bent on it, I'd do a videocall before meeting in person with whomever you find online, and also bring a friend with you to the meeting (in a public place) to make sure you're safe. But if at all possible, please bring someone you already know to your travels.
With the actual travel bit, make sure to have someone you know aware of your itinerary and make sure you're in touch every day with someone back home (in fact, carry around their phone numbers written down so you can reach them even if your phone gets stolen). If you're one of those people that pays for stuff with their phone, stop. You want to be pulling out your phone as little as possible and you want to have alternative methods of payments other than your phone. Research the places where you want to go beforehand so you're a bit more familiar with them. Beware dodgy places and pickpocketers... and use your gut.
Travelling around Europe is quite safe though, to be fair. Just don't do anything silly and don't be too quick to trust strangers and you'll be fine!
With the actual travel bit, make sure to have someone you know aware of your itinerary and make sure you're in touch every day with someone back home (in fact, carry around their phone numbers written down so you can reach them even if your phone gets stolen). If you're one of those people that pays for stuff with their phone, stop. You want to be pulling out your phone as little as possible and you want to have alternative methods of payments other than your phone. Research the places where you want to go beforehand so you're a bit more familiar with them. Beware dodgy places and pickpocketers... and use your gut.
Travelling around Europe is quite safe though, to be fair. Just don't do anything silly and don't be too quick to trust strangers and you'll be fine!
Words of wisdom!
I went solo travelling (also as a female) last year, such an amazing experience that I loved but here are a few things I would say:
•
it wont be amazing all the time - things will go wrong! whether that's missing your train, ending up in a bad hostel or breaking your phone (I managed to do all 3) its ok to be stressed or homesick in these situations but just find a way to solve the issue and dont let it ruin your whole trip!
•
I know everyone says it but safety first! don't be afraid of splashing out and spending money on an uber if you dont feel comfortable walking through a certain area etc, or if the hostel doesn't feel right and you book into a different one last minute etc
•
continuing on from that be prepared to be flexible! I rigidly planned out my whole trip with exact dates for each travel day and hostels booked in advance (I do think generally this is a good thing as if your going in peak season hostels can be booked up very quickly) but i ended up changing my plans - once because i didnt feel safe in the area/hostel i was in and once because i met some really lovely people i wanted to spend more time with! Yes it cost me some more money but as i said before always always put your safetey first.
•
Really do you research on every place you want to go to, this will help you get the best out of your time there but also important (particularly in big cities) what areas to avoid etc Also make sure you research your hostels and make sure they have good reviews!
•
Pack as light as possible! i managed for a month with just a 25l rucksack and could have gone much longer! made travel days soooo much easier and meant that i could take pit stops on my travel days to wonder round cities/places with my luggage.
•
Personally i made the rule of never being out when it was dark on my own. I still went out lots with other people as its super easy to meet people at hostels etc but made sure i would never have to walk back on my own etc
•
Take a cheap spare phone (nokia brick etc) and make sure it has a sim card that will work abroad! give the number to your parents or a couple of friends and use it incase of emergency.
•
Personally i would keep the spare phone, my card, and passport in a locker in a hostel room and then kept my phone (with apple wallet) and a photocopy of my passport with me at all times. That way in event of either my bag being stolen or being pickpocketed myself i still had a way i could pay and contact home etc. Also dont leave your valuables on beaches when you go swimming....i had a waterproof phone bag (i used 2 just in case!) that i would use if on my own or if you meet other people you can take it turns to stay on the beach etc
•
A few essential items i would pack - locks (hostel lockers dont always provide locks) portable charger, microfibre towel, clothes washing leaves, tupperware, travel adaptor, eye mask and ear plugs
•
Finally enjoy it! Yes take reasonable precautions for your safety but try not to be paranoid about it! be open to trying new things and meeting new people, and make lots of amazing memories!
•
it wont be amazing all the time - things will go wrong! whether that's missing your train, ending up in a bad hostel or breaking your phone (I managed to do all 3) its ok to be stressed or homesick in these situations but just find a way to solve the issue and dont let it ruin your whole trip!
•
I know everyone says it but safety first! don't be afraid of splashing out and spending money on an uber if you dont feel comfortable walking through a certain area etc, or if the hostel doesn't feel right and you book into a different one last minute etc
•
continuing on from that be prepared to be flexible! I rigidly planned out my whole trip with exact dates for each travel day and hostels booked in advance (I do think generally this is a good thing as if your going in peak season hostels can be booked up very quickly) but i ended up changing my plans - once because i didnt feel safe in the area/hostel i was in and once because i met some really lovely people i wanted to spend more time with! Yes it cost me some more money but as i said before always always put your safetey first.
•
Really do you research on every place you want to go to, this will help you get the best out of your time there but also important (particularly in big cities) what areas to avoid etc Also make sure you research your hostels and make sure they have good reviews!
•
Pack as light as possible! i managed for a month with just a 25l rucksack and could have gone much longer! made travel days soooo much easier and meant that i could take pit stops on my travel days to wonder round cities/places with my luggage.
•
Personally i made the rule of never being out when it was dark on my own. I still went out lots with other people as its super easy to meet people at hostels etc but made sure i would never have to walk back on my own etc
•
Take a cheap spare phone (nokia brick etc) and make sure it has a sim card that will work abroad! give the number to your parents or a couple of friends and use it incase of emergency.
•
Personally i would keep the spare phone, my card, and passport in a locker in a hostel room and then kept my phone (with apple wallet) and a photocopy of my passport with me at all times. That way in event of either my bag being stolen or being pickpocketed myself i still had a way i could pay and contact home etc. Also dont leave your valuables on beaches when you go swimming....i had a waterproof phone bag (i used 2 just in case!) that i would use if on my own or if you meet other people you can take it turns to stay on the beach etc
•
A few essential items i would pack - locks (hostel lockers dont always provide locks) portable charger, microfibre towel, clothes washing leaves, tupperware, travel adaptor, eye mask and ear plugs
•
Finally enjoy it! Yes take reasonable precautions for your safety but try not to be paranoid about it! be open to trying new things and meeting new people, and make lots of amazing memories!
Which countries did you travel to?
•
it wont be amazing all the time - things will go wrong! whether that's missing your train, ending up in a bad hostel or breaking your phone (I managed to do all 3) its ok to be stressed or homesick in these situations but just find a way to solve the issue and dont let it ruin your whole trip!
•
I know everyone says it but safety first! don't be afraid of splashing out and spending money on an uber if you dont feel comfortable walking through a certain area etc, or if the hostel doesn't feel right and you book into a different one last minute etc
•
continuing on from that be prepared to be flexible! I rigidly planned out my whole trip with exact dates for each travel day and hostels booked in advance (I do think generally this is a good thing as if your going in peak season hostels can be booked up very quickly) but i ended up changing my plans - once because i didnt feel safe in the area/hostel i was in and once because i met some really lovely people i wanted to spend more time with! Yes it cost me some more money but as i said before always always put your safetey first.
•
Really do you research on every place you want to go to, this will help you get the best out of your time there but also important (particularly in big cities) what areas to avoid etc Also make sure you research your hostels and make sure they have good reviews!
•
Pack as light as possible! i managed for a month with just a 25l rucksack and could have gone much longer! made travel days soooo much easier and meant that i could take pit stops on my travel days to wonder round cities/places with my luggage.
•
Personally i made the rule of never being out when it was dark on my own. I still went out lots with other people as its super easy to meet people at hostels etc but made sure i would never have to walk back on my own etc
•
Take a cheap spare phone (nokia brick etc) and make sure it has a sim card that will work abroad! give the number to your parents or a couple of friends and use it incase of emergency.
•
Personally i would keep the spare phone, my card, and passport in a locker in a hostel room and then kept my phone (with apple wallet) and a photocopy of my passport with me at all times. That way in event of either my bag being stolen or being pickpocketed myself i still had a way i could pay and contact home etc. Also dont leave your valuables on beaches when you go swimming....i had a waterproof phone bag (i used 2 just in case!) that i would use if on my own or if you meet other people you can take it turns to stay on the beach etc
•
A few essential items i would pack - locks (hostel lockers dont always provide locks) portable charger, microfibre towel, clothes washing leaves, tupperware, travel adaptor, eye mask and ear plugs
•
Finally enjoy it! Yes take reasonable precautions for your safety but try not to be paranoid about it! be open to trying new things and meeting new people, and make lots of amazing memories!
I’m planning on going travelling solo this summer and this was so helpful thank you! Can I ask how you booked hostels? If you used something like HostelWorld did you find the ratings they give reliable generally?
Yes I used hostelworld for all of mine, I've heard it can be slightly cheaper in some cases to book straight from the hostels own website but I just wanted to have all my booking in one place and it was super easy to message hosts etc
ratings were generally accurate but I would definitely make sure you take a deep dive into them and not just read the top few! The one bad hostel I went to (and moved out pretty quick) was in a bad area but had a good rating. when I looked further (afterwards) most the reviews were left by men/groups/business people who would obviously have different experiences to a young female solo traveller!
The best hostels I went to by far were the ones advertised for backpackers/interrailers as you'll get to meet lots of people and they'll be walking distance from public transport which is obviously super important.
Italy, slovenia, Croatia and montenegro
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