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Gbgeorgia1
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10 Jun 2018, 5:03 pm

For some time I've been thinking about taking a break by myself, I have travelled many times and feel as if its something I would like to do.
But I'm not so good at coping in situations where I have to find somewhere I don't know.
But travelling to a place I've been before might be best.
I'm worried about messing up or having a meltdown, panicking... if you get what I'm saying.
Any advice here :?: :|



Kiprobalhato
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10 Jun 2018, 5:12 pm

i did that when i was 19. i went somewhere i had never been before.


how do you think you'll mess up?


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ltcvnzl
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10 Jun 2018, 5:28 pm

i like to travel alone, i think it's easier than traveling with someone because i can respect my own limits without needing to deal with others judgements or ideas. i once tried to travel with a friend and it was terrible and we are not friends anymore, she end up letting me alone in the middle of the travel, after we discussing several times because she was too impulsive while i need to know what was going to happen... she just didn't want to follow what we had planned.

if you are afraid to have difficult finding places, try to learn a lot about the place you are going before. most of cities have some logic underneath, if you understand it, it's easy to navigate and find places. make a map and make sure you have your phone with internet access so you can use google maps. if you are feeling fragile, maybe is good to be able to get in touch with someone you like and can comfort and calm down you.



Gbgeorgia1
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10 Jun 2018, 5:35 pm

ltcvnzl wrote:
i like to travel alone, i think it's easier than traveling with someone because i can respect my own limits without needing to deal with others judgements or ideas. i once tried to travel with a friend and it was terrible and we are not friends anymore, she end up letting me alone in the middle of the travel, after we discussing several times because she was too impulsive while i need to know what was going to happen... she just didn't want to follow what we had planned.

if you are afraid to have difficult finding places, try to learn a lot about the place you are going before. most of cities have some logic underneath, if you understand it, it's easy to navigate and find places. make a map and make sure you have your phone with internet access so you can use google maps. if you are feeling fragile, maybe is good to be able to get in touch with someone you like and can comfort and calm down you.

I thought it would be easier and can plan what you want,making things like a map, plan, checklist would help.



Gbgeorgia1
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10 Jun 2018, 5:36 pm

Kiprobalhato wrote:
i did that when i was 19. i went somewhere i had never been before.


how do you think you'll mess up?

Not remembering things, leaving belongings, being late for transport.
I think there more like rational fears that some people have, but that's one reason I want to go by myself.



ltcvnzl
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10 Jun 2018, 6:01 pm

about leaving belongings, take the minimum possible of things with you and i think it will help you to keep a more organized luggage and won't miss things. maybe write a checklist to confirm everything.

on being late, try to plan yourself the better possible to arrive with a good margin of time. i often arrive one hour earlier because i'm really afraid of losing transport. then you can just use this time to know the station. but even if you lost your transport, it's not the end of the world. the only time i lost a bus i felt so terrible and i cried a lot but people were so nice to me and contacted the bus that returned to pick me.

as traveling alone, i felt that actually a lot of people are nice and they are open to help you because they understand it can be hard to travel alone.



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10 Jun 2018, 6:34 pm

ltcvnzl wrote:
i like to travel alone, i think it's easier than traveling with someone because i can respect my own limits without needing to deal with others judgements or ideas. i once tried to travel with a friend and it was terrible and we are not friends anymore, she end up letting me alone in the middle of the travel, after we discussing several times because she was too impulsive while i need to know what was going to happen... she just didn't want to follow what we had planned.

if you are afraid to have difficult finding places, try to learn a lot about the place you are going before. most of cities have some logic underneath, if you understand it, it's easy to navigate and find places. make a map and make sure you have your phone with internet access so you can use google maps. if you are feeling fragile, maybe is good to be able to get in touch with someone you like and can comfort and calm down you.


^^^^^^ I prefer to travel alone for all the reasons above and then some. it is a great experience and I also find it enriching.


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10 Jun 2018, 10:26 pm

Forgetting things is very common. I use checklists to help with that. A few gaps can usually be filled at a shop, or worked around. Researching a destination is getting easier every year, but I still prefer personal referrals and suggestions.

The Company of Gentlemen Adventurers Trading out of Hudson's Bay (AKA The BAY dept . store) used to head off into the woods with a "Hudson's Bay Start." They wouldn't head out early and hung over, they'd leave around noon and just go up the river to the first decent campsite. There, they'd find out what was missing, and send the forgetful lads on a quick paddle back to base. The personal equivalent might be a picnic in the nearest park.



snowball5
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11 Jun 2018, 3:49 am

Don't overthink it and just do it. You should have at least some idea where you are going, but traveling is not that hard, especially if you are going into cities (there are always people willing to help you). Just make sure someone knows where you are going. And always have your phone, as that's the most versatile tool to get you out of trouble. Traveling alone comes with a lot of freedom, which is why I started doing it. I tried going on longer trips with friends, but I was never able to find anyone compatible enough. I'm hoping to one day find a person with whom the decision making will be as easy as if I was alone.



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11 Jun 2018, 4:36 am

I've done plenty of travelling by myself over the years, and I've always enjoyed it.

I'd suggest doing plenty of research beforehand - make a plan of everything you want to see and do in advance, but not cram too much in a short time frame, to allow for a bit of time to unwind if you need it, and in case plans take longer than expected.

And if you're worried about getting lost, make use of Google Maps like others have said, and even noting down directions to places in advance should help the trip go smoothly.



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11 Jun 2018, 4:59 am

"There are always people willing to help you"
There are also people willing to use you. I went travelling last week, intending to spend a week exploring the sights between two cities. I have full housekeeping facilities in my car and planned to spend the first night in my favourite free spot, but it was unavailable. Not wanting to be disturbed, I paid $25 to park in a campsite. I was not warned about the resident peacocks, and had to leave with only four hours of sleep, and cancel the rest of the trip to recover.



NorwichGeorge
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11 Jun 2018, 12:56 pm

I have all those same worries but I think that by doing something big like travelling on your own that when you do succeed, as you will if you're properly prepared, that you'll see huge benefits to your confidence and your growth as a person.

I always take a small notepad with me. Inside I write the address of everything from the hotel to activities to restaurants and I make several itineraries with a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C etc. It's planning overload but it gets my anxiety down. I also give myself plenty of time. Last year my flight was delayed when I didn't have as long as I would have liked for a connecting flight and I had to run across an airport and it was horrible. I hadn't booked the flight and I would have tried to give myself much longer so I could feel more secure in the fact that I wasn't going to miss it. I take this a little to the extreme at times like I'm wondering whether giving myself 7 hours to get from my house to the airport (a 3 hour train journey) is long enough for my trip later in the year and whether I should go the night before. I'll probably go the night before as I will be more relaxed flying (although I have an overnight layover so it will be 3 days travelling...)

This October I'll be spending a week in Mexico City on my own and it'll be my first time outside of Europe solo. Then I will meet up with some people I went on holiday with last year for a week in LA. I'm looking forward to the week on my own so much more as I know I'll get to do what I want to do and know that I can duck out of anything if I'm feeling overwhelmed.



Gbgeorgia1
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11 Jun 2018, 9:13 pm

NorwichGeorge wrote:
I have all those same worries but I think that by doing something big like travelling on your own that when you do succeed, as you will if you're properly prepared, that you'll see huge benefits to your confidence and your growth as a person.

I always take a small notepad with me. Inside I write the address of everything from the hotel to activities to restaurants and I make several itineraries with a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C etc. It's planning overload but it gets my anxiety down. I also give myself plenty of time. Last year my flight was delayed when I didn't have as long as I would have liked for a connecting flight and I had to run across an airport and it was horrible. I hadn't booked the flight and I would have tried to give myself much longer so I could feel more secure in the fact that I wasn't going to miss it. I take this a little to the extreme at times like I'm wondering whether giving myself 7 hours to get from my house to the airport (a 3 hour train journey) is long enough for my trip later in the year and whether I should go the night before. I'll probably go the night before as I will be more relaxed flying (although I have an overnight layover so it will be 3 days travelling...)

This October I'll be spending a week in Mexico City on my own and it'll be my first time outside of Europe solo. Then I will meet up with some people I went on holiday with last year for a week in LA. I'm looking forward to the week on my own so much more as I know I'll get to do what I want to do and know that I can duck out of anything if I'm feeling overwhelmed.


Good luck with going to Mexico, I’d love to go there :D, everybody says they enjoyed it. Id especially like to go to the day of the dead festival.



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11 Jun 2018, 10:16 pm

I LOVE travelling on my own. It's the only way for me. I travelled with people, sometimes it was ok if it's just the two of us and for a short period but usually ends up being a miserable experience because a- i will be sleep deprived from being subjected to their breathing b- i have to be nice to my travelling partner/z and engage with them in conversation at all times. Of course, who you are travelling with matters greatly.

either way, travelling solo means you can meet people in a more adventurous way and you also have the freedom to do what you want. I am planning a trip to Svalbard this July and another one to Japan in October or, if short of money as I probably will be, next spring :D both are my dream destinations. The artic + Japan. I don't care about them 'hip' places. (well japan has become kind of hip but it's been my dream since forever)


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11 Jun 2018, 10:34 pm

Gbgeorgia1 wrote:
But travelling to a place I've been before might be best.

I like that idea, especially if you haven't traveled alone before. Keep it simple and branch out from there as your comfort level increases. Run a simulation or two before the real mission. 8)



NorwichGeorge
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12 Jun 2018, 1:28 am

Gbgeorgia1 wrote:
NorwichGeorge wrote:
I have all those same worries but I think that by doing something big like travelling on your own that when you do succeed, as you will if you're properly prepared, that you'll see huge benefits to your confidence and your growth as a person.

I always take a small notepad with me. Inside I write the address of everything from the hotel to activities to restaurants and I make several itineraries with a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C etc. It's planning overload but it gets my anxiety down. I also give myself plenty of time. Last year my flight was delayed when I didn't have as long as I would have liked for a connecting flight and I had to run across an airport and it was horrible. I hadn't booked the flight and I would have tried to give myself much longer so I could feel more secure in the fact that I wasn't going to miss it. I take this a little to the extreme at times like I'm wondering whether giving myself 7 hours to get from my house to the airport (a 3 hour train journey) is long enough for my trip later in the year and whether I should go the night before. I'll probably go the night before as I will be more relaxed flying (although I have an overnight layover so it will be 3 days travelling...)

This October I'll be spending a week in Mexico City on my own and it'll be my first time outside of Europe solo. Then I will meet up with some people I went on holiday with last year for a week in LA. I'm looking forward to the week on my own so much more as I know I'll get to do what I want to do and know that I can duck out of anything if I'm feeling overwhelmed.


Good luck with going to Mexico, I’d love to go there :D, everybody says they enjoyed it. Id especially like to go to the day of the dead festival.



I'm unfortunately going the week before then...

I think my first trip solo was a weekend in London which was a pretty easy one as it's only two hours on a train and it's a place I know relatively well.

I don't like eating in restaurants on my own though, it's the only downside I find. I'd like to be able to find a travel buddy where we could set our own day time schedules and then meet up in the evening for food. That would be the ideal for me. Pluses of both solo travelling and being with someone.