I began solo traveling five years ago.  It was not something I had planned to do.  My husband and I were GREAT travel partners.  Following his death in 2017, I was faced with either traveling alone or searching for another travel partner.  As I searched the internet for information on the many destinations on my travel list, I found several websites by women travelers who continue to travel the world alone!  These women were from different backgrounds and age groups.  I immediately recognized fear as my #1 barrier.  Because I know that God does not want me to live in fear, I was determined to figure out how to enjoy safe solo traveling.  Here are some of the things I’ve learned so far!

1.      Travel LIGHT!

As I was gaining confidence for my first solo adventure, my heart sank as I looked to the many suitcases I always used when traveling.  Without John, who would carry all my suitcases?  No matter how many trips we went on together, one of the last things John would say to me as he was loading all the suitcases in the car was, “Do you really need all this ..?!?!”  The first time he said this to me I was highly offended.  After all, I spent so much time making a packing list and making sure nothing was missed.  Without John here, I really needed to reassess my packing habits.  I found myself back on the internet reviewing the websites of those women who traveled the world alone.  Many of them, to my surprise, traveled with carry-on luggage only.  How in the world is this even possible?  I then found Travel Tips by Laurie – YouTube videos that teach you how to effectively travel with ONLY carry-on luggage.  I learned to roll my clothes and to mix and match outfits rather than take a different outfit for each day. 

On my trip home from Alaska, as I was waiting to get off the plane, I heard a dad speak to his young daughter in the seat behind me. He was talking with her about the blanket and pillow and other items she brought with her that she really didn’t use. She then said to her dad very respectfully, “But, Dad, I wanted to be prepared.” Her Dad then said, “Being overpacked is not the same as being prepared.” I could hear my husband’s voice as this dad spoke to his daughter. I never really understood this saying until I was forced to carry my own luggage.

2.     Cold Medicine

I’ve always traveled with a small bag of over-the-counter medicines, but for some reason, on this last trip, I did not pack cough drops.  I really needed them on this Alaska trip especially after spending the entire day on a boat in 30-degree weather.  When there is no Walmart around, prices can go through the roof.  At the Denali Resort, I spent $6.50 on a small bag of Halls cough drops.  When I got home, one of the first things I did when unpacking was refilling my over-the-counter medicine bag with cough drops!

3.     Tea Bags

I am a big tea drinker and always travel with tea bags.  I love green tea and certain herbal teas.  Most hotels will only have English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea bags.  I really do not like those choices, so I bring several tea bags in a small Ziploc bag.  

4.     Ben Gay

If your travel plans include hiking or lots of walking, this is always a good thing to have in your travel bag.  There is nothing like a hot bath and a little Ben Gay to help with recovery. 

5.     Always pack an extra pair of shoes AND extra shoelaces!

Shoelaces are important especially if your shoes are to be worn for separate activities.  Dinner shoes would not be appropriate shoes for hiking.  If the shoelaces on your hiking boots break and you do not have spare shoelaces, dinner shoes will not help.  You may also find yourself spending quite a bit more than the cough drops for an extra pair of hiking shoelaces.

6.     Always call the Hotel before packing!

When packing, it is always good to check the weather.  If rain is an issue, then roll up the rain jacket and put it in your carry-on luggage.  However, sometimes, all you need is an umbrella.  I sometimes have space to add a small fold up umbrella, but found that in the nicer hotels, they almost always have large umbrellas for guests to borrow during their stay. 

I found the same luxury with trekking poles.  Most airlines do not allow trekking poles as carry-on items even if they can fold to fit in carry-on luggage.  I don’t really understand the reasoning behind it.  These poles are no different in many ways to the standard fold up walking cane.  However, to avoid airline hassles, if trekking poles are needed for my travel plans, I usually make a stop at a local Walmart.  I’ve spent no more than $12 on a trekking pole.  When I traveled to Utah, I used the pole in all five National Parks and then left the pole in the last hotel room with a nice note for the cleaning team.  To my surprise, both the Princess Lodge in Cooper Landing and the McKinley Chalet Resort in Denali National Park, provided trekking poles for each of their guests upon request.  What a nice amenity to offer!

7.     Be flexible in the event you do get sick during your trip!

This certainly doesn’t happen often, but when you travel from 90-degree weather (that would be Florida) to 40-degree weather (that would be Alaska in August), you may just find yourself sniffling despite the many layers of clothing.  Hotel planning is key to ensuring you have a nice lobby – maybe with a beautiful fireplace – to be comfortable even on cold, rainy, snowy, or just sniffly days.

8.     Always bring a book or two (or more) to read!

Books are relaxing after a long day of exploring.  You can always read by the hotel pool or maybe a nice fireplace in the hotel lobby. 

I hope these 8 travel tips help you plan your next trip!  Please share in the comments below any travel tips you recommend.  It’s always GREAT to learn from each other.

I've added a new page to my website. When you travel as much as I do, you discover helpful accessories. My Travel Accessories page contains all the helpful items I've discovered so far. I will add to this list as I explore new places and try out new things. Check out the new page for some really GREAT ideas!

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