Nine Big “Don’ts” on Solo Travel That Make a Difference

After each solo adventure I catalog the great tips, new ideas and helpful suggestions that I’ve picked up or been gifted with from other travelers. So here are a few from my most recent Moroccan adventure:

Don’t Overthink it. Solo travel is not a rite of passage. You can’t fail it. Some trips are better than others. Understand that once you’ve done your planning, booked your flights and hotels and mapped out an itinerary, the trip will take on it’s own momentum and hand you a basket filled with discoveries. Most of which you had no idea existed.

That’s what we do this for. It’s a vacation. Somebody already wrote Eat, Pray Love. You don’t have to.

Don’t Overplan. Key word here is “over”. Allow time for serendipitous discovery. Plans change. The hotel isn’t what you thought it would be. So find another! You can do this on your phone in most places. There’s an amazing museum ( or shop, or restaurant, or cafe, or view …right there!) Stop and visit! So what if it’s not on the itinerary? This is an adventure. You’re not supposed to know what’s in store. Its about trying to avoid the wash/rinse/repeat cycle, remember?

And while we’re talking about wash, Don’t Overpack. And tell me, what’s the big concern about underwear? Seriously. Pack the old stuff. Buy some pretty new things halfway through and throw the other out. Don’t do wash on a trip. Pack light. No one will care or remember what you wear. You’ll see my hot pink sweatshirt show up on every trip. It’s comfortable and visible. I’m easy to pick out in a crowd.

Don’t Worry about Exchange Rates and ATM charges. That’s a pre-planning item. Choose a credit card that won’t gig you for transaction fees. Do this before you go. Understand that ATMs in airports usually offer the least favorable exchange rates but if you simple HAVE to have some money, get it! What are we talking about here? Your peace of mind is worth a couple of extra dollars and you should not be walking around with a lot of cash. So be prudent, pay with that selected card when you can and use a reliable, safe ATM when you need some walking around money.

Don’t Drink the Water, Or Eat Raw Salads washed in the water. Unless you’re sure it’s relatively parasite-free. Which in most of the UK and Europe it will be. Morocco, not so much. I drank only bottled water and ate nothing that was uncooked my entire trip. I had zero problems. Check before you sip. In every other place I’ve visited in the last year, the water was perfect. But it helps to check.

Don’t NOT Talk to Strangers. (Forgive the double negative in the interest of staying on theme, here.) OF COURSE talk to strangers! Everyone is a stranger when you travel and just about every person you meet will be kind, helpful and interesting if you use the intuition and savvy that’s gotten you this far for this long. Seriously girlfriend. Stay with your own gender for casual conversations. If unmarried, avoid scouting expeditions for men. There are apps for that and you’re better off at home. Engage with other couples traveling or residents. That’s half the fun!! I loved speaking French with the Moroccans and they kindly engaged and even helped me with my Arabic.

Don’t Avoid Being Alone. It’s nourishing. You’ve taken care of someone else, probably many others in fact, for your entire adult life. It’s your turn. Change course and stop at that charming souk. Have a spur of the moment cappuccino in that window on the world cafe. Listen to street music. Sit. Walk. Watch. And rest when you need to. When YOU need to.

Don’t Get Locked into an Itinerary or reservation. You tried. Okay, you need more time in Marrakech? There’s a splendid Riad and you just have to stay for a few nights? A Hammam you really want to visit?Paris is lovely during the holidays, so spend an extra couple of days. Maybe that side trip that you booked to Belfast isn’t what you feel like doing today. Cancel it! Be prudent and courteous but do what you WANT to do. Most of us aren’t going to visit these places on our own more than once so take advantage of the travel magic.

Remember the cardinal rule of travel. EVERYTHING can be changed. It might take a little work but it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it. Usually it is.

Travel Often. Travel Well. Travel Solo or Not. Just Travel. xoxo