After my 20-year marriage ended, I was afraid to travel alone. Now, I've been to 21 countries by myself.
After my 20-year marriage ended, I began traveling alone and I've since visited 21 countries.
I've developed strategies for staying safe as a solo traveler and I always keep my phone on me.
I was worried about feeling awkward dining alone, but talking to strangers and journaling helps.
For decades, solo travel never really crossed my mind.
Really, it didn't have to: I had a built-in travel partner in my husband and we'd spent 20 years exploring the world together. Then, he left.
Although I was afraid to travel alone, I decided to continue planning trips once I was single. Fortunately, navigating many challenging parts of solo travel has been easier than I'd imagined.
I've found strategies for dealing with language barriers
I'm a monoglot, but learning a few key phrases in my destination's local language has helped me on every trip.
My staples are "hello," "please," and "thank you" as being polite can go a long way. Google Translate, Duolingo, and other free apps make learning a few words in any language a snap.
In a pinch, pantomiming can also work well — and it's good for a laugh. On a trip to Hungary, I was struggling to let hotel staff know I wanted to leave my heavy bottles of water at the front desk so I didn't have to carry them on my upcoming castle tour.
By the time I finished pretending to march up a steep hill carrying 3 gallons of water, the clerk and I were doubled over in laughter (and I had managed to communicate my message).
Although I still feel homesick or lonely, I know how to handle it now
As much as I hate depending on my smartphone, it comes in handy when I travel. No matter how far from home I am, I can easily chat with friends on social media or FaceTime my daughter.
I also stay connected to home throughout my trip by shopping for a special piece of art or a coffee mug in a new destination. I love to imagine which wall it might adorn or how I'll enjoy that first cappuccino once I'm home.
Sometimes, I mail myself postcards throughout my travels. As I jot my address down and imagine the card winging its way to my mailbox, it's a promise that I'll be back.
Daily journaling is also one of my favorite ways to combat loneliness. I use use writing as a brief (or long) meditation to help me stay in touch with myself.
Writing about an emotion helps it press less heavily on my heart. As a bonus, my notebook has become a keepsake of my thoughts on the road.
Dining alone took some getting used to but I've learned to love it
Speaking of my journal, it's also a wonderful dinner companion.
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Although I was initially nervous about eating alone at restaurants, I've started to really enjoy it.
I like not having to compromise over the meal time or what to order. I can eat as slowly or as quickly as I want whenever I'm hungry and get what sounds good to me.
Whenever I'm feeling awkward waiting for my meal alone, I read a book, write, edit photos, or chat with people at nearby tables.
I've also found food tours are also a terrific way to learn about a culture while sharing a meal with strangers. They just might become friends.
Safety is always top of mind since I'm a woman traveling alone
Throughout my travels, I've created some rules and routines that help me feel as safe as possible while abroad.
For example, I try to avoid landing in a new city at night. When that's not doable, I book an airport transfer directly through my hotel.
It's reassuring to see my name on a placard as I exit customs instead of trying my luck with a random cab or trying to take public transit in the dark.
Since I'm an early riser, I focus on exploring from sunrise to sunset and try to always be back at my hotel by nightfall.
To work with this schedule, I often make lunch my main meal and have "hotel-room picnics" for dinner. Usually, this consists of eating food I'd gathered from markets during the day while catching up with friends or watching a comfort movie on Netflix.
If I'm heading out at night for a wine tasting or pub crawl, I always splurge on a taxi rather than take public transportation.
The more I travel alone, the more confident I feel
After exploring so many countries by myself, I've become quite comfortable with solo travel.
Each trip has helped me build my confidence, whether I'm navigating public transportation in foreign languages or chatting with strangers.
It turns out solo travel is a muscle — the more you flex it, the less overwhelming it feels. Although I was once a little nervous to see the world on my own, the freedom I experience on the road is now my greatest joy.
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After my 20-year marriage ended, I was afraid to travel alone. Now, I've been to 21 countries by myself.
After my 20-year marriage ended, I began traveling alone and I've since visited 21 countries. I've developed strategies for staying safe as a solo traveler and I always keep my phone on me. I was worried about feeling awkward dining alone, but talking to strangers and journaling helps. For decades, solo travel never really crossed my mind. Really, it didn't have to: I had a built-in travel partner in my husband and we'd spent 20 years exploring the world together. Then, he left. Although I was afraid to travel alone, I decided to continue planning trips once I was single. Fortunately, navigating many challenging parts of solo travel has been easier than I'd imagined. I'm a monoglot, but learning a few key phrases in my destination's local language has helped me on every trip. My staples are "hello," "please," and "thank you" as being polite can go a long way. Google Translate, Duolingo, and other free apps make learning a few words in any language a snap. In a pinch, pantomiming can also work well — and it's good for a laugh. On a trip to Hungary, I was struggling to let hotel staff know I wanted to leave my heavy bottles of water at the front desk so I didn't have to carry them on my upcoming castle tour. By the time I finished pretending to march up a steep hill carrying 3 gallons of water, the clerk and I were doubled over in laughter (and I had managed to communicate my message). As much as I hate depending on my smartphone, it comes in handy when I travel. No matter how far from home I am, I can easily chat with friends on social media or FaceTime my daughter. I also stay connected to home throughout my trip by shopping for a special piece of art or a coffee mug in a new destination. I love to imagine which wall it might adorn or how I'll enjoy that first cappuccino once I'm home. Sometimes, I mail myself postcards throughout my travels. As I jot my address down and imagine the card winging its way to my mailbox, it's a promise that I'll be back. Daily journaling is also one of my favorite ways to combat loneliness. I use use writing as a brief (or long) meditation to help me stay in touch with myself. Writing about an emotion helps it press less heavily on my heart. As a bonus, my notebook has become a keepsake of my thoughts on the road. Speaking of my journal, it's also a wonderful dinner companion. Although I was initially nervous about eating alone at restaurants, I've started to really enjoy it. I like not having to compromise over the meal time or what to order. I can eat as slowly or as quickly as I want whenever I'm hungry and get what sounds good to me. Whenever I'm feeling awkward waiting for my meal alone, I read a book, write, edit photos, or chat with people at nearby tables. I've also found food tours are also a terrific way to learn about a culture while sharing a meal with strangers. They just might become friends. Throughout my travels, I've created some rules and routines that help me feel as safe as possible while abroad. For example, I try to avoid landing in a new city at night. When that's not doable, I book an airport transfer directly through my hotel. It's reassuring to see my name on a placard as I exit customs instead of trying my luck with a random cab or trying to take public transit in the dark. Since I'm an early riser, I focus on exploring from sunrise to sunset and try to always be back at my hotel by nightfall. To work with this schedule, I often make lunch my main meal and have "hotel-room picnics" for dinner. Usually, this consists of eating food I'd gathered from markets during the day while catching up with friends or watching a comfort movie on Netflix. If I'm heading out at night for a wine tasting or pub crawl, I always splurge on a taxi rather than take public transportation. After exploring so many countries by myself, I've become quite comfortable with solo travel. Each trip has helped me build my confidence, whether I'm navigating public transportation in foreign languages or chatting with strangers. It turns out solo travel is a muscle — the more you flex it, the less overwhelming it feels. Although I was once a little nervous to see the world on my own, the freedom I experience on the road is now my greatest joy. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
9 hours ago
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After my 20-year marriage ended, I was afraid to travel alone. Now, I've been to 21 countries by myself.
After my 20-year marriage ended, I began traveling alone and I've since visited 21 countries. I've developed strategies for staying safe as a solo traveler and I always keep my phone on me. I was worried about feeling awkward dining alone, but talking to strangers and journaling helps. For decades, solo travel never really crossed my mind. Really, it didn't have to: I had a built-in travel partner in my husband and we'd spent 20 years exploring the world together. Then, he left. Although I was afraid to travel alone, I decided to continue planning trips once I was single. Fortunately, navigating many challenging parts of solo travel has been easier than I'd imagined. I've found strategies for dealing with language barriers I'm a monoglot, but learning a few key phrases in my destination's local language has helped me on every trip. My staples are "hello," "please," and "thank you" as being polite can go a long way. Google Translate, Duolingo, and other free apps make learning a few words in any language a snap. In a pinch, pantomiming can also work well — and it's good for a laugh. On a trip to Hungary, I was struggling to let hotel staff know I wanted to leave my heavy bottles of water at the front desk so I didn't have to carry them on my upcoming castle tour. By the time I finished pretending to march up a steep hill carrying 3 gallons of water, the clerk and I were doubled over in laughter (and I had managed to communicate my message). Although I still feel homesick or lonely, I know how to handle it now As much as I hate depending on my smartphone, it comes in handy when I travel. No matter how far from home I am, I can easily chat with friends on social media or FaceTime my daughter. I also stay connected to home throughout my trip by shopping for a special piece of art or a coffee mug in a new destination. I love to imagine which wall it might adorn or how I'll enjoy that first cappuccino once I'm home. Sometimes, I mail myself postcards throughout my travels. As I jot my address down and imagine the card winging its way to my mailbox, it's a promise that I'll be back. Daily journaling is also one of my favorite ways to combat loneliness. I use use writing as a brief (or long) meditation to help me stay in touch with myself. Writing about an emotion helps it press less heavily on my heart. As a bonus, my notebook has become a keepsake of my thoughts on the road. Dining alone took some getting used to but I've learned to love it Speaking of my journal, it's also a wonderful dinner companion. Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role — it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. Continue By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Although I was initially nervous about eating alone at restaurants, I've started to really enjoy it. I like not having to compromise over the meal time or what to order. I can eat as slowly or as quickly as I want whenever I'm hungry and get what sounds good to me. Whenever I'm feeling awkward waiting for my meal alone, I read a book, write, edit photos, or chat with people at nearby tables. I've also found food tours are also a terrific way to learn about a culture while sharing a meal with strangers. They just might become friends. Safety is always top of mind since I'm a woman traveling alone Throughout my travels, I've created some rules and routines that help me feel as safe as possible while abroad. For example, I try to avoid landing in a new city at night. When that's not doable, I book an airport transfer directly through my hotel. It's reassuring to see my name on a placard as I exit customs instead of trying my luck with a random cab or trying to take public transit in the dark. Since I'm an early riser, I focus on exploring from sunrise to sunset and try to always be back at my hotel by nightfall. To work with this schedule, I often make lunch my main meal and have "hotel-room picnics" for dinner. Usually, this consists of eating food I'd gathered from markets during the day while catching up with friends or watching a comfort movie on Netflix. If I'm heading out at night for a wine tasting or pub crawl, I always splurge on a taxi rather than take public transportation. The more I travel alone, the more confident I feel After exploring so many countries by myself, I've become quite comfortable with solo travel. Each trip has helped me build my confidence, whether I'm navigating public transportation in foreign languages or chatting with strangers. It turns out solo travel is a muscle — the more you flex it, the less overwhelming it feels. Although I was once a little nervous to see the world on my own, the freedom I experience on the road is now my greatest joy.
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I had no idea how brutal traveling during the first trimester of pregnancy would be. Here's how I got through nausea, fatigue, and more.
Traveling in the first trimester was harder than I imagined, even with all the right tools. A nausea kit, flexible mindset, and supportive shoes saved me. Travel doesn't have to be canceled in pregnancy, but it does require smarter planning. When I saw those two pink lines pop up, my first thought wasn't baby names — it was: Oh no, I have so much travel coming up. As a travel writer, there are some months when I'm on the road more than at home. When I took the test, I had six trips planned and more in the works, and I needed to be on my game, but nothing prepared me for how brutal the first trimester would be. I was quickly humbled when, at seven weeks pregnant, I hopped on a seemingly easy 4.5-hour flight to Aruba. The nausea, bone-deep fatigue, and sensory overload made it feel more like a blur of motion sickness and mental math: Where's the nearest bathroom? What can I eat that won't make me sick? How long until I can nap? As someone whose identity is rooted in movement and independence, I feared pregnancy might derail my career — or worse, my sense of self. But instead, this trip taught me that travel didn't have to stop. I just had to change how I do it. After a lot of research, these seven things helped me survive traveling during the first trimester and beyond. Book an aisle seat I used to be a window-seat loyalist, but the constant need to pee and waves of nausea don't mix well with being trapped behind a sleeping seatmate. Now, I book aisle seats for the freedom to get up and use the bathroom as often as I need to, stretch, or escape the smell of someone's airport sandwich. Tell travel companions early to ease anxiety Outdated advice says to wait until 12 weeks to tell people, but I was struggling, so I told my fellow travelers (even before some of my family) and immediately felt relieved. Instead of pushing through silently, I had a built-in cheer squad. They hyped me up, celebrated with me, and gave me detailed reviews of all the Aruban wine and ceviche that I could only stare at longingly. Pack a 'nausea kit' and keep it within arm's reach Pregnancy nausea has no sense of timing. Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role — it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. What is your job title? (1 of 2) Entry level position Project manager Management Senior management Executive management Student Self-employed Retired Other Continue By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . I carried a self-made "nausea kit" everywhere: sour candies (green apple Preggie Pop Drops saved me), all-natural Dramamine, a menthol inhaler, anti-nausea wristbands, and yes — travel barf bags. I didn't use the bags because the other tools worked, but having them eased my anxiety. Stop pretending you're not exhausted I tried to keep up with the group even though I was crashing. Eventually, I let go of the pressure to be "on" and participated in core activities, but rested when I could — even if that meant skipping the beach, pool, or happy hour. It helped that I had already shared that I was pregnant. I didn't feel worried that the group thought I was antisocial, and I could nap without worrying that I was missing out on finding my next story angle. FOMO is real, but staying healthy for yourself and your growing baby is more important. Check menus and don't skip the snack stash Before heading out to meals, I checked menus online to see what I would tolerate best and what checked off all the pregnancy-safe boxes. I also kept a stash of pregnancy-safe snacks in my bag — granola bars, pretzels, Saltines, and dried edamame for protein — in case I couldn't eat anything on the menu or got hungry outside mealtime. Luckily, Aruba's tap water is totally safe, which also gave me peace of mind. If you have the option, you may want to consider food safety when choosing travel locales in early pregnancy since you're already feeling sick enough. Wear the right shoes, even if they're ugly Your body is already working overtime — now's not the time to break in new sandals or suffer through long walks in unsupportive flats. After day one, which ended in very swollen feet, I swapped style for Dr. Scholl's sneakers and left all the cute pairs of shoes I'd brought with the best intentions in my suitcase. Experiment to find what works for you, but try not to overpack I packed extra books to read during downtime, but napped during every free moment. The mosquito-repellent bands I brought gave me headaches, and I didn't see one mosquito on the entire island. My pregnancy pillow took up half the suitcase and never left it. Try things out at home first to see if it's worth it. And remember: You're not prepping for Everest (that is, unless you are!). You're just trying to get through TSA or a long car ride without throwing up. First-trimester travel is gritty, humbling, and full of trial and error. But it also showed me I'm more adaptable than I thought. I'm not losing my identity as a traveler. I'm expanding it. And that feels like the best kind of preparation for what's ahead.
