Here’s the truth about travelling solo – it’s a skill you have to practice. When COVID hit and I got back to it, I felt the same fear that I did the very first time I struck out into the world alone. Even when I go months without doing it, I start getting anxious again — part of that happens to be because I do suffer from social anxiety, which means that a lot of the things that I do on solo travel cause me stress, but there are workarounds. I’ve never regretted any of my trips, even if there have been times when my panic flares and I have to change plans.

Tip #1: If you’re worried about dining alone in a foreign country, you don’t have to do that.

Often, I’ve been caught up in worries about performing as expected or worried about a cultural faux-pas. Sometimes, that worry gets to be too much even in countries where I do speak the language, but the best part of any city is that there are options. If you can’t stomach the idea of sitting alone at a table, find a quick service restaurant, or, like I enjoy, find a grocery store where you can pick up dinner, breakfast, and often snacks that will help assuage your anxiety, and help your budget

Tip #2: If something throws you off, you can shift your plans.

Sometimes, locals may try and strike up conversation. Sometimes you might be in the mood for that, other times, it may send you into a panic. There’s definitely been times when someone approached me on the street and I wasn’t in the right headspace, which led me into a bit of a spiral. Here’s the good news, though. Being on your own means that you can head back to your hotel until the panic has passed. I’ve always felt very safe in my rooms, especially with deadbolts and additional security, which means if your brain starts going wild on you, there are options. And sometimes, you might not be feeling that way at all, and you’ll want to have those experiences.

Tip #3: If it helps when travelling solo, overplan to your heart’s content.

If it helps to soothe the anxious parts of your brain, don’t feel guilty about overplanning — yes, even if you’re planning down to the minute of your day. If plotting the exact subway routes and exchanges you’ll take at specific times is what you need to quiet your head, then it’s a viable plan that hurts no one. It might just be the facade of control, but feeling like you’re able to steer something on your trip is incredibly helpful. That doesn’t mean you have to stick to it. In fact, being over-equipped has often helped me because when I did vary my plans, I knew how to get back to my hotel, or what else was close, and I was able to explore

Tip #4: Take advantage of being alone to make connections you might not have otherwise.

Make connections at your hotel and restaurant, so that way you have someone in your corner even if you’re on your own. It doesn’t mean you have to constantly talk to them, but establishing a small connection might make it easier for you to ask for favours or assistance, if it comes to that.

Tip #5: Get out of the comfort zone — sometimes.

Sometimes, you do have to do the scary thing – ask, chat, talk, engage with others. There have been times when travelling by myself, my stubbornness flared and I didn’t want to talk to anyone. It meant that I got lost. Sometimes I felt lonely. It meant that I missed opportunities. It doesn’t always happen, but I can also say that I’ve rarely ever regretted when I do gather up the courage to ask for help, or strike up a conversation.

Tip #6: Don’t feel compelled to push yourself past your limits.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or sensory overloaded, it’s okay to take the break. There have been times where I just couldn’t take people around me (the noise, the activity, the closeness) for one more minute. That was when I would seek out a private refuge. Sometimes, it was heading back to my hotel. Sometimes it was finding a park and resting for ten minutes. If you’re on your own, you can do that, and should take advantage where you can. When you’re on your own and you have social anxiety, there will be times when things aren’t as much fun — but it will pass.

So with that, one last tip about travelling solo:

Tip #7: It’s still all about the fun!

Remember to enjoy yourself when you’re travelling solo. You’re in a brand new place where nobody knows you — and what’s more freeing than that? There are no expectations of you, no one knows you personally, and it opens up a level of freedom that you sometimes can only get while on a trip solo, where you get opportunities to reinvent yourself — even if only for a short period.

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