Travel Solo with Confidence

As a woman traveling solo over the age of 50, it’s completely normal to have some fear and trepidation but…

Realizing your dream trip and being able to enjoy it means conquering that fear and the key to beating the fear gremlins is CONFIDENCE!

Every time I sit down to plan a trip I have that same nervous excited and anxious feeling.

And then the Fred my FEAR gremlin kicks in (yes, I name those crazy gremlins running around in my head 🙄).

But over the years I’ve learned that my fear all comes down to what's going on in my head. 

And I am not going to let the gremlins stop me from having the trip of a lifetime... 

So let's not let the fear gremlin stop you either!

Fear comes down to MINDSET whether it's traveling on your own to a foreign country or…

• A new Job…
  

• A promotion…

• Getting divorced, the list goes on.
  

Our fear and doubts around traveling on our own typically boils down to:

Being safe

Beating loneliness

Dealing with a change in routine  

Trying new things on our own

The best way to beat fear is confidence.

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.
-Marie Curie

Here are 3 Steps To Building The Confidence to travel solo but more importantly…

Have fun, create wonderful new experiences and come home with amazing memories.

Step 1: Am I confident that I can figure things out?

Step 2: Am I confident that I can learn new skills?

Step 3: Am I confident that I can surround myself with the right people and support?

There you have it in a nutshell. But let’s make it real.

Step 1: Am I confident that I can figure things out?

One of the best ways to beat fear is to ask lots of questions before and while you are traveling.

Once you know the question there is always an answer…

And there is no question to small or silly so lets go…

Whenever I plan a trip I write down all the questions that are buzzing around in my head. Things like..

• What’s the best way to get from the airport to my hotel at 11:30 at night?

• Do I need a visa to enter country XYZ?

• How will I manage getting my bags off and on a train?

• How much cash should I carry?

• Where should I eat out that I don’t feel like I stick out on my own?

• How much would it really cost to hire a Private Guide for a day?

• Where do I find a reputable and credible Guide?

• What are the safest areas to stay?

• How do I meet new people that I can trust?

• How much is all this going to cost?

Those questions don’t stop coming once you are on your trip.

Get those questions out of your head and down on paper, your phone or a laptop.

Trust your gut, trust your gut, trust your gut.

If something doesn’t feel right or you’re truly unsure listen to that voice.

You don’t have to have the answer for everything, instead knowing who might be able to answer the question is what’s really important.

Remind yourself there is so much information literally at our fingertips to find answers. 

Answering as many of those questions in advance of setting off on your trip will allay the fears, build your confidence and your excitement!

Ask yourself, what would I do if I encountered this at home?

Let’s deal with some real life examples:

If you’re not sure whether to go bungy jumping on your trip, ask yourself, would I bungy jump at home if I had the opportunity?

If you’re not prepared to do it at home why are you contemplating doing it in a foreign country on your own?

Transportation and accommodation are two real biggies when it comes to staying safe when traveling on your own.

Let’s use the example of getting from the airport to the hotel.

You can research Facebook Groups, Expedia, Mobile App, talk to friends and family which are all great but…

One of my best tips is to stay in a good hotel!

And I am a big fan of Marriott properties. I’m a loyal customer and in return I have always received great service. 

https://www.marriott.com/default.mi

Call the hotel you are staying at before you start your trip. 

Ask to speak to the Concierge and get their recommendations for how to get from that airport to the hotel.

Step 2: Am I confident that I can learn new skills?

Whether you are a beginner solo traveler or have not traveled in a while there are skills that you can and will build.

Let’s remember building a skill means practice by doing.

One of my top priorities before I take off on a trip is to learn a few (as in very few) phrases of the local language.

Just being able to smile, say hello, please, thank you can not only give a huge boost to your travel confidence…

You will find your efforts are met with the reward of kindness and hospitality wherever you go.

You will also leverage all the great life experiences and skills you have already and improve some too.

And there are so many easy, quick and effective ways to learn how to do some of the routine “travel” things that you may not be accustomed to.

How to navigate a foreign airport, immigration, customs and finding ground transportation.

One of the skills I recommend leaning into is Mobile Apps, Websites and YouTube.

And of course my blogs and YouTube videos haha 🤭

Here’s the link to my YouTube channel (@FemaleTravelers50Plus) Female Travelers Over 50 By Raewyn Crist

Every major airport has a website and many have videos to help you become familiar with the airport before you even get there.

Download mobile apps for the city you may be visiting. 

Don’t wait to download and get used to using it when you get there…

Instead download it in advance and practice using it before you leave.

You can learn how to hail a taxi or negotiate a ride in a Tuk Tuk to bartering to purchase an item at a market again…

All before you leave the comfort of your home.

Travel has been one of the best gifts to challenge me to learn new things and develop new skills.

Embrace, it treat it as part of your entire travel experience.

So already I can feel your confidence building and those travel fear Gremlins receding.

Ok, onto No. 3…

Step 3: Am I confident that I can surround myself with the right people and support?

Ladies we tend to think we not only have to figure everything out ourselves but also have to do it all once we do figure it out.

Asking people for help has been one of my biggest solo travel assets. 

You will hear me say loud and often your hotel Concierge is your new BFF.

They are there to help you, it’s not only their job they genuinely care and love helping people.

I have also met some amazing women when on my solo travels. 

I have also become a big fan of Private Tour Guides and go out of my way to support women guides.

This fits with my mission to support women being their own boss and entrepreneurs. But also…

I find that having that common bond of being a women creates the foundation to be able to find other things in common…

And can lead to some amazing shared experiences along with tips and advice on everything from places to see, eat and visit to sharing referrals for guides etc.

And FYI, I am a giant introvert and could quite easily and happily stay tucked up in my hotel room given the chance.

But instead I’ve pushed myself to develop that skill to reach out and ask for help and in doing so the confidence to continue to travel to new places and enjoy wonderful experiences.

So here’s a big tip, figure out what you truly, really need to do to make your trip happen and then make a list of all the things others can help you with…

Here are a starter list (not an exhaustive list) of things that you get to decide how much you do vs. getting help from others:

• Researching your trip

• Making decisions on places to stay and things to do

• Planning your trip

• Booking your trip

• Deciding what to pack

• Getting from home to the airport and back

• Getting from the airport to your hotel and back 

• …

You’re so smart and sassy and you’ve already cottoned on to the fact that this starter list comes right out of all those questions you had at the beginning of this blog.

So in the words of Lucille Ball…

I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.

So embrace your new found confidence and make that trip a reality!

Wrapping up…

P.S. If you’re looking for ways to build that confidence how about starting off with that idea of staying in a good hotel and why it is a MUST for you…

👉 📝 Check out my blog on why it really is a must to include a 5-Star Hotel in your stay:

If you found this blog valuable head on over to my YouTube channel, here's the link👇:

Female Travelers Over 50 By Raewyn Crist: @FemaleTravelers50Plus

And if you like what you see please consider subscribing to the channel or giving a video a like :-)

So cheers to wheels up to winging your way to your long dreamed of destination.