I really outdid myself. And it was all for nothing, because from the moment I stepped off the plane, I realized that I had nothing to worry about, except maybe how very difficult it was going to be to leave at the end of my stay. I learned and experienced so much over those five days, not only about Paris or the French but about myself, and if there’s anything I regret about it, it’s that I spent so much time freaking out beforehand instead of being excited. If you’re prepared, there’s absolutely nothing to be nervous about. The world is your oyster. Discover it.
With that in mind, and in an effort to expound upon the excellent advice on traveling alone given here and here, voila my top five tips to make the most of your solo journey abroad:
Do your research:
Always make your accommodations beforehand, especially when traveling to popular destinations during peak season. Pay attention to location: a cheap hotel is not a bargain if it’s located in an unsavory or remote area. Sites like TripAdvisor are excellent sources of user reviews, and even many small hotels have websites outlining their amenities, which frequently are not what would be considered standard here in the US. My hotel room in Paris bore a striking resemblance to Marie Antoinette’s prison cell at the Conciergerie; I had known what I was getting into but if I had booked without checking it out first, I would not have been a very happy camper – er, hotel-er. In Europe especially, there are a number of reasonably priced hotel chains, like Timhotel and Campanile, which have locations dotted throughout many major cities and offer comfort and convenience without breaking the bank. Hostels can be a cost-effective option but they’re not for the faint of heart; for one thing, you can’t be guaranteed of the security of any items you leave behind during the day, and sharing a room with strangers is not for everyone.
Also, if you plan on utilizing public transportation to get to your hotel, get specific directions beforehand and keep them in a safe place in your carryon so that when you arrive at your destination, you can find your way to your hotel with a minimum of time and effort.
Get your business in order:
Make photocopies of your passport, driver’s license, and any credit or debit cards you may be using, and entrust them to a responsible friend or family member. Moms are especially good for this. If you have scanning capabilities, email soft copies to yourself so you can access them in the event of an emergency. Be sure to forward any electronic tickets and confirmation emails on to someone trustworthy so that your general whereabouts will be known at all times, and print out copies to keep in your carryon for reference in case of any mix-ups.
Check with your cell phone company to see if your phone will work overseas; if it won’t, see if you can purchase a SIM Card at your destination to adapt it to the local networks, or at the very least be sure to carry an international phone card.
Change your debit card PIN to a 4-number combination if it isn’t already – some foreign ATMs will only accept 4-digit PINs. Call all your credit card companies to inform them that you will be traveling abroad so they won’t automatically decline any international purchases.
Finally, if you are as high maintenance as I am, be aware that European electricity runs at 220 volts, which will fry your appliances if they aren’t dual voltage. Many companies make adaptable hair dryers, flatirons, and the like (some even change automatically – check the manual), so if you travel a lot it’s worth investing in these. The sockets are also different than ours, but you can pick up a set of adapters for cheap at any hardware or big box store.
Dress the part:
European cities, generally speaking, are not particularly dangerous – most are no more so than any major US city. That said, it’s still important to pay attention to your surroundings at all times and take some precautions where you can. In addition to being sartorially objectionable, white sneakers, baseball caps, and fanny packs are not only dead giveaways that you are an American tourist; they can also render you a target, especially if you’re alone. Dressing simply and, if possible, fashionably will go a long way toward helping you blend in with the locals. I’m not saying you need to pile on 17 of the latest trends – quite the opposite. But it’s just as easy to run around London in a wrap dress and ballet flats as it is to do so in cargo pants and Nikes. Hey, pick up a pair of Cole Haans and you’ll get your Nike Air technology in an adorable dress shoe! The fact of the matter is, in the rest of the world, people dress more formally than we Americans do, and you will find that you feel more comfortable and stand out less when you do the same.
There is one more thing that you should take into account when packing, besides the obvious weather, and that is that certain tourist attractions may have strict dress codes. For instance, bare shoulders and skirts above the knee are not permitted within much of the Vatican, and some religious sites even require women to avoid wearing pants altogether (as in donning long skirts, not pulling a Lady Gaga) and/or cover their heads. It’s always a good idea to carry a cardigan or jacket and a pretty scarf with you, even if you don’t necessarily intend to visit any of these places – you never know what might catch your attention as you pass it.
Learn the language:
While you certainly can’t be expected to put yourself through a crash course in the mother tongue of every place you ever visit, pick up a phrase book and commit some key words to memory: hello, goodbye, please, thank you, et cetera. It’s true what they say: almost everyone speaks English. But they’ll still think the better of you if you make an attempt, no matter how unsuccessful, at their language first. And even more importantly, try to read up on the local customs beforehand to get an idea of how locals relate to one another. I am convinced that the reason that American tourists think the French are rude is in large part because they have walked right up to a local and unceremoniously demanded to be given directions and subsequently been rebuffed. But in France, it’s considered incredibly rude to address someone without first saying hello and apologizing for disturbing them. It just goes to show that while little cultural idiosyncrasies can contribute to bigger misunderstandings; these can easily be avoided with a little homework.
Plan…but not too much:
Pore over maps, make lists of places you want to go, call ahead for dinner reservations if you like. But the real magic of traveling is what happens in between all the items on your to-do list (kind of like life, right?). If all of my traveling advice could be distilled down into one word, it is this: WANDER. Put on a comfortable pair of shoes, stick a map and your hotel’s address in your pocket, and just go. Get lost: it’s the whole point. You’re not going to get so lost that you won’t be able to find your way back. Amble down side streets and through parks, stop for a pastry or a glass of wine, browse through boutiques and antique shops, sit in old churches and contemplate the light as it streams through the stained glass windows hundreds of feet up. And don’t be afraid to talk to people. Traveling solo is a bold endeavor and people more often than not find it incredibly compelling. Sharing experiences with someone from a totally different culture can be one of the most rewarding conversations you’ll ever have.
It all boils down to this: you might as well accept from the get-go that you’re not going to see everything you want to see. This is a good thing. It gives you an excuse to come back. Five years from now, are you going to look back fondly on the time you waited in line for two hours to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, or the time you found yourself sipping espresso in some random Left Bank café with someone you just met trading stories about your lives?
