writingaboutpaintings

As the saying goes, life is a journey, not a destination. The journey itself is the destination. Being a teacher my restrictions already come in the form of very specific days on the calendar where I am actually free to pursue my wanderlust. So I seize every opportunity I get to travel. In general though, travelling with friends and family presents the opportunity for a multitude of challenges that go way beyond syncing of calendars and deciding on the destination together.

This post will hence be talking about a different kind of art; the art of travelling solo. Indeed, I have recently come to be known among my friends to be the crazy one who travels alone. I heard so many comments from people that it’s incredibly gutsy to be able to do that. Don’t get me wrong, I would love me some company but over the years, I have:

-Travelled with people who have had annoying habits(snoring loudly during sleep, grumbling, weird tendencies to smack lips together every two seconds).

-I have quarrelled with a friend (she eventually cut me out after the trip) because she was having very unrealistic expectations of service staff and making countless digs at me when we went to Bali.

-I have had so experiences with so many people who make all kinds of loose plans and do that stupid dance back and forth where nothing concrete actually happens.

-Found myself in a situation where two people just simply have very different expectations of a trip. Like that one time I went to Eastern Europe with a girl who was an extreme penny pincher and would even not mind sleeping in a hostel, waking up next to random men or women daily on the next bed. Well, I did mind. Needless to say I never went anywhere else with her.

Going on vacations with romantic partners were not a bed of roses either. One boyfriend insisted on suntanning on the beach all day in Santorini when I would rather be out exploring the ancient ruins while another guy I had insisted on reading a physical map so that he could ‘give his brain some stimulation’ to my chagrin. We were constantly getting lost due to his insistence until I put my foot down and used Google Maps. Have I given you enough evidence to support why travelling alone is a natural solution to all the potential headache that could happen? I am absolutely sure you can totally relate to what I am on about. Since I have travelled solo more than the average human, I just wanted to offer you some tips on how to master the art of travelling solo and hopefully you will find it useful.

1. Be flexible. Different countries and cultures call for different arrangements. I felt more secure booking a tour agency when I explored unknown territory in Turkey for the first time. Since Japan is famous for being solo- traveller friendly, I was comfortable with making my own plans alone. Know that each country is unique, and you do need to alter your plans based on each situation.
2. Do not allow over- cautious people talk you into abandoning your plans. Just before I was about to go to Turkey last November , there was a terrorist attack on Taksim Square. My colleague also warned me of its close proximity to a war zone as well as earthquake risks. She also asked me if I were still going and was shocked that I was. These people mean well, but just as everything else, anything in healthy doses is recommended. Many people have also warned me of pickpockets in various countries such as France and Italy. While I am sure it really did happen to them, I was in these places many times walking down the streets alone, and never had that experience. Take heed of sound advice and stay vigilant, but remain positive that you are protected and will be safe. Do not let fear and paranoia overrule you.
3. Accept that the few days leading up to the trip, you will feel very nervous and will be very tempted to abandon all plans. This happens to me every single time. Well, courage is never the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of fear. Do I get scared? Absolutely! Do I still go? Sure!
   • Practice makes perfect. When I was 18, I took a plane for the first time. I didn’t even know the flow of basic things such as putting on my seatbelt or getting my drink from the stewardess without taking the tray she was serving on. It did not help that for some weird reason I was withheld at the Auckland airport for several hours and was finally released when I cleared all the security protocols.To be honest , I felt like I was treated like a criminal for no reason. Up until this day, I still don’t know why it happened and thank God it never happened again. But it was horrifying for an eighteen year old who had never travelled before. It would still terrify me if it happened to me today. You cannot control everything , but don’t allow one episode to scare you into never travelling again. If I had allowed that one nightmarish episode dictate the future, I would have never gone on to see all the beauty this world had to offer.To be honest, my travelling experience does shape a lot of who I am and it gives me an identity I am so proud of. I wouldn’t be who I am now if I never wandered from country to country.
4. Transfer some cash to an international foreign currency account and get a card linked to that account to use overseas. This way, you do not need to activate your local debit or credit cards to use overseas and you don’t have to worry about international fees. I use the company WISE, and never had a problem with withdrawals or payments. Every payment I make with my WISE card will also immediately send out a notification on my phone as well. WISE is not the only company you can do this with, so do explore your options.
5. Have some local currency on you in case your card doesn’t work. Go to a money changer to get some foreign currency, but skip the money changers in the airport. The rates aren’t the best value. Foreign ATMs have always been a hit and miss for me. It is truly scary to stand in front of a cash machine and not be able to withdraw money when you have nothing at all on you.
6. Use your brain. This sounds very cliche but it’s true. Listen to your gut. When something doesn’t feel right, listen to that inner voice inside.
7. Get a local data plan in the country you will be in for two reasons. You will need it to find your way around the moment you land. My hefty $3000 phone bill that I incurred in 2010 for my first European trip is another reason why you should never use roaming. I was not the solitary one this happened to. My colleague was also in the same continent on a separate trip where she turned on Google Maps just for a minute or so she claimed. Her bill came in the ballpark of $3000 (similar to mine).
8. Ensure that you always have the pin to eject and place a new SIM card on you. I have learn that using paper clips, toothpicks and the back of my ear studs work on my IPhone too.
9. Some credit cards offer free stays in airport lounges. Search for these deals. My DBS Altitude card actually saved me somewhere around 170 Euros with my access to two airport lounges annually.
10. Someone posed me this question recently. ‘Should I take a cheaper flight to save money?’ Depends on the variables. There are many variables. Some more expensive options are direct flights while the cheaper one has a long layover. If going for a no frills budget flight, a shorter journey might be bearable. I probably wouldn’t be taking a budget flight to Athens as my friend once did. I recently did take my first budget flight to Japan. It was for seven hours, and I wasn’t even given a blanket. I was happy to be not given meals though, as I detest airplane food. Look at the details and decide based on your preference.
11. Start with countries that are less intimidating to you. Start with baby steps. Rome wasn’t built in a day. You wouldn’t be going to a very faraway land where security is a concern on your first try. I won’t mention where I would like to go next, but let’s just say that I am still mustering up the courage to do that.
12. Always buy travel insurance and keep a copy of the policy on you. I recently experienced a delay retrieving my checked- in luggage for two days. I received four hundred dollars because I was insured.
13. Whenever possible, travel light. I love travelling with a backpack. The biggest drawback to travelling alone is that no one will be available to watch your luggage for you when nature calls. If you just have a backpack you could just bring it with you into the cubicle. Sorry, I am just paranoid. Someone could easily stuff items in your luggage without your knowledge and before you know it you could become some unwitting drug mule or have the contents in the bag stolen. I find the former much more terrifying than the latter.
14. Make friends along the way. You will really feel less alone. I have made so many more friends travelling alone than I did with any company in unexpected places.I spent days planning my trip on whatsapp with a travel agency and even became friends with the tour agent I was communicating with. We even went for a shish kebab in the centre of Istanbul when I arrived. She is now a follower on my Instagram 🙂
15. Pack laundry capsules in your luggage. They either cost a fortune at laundromats, or sometimes are too elusive to be found. Also, since I am on the subject of laundry, try to find accommodations with laundry service available. I once had to lug all my laundry across town in Italy and wait in the cold while waiting for it to be completed. Then I had to haul the whole lot back. Not fun. Clean clothes becomes precious commodity when you are a traveller.
16. The early bird catches the worm. Start the day early and end the day at a reasonable time. Didn’t your mum warn you about staying out too late in a foreign country?
17. Do not make the same mistakes I made . Other than your wallet, passport and phone, these are some things I have left at home that I found to be equally as essential: my wireless earpiece, charging cable and power bank. Using your phone constantly for photography, google maps, maps and other miscellaneous information, phone batteries would naturally last way less than it would compared to a day at the office. Juice up. It is also terribly not fun not having any music to listen to while on the move. So before I leave for any trip, my final check would include my passport, phone, wallet, earpiece, charging cables and power banks. Please take note that power banks should never go into your check-in luggages. You should bring it with you on the flight. This is an airline requirement.
18. Stay connected on social media. Sharing your trip with friends back home can make things seem less lonely. It could also be a safety thing. People would definitely notice when you go off the grid.
19. Download Google translate. One very nifty feature is placing your camera over words and watch them change into the translated language of your choice.
20. There are many podcasts on Spotify on learning new languages. Familiarise yourself with some of the bare basics. Another cool thing about Spotify is finding podcasts on the history and culture on the place you are visiting. Just to digress, I have always been a dreamer. Music transports me to another time and place. I have a weird habit of creating a playlist of songs in the language of the destination I am going to, and I listen to it while exploring the city. It’s all part of the experience no?
21. Be firm with people but be gracious in your dealings with others. Be prepared to say no and stand up for yourself when you need to. Sometimes you could be confused because you are in a foreign country and when someone springs on you asking for something unreasonable, try to buy time if you cannot for the life of you react appropriately. It would be useful if you always expect the unexpected so that when the unexpected does occur, you wouldn’t be caught like a deer in the headlights. I let my guard down in Japan one night when I was exploring downtown Osaka. A young Japanese man came up to me (I did not expect this in Japan) and he asked me where I was from. He tried to shake my hand and I reciprocated. Then he inched in for a hug. I generally have no problem with hugs. But in this context and situation, that hug was not an innocent one. So I told him sorry, I don’t do hugs. He left looking disappointed. You can be kind and firm at the same time.
22. Check the weather. This is useful for the type of clothes you will be packing as well as when you are making plans for the day. I was once stuck on a boat for a whole day in Thailand during the monsoon season. The storm was brutal, but we were all out at sea so no ‘backsies’.
23. Pack all your essentials such as your toothbrush, pyjamas, extra underwear and other essentials on your carryon. If the airport should lose your check-in luggage or should there be any other unforeseen circumstance, at least you will be covered for a day or two.