As a single person working internationally, it’s natural that I engage in solo travel quite frequently. Whether for work or play, traveling alone presents a few unique challenges, and here are my personal tips that I live by, not because I’m an expert by a long shot, but merely because these work for me.
Tip #1 - No rollerboard carry-on
Right off the bat, I know I’m contradicting other solo travelers who say this is their main hack in order to avoid checking a bag and risking it getting lost. Honestly, while lost luggage is a pain and I’ve had my fair share, I find the hassle of a rollerboard both in airports and on the planes doesn’t outweigh the risk. Maybe the reason is that I’m generally on a cheaper ticket, so I'm boarding near the end and hunting for a space, or perhaps it’s the unpacking and repacking of the bags at security that annoys me, and most definitely it’s in part the frustrating airlines who have started to weigh the carry-ons that have all swayed me this way. My go-to is to check a bag (even if it’s small and the size of a carry-on) and then to board with a backpack only. For short trips: backpack only. If there’s room, I’ll happily put it up in the bins, but I also know it can always fit under the seat in front of me. I feel less stressed boarding last, and the airlines rarely weigh a backpack. And yes, there’s always a spare pair of underwear tucked at the bottom as well as my toothbrush.
Tip #2 - Speed up Security
The challenge of security for me is to lessen the number of things that I will have to put in bins. Since the bins will definitely already have to contain my backpack, my jacket, and my laptop, I seek to speed up the process with these other minor suggestion:
Slip-on/off shoes: Not all airports make you take off your shoes if they’re clearly made of cloth and rubber. Just in case they do, I avoid wearing laces when I fly.
Toiletries: Having a hard bar of soap and dry shampoo means that the baggie of toiletries I need to pull out typically only contains my toothpaste. And often, if I get the mini size, they don’t catch it or care.
No belt. Ever. Elastic waist bands all the way when I fly.
Tip #3 - In-Flight Hydration
While flying, I accept absolutely every liquid they want to throw at me, preferably extra bottles or cups of water. If I don’t want to drink it then and there, I pour it into the water bottle in my backpack. Way too often when I’ve landed somewhere, I still have a trek ahead of me, whether by train or car, and sometimes accessing water before I leave the airport isn’t an option. Plus, planes are so dehydrating!
Tip #4 - Post-Flight Bathroom Run
When I land at my international destination and really need the bathroom (which I usually do because of all the liquids), nonetheless, I never duck into the first restroom I see. Here’s my order of operations:
- Briskly follow the signs toward the exit in order to beat most of my fellow passengers to immigration
- Once I reach baggage claim, find the toilet.
- Then retrieve my checked bag.
This saves me both from standing in longer immigration lines and from having to take my checked bag into the bathroom stall with me.
Tip #5 - Compression Socks
This has less to do with solo travel and is simply my age showing itself. Compression socks are my latest purchase and practice, and wow can I tell the difference. My restless leg syndrome has decreased dramatically.
So there you have it! As I said, in no way do I claim to be an expert on travel, but I hope these personal preferences and silly ideas entertain and maybe will even help should you find yourself traveling solo in the near future.
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