Preparing to Solo Travel

Thursday 13 July 2023

Hiya lovelies,

It's been a minute since I've done a life update, and since I've got an exciting week ahead, I decided to come and write about it. I will head out of the country on my first solo trip abroad in a few days. When did I decide this? Just under three weeks ago. It's impulsive, I know, but I have been so eager to travel, and this year has been lowkey tragic and quite frankly, I refuse to allow the whole year to be a loss. 

I'll be heading over to Croatia for my first-ever solo trip abroad. It's not an overly long trip, just five days, but it's the perfect opportunity to dip my toes into solo travelling. I want to do a much longer travelling stint around Europe next Summer, and this is the ideal opportunity to see how I do. I'll be staying in hostels, exploring and taking the world in. 

Within three weeks, I've had to do so much preparation, from seeing if the country is LGBTQ+ friendly to ensuring I don't get my period while I'm away and making the best travel-inspired playlist for the flights. I opted for the free luggage option, which is essentially one bag, and oh boy, has it been a challenge to fit everything into one flight-friendly bag. I've had the most issues with liquids, so many hair products, shower and hygiene bits, and sun cream- getting them all into one small bag was challenging. I have managed to master packing lightly, though I really had to be succinct in my options. 

I've never been more prepared for anything in my whole life.

I'm looking forward to watching the sun set and rise in another country, exploring and trying new cuisine and enjoying new cultures. I have a couple things on my to-do list, like exploring the old town, visiting The Organ, and having some downtime on the beach with my Kindle- my chosen holiday read is Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko. I've been feeling off balance for a while now, and an adventure and some much-needed time to myself will help me rebalance and feel more like myself. I've been so eager to get away, and I saw cheap flights and thought: when was the last time I did something spontaneous? So, I jumped at the chance.

This is not to say I don't have some worries, I've never stayed in a hostel before, but that's part of the lifestyle of solo travelling. The best way to travel is to keep it as inexpensive as possible, and accommodation can be expensive! Equally, if I'm not that into staying in hostels, I can plan accordingly for my 2024 trip. I am excited; above all else, my soul needs this trip!

No doubt I'll be doing some writing whilst I'm away, and I'll be taking lots of pictures, so expect a blog upon my return!

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