WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN TRAVELLING ALONE

Lately I have noticed that it is getting increasingly popular to travel alone. I must say that this could be one of the most enriching forms of travel, because you are really immersing yourself in the culture of your destination — you don’t bring any friends or relatives with you, so you’re forced to really get out there and communicate with the locals, arrange everything yourself etc. However, I must say that there are certain precautions you should take to make sure that you do not encounter unnecessary problems that can be avoided in the first place.

I have come up with my own short list of advice to help you when travelling solo:

Always inform someone when going on a longer trip

It is a good idea to inform someone that you’re going on a longer trip, e.g. a hike. You could for example tell this to the hotel administration, so that they know what’s up. If something happens, they’ll know something is wrong, if you don’t return on the time you told them.

Don’t pack more than you can carry

I see this quite a lot. People usually overestimate how much they can actually carry around. The fact that you can bring two suitcases from the airport with the help of a taxi driver DOES NOT mean you certainly should bring so much stuff with you. You should really think through the things you need and they should ideally fit into one bag that you can carry yourself without much effort.

Don’t be afraid to meet new people, however, really think trough the motives behind their actions.

Be brave and do not be afraid to communicate with all sorts of strangers — that’s really the best way to get to know a different culture. At the same time, you should double-check their motives. Some people might seem genuinely interest but try to sell you something etc. Be open and expect the best from all people, however, if you encounter some problems, place them on a mental blacklist.

To my mind these are the very basics to remember for solo travelers coming to Santorini, Greece or any other part of the world. By the way, the island of Santorini is really a great place to start your alone travelling adventures —it is a calm place for finding yourself.