When beginning to travel (especially solo), there’s different ways to begin traveling in a way that isn’t overwhelming. You start small and build until you feel confident enough to go the distance. It’s not something that has to be overwhelming, and it can be done in a consistent and careful way so that the experience is pleasant and fun rather than anxiety filled.
Start Small and Take Baby Steps
Visit the next town or the next city over, rather than going super-fast and trying to go halfway to the other side of the world. By going to the next town over, you’re not going to get culture shock because cultures bleed over when the cities are close together. You’re not breaking the bank because you’re not going far, and you don’t have to spend much time in the next town over. It can be a quick getaway that lasts a day or two, or it could even just be a day trip which is nice way to dip your toe in the pond.
Once you’ve visited the next town over, you go a little bigger and go to the next city over. Then you can go the next state over. Then a few more states. Start small, then keep going.
Make a Plan
Research what there is to do in the place you want to go and then stick to it. Even if it’s not a strict plan, having a loose idea of what you’re going to do when you get there eases the anxiety of going to a new place. You’re not just wandering around. This makes your trip more intentional which all your trips should be. It also helps you to do your research and then decide if you even want to visit a place or not. I’ve thought I wanted to go somewhere and then after I started researching, I realized that I didn’t really want to because there was only one or two things to do, and I needed more than that. There are times that I thought I didn’t want to go somewhere and then after doing research, I really wanted to visit.
This is an important part of the process. You can break it down into bits and just do a little research for like 30 minutes per day until you have a good idea of what you want to do and how much you want to spend.
Look at Prices
In creating a plan, you’re able to create a budget for the things you want to do once you’re there. That gives you a good reference point for the current trip and how much you might spend on similar situations on future trips. Each experience adds up to the next.
You’re Going to Make Mistakes. Accept It.
You’re going to make mistakes and have conflicts that happen while planning your trip and during your trip. Just accept it. That’s life. There is no perfect trip. There are so many mistakes that I’ve made while traveling (big and small). All you can do is learn from it and grow. Your mistakes will inform your decisions for the next trips. That’s how build your travel knowledge experience. That’s one of things that happens while traveling and it helps to build resilience and problem-solving skills.
Make Plans Well in Advance
Last minute trips tend to be rushed and that’s not a good idea. Make sure to book your trip three months to six months to a year in advance to help ease any stress. Last minute trips cost more money because flights will be marked up and preferred accommodations might be taken because they were booked in advance. You might not be able to get a direct flight, and you might have to take two or three flights just to get to your destination. Just book it early so that it’s not even an issue. Sometimes, depending on the type of trip you’re taking, you might be able to make payments on your trip.