More and more people choose to travel alone so that solo traveling has now become a trend also interesting for tour operators and accommodations: in fact, single travelers already represent 11% of the market today58% of millennials have traveled alone at least once (47% of baby boomers) and it is mainly women who travel independently.
9 precautions for traveling alone
But whether it’s visiting cities, cycling or tackling a journey, traveling alone always poses a few more needs, in terms of organization and also of precautions to be taken. Like these 9 that can allow you to enjoy freedom and independence while staying safe and without running into situations that are difficult to manage.
Inform someone where you are going
Friends, relatives, family is not important. The important thing is that there is someone who regularly knows where you are and where you intend to go, so as to allow you to start a possible search only when travel times or lack of information make it necessary. Some applications also allow you to share your location in real time with friends or relatives, but it can happen that you are in remote areas where your mobile phone does not work or runs out of power: having an idea of the time it will take you to travel can avoid unnecessary worries or unnecessarily wasting time in case you need help.
Always have the world to call for help
Especially if you are traveling on foot or by bicycle in natural, remote or little man-made areas, you should always have a way to call for help. At least in Europe there are numerous applications that can be installed on the smartphone to call for help in case of need (we talked about it here) but cell phones don’t always work and in remote areas a satellite service can be useful.
Know how to read a map
Ok, in the city it’s not a big problem, but during a trek, a walk or a cycle trip it can happen that the smartphone battery runs out or that it does not pick up the satellite. And goodbye maps. You should never trust your smartphone too much and related navigation Apps: a good backup can be sports watches with satellite navigation, GPS for hiking or more simply, and economically, knowing how to read an old, dear paper map.
A minimal emergency kit
You might not believe how many mushroom hunters go missing every year simply because they slip down a cliff and are never able to get out, call for help, or be heard or seen. Smartphones (where they are available) and satellites also have localization functions, but to avoid risks, always keep a minimum emergency kit close at hand: a whistlea flashing light it’s a lanyard (they sell them as a bracelet to wear on your wrist) they can get you out of a lot of trouble.
Don’t share too much information about your trip
Yes, we are in the age of social networks and the imperative is to share everything. But this it can attract even the worst intentioned. A good strategy to “socialize without risking” is the #LaterGrami.e. share only later, especially with regards to geotags.
Survival backpack
Every morning when you leave, you should prepare a proper survival backpack able to make you resist for at least 24 hours in any eventuality: snacks, water, rain jacket, Swiss Army knife, headlamp, power bank, lighter or rather firelighter, rope, are really the bare minimum.
First aid kit
Essential stuff in case of wounds, cuts, blisters: plasters, an antibiotic ointment, a disinfectant.
Warm/cold clothing
Yes, of course, maybe it’s summer, it’s hot and you expect to arrive at the end of the stage, at the refuge, to pitch the tent before nightfall. Then something happens and we have to camp out at night, and then it’s always good have some garment to be able to withstand reasonably more extreme temperatures. Which during a trek in the mountains can go below zero even in the height of summer. And the same goes for rain.
Awareness and instinct
No, awareness and instinct cannot be bought in any shop, not even online. But avoiding being vulnerable, even if only out of distraction, and always trusting your instincts when it suggests that something or someone is not recommended are the first tools for traveling alone and avoiding getting into trouble.
Photo by Dan Gribbins / Benjamin Davies
Advertising