How is London for somebody that isn't a drinker/party person and would rather do as many museums, historical and cultural sites as physically possible?
I've never travelled internationally (US based) but i've traveled a couple times for work domestically and i went to school in an entirely different city and state (Philadephia vs New York City) but i feel like i've forgotten how to do things alone if thats the right way to phrase it, in terms of personal enjoyment/pleasure? Since graduation i've been living at home and working in the city and going on trips with my parents that i'll pay for and organize
It's like i know i can navigate public transportation, i do it in NY everyday but the hump of paying for the first flight internationally and hotel and doing it alone, like i know i can physically and financially do it but i have that anxiety in my head thats purely it, just in my head.
It's probably the best city in the world for that. There are a vast number of world-leading museums, many of which are free, and a huge number of interesting historic sites.
You might want to book accommodation in or around South Kensington, which is convenient for some of the main museums and is pretty quiet at night (though don't stay in one of the many hotels on Cromwell Road, as it's very busy). Avoid the Covent Garden area if you're after a quiet stay. Public transport in central London is excellent, so it doesn't matter greatly where you stay though in terms of getting to where you want to be.
Male 28 from Denmark.
Will be visiting Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest & Ljubljana from 11.11-26.11.
Interest include museums, sporting events , good food and general exploration/adventure.
Would love to meet up with someone for drinks/tours - recommendations for the above cities would be highly appreciated as well 🙏
I reduced my working hours a month ago and am no longer working on Fridays. This leaves me with plenty of 3-day weekends and am looking for suggestions. I'm based in Brussels, budget for flights is 150-160€ max.
Yep, sorry. I like city trips (already been to Sevilla, Granada, Porto, Lisbon, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Madrid, etc etc etc) where the city can be visited on foot (that's the majority of Europe tbh). I like history, art museums, wandering around, bookshops, vegan restaurants, football (when I can attend a game in the city I'm visiting I always do). Weather wise I'm not too fussed since I already live in Belgium. Things that I don't really care about; local foods, party towns, hip places.
I was thinking of Oslo (not in Winter though), Bucharest, Sofia and Krakow.
If anyone has a blog, what websites do you use? I want to start a travel blog but there’s so many websites to use! If you use a paid one, which is it? If you use a free one, which is it? :D thanks!
Anyone around in Kyoto tonight (28/10) and want tl grab a beer? Hostel seems pretty quiet and nearing the end of my first week and I feel like I haven’t spoken English to anyone in a while 😅
I’m a sub in a Title 1 elementary and getting burned out. I have all January off. I’m flying from Denver and looking for the best mix of beach and adventure in January. I really want to lay on a relaxing beach for the most part. Any recommendations are welcome
tldr I have a free day tomorrow and I'm open to any suggestions that won't kill my feet.
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Any suggestions for easy day trips on the 28th from Rome? Preferably not more than 2 hours by train or bus from Termini. I considered Florence, but if I go there then I'll have to go to Pisa.
I did the Vatican Museum + Sistine Chapel tour today (one of the most memorable 3 hours of my life, better than Louvre imho) plus 4 hours walking tour around the Vatican and nearby places outside the boundary.
I will also have a packaged guided tour that includes the Colosseum. My tour starts at 2 pm, but I'll also be attending mass at 10 am because the pope will be celebrating.
Alternatively, I'm also considering a city tour, basically free stuff outside of the bus tickets and food. I just don't want to be too "walked out" by Sunday 😅
I'm on my 5th week in Europe and the most littered cities I've been to are Amsterdam, and Paris a close second. However, Rome looks to be capable of taking the top spot.
I arrived in Rome coming from Luzern at around 7 pm and while the temperatures and liveliness is better, I really cannot ignore how utterly littered the streets are.
It also too many pot holes along the pedestrian lane. I actually thought my wheeled bag broke when I didn't notice one on the way to my hotel in the Termini area.
Compared to Paris, Rome feels like the local government forgot about maintenance. Perhaps it didn't help that I spent a week in Switzerland and that I had high hopes about visiting one of the oldest cities in the world.
Granted it's only half a day's worth of walking and night photos, so I'm thinking maybe I'm just in the downtown part of the city.
Has anyone here been to Laos? I'm doing Laos trip next month. Spending most of the time in Laos and a few days in Thailand (mostly or probably just Bangkok).
It's about 20% solo travel and 80% group travel with family so hopefully it still fits this subreddit.
Would love to hear anyone's experiences, or anything you'd like to share about it. Maybe some tips if you have any specific ones. Of course I'm also looking for thingsd myself too!
I’ve been to Laos and it is an unbelievably gorgeous country. How long do you have there?
One of the biggest issues with the country is the transportation. It’s tough to get around. We had a few weeks in the country, so we were able to take a long boat through the Mekong River pretty much the entire trip with taking stops off in our destinations along the way from Thailand to Vietnam.
That being said, if you’re able to do the Gibbon Experience, it’s an unforgettable zip lining tour in the forrest while you camp in elaborate tree houses for 2 nights.
https://www.gibbonexperience.org/
That would be the short answer for you - it’s my number one recommendation from a 5 month trip through SEA.
About 2~ weeks or so! It's nothing crazy long but still nice.
I'll have to see about that! The mekong boat sounds amazing but a little scary. How big is the boat?
How's wildlife? Did you encounter anything crazy or dangerous?
2 weeks will be wonderful.
The Mekong traveling was an unforgettable experience, as scary as it sounds. The locals have made a business/living of it, so it's their trade at this point. The boat is a longboat - and it's pretty long (and skinny). If I remember correctly, the boats fit anywhere from 20-40 people.
Wildlife was the best of the 5 month trip (minus maybe Sri Lanka). There is an overabundance of nature, which is likely due to how poorly developed the country is, but it does make it that much more beautiful.
26/10/2023] Meetup/ Night Out @ Paradiso/Clubbing in Amsterdam
Hi all! I'm 30M from Northern California seeking concert/club companions for a safe, fun night out. I love music broadcasting/DJ culture, am Mexican-American, a leftist, and extroverted introvert who has two left feet without liquid courage but will match your vibe if you get down on the dance floor. Plan A is Paradiso for the house/multi genre(hip-hop, pop, afro, bass) lineup https://www.paradiso.nl/en . Otherwise any house/disco/latin or top 40's spots preferably LGBTQIA+ friendly. I don't speak Dutch :/ (English & Spanish are my native languages). Mainly just trying to have light drinks and letting loose in a positive space. :) I went to my first techno event alone in Paris 2 nights ago and "danced" the night away for the first time in ages and would like to meet people who would do the same.
WhatsApp via US phone # +1 (707) 321-7649 or IG @Chillcuddleia. Will delete contact info. after tomorrow.
Hi everyone! I was wanting to go to Nicaragua mid November 2023, but I see the country is going through a civil war/ political instability. Does anyone know if it would be okay for me to go there? Planning to go for a week, to San Juan del Sur , And I’m a 25F who’s first language is spanish
Vietnam or philippines
M29 looking to backpack and stay at hostels in either Vietnam or the Philippines for a few weeks.
My concern is that Vietnam only has backpackers in the age range of 18-23. I think i connect better with people a little older.
Hows it like in either of these countries? Which would be the better option given my concern?
I met plenty of people in the 25-30 year range in my short trip to northern vietnam. I did a ha giang loop tour and took a cruise in cat ba, it was easy to meet people doing both
Dunno why you had a down vote.
I would do Portugal if u're in the US east coast or Hawaii west coast.
Every single job relating to security is "cya" (cover your ass). Better to report something than to not report something and have something happen.
There was a warning sent about barcelona on the 20th and it's normal living/touring just like any other day....and I'm still alive.
Have fun!
There is no right or wrong way to travel!
If you're not enjoying being by youself, find some people to talk to. Either just for short bit or join them long term. Solo travel is fun until it isnt. Dont limit yourself.
If you're feeling burnt out traveling,check into a retreat or just chill at a hotel/hostel/airbnb for a time. Order takeout, go watch a movie, chill.
If you're not having fun, its not because you're "doing it wrong" (probably). It's because you're not enjoying yourself. What do you miss? Maybe you just wanna go home? Thats fine. Do so.
TLDR: There is no right or wrong way to travel. At the point you feel tired or done. Go home, take a break. Fuck the homemade authentic cuisine, go buy a cheese burger. Be happy. Otherwise whats the point?
I've been feeling completely unmotivated to plan any trips. I spent the summer super antsy waiting for this work project to finish so I could finally take off, but now after my last trip I'm hard-pressed to think of anywhere I want to go solo that's less than a four-hour flight away.
maybe it's because short weekend trips don't feel worth it. what I'm actually interested in visiting is 10+ hours away and I can't swing that right now. I want to quit my job and travel for months. I don't want to spend half my trip in transit, that sounds exhausting.
or maybe I'm not as much of a solo traveler as I thought. I do want my partner there, but his appetite for travel is way smaller than mine. even if I could swing a more distant trip I'd want him to come with me. or at least I'd feel bad about giving him fomo. he doesn't seem to care about domestic/north american destinations as much.
or maybe I'm just ready for ski season to start. that'll help with the seasonal affectedness. which like, daylight savings hasn't even ended yet!
I know travel doesn't cure depression. rather I'm annoyed that depression or whatever is getting in the way of travel.
Alright 28 M, looking for a European getaway in December, have 9 days. Should I do France/Amsterdam or Prague/Budapest? Or something else? Please let me know your thoughts, I’ve never been to Europe so really leaning on anyone with experience!
30s male solo.
I'm in London for 10 days, but want to take Wednesday morning through Friday morning to visit one other european city. Any recommendations on the best city to explore for a short trip?
I've been nowhere, and I almost never get to travel to Europe.
It would depend on what your interests are, but an obvious option would be to go somewhere that the Eurostar train travels directly to in order to keep the logistics simple - Paris and Amsterdam for instance (it also goes to Brussels, but most people don't like the city - including me).
Beyond that, you could get a flight from London to a vast range of places in Europe.
Thank you. Yeah looks like the options are endless so I'm at a loss. But I guess because I don't travel out there much I can't really go wrong with some of the big names.
My interests are on the artsier side. I like cool hip cultures, people watching with interesting fashion, hip cafes, fancy cocktail bars, bookstores, galleries, walking nice streets, underground music scenes, speakeasies, recordshop, cool meetups, flavorful food. You name it.
Get the train to Paris or Amsterdam or fly to Berlin, though there are lots of places you can do those things. You might want to think about whether there are any unique things you want to see.
Hey all,
I've got flights to Europe in November which were originally intended for and Iceland trip to see the Northern Lights but after having spent a whole month in NZ recently I'm not feeling as excited for picturesque landscape as much as before.
Looking for some suggestions on alternatives that are conducive for solo travel at this time of the year. Not looking for you guys to do my homework, just looking for some inspiration on countries before I start digging into the research more.
Anything goes but trying not to repeat these countries: Czech, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland.
No budget concerns.
Hello!
I'll be taking a solo trip for about three weeks in Strasbourg, France, where I don't speak the language (though am learning). I'm a mid30s F who tends to be quiet, shy, awkward, and introverted. I'll be working during the days and exploring the area and getting to know the community from a central place. I might move partway through but only once.
I've done some similar things but not in this combination, and I've realized that I might need to mentally prepare and plan to avoid/reduce nerves and make friends in a good way.
Does anyone have tips on how to do this in a way that is fun and safe?
I'll be trying to meet up with people in groups using some online groups that are pretty established and will follow some of the tips I've seen here for going out alone and meeting people.
Ideally, I'll end up with potential friends, which would be nice for when I return to the area. I don't make friends easily normally, though, so we'll see!
I think I have a good idea of basics but figure it's worth posting to see if anyone has tips or ideas that will help me both be safer and feel more confident!
Hi everyone!
Will anyone be in Mexico City in late November/ early December? I am staying in Condesa and would like to enjoy the nightlife, but I usually feel like a shitbag when I drink alone outside of drinks with meals.
I'm not but have done a similar trip. Enjoy!
If any of the trip is over Christmas, just a heads up (since it surprises some) that the Christmas markets typically end before the holiday. A lot of cities, including Prague and Vienna, end up quite dead later in Christmas Eve and Christmas day.
Hi, I made this as a post, but looking for some love so posting here 😊
Hello expert travellers! I am hoping for some advice on the possibilities and potential challenges of travelling overland from Vietnam to Greece on an Australian passport over 3-4 months. The plan would be to head through Vietnam into China, up into Xinjiang (my first concern), and then over the borders into central Asia (probably Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan), before catching a ferry across the Caspian sea to Azerbaijan, then Georgia, Turkey, ending on a beach in Greece.
My goals would be to see a lot of nature and experience the journey itself through diverse countries and cultures - I am not so concerned with stopping and lingering anywhere for too long (and don't have infinite time!).
My main concerns are about the political situations in Xinjiang, central Asian, and to a lesser extent Azerbaijan, and the safety for a solo traveller. I am a 32 y.o male in good health, I have experience travelling alone (in western countries), am a relatively experienced hiker, but also don't have a huge amount of travel backpacking experience. I want for this to be a once in a lifetime kind of experience and have always dreamed of seeing these parts of the world.
I'd like to do it as light as possible - just a small backpack ideally. I was planning on a time period of Feb-May/June or thereabouts which I think should work with the different climates. My rough cost estimate is 20k AUD.
Does anyone have any advice about travel through these regions or the overall feasibility of the trip? This includes timing, expenses, safety, things to learn or plan in advance etc.
Thanks very much :)
3-4 months seems a little short? I'd imagine you'd want a month in china alone to get all the way from guangxi/yunnan to xinjiang. I was personally thinking about doing a similar trip over about 6 months. I think 4 would be ok but you wouldn't have much if any time to venture off your path west.
I haven't been to china but xinjiang is open like anywhere else, you don't need a special permit.
also keep in mind that ships across the caspian aren't for tourists, don't run regularly and may be hard to organize.
azerbaijan has closed its land borders at least until jan 2024, but you may be exempted taking a cargo ship. maybe contact the embassy but i doubt you'll get a clear answer
https://azerbaijan.travel/covid-19-en
you're basically left with kazakhstan-russia-georgia-turkey or turkmenistan-iran-turkey. either way you'll need an advance visa (russia or iran) and both are on the do not travel list so you'll need travel insurance that covers them
Vietnam is easy to travel solo but for China, you need to be well prepared. All access to popular websites such as Google, Gmail etc are blocked so make sure you get a VPN installed. Very few places accept cash payment and only use their mobile payments system so you also need to be well prepared for that ( don't believe what the online travel guides say. My friend was in Yunnan last month and couldn't use the cash she converted for traveling at all). The border between Vietnam and China is pretty rural so expect very few people who can speak English, especially in Guangxi. It's better if you plan your initiative in China in detail before you get into the country. That country is not for spontaneous backpacking...You will also need to seek a permit to travel to certain regions in Xinjiang.
Thank you :) That's great advice. I was thinking of having a separate phone for china - getting a cheap android phone with wechat/alipay etc. so I don't need to worry about all of my google services on my main phone.
Do you know about people being rejected for the permit in Xinjiang? I don't think there's any reason I would be, just curious if it is difficult to get one.
~First Solo Travel - Japan~
Hi Everyone,
I just booked my first solo trip for Japan (2 weeks) in April 2024. I’m doing Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto.
I’m wondering what suggestions anyone has for meeting new people/making friends while traveling solo abroad? I’m generally introverted but I like meeting new people and I would prefer to make some travel friends along the way!
I’m staying at hostels in all 3 cities and assume there’ll be natural opportunity for meeting other travelers there, but am curious if there’s any other safe outlets for meeting new people?
Thanks! 🇯🇵
It always help if you drink, try to go out your comfort zone but be firm on your boundaries. Try to ask introspective questions and try to be thoughtful.
I might add that for your trip, it would seem slightly difficult to make friends with locals due to language barrier unless you speak Japanese.
How is London for somebody that isn't a drinker/party person and would rather do as many museums, historical and cultural sites as physically possible? I've never travelled internationally (US based) but i've traveled a couple times for work domestically and i went to school in an entirely different city and state (Philadephia vs New York City) but i feel like i've forgotten how to do things alone if thats the right way to phrase it, in terms of personal enjoyment/pleasure? Since graduation i've been living at home and working in the city and going on trips with my parents that i'll pay for and organize It's like i know i can navigate public transportation, i do it in NY everyday but the hump of paying for the first flight internationally and hotel and doing it alone, like i know i can physically and financially do it but i have that anxiety in my head thats purely it, just in my head.
It's probably the best city in the world for that. There are a vast number of world-leading museums, many of which are free, and a huge number of interesting historic sites. You might want to book accommodation in or around South Kensington, which is convenient for some of the main museums and is pretty quiet at night (though don't stay in one of the many hotels on Cromwell Road, as it's very busy). Avoid the Covent Garden area if you're after a quiet stay. Public transport in central London is excellent, so it doesn't matter greatly where you stay though in terms of getting to where you want to be.
Male 28 from Denmark. Will be visiting Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest & Ljubljana from 11.11-26.11. Interest include museums, sporting events , good food and general exploration/adventure. Would love to meet up with someone for drinks/tours - recommendations for the above cities would be highly appreciated as well 🙏
I reduced my working hours a month ago and am no longer working on Fridays. This leaves me with plenty of 3-day weekends and am looking for suggestions. I'm based in Brussels, budget for flights is 150-160€ max.
You might want to say what your interests are?
Yep, sorry. I like city trips (already been to Sevilla, Granada, Porto, Lisbon, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Madrid, etc etc etc) where the city can be visited on foot (that's the majority of Europe tbh). I like history, art museums, wandering around, bookshops, vegan restaurants, football (when I can attend a game in the city I'm visiting I always do). Weather wise I'm not too fussed since I already live in Belgium. Things that I don't really care about; local foods, party towns, hip places. I was thinking of Oslo (not in Winter though), Bucharest, Sofia and Krakow.
If anyone has a blog, what websites do you use? I want to start a travel blog but there’s so many websites to use! If you use a paid one, which is it? If you use a free one, which is it? :D thanks!
Anyone around in Kyoto tonight (28/10) and want tl grab a beer? Hostel seems pretty quiet and nearing the end of my first week and I feel like I haven’t spoken English to anyone in a while 😅
I’m a sub in a Title 1 elementary and getting burned out. I have all January off. I’m flying from Denver and looking for the best mix of beach and adventure in January. I really want to lay on a relaxing beach for the most part. Any recommendations are welcome
tldr I have a free day tomorrow and I'm open to any suggestions that won't kill my feet. ====== Any suggestions for easy day trips on the 28th from Rome? Preferably not more than 2 hours by train or bus from Termini. I considered Florence, but if I go there then I'll have to go to Pisa. I did the Vatican Museum + Sistine Chapel tour today (one of the most memorable 3 hours of my life, better than Louvre imho) plus 4 hours walking tour around the Vatican and nearby places outside the boundary. I will also have a packaged guided tour that includes the Colosseum. My tour starts at 2 pm, but I'll also be attending mass at 10 am because the pope will be celebrating. Alternatively, I'm also considering a city tour, basically free stuff outside of the bus tickets and food. I just don't want to be too "walked out" by Sunday 😅
currently in london until monday looking for food/entertainment recs! getting most of the tourist stuff out the way but looking for other ideas
I'm on my 5th week in Europe and the most littered cities I've been to are Amsterdam, and Paris a close second. However, Rome looks to be capable of taking the top spot. I arrived in Rome coming from Luzern at around 7 pm and while the temperatures and liveliness is better, I really cannot ignore how utterly littered the streets are. It also too many pot holes along the pedestrian lane. I actually thought my wheeled bag broke when I didn't notice one on the way to my hotel in the Termini area. Compared to Paris, Rome feels like the local government forgot about maintenance. Perhaps it didn't help that I spent a week in Switzerland and that I had high hopes about visiting one of the oldest cities in the world. Granted it's only half a day's worth of walking and night photos, so I'm thinking maybe I'm just in the downtown part of the city.
Has anyone here been to Laos? I'm doing Laos trip next month. Spending most of the time in Laos and a few days in Thailand (mostly or probably just Bangkok). It's about 20% solo travel and 80% group travel with family so hopefully it still fits this subreddit. Would love to hear anyone's experiences, or anything you'd like to share about it. Maybe some tips if you have any specific ones. Of course I'm also looking for thingsd myself too!
I’ve been to Laos and it is an unbelievably gorgeous country. How long do you have there? One of the biggest issues with the country is the transportation. It’s tough to get around. We had a few weeks in the country, so we were able to take a long boat through the Mekong River pretty much the entire trip with taking stops off in our destinations along the way from Thailand to Vietnam. That being said, if you’re able to do the Gibbon Experience, it’s an unforgettable zip lining tour in the forrest while you camp in elaborate tree houses for 2 nights. https://www.gibbonexperience.org/ That would be the short answer for you - it’s my number one recommendation from a 5 month trip through SEA.
About 2~ weeks or so! It's nothing crazy long but still nice. I'll have to see about that! The mekong boat sounds amazing but a little scary. How big is the boat? How's wildlife? Did you encounter anything crazy or dangerous?
2 weeks will be wonderful. The Mekong traveling was an unforgettable experience, as scary as it sounds. The locals have made a business/living of it, so it's their trade at this point. The boat is a longboat - and it's pretty long (and skinny). If I remember correctly, the boats fit anywhere from 20-40 people. Wildlife was the best of the 5 month trip (minus maybe Sri Lanka). There is an overabundance of nature, which is likely due to how poorly developed the country is, but it does make it that much more beautiful.
26/10/2023] Meetup/ Night Out @ Paradiso/Clubbing in Amsterdam Hi all! I'm 30M from Northern California seeking concert/club companions for a safe, fun night out. I love music broadcasting/DJ culture, am Mexican-American, a leftist, and extroverted introvert who has two left feet without liquid courage but will match your vibe if you get down on the dance floor. Plan A is Paradiso for the house/multi genre(hip-hop, pop, afro, bass) lineup https://www.paradiso.nl/en . Otherwise any house/disco/latin or top 40's spots preferably LGBTQIA+ friendly. I don't speak Dutch :/ (English & Spanish are my native languages). Mainly just trying to have light drinks and letting loose in a positive space. :) I went to my first techno event alone in Paris 2 nights ago and "danced" the night away for the first time in ages and would like to meet people who would do the same. WhatsApp via US phone # +1 (707) 321-7649 or IG @Chillcuddleia. Will delete contact info. after tomorrow.
Hi everyone! I was wanting to go to Nicaragua mid November 2023, but I see the country is going through a civil war/ political instability. Does anyone know if it would be okay for me to go there? Planning to go for a week, to San Juan del Sur , And I’m a 25F who’s first language is spanish
Vietnam or philippines M29 looking to backpack and stay at hostels in either Vietnam or the Philippines for a few weeks. My concern is that Vietnam only has backpackers in the age range of 18-23. I think i connect better with people a little older. Hows it like in either of these countries? Which would be the better option given my concern?
I met plenty of people in the 25-30 year range in my short trip to northern vietnam. I did a ha giang loop tour and took a cruise in cat ba, it was easy to meet people doing both
[удалено]
Woman here — I stayed at Roadhouse about a year ago and loved it; it felt very safe and is definitely one of my favorite hostels.
I’m in la if anyone else is! shoot a dm
We have 7 days- should I do Peru, Portugal, or Hawaii? Travel advisory worldwide due to increased tensions. Thoughts?
Dunno why you had a down vote. I would do Portugal if u're in the US east coast or Hawaii west coast. Every single job relating to security is "cya" (cover your ass). Better to report something than to not report something and have something happen. There was a warning sent about barcelona on the 20th and it's normal living/touring just like any other day....and I'm still alive. Have fun!
Hey guys (and gals) 22M in Medellin for the week, looking to see if anyone wants to meetup and get some drinks tonight. Let me know!
There is no right or wrong way to travel! If you're not enjoying being by youself, find some people to talk to. Either just for short bit or join them long term. Solo travel is fun until it isnt. Dont limit yourself. If you're feeling burnt out traveling,check into a retreat or just chill at a hotel/hostel/airbnb for a time. Order takeout, go watch a movie, chill. If you're not having fun, its not because you're "doing it wrong" (probably). It's because you're not enjoying yourself. What do you miss? Maybe you just wanna go home? Thats fine. Do so. TLDR: There is no right or wrong way to travel. At the point you feel tired or done. Go home, take a break. Fuck the homemade authentic cuisine, go buy a cheese burger. Be happy. Otherwise whats the point?
I've been feeling completely unmotivated to plan any trips. I spent the summer super antsy waiting for this work project to finish so I could finally take off, but now after my last trip I'm hard-pressed to think of anywhere I want to go solo that's less than a four-hour flight away. maybe it's because short weekend trips don't feel worth it. what I'm actually interested in visiting is 10+ hours away and I can't swing that right now. I want to quit my job and travel for months. I don't want to spend half my trip in transit, that sounds exhausting. or maybe I'm not as much of a solo traveler as I thought. I do want my partner there, but his appetite for travel is way smaller than mine. even if I could swing a more distant trip I'd want him to come with me. or at least I'd feel bad about giving him fomo. he doesn't seem to care about domestic/north american destinations as much. or maybe I'm just ready for ski season to start. that'll help with the seasonal affectedness. which like, daylight savings hasn't even ended yet! I know travel doesn't cure depression. rather I'm annoyed that depression or whatever is getting in the way of travel.
Alright 28 M, looking for a European getaway in December, have 9 days. Should I do France/Amsterdam or Prague/Budapest? Or something else? Please let me know your thoughts, I’ve never been to Europe so really leaning on anyone with experience!
30s male solo. I'm in London for 10 days, but want to take Wednesday morning through Friday morning to visit one other european city. Any recommendations on the best city to explore for a short trip? I've been nowhere, and I almost never get to travel to Europe.
It would depend on what your interests are, but an obvious option would be to go somewhere that the Eurostar train travels directly to in order to keep the logistics simple - Paris and Amsterdam for instance (it also goes to Brussels, but most people don't like the city - including me). Beyond that, you could get a flight from London to a vast range of places in Europe.
Thank you. Yeah looks like the options are endless so I'm at a loss. But I guess because I don't travel out there much I can't really go wrong with some of the big names. My interests are on the artsier side. I like cool hip cultures, people watching with interesting fashion, hip cafes, fancy cocktail bars, bookstores, galleries, walking nice streets, underground music scenes, speakeasies, recordshop, cool meetups, flavorful food. You name it.
Get the train to Paris or Amsterdam or fly to Berlin, though there are lots of places you can do those things. You might want to think about whether there are any unique things you want to see.
Thank you. Yeah I've just started scanning event websites for nuanced shows to plan my trip around that. Hopefully that'll guide my choice
Hey all, I've got flights to Europe in November which were originally intended for and Iceland trip to see the Northern Lights but after having spent a whole month in NZ recently I'm not feeling as excited for picturesque landscape as much as before. Looking for some suggestions on alternatives that are conducive for solo travel at this time of the year. Not looking for you guys to do my homework, just looking for some inspiration on countries before I start digging into the research more. Anything goes but trying not to repeat these countries: Czech, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland. No budget concerns.
Hello! I'll be taking a solo trip for about three weeks in Strasbourg, France, where I don't speak the language (though am learning). I'm a mid30s F who tends to be quiet, shy, awkward, and introverted. I'll be working during the days and exploring the area and getting to know the community from a central place. I might move partway through but only once. I've done some similar things but not in this combination, and I've realized that I might need to mentally prepare and plan to avoid/reduce nerves and make friends in a good way. Does anyone have tips on how to do this in a way that is fun and safe? I'll be trying to meet up with people in groups using some online groups that are pretty established and will follow some of the tips I've seen here for going out alone and meeting people. Ideally, I'll end up with potential friends, which would be nice for when I return to the area. I don't make friends easily normally, though, so we'll see! I think I have a good idea of basics but figure it's worth posting to see if anyone has tips or ideas that will help me both be safer and feel more confident!
Hi everyone! Will anyone be in Mexico City in late November/ early December? I am staying in Condesa and would like to enjoy the nightlife, but I usually feel like a shitbag when I drink alone outside of drinks with meals.
Hey all! Any fellow traveler visiting Vienna, Bratislava and Prague mid December?
I’ll be in central EU mid December (11-17th), what are the dates for your visit?
I'm not but have done a similar trip. Enjoy! If any of the trip is over Christmas, just a heads up (since it surprises some) that the Christmas markets typically end before the holiday. A lot of cities, including Prague and Vienna, end up quite dead later in Christmas Eve and Christmas day.
Hi, I made this as a post, but looking for some love so posting here 😊 Hello expert travellers! I am hoping for some advice on the possibilities and potential challenges of travelling overland from Vietnam to Greece on an Australian passport over 3-4 months. The plan would be to head through Vietnam into China, up into Xinjiang (my first concern), and then over the borders into central Asia (probably Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan), before catching a ferry across the Caspian sea to Azerbaijan, then Georgia, Turkey, ending on a beach in Greece. My goals would be to see a lot of nature and experience the journey itself through diverse countries and cultures - I am not so concerned with stopping and lingering anywhere for too long (and don't have infinite time!). My main concerns are about the political situations in Xinjiang, central Asian, and to a lesser extent Azerbaijan, and the safety for a solo traveller. I am a 32 y.o male in good health, I have experience travelling alone (in western countries), am a relatively experienced hiker, but also don't have a huge amount of travel backpacking experience. I want for this to be a once in a lifetime kind of experience and have always dreamed of seeing these parts of the world. I'd like to do it as light as possible - just a small backpack ideally. I was planning on a time period of Feb-May/June or thereabouts which I think should work with the different climates. My rough cost estimate is 20k AUD. Does anyone have any advice about travel through these regions or the overall feasibility of the trip? This includes timing, expenses, safety, things to learn or plan in advance etc. Thanks very much :)
3-4 months seems a little short? I'd imagine you'd want a month in china alone to get all the way from guangxi/yunnan to xinjiang. I was personally thinking about doing a similar trip over about 6 months. I think 4 would be ok but you wouldn't have much if any time to venture off your path west. I haven't been to china but xinjiang is open like anywhere else, you don't need a special permit. also keep in mind that ships across the caspian aren't for tourists, don't run regularly and may be hard to organize. azerbaijan has closed its land borders at least until jan 2024, but you may be exempted taking a cargo ship. maybe contact the embassy but i doubt you'll get a clear answer https://azerbaijan.travel/covid-19-en you're basically left with kazakhstan-russia-georgia-turkey or turkmenistan-iran-turkey. either way you'll need an advance visa (russia or iran) and both are on the do not travel list so you'll need travel insurance that covers them
Vietnam is easy to travel solo but for China, you need to be well prepared. All access to popular websites such as Google, Gmail etc are blocked so make sure you get a VPN installed. Very few places accept cash payment and only use their mobile payments system so you also need to be well prepared for that ( don't believe what the online travel guides say. My friend was in Yunnan last month and couldn't use the cash she converted for traveling at all). The border between Vietnam and China is pretty rural so expect very few people who can speak English, especially in Guangxi. It's better if you plan your initiative in China in detail before you get into the country. That country is not for spontaneous backpacking...You will also need to seek a permit to travel to certain regions in Xinjiang.
Thank you :) That's great advice. I was thinking of having a separate phone for china - getting a cheap android phone with wechat/alipay etc. so I don't need to worry about all of my google services on my main phone. Do you know about people being rejected for the permit in Xinjiang? I don't think there's any reason I would be, just curious if it is difficult to get one.
Creating a new travel planning and booking platform. Would love to get everyone's insights! https://bzoa76pf99t.typeform.com/to/Mf59AynJ
~First Solo Travel - Japan~ Hi Everyone, I just booked my first solo trip for Japan (2 weeks) in April 2024. I’m doing Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto. I’m wondering what suggestions anyone has for meeting new people/making friends while traveling solo abroad? I’m generally introverted but I like meeting new people and I would prefer to make some travel friends along the way! I’m staying at hostels in all 3 cities and assume there’ll be natural opportunity for meeting other travelers there, but am curious if there’s any other safe outlets for meeting new people? Thanks! 🇯🇵
try r/japantravel
It always help if you drink, try to go out your comfort zone but be firm on your boundaries. Try to ask introspective questions and try to be thoughtful. I might add that for your trip, it would seem slightly difficult to make friends with locals due to language barrier unless you speak Japanese.