• Start smart. Even if you want to be unstructured, book at least the first night's accommodation in advance. It will be easier to feel comfortable and get your bearings.
• When you travel alone, you accept the responsibility to reach out, be extroverted, and strike up a conversation with strangers. You'll find it much easier to make new friends when you are alone. You are more approachable.
• Trust your intuition, no matter what. You will have many great opportunities to explore new places and meet exciting people. One of the best things about travel is being open to these experiences. Just pay attention to your gut when you find yourself in a new situation. It will tell you when to go for it and when to get out. Always listen to your instincts and they will help keep you safe in the midst of your adventures.
• Women travelling alone share similar concerns about loneliness, safety, harassment, illness and accidents. Don't worry. Going alone is not necessarily more dangerous than travelling with a companion – it just requires extra awareness. You will discover how fine-tuned your survival instincts are. Most countries in the world are not as violent or dangerous as our own. If you need help, ask for it.
• Don't travel alone into backcountry – make sure at least one or two others accompany you. A backcountry injury without someone to help can pose a life-or-death situation.
• Buy a popular guidebook. The accommodations and restaurants listed will be full of other independent travellers, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to hook up with a variety of people. You may find yourself exploring the bazaar or eating a meal with your new friends, or you might even travel for a time together. Use your guidebook as an indication of things to see and where to start your journey, then travel farther off the beaten path.
• Don't isolate yourself in a hotel or rental car. It's much easier to meet people if you are out and about with locals and other travellers. Use public transportation and stay in hostels, local homes, or bed-and-breakfasts. You will probably meet so many people that you just might yearn for some time alone!
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For more travel tips by the author, visit www.gutsytraveler.com.Excerpted from Gutsy Women: More Travel Tips and Wisdom for the Road by Marybeth Bond. Excerpted with permission from Travelers' Tales. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.
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