I'm glad you mentioned "backup plans". In my experience traveling this is very important. Have a plan for if it's sunny, and a different plan if it's raining. Have a backup plan if you can't find accommodations. Have a backup plan if a certain attraction is closed. Be prepared for road closures due to snow. What if you are in the alps and it snows like crazy and all the roads are impassable? You must have a backup plan to go back to the city and go to museums or something. Backup plans are so important because you WILL be thwarted with at least some of your plans. Things like road closures or attractions being closed for maintenance are usually the #1 problem.
Love that I found this channel! I'm a newbie solo traveler taking my first trip soon and it's great to get perspective from a woman such as yourself, thank you!
Very very important to blend in and learn the customs!! Also, learn the basics in language from Hello, thank you, No thank you, please, how to count etc and USE them with everyone you meet. Many cultures accept that as a HUGE part of respect and it brings laughs too. BE mindful of your surrounding when on foot. Don't stand near small groups that approach you. Keep your space and you won't be a target of a group of pick pockets. Carry your wallet in your FRONT pocket or sideways in your back pocket so it is very hard to get it out in. Wear button pocket shorts with buttons not snaps and use them. Keep extra cash/change under the sole of your shoe and a business card of the hotel. Safety wise, make eye contact with everyone on the street and say HI or nod as you will become less of a target.
Thanks Christine, for crisp video about solo travel tips. Traveling alone can empower you. If you planning for solo trip than you must research about the place you’re visiting. I think having less luggage can help in many ways.
I have travelled extensively over the past 10 years on my own as at 54 year old woman there have been good times bad times and dangerous scary times I have learned so much over the years but it is always nice to learn from others thank you great vlog Christine
I’m traveling in northern Thailand and Malaysia for six weeks, leaving in ten days. Not my first solo trip but it will be my longest so far, and first in a long time. I’m really glad I found your channel. It’s great advice, great content, and entertaining!
Awesome tips. Provided you got yourself a data plan on your phone, I also would like to add that one should download the Google Translate app when travelling abroad and if you don't speak the country's language. It's free and very useful if you're lost and need directions or need to know when is the next train departing etc.
So I've booked my first solo trip to *drumroll* Thailand!! Thank you again Christine for your videos, again you've really inspired me to take the plunge and just do it!! :)
You are the first youtube video about travelling i really learned something .....bravo.I have a question do you keep important things in hotel or do you take it with you concealed on your body
Very good advice well thought out. I have s plastic folder with copies of maps then I can write on them. Not worry about rain or a dying battery. Copies of important doc. Tickets. Electronically and paper. Talk simply with local ppl. Please and thank you and short sentences. ‘ I was just wondering 🆖. Do not ramble. You bag intrigued me. After 40 years of travelling I use a poster bag as it’s hands free. Tough. Lots of pockets. And a wheeled suitcase. That sounds awful but never gets crushed. Fits easily. Easy to carry. A medium. I might buy a second one just before returning for shopping. Might.
Very helpful tips! Just the "death" plan kind of freaked me out, I though that this is what I pay my insurance for (among other things), is this not covered in the travel insurance you use?
Soooo, I'm not sure if this is a dumb question but. I don't own a lot of neutral clothing. And for my 2 week trip traveling throughout Europe in September I had planned to bring mostly maxi dresses. Most are dressy/casual and have some sort of floral. Will that draw to much attention? I'm just more comfortable in dresses, even for walking around a long time (I know I'm weird) Will that choice in style make me more of a target or the opposite and make it seem like I'm more of a local since I'm more "dressed up" compared to the next tourist in jeans and a t-shirt. Thank you for reading this, I look forward to your response 😊
+Seraphina Mathias Europe is very urban so dresses seem fine as street clothes. It may blend better unless it's a prom dress. I'd avoid garish jewelry. The idea is trying to blend with locals. Sometimes "tourists" also look like "rich tourists" and standout to pickpockets. 😁
I am also doing a solo trip to Greece this June. I have slowly started shopping and so far have a mix of floral maxi dresses and white denim jeans that I mix with let’s say teal or light green shirt. I also have white converse and brown color sandals. Just my idea if it helps.
Hi Christine! I have a question for a trip to Korea... do you recommend a backpack instead of a suitcase or do you think I have no prob for using a suitcase? I’m staying mainly at templestays.
Hi Christine, I love your channel and you're one of my top sources for useful information, especially as I am about to embark upon a long solo journey myself. I am really interested in your death plan. It's a great idea for all the reasons you mentioned...but where to start? Is it just a matter of making your wishes known to family/friends? Or do you have something a little more formal in place?
Hi +Brian Hunt You could have something more formal in place. I was researching burial plots/plans for my parents and we were going thru plan of action in the case someone passes.. With all the travel I do, I figured I could potentially go before my parents. Cremation is the least expensive way overall and definitely if death occur overseas- they could essentially mail you back. (I've temped at a mortuary/crematorium before- I've handled some of those boxes and am familiar with the cost differences).
My recommendation: Just get an unlocked mobile mobile phone that has hotspot capability. I recommend using AIS (mobile service company name) because it works most everywhere in Thailand and they have public hotspots at most malls and many other locations that you can use free if you subscribe to their mobile service. 12GB of 4G cellular data costs about $30 USD/month. You can buy less as well but I buy the "big one" in case I need it for my job if my apartment Internet goes out.
I can't remember if they sell portable wifis at the airport, but you can check AIS website. There are also USB internet sticks, mifi's and as +mojojojo mentioned an unlocked smartphone works too. I did a video on how to turn an iPhone into a hotspot. But you can also buy some of these things at MBK in Bangkok.
GrrrlTraveler - Do you have international coverage with a cell phone carrier? I use Tmobile and it works in Thailand and Cambodia but did not work in Japan. Do you use Sim cards for every place you go? You must have a lot of SIM cards. Also, I had to cross the border from China to Hong Kong, and had to sell my cell phone to get a hotel in Hong Kong. LOL!!!
I buy SIM cards in the country Im in. They can prove cheaper and with some countries, data is faster. I have a prepaid SIM at home- $30mo w/ data. Most countries + US are GSM, but some countries can be CDMA/ Japan is the latter, which is why your carrier prob didn't work.
+GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa Oh. I know the word, it just didn't sound familiar. It almost sounds like your are making a d sound instead of a t lol.
Sorry to say but posting where you are and saying to the world on social media that you are not home is NOT a good idea. The wrong person can find out and knows where your house is a rob you. Sorry but thats a very bad tip.
Justine Hietkamp i think that depends on where you love and who your friends are on social media is. I personally love in an extremely rural area where I literally know everyone. Im solo all the time and always let everyone know where im at in case i dont check in.
+Justine Hietkamp - you're welcome to subscribe to that theory against technology and you might be correct. Although +Kayla Kehres is right too~ it depends on what information you make available to "public" outside your "friends". Social media is so ubiquitous these days-- mass amounts of folks post photos/geo location on instagram/FB/snapchat/yelp/etc.., on a daily basis. There are "check in" and "GPS/location" so folks can check into and broadcast their whereabouts literally everywhere -- airports, restaurants, parks, parties and beaches. Folks also check in on FB a lot when there's natural disasters; they want friends and family to know they are safe. The Nepal Earthquake was a big one, where social media played a prominent part....F&F reverted to seeking out "missing loved ones' via social media statuses to see where they last checked in the hopes that missing loved one could be found. Some statuses read that the person was going to base camp (heartbreaking). There have been other, more upsetting cases of missing travelers in the past where social media was used to trace their last whereabouts and their last message.
GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa. very true.. I just personally don't feel comfortable letting people know unless its my family or close friends know that my house is empty... but i do agree with letting them know exactly where you are when you are traveling :) sorry if it seemed like I was being rude or anything.
Excellent point, and a definite concern! I've always been very quiet on social media until I return from travels. For my upcoming trip though, a LOT of people at work will be aware of my being out of the country, and this is beyond my control. I bought a security camera for my living room that I can watch from my phone while abroad. It has motion and sound detection as well and it will alert me if anything happens, and then of course I'd call the police to have them go over in the event of an intruder. I haven't used this device yet, so I'm REALLY hoping it works well. If it works out, that'll be a great thing for us travelers for peace of mind while away!
Thank you for 1st mentioning researching the culture and dress appropriately. People these days, including men, are real quick to start shouting; "a woman should be able to wear what she wants". Well I disagree. It's common sense for safety and respectful to the women of that country which may be more conservative, compared to where you come from.
I'm glad you mentioned "backup plans". In my experience traveling this is very important. Have a plan for if it's sunny, and a different plan if it's raining. Have a backup plan if you can't find accommodations. Have a backup plan if a certain attraction is closed. Be prepared for road closures due to snow. What if you are in the alps and it snows like crazy and all the roads are impassable? You must have a backup plan to go back to the city and go to museums or something. Backup plans are so important because you WILL be thwarted with at least some of your plans. Things like road closures or attractions being closed for maintenance are usually the #1 problem.
+Carrie Westham Exactly!!! So necessary for all types of travel
Alittle bit of advice, get a business card for the hotel/guest house you're staying at. It will come in handy when lost.
Yes!! Doing this has saved me so many times while traveling alone. Great tip!
We must think alike~~ that was one of my tips for 'backup plans' =D
GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa You touched on it briefly, you are a guest in that country 😎
Good idea!
Love that I found this channel! I'm a newbie solo traveler taking my first trip soon and it's great to get perspective from a woman such as yourself, thank you!
Very very important to blend in and learn the customs!! Also, learn the basics in language from Hello, thank you, No thank you, please, how to count etc and USE them with everyone you meet. Many cultures accept that as a HUGE part of respect and it brings laughs too. BE mindful of your surrounding when on foot. Don't stand near small groups that approach you. Keep your space and you won't be a target of a group of pick pockets. Carry your wallet in your FRONT pocket or sideways in your back pocket so it is very hard to get it out in. Wear button pocket shorts with buttons not snaps and use them. Keep extra cash/change under the sole of your shoe and a business card of the hotel. Safety wise, make eye contact with everyone on the street and say HI or nod as you will become less of a target.
Thanks Christine, for crisp video about solo travel tips. Traveling alone can empower you. If you planning for solo trip than you must research about the place you’re visiting. I think having less luggage can help in many ways.
I have travelled extensively over the past 10 years on my own as at 54 year old woman there have been good times bad times and dangerous scary times I have learned so much over the years but it is always nice to learn from others thank you great vlog Christine
leila hellier what did your husband and children say about that then?
not married and my daughter is 33 years old but she did think I was crazy
Do you have a blog????!!!!!
No I do not want my whole life on youtube for the world to see there is no point in having a private life if you make it public is there
John Martin Are you seriously making assumptions that she must be married with kids?!
Thank you, you are very wise and helpful. I’m planning to travel alone to Africa soon this has really helped me thank you.
Can't wait to start my international solo trips
'Did you book it yet? Is it this year?
GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa haven't yet! but trying to be sometime around this year maybe canada, Asia, or Australia.
I’m traveling in northern Thailand and Malaysia for six weeks, leaving in ten days. Not my first solo trip but it will be my longest so far, and first in a long time. I’m really glad I found your channel. It’s great advice, great content, and entertaining!
how you stay connected while travelling
i mean which sim do you use?
Awesome tips. Provided you got yourself a data plan on your phone, I also would like to add that one should download the Google Translate app when travelling abroad and if you don't speak the country's language. It's free and very useful if you're lost and need directions or need to know when is the next train departing etc.
Yes, Google Translate is a good app!
So I've booked my first solo trip to *drumroll* Thailand!! Thank you again Christine for your videos, again you've really inspired me to take the plunge and just do it!! :)
Hi Christine, i don't travel that much as i got wheels on my new luggage , and it's easier than back pack, thank you Jerome from Florida
A lot of your tips in most of vlogs are unheard and are new from other travel vloggers which is great. Best tips ever. Thanks for sharing.
Yay!!!! +vithika kumar (taking a bow)
I have been binge watching your vlogs about India! I am traveling this April for about 3 weeks! Really awesome tips! Thank you!
Did u go to India solo? Im thinking about going there for holi fest and I’ve been watching her vlog as well haha
Really love your videos. Very informative and to the point. Thank you.
Great info on the Safety tips for Solo travelers, I hope to travel in Oct 2021. Thanak you, love your videos!
Yesssss me too. I’m aiming for fall too. 🤞🤞🤞
You are the first youtube video about travelling i really learned something .....bravo.I have a question do you keep important things in hotel or do you take it with you concealed on your body
Great tips . smiling is the main one I might forget
Just came across your videos and have to say I'm impressed with your tips and tricks, I liked them that much I subscribed instantly
Im planning to have a solo travel in southeast Philippines! i hope i can make it" in god's hand & good weather")
Actually a couple of tips i hadn't thought of. Thank you!
Very good advice well thought out. I have s plastic folder with copies of maps then I can write on them. Not worry about rain or a dying battery. Copies of important doc. Tickets. Electronically and paper. Talk simply with local ppl. Please and thank you and short sentences. ‘ I was just wondering 🆖. Do not ramble. You bag intrigued me. After 40 years of travelling I use a poster bag as it’s hands free. Tough. Lots of pockets. And a wheeled suitcase. That sounds awful but never gets crushed. Fits easily. Easy to carry. A medium. I might buy a second one just before returning for shopping. Might.
Most helpful videos ever 🙌🏻
Thank you so much
Great tips. Thanks
Very helpful tips! Just the "death" plan kind of freaked me out, I though that this is what I pay my insurance for (among other things), is this not covered in the travel insurance you use?
I know this is VERY late but if you download google maps you can use it offline
This is so great! I can't wait to take my first solo trip!
Yes #7 all the way!
Extremely practical and useful, amazing :)
Thank you ! 💗
Wow this is so motivating n helpful
Great advice thank you
Soooo, I'm not sure if this is a dumb question but. I don't own a lot of neutral clothing. And for my 2 week trip traveling throughout Europe in September I had planned to bring mostly maxi dresses. Most are dressy/casual and have some sort of floral. Will that draw to much attention? I'm just more comfortable in dresses, even for walking around a long time (I know I'm weird) Will that choice in style make me more of a target or the opposite and make it seem like I'm more of a local since I'm more "dressed up" compared to the next tourist in jeans and a t-shirt.
Thank you for reading this, I look forward to your response 😊
+Seraphina Mathias Europe is very urban so dresses seem fine as street clothes. It may blend better unless it's a prom dress. I'd avoid garish jewelry. The idea is trying to blend with locals. Sometimes "tourists" also look like "rich tourists" and standout to pickpockets. 😁
I am also doing a solo trip to Greece this June. I have slowly started shopping and so far have a mix of floral maxi dresses and white denim jeans that I mix with let’s say teal or light green shirt. I also have white converse and brown color sandals. Just my idea if it helps.
Oh my god you scared the shit out of me when you mentioned death lmfao but hey worse case scenarios right
abesolutely good plannig for travel👍💯💖💖😍
Hi Christine! I have a question for a trip to Korea... do you recommend a backpack instead of a suitcase or do you think I have no prob for using a suitcase? I’m staying mainly at templestays.
Your smile works, you are cute. Some of us just look creepy if we smile. Lol! Great video.
+Dallas Powwi. I think it all depends on the thoughts behind the smile. haha. Think creepy thoughts then it'll look creepy. ;)
Any suggestions on where to travel? I'm making my first solo trip next month!
Hi Christine, I love your channel and you're one of my top sources for useful information, especially as I am about to embark upon a long solo journey myself.
I am really interested in your death plan. It's a great idea for all the reasons you mentioned...but where to start? Is it just a matter of making your wishes known to family/friends? Or do you have something a little more formal in place?
Hi +Brian Hunt You could have something more formal in place. I was researching burial plots/plans for my parents and we were going thru plan of action in the case someone passes.. With all the travel I do, I figured I could potentially go before my parents.
Cremation is the least expensive way overall and definitely if death occur overseas- they could essentially mail you back. (I've temped at a mortuary/crematorium before- I've handled some of those boxes and am familiar with the cost differences).
This was very useful ♥️
good video! thank you for posting
YOu're most welcome! xo
Getting lost is the best,I found the coolest places.
About the death plan is there something formal like a living will or is it something that you tell you family and they convey it to the country?
I really want to go on a solo trip. I Need to start planning & saving.
Very helpful
I want to rent a portable wifi in Bangkok while i am there. Do you have some recommendations? I was wondering..
My recommendation: Just get an unlocked mobile mobile phone that has hotspot capability. I recommend using AIS (mobile service company name) because it works most everywhere in Thailand and they have public hotspots at most malls and many other locations that you can use free if you subscribe to their mobile service. 12GB of 4G cellular data costs about $30 USD/month. You can buy less as well but I buy the "big one" in case I need it for my job if my apartment Internet goes out.
I can't remember if they sell portable wifis at the airport, but you can check AIS website. There are also USB internet sticks, mifi's and as +mojojojo mentioned an unlocked smartphone works too. I did a video on how to turn an iPhone into a hotspot. But you can also buy some of these things at MBK in Bangkok.
Hotspot video: ruclips.net/video/026eJN821zQ/видео.html
Nice tips thnx
You seem to have a lot of experience with this kinda stuff, how long have you been traveling?
GrrrlTraveler - Do you have international coverage with a cell phone carrier? I use Tmobile and it works in Thailand and Cambodia but did not work in Japan. Do you use Sim cards for every place you go? You must have a lot of SIM cards. Also, I had to cross the border from China to Hong Kong, and had to sell my cell phone to get a hotel in Hong Kong. LOL!!!
I buy SIM cards in the country Im in. They can prove cheaper and with some countries, data is faster. I have a prepaid SIM at home- $30mo w/ data. Most countries + US are GSM, but some countries can be CDMA/ Japan is the latter, which is why your carrier prob didn't work.
good tips
at 1:00 ish you say something like that's the "tidisiss" of a rich tourist. What word is that?
antithesis. ...I had a feeling that word might be too complex to use.
+GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa Oh. I know the word, it just didn't sound familiar. It almost sounds like your are making a d sound instead of a t lol.
Need to see more of You......
Osprey
Great Advice. I love being a solo traveler.
I want to be cremated and ashes over any water.
Smart traveller is also in Australia.
Sorry to say but posting where you are and saying to the world on social media that you are not home is NOT a good idea. The wrong person can find out and knows where your house is a rob you. Sorry but thats a very bad tip.
Justine Hietkamp i think that depends on where you love and who your friends are on social media is. I personally love in an extremely rural area where I literally know everyone. Im solo all the time and always let everyone know where im at in case i dont check in.
+Justine Hietkamp - you're welcome to subscribe to that theory against technology and you might be correct.
Although +Kayla Kehres is right too~ it depends on what information you make available to "public" outside your "friends".
Social media is so ubiquitous these days-- mass amounts of folks post photos/geo location on instagram/FB/snapchat/yelp/etc.., on a daily basis. There are "check in" and "GPS/location" so folks can check into and broadcast their whereabouts literally everywhere -- airports, restaurants, parks, parties and beaches.
Folks also check in on FB a lot when there's natural disasters; they want friends and family to know they are safe.
The Nepal Earthquake was a big one, where social media played a prominent part....F&F reverted to seeking out "missing loved ones' via social media statuses to see where they last checked in the hopes that missing loved one could be found. Some statuses read that the person was going to base camp (heartbreaking). There have been other, more upsetting cases of missing travelers in the past where social media was used to trace their last whereabouts and their last message.
GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa. very true.. I just personally don't feel comfortable letting people know unless its my family or close friends know that my house is empty... but i do agree with letting them know exactly where you are when you are traveling :) sorry if it seemed like I was being rude or anything.
Is her house empty? I travel alone but every time I am away there is a friend living in my house.
Excellent point, and a definite concern! I've always been very quiet on social media until I return from travels. For my upcoming trip though, a LOT of people at work will be aware of my being out of the country, and this is beyond my control. I bought a security camera for my living room that I can watch from my phone while abroad. It has motion and sound detection as well and it will alert me if anything happens, and then of course I'd call the police to have them go over in the event of an intruder. I haven't used this device yet, so I'm REALLY hoping it works well. If it works out, that'll be a great thing for us travelers for peace of mind while away!
Australia has a smart traveller site too.
Good to know! =D
I subscribed bcz ur so cute lol
Thank you for 1st mentioning researching the culture and dress appropriately.
People these days, including men, are real quick to start shouting; "a woman should be able to wear what she wants". Well I disagree.
It's common sense for safety and respectful to the women of that country which may be more conservative, compared to where you come from.
I didnt know ur form oahu!!? Lol
+chanh tran Yes I am! 🤙
How old are you, ı am 32 and i think it is not late to start a travel vlog😜🤓
+cemile kocaman. It's never too late to start anything.
Hi. Plz b my travel sugar mama
Only if you donate to my Patreon, help me video edit, carry my equipment and deal with business emails www.patreon.com/grrrltraveler