Want to Ease the Stress of Traveling (Especially Solo)? Take Note of These Tips
Are you a big fan of traveling but can’t seem to get rid of the jitters? That nervousness you feel when traveling (especially when you’re on your own) is known as travel anxiety, and it’s something that just about everyone gets at one point or another.
Travel anxiety can be particularly troublesome for certain people, discouraging them from heading out and seeing the world. If you want to relieve the stresses of traveling, the best-practice tactics below will help you breathe easier.
Related: “Ultimate Travel Guide to Vietnam”
Using travel insurance as a security blanket
Of course, one of the first steps to ensuring that your travel plans go as smoothly as possible is to prepare for the worst, which means tackling travel insurance. It might not be fun to research and consider the best policies that work for you, but travel insurance coverage is necessary. Insurance is there to help you when something doesn’t go your way, and there are also types of coverage that can help you in case you need to cancel a trip.
The idea of travel insurance is to act as a security blanket, allowing you to feel better about the trip, knowing that you’ve done everything possible to ensure things go smoothly.
Letting your physician know of your plans
Contacting your doctor about your travel plans might seem a little unorthodox, but there are plenty of reasons why it’s important. For one, having your doctor clear you for travel (even if it’s unnecessary) can help make you feel more secure. It’s not easy to enjoy a trip when you’re worried about your health, so why not ask your doctor for advice? Chances are, they’ll tell you to bring a small first-aid kit, with anti-allergy medication being particularly important.
Even if you aren’t allergic to anything (as far as you know), it’s crucial to remember you’ll be traveling to a new place and likely trying new dishes with ingredients you’ve never had. As such, it’s best to travel with anti-allergy medication to ensure a quick solution if you suffer an allergic reaction.
Keeping in touch with family and friends
The trouble with traveling solo is it can make you feel all alone in unfamiliar territory, which is technically the case. However, just because you’re traveling solo doesn’t mean you must feel alone. Keeping up with family and friends is crucial, as you’ll want to ensure the people you trust know where you are. It’s also a lot of fun to debrief daily and talk about the day’s events with the people you trust. Remember that while you might be alone in unfamiliar territory, the people you love are a single message or video call away.
Aside from the best-practice methods above, you’ll also want to ensure you only pack what you need. That way, you won’t stress yourself trying to keep track of everything. Finally, research is necessary to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible when you begin your grand adventure!