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First time travelling solo nerves

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  • June 20, 2017 at 1:42 am #154140
    Shae03
    Participant

    Hey guys,

    So in two weeks I’ll be travelling internationally on a holiday all by myself for the first time! After a rough last year, I made a little journal of goals that I want to achieve in 2017, and travelling solo was one of them. So I’m very excited/ nervous.

    Im headed to Hawaii (from Australia), so I know it won’t be too much of a culture shock, just a long flight which I’m a tad nervous about. How do you guys manage flight anxiety?

    Has anybody travelled to another country alone? How was the experience? I’m hoping I come back with a confidence boost of following through with a goal.

    thanks 🙂

    Blake

     

    June 20, 2017 at 6:36 am #154176
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Blake:

    Congratulations for following through with a goal you set: how exciting, to travel to another country alone!

    I did that myself, traveled to Europe alone. What I liked about it was that there was no one for me to report to or to consider- I could go where I wanted, when I wanted, for as long as I wanted to. I didn’t set a plan for myself (advantages and disadvantages to that! I would keep the non-planning limited and the planning flexible), and so, I enjoyed unexpected pleasures. For example I ended up in a small, old Belgium town (on the way to France) in an unexpected local festival and enjoyed it very much. On the other hand, I didn’t enjoy and was quite bored being at the Eifel tower, a known touristy attraction. The sense of freedom for me was intoxicating.

    Regarding flight anxiety- didn’t experience much of that. What I like about flying is in the plane there is nowhere-to-go and nothing-to-do, so it is an opportunity to relax. I suppose advice on handling anxiety in any situation will apply to flight anxiety, and you can plan on strategies to calm that anxiety ahead of time.

    Congratulations and hope you keep an okay balance between excitement and nervousness.

    anita

    June 21, 2017 at 6:44 am #154346
    Kendra
    Participant

    Hi Blake,

    How exciting to take that step in traveling alone.

    My most memorable trip travelling solo was for a month in Peru and Argentina (I’m an American citizen). It was during a point in my life where I didn’t like being around people. Mostly because I had a career where I was constantly around people and having to take care of other people.

    I stayed completely open during this trip to possibilities and a perspective shift. I had no plans. All that was important was to find a way to feel happy and enjoy being around others again. And in the end I was able to meet incredible people, go snowboarding in Bariloche with new friends, experience nature and adventures in Peru with others.

    For the flight anxiety here are some ayurveda tips for traveling that may help:

    -Be as quiet as possible on the plane-meditate, sleep or listen to calming music.

    -Drink warm liquids, perhaps bring some different tea blends. A calming one sounds like it would be good for you.

    -It’s also comforting to bring a shawl to put over your head or an eye mask

    Also, I’ve done lots of long haul flights and find getting an aisle seat is most comfortable. That way you can get up whenever you want. And have some extra space on one side.

    Enjoy Hawaii, its an amazing island full of incredible people.

    June 21, 2017 at 6:44 am #154348
    Anuenue
    Participant

    Hi Blake,

    Congratulations!  I think you’ll get a huge boost from solo travel, there really is nothing like it!  You’ll learn so much about yourself along the way.  It’s a cliche, but I go to lose myself, and that’s when I find myself.

    For long flights, I load some guided meditations onto my phone.  I also load at least one good book, and one boring audio book.  Listening to a boring book puts me right to sleep!

    Hawaii is great for solo travel.  It’s one of my favorite places.  My one BIG suggestion is to be mindful of the sun. Wear a hat and sunglasses and good sunscreen.

    If you’re looking for Buddhist temples on Oahu, most guidebooks will mention Byodo-In.  IMO it’s worth a visit, but you probably won’t find a quiet place to meditate there.  Check out Mu-Ryang-Sa.  You’ll need a car and GPS to find it, totally worth it!  I’ve also found a few spots in Foster Botanical Garden that are good for meditation.

    If you don’t already keep a journal, now is a good time to start – before your trip.  Enjoy!!

     

    June 25, 2017 at 4:00 am #154878
    Shae03
    Participant

    Thanks everyone for the suggestions and support 🙂 I can completely relate to wanting some peace away in a career where your always looking after others.. I think that is what I’m excited about the most (aside from the weather! So ready to leave miserable winter down here haha)

     

    ive made myself a little care kit to bring on my hand luggage for the flight with a few things from your tips, I’ll let you all know how it goes 🙂

    June 25, 2017 at 7:30 am #154886
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Blake:

    How exciting! You are welcome and looking forward to an update from you, reading how it is going for you.

    anita

    July 23, 2017 at 3:30 pm #159764
    Natasha31
    Participant

    Hi Blake,

    Your trip sounds so exciting. Have a wonderful time and be safe.

    I have travelled to Europe alone and had the best time of my life.

    Regarding flight anxiety – what I do is-

    -listen to Louise Hay or some other meditation tapes and take deep breaths.

    -i also listen to relaxing pop music

    -try to sleep a lot in the flight

    -Watch a lot of interesting movies so that I forget I’m nervous.

    basically, I keep my mind occupied so that I forget I’m nervous.

    My top travel tips-

    Make photo copies or take photos on your phone(but be very careful not to lose phone!) of all your important papers, such as passport, visa, doctor’s prescriptions ( if you take any special medications) and any other important papers. And keep them separately from the originals.

    Note down and keep the number of your country’s embassy.

    Wear lot of sunscreen and drink a lot of water throughout the trip. Experiment with local cuisine but be mindful of how much your stomach can handle, only you know your system best!So eat accordingly.

    Travelling alone is a wonderful opportunity to learn to just be by yourself. It can be a great experience if you are open to changes and  unpredictability.

    All the best to you, have a wonderful trip

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