I’ve always wanted to solo travel but never been brave enough to actually do it. I was meant to go with a friend but she cancelled last minute. I considered not going but I told myself that if you wait on friends and those close to you to do something you might never get anything done. After I did my first solo trip to Barcelona on my birthday I told myself that this would be a tradition from hereon.

Nessa in Barcelona
1. Never wait on friends and family if you have the opportunity to do it just do it otherwise you will miss out on a great adventure.
2. I stayed in an Airbnb as I was meant to go with a friend but next time I’d rather stay in a hotel. I bought some groceries which I never got round to cooking so that was a complete waste. Hotel accommodation would be more flexible as I’ll have my breakfast and decide on what to eat during the day.
3. A lot of women travel alone . I joined Girls Love Travel, a group on Facebook of women of all ages and races across the world who are solo travelling. It’s a great way to meet new people. I met a lovely American young woman we spent the day sightseeing Sagrada la familia.

Sagrada la familia
4. Don’t be afraid to ask people for directions or to take your pictures. I met another young woman who I spent half of the day with, she was solo travelling . We took a dozen pictures of each other.
5. Google Maps is your best friend. I got lost but this was a life saver and you can always save some directions to use off line for when you have no data or WiFi access.
6. Pay attention to reviews for activities you want to do.
7. I always book a 5 day or week pass to use both on trains and buses.

Food Market
8. I love booking classes especially cooking classes. It’s a great way to meet new people and also learn about the culture. Use Google via Trips Adviser and AirBnB to make bookings for these.
9. Plan ahead. You get to focus on things you actually want to do especially things you may not be able to do with friends. I went to 5 or 6 museum’s. I bought an art passport which gave me access to museum’s and art galleries. This also gives you a chance to enjoy your own company.
10. To ensure my safety I didn’t stay out till late and didn’t drink much.

Barcelona National Museum

A big thank you to Nessa for sharing her Best of The Year Travel Experience with me. You can find Nessa on: Twitter @NessaNess_x and Instagram: @nessaness_x
All images courtesy of Nessa.
Which destination did you travel to this year?
©MaKupsy 2018