🧭 How I Planned My First Solo Trip – Mistakes and Lessons
Traveling solo for the first time can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. Here’s the honest story of my first solo adventure: why I decided to go alone, how I planned everything, the mistakes I made… and the invaluable lessons I learned.
🌟 Why I Chose to Travel Solo
It all started with a strong urge to step out of my comfort zone. Between daily stress and the desire to reconnect with myself, the idea of traveling solo became obvious.
I wanted to:
- Make decisions without compromise
- Reconnect with myself
- Open up to the world with no filters or distractions
Solo travel is about daring the unknown to better discover yourself.
🧭 The Key Steps I Took to Plan My First Solo Trip
1. Set a Budget
I began by calculating how much I could spend without getting into trouble. I listed everything:
- Flights
- Accommodation
- Food
- Activities
- Emergency budget
💡 Tip: I used the app TravelSpend to track all expenses in real-time.
2. Choose the Right Destination
Here were my key criteria:
- Safe for solo travelers
- Easy transportation
- Affordable overall
My choice: Lisbon, Portugal – a welcoming, budget-friendly city and ideal for first-timers.
3. Think About Safety
I made sure to:
- Share my itinerary with friends and family
- Buy solid travel insurance
- Install a safety app (like GeoSure)
⚠️ The Mistakes I Made as a First-Time Solo Traveler
❌ Booking the Wrong Accommodation
I picked a place too far from the center. It meant 40-minute commutes, little atmosphere, and feeling isolated.
Lesson: Choose well-reviewed hostels or guesthouses in the city center – they’re perfect for meeting people.
❌ Overplanning My Days
I filled my schedule with back-to-back activities. It left me exhausted instead of energized.
Lesson: Leave room for downtime and spontaneous adventures.
❌ Not Researching Local Culture
I made a few cultural faux-pas (like meal times and social etiquette). Not terrible, but avoidable.
Lesson: A little cultural research goes a long way in showing respect and feeling more at ease.
✨ What I Learned (and Would Do Differently)
- Less is more – slowing down helps you enjoy moments more fully.
- Stay in social places like hostels or co-working cafés to meet others.
- Trust your gut – sometimes improvising leads to the best memories.
🎒 “My backpack was light, but it carried a new kind of confidence.”
🔁 Final Thoughts: A Journey Within
This first solo trip changed not only how I see the world – but how I see myself. I realized that solitude isn’t emptiness; it’s space you fill with curiosity, courage, and freedom.