Hey everyone! Wanted to leave a post here as an open invitation to ask anything on solo travel! I'm always happy to help

I am on a way to my first Solo trip to Italy and Switzerland. I am excited and overwhelmed at the same time but in a good way. It was a gift for my birthday. This was my first visit to Italy but before that I was not Solo.

I learned the hard way so you don’t have to :-) 🌞 I didn’t check local holidays when planning dates! It was around Carnival time in the Dominican Republic but I accidentally planned my trip for when flights/hotels were more expensive leading up to the big events but missed the actual festivities LOL & look out for holidays when lots of places are closed so u don’t end up without food or transportation. 🌞 I went wifi only! I’d been to the same country w/ my sister & we only used wifi but WHOLE different ballgame for solo safety that I didn’t think about. Definitely get a physical or eSIM card so your ppl can track your live location & check in often! Sooo much more peace of mind. @simcornertravel is a reliable option for both & you can use code SOLOSUMMER for a discount! 🌞 I didn’t learn basic words or phrases in the local language beforehand! Most locals spoke some English but once I was actually there, it felt way more respectful to at least attempt so I def did some googling after the first few days! helps with safety, getting around, & just being a good tourist! :) 🌞 I overplanned! This helps you feel prepared & more confident so it’s great to plan ahead as much as you need! But I didn’t leave a ton of flexibility for all of the things that I wanted to do once I got there & got a better feel for the city! 🌞 I didn’t order currency ahead of time! Once I started doing this thru my banking app (a week or so before leaving for a trip) this was a gamechangerrr. The last thing u wanna do after landing with some first-solo-trip-nerves is exchange at the airport (so expensive) or find an ATM (a hassle) btw you’re going to make “mistakes” no matter what & learn from them but hopefully you can learn from a few of mine so that you can make your own little fun ones but still feel prepared :)

The secret is that it might feel like that every time …and that’s a good thing! It means that that feeling actually means *nothing* Especially when you’re getting ready to leave for your FIRST solo trip, those nerves seriously feel like a real gut feeling that it would be naive to ignore… it can feel like a guarantee that something horrible is going to go wrong & that your worst-case-scenario fears were right. Especially if safety is a big fear, it can feel like “this is literally like the start of every kidnapping movie where the girl ignores everyone who told her not to go alone…” The first time, you can’t tell the difference between THAT and the normal but lowkey sickening butterflies that come up for a lot of women - even if they’ve done it plenty of times before! 🌞 You’ll be able to *actually* trust your gut more when you get there to sus out day-to-day stuff, but there’s a good chance you should NOT trust your pre-trip nerves! They don’t want you to have fun & get out of your comfort zone🤷‍♀️ I was beyond dramatic before I left for my first solo trip & was saying my goodbyes to people like I wasn’t sure if I would make it back alive LMAO but the anxiety before a solo trip can feel THAT real! I still get this feeling (just not quite as intense) almost every time! Nerves are still there for even the most experienced solo travelers - you just get more comfortable & familiar with it over time! Then, you can recognize it for what it is instead of accepting it as the confirmation of all of your worst fears! This is your sign that your anxiety about solo travel isn’t a red flag! It’s just well-intentioned butterflies that don’t understand that you’re about to have an exciting new experience 🤷‍♀️ TIP: 1 thing that gives me peace of mind is being prepared w/ international data! My ppl can track my location & I’m never stuck without the ability to look up directions, translations, etc! I use @simcornertravel & you can use code SOLOSUMMER for a discount if ya need it!