What to know before you book a solo trip - Ep 122
This past September, I took the plunge and embarked on my very first solo trip across the Atlantic to Edinburgh, Scotland. While I have always been curious about solo travel, I had never actually taken the leap.
I am diving deep into my entire experience, from my personal safety protocols and how I navigated dining alone, to my top recommendations for anyone considering their own solo journey.
Create & consume:
What Austen is creating: charcuterie spread for the Giants tailgate!
What Austen is consuming: Sara Carrolli’s fall vlogs—fall reset, September TBR
In this episode:
Solo trip brainstorming and planning
When I first started brainstorming and planning this trip, I knew right away that I wanted to visit a destination where English was the primary language.
I was craving an international experience, but I did not want to travel all the way to the other side of the world for my first solo outing.
I also found myself trying to figure out a destination that I had not visited yet, but that my usual travel companions had already checked off their lists.
To get inspired, I went back through my old blog posts to look at trips I had previously dreamed of taking.
From there, I spent a lot of time asking friends for recommendations, reading various travel blogs, and watching plenty of YouTube videos to solidify my choice.
Booking my trip
Timing was a huge factor for me, as I really wanted to experience the magic of autumn in Edinburgh.
However, I knew I did not want to go too late in the season because I wanted to take advantage of as much daylight as possible.
After securing an ETA for traveling to the UK, I focused on making logistics as stress-free as I could.
I booked a hotel from a brand I have stayed with before (The Hoxton) because going with something familiar gave me peace of mind, and it allowed me to use some saved-up credit card points.
For that exact same reason, I booked my flight on an airline I am loyal to, flying out of the airport closest to my house.
Because of my schedule, I ended up traveling during the work week. I worked the weekend before I left so that I could fully maximize my time in Scotland without any lingering deadlines.
Plus, my husband Andrew would have a full work week while I was gone so I wouldn’t miss too much time with him.
Logistics and safety
Safety was a major priority for me as a solo female traveler.
Before leaving, I shared my entire itinerary with Andrew and my parents, making sure they had all my flight numbers and hotel confirmations.
We relied heavily on the Find My Friends app, and I made it a rule to do nightly check-ins with Andrew the moment I got back to my hotel room.
To be extra cautious, I rarely stayed out after dark and spent almost all of my time in tourist-heavy, well-populated areas.
Whenever I was walking around the city alone, I made sure to turn off the noise-canceling feature on my AirPods so I could stay completely aware of my surroundings.
I also adopted a fun little safety tactic where I essentially lied to anyone I met who asked why I was traveling alone.
I simply told them that Andrew was attending a whiskey tasting, and hilariously, no one ever questioned this excuse, whether it was ten in the morning or five in the evening.
My experience in Edinburgh
The city itself was an absolute dream to navigate.
The main section of Edinburgh is incredibly walkable, and the public transit system is fantastic.
I never had to use an Uber the entire trip, relying completely on the easy-to-use buses and trams, including my transit to and from the airport.
Having my phone and reading all the signs in English made getting around completely foolproof.
I fit in some amazing sightseeing highlights, spending time wandering down the colorful Victoria Street, exploring Edinburgh Castle, and visiting the National Portrait Gallery.
I also stopped by The Writer’s Museum and admired the towering Scott Monument.
As for daily logistics, the whole city is heavily tap-to-pay, meaning I never once needed to pull out physical cash.
I was also pleasantly surprised by how allergy-aware the restaurants were, with staff asking about dietary restrictions at every single place I visited.
Similar to most major cities, you definitely need to make reservations for specific restaurants you want to try, but for most traditional pubs, you can easily just walk right in.
I found that eating alone was not bad at all. At most places, I was able to snag a seat at the bar or a cozy small table.
I would bring my book, pop in my AirPods, or sometimes just strike up a conversation with the people sitting around me or the bartender.
I kept my packing incredibly light, bringing just one simple outfit for each day and a single backup option just in case.
I ended up wearing jeans and a comfortable sweater everywhere, which fit the super casual vibe perfectly.
To top it all off, I was blessed with the absolute perfect fall weather. The forecast had predicted rain for the entire week, but I ended up experiencing nothing but gorgeous blue skies.
Documenting my trip
While I was there, I made sure to capture the memories by taking lots of photos and filming a vlog, and a dedicated blog post with all those visuals is coming soon.
I focused on grabbing short video clips throughout the day that I could easily stitch together for reels later.
Aside from digital content, I also spent time journaling and writing out postcards to send back home.
However, I also realized that some things just do not translate to content, and that is perfectly okay.
There are a few quiet, beautiful memories from this trip that are completely just mine to keep.
Biggest takeaways and tips
My favorite part of the entire experience was the sheer freedom to follow my gut and do whatever I wanted at any given moment.
For example, if I had a massive lunch, I could simply grab some light takeaway for dinner and eat in my hotel room without feeling the usual pressure to go out for a fancy sit-down meal.
The reality of solo travel is that you experience both the highs and the lows completely by yourself.
I had incredibly beautiful, solitary moments, like taking in the sweeping view from Edinburgh Castle or savoring a perfect bite of focaccia at Whirlybird.
On the flip side, I also had to manage delays and travel stress alone, especially when there was a ground stop at Newark the day I left and I genuinely thought my flight wouldn't make it out.
Traveling across time zones by yourself means you have to rely entirely on your own willpower to stay awake, and you have to trust yourself to make all the shopping and itinerary decisions.
Looking back, a three-day itinerary was the absolute perfect amount of time for an international solo trip.
While I truly liked solo travel, I admit that I am not exactly rushing to plan my next one.
I realized that I would probably get an equal amount of joy from a one-night solo staycation in New York City or somewhere within driving distance.
I also wonder if I would feel differently about the urge to travel alone if I were single.
Ultimately, this trip taught me that I am incredibly lucky to have people in my life that I enjoy traveling with so much, and that I genuinely love experiencing new places by their side.
Summary:
While I loved the complete freedom to set my own pace and navigate on my own terms, handling both the highs and the travel stress solo was an eye-opening experience.
Ultimately, three days was the perfect length for this adventure, leaving me with wonderful memories and a renewed appreciation for traveling with the people I love.
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