Traveling solo has a charm of its own that’s unrivaled. It lets you face everything that scares you, only for you to overcome it while you reach some of the most beautiful places on the face of this planet. That being said, traveling alone is a daunting idea. You need to figure out everything from where to go, how to get there, and what to carry. While the first two questions cannot be answered in a single blog, we can help you with the third one. Here is a curated list of things that you must carry on a solo trip.
Essentials To Carry While Traveling Alone As A Woman
- Personal Safety Equipment
- Pee Funnel/Urination Device
- Scarf
- Waist bag
- Pocket Knife
- Portable Charger
- Customized First Aid Kit
- Fake Wedding Ring
- Emergency Contact Info
This is a rather extensive list and you might not have to carry everything. However, if you’re traveling solo for the first time, we recommend you carry all of these things with you and kick some of them off with more and more trips.
1. Personal Safety Equipment
When you travel solo you’ve got to take certain steps solely for your own safety. This is to give yourself some edge over any potential dangers. Something like pepper spray, that lets you create or maintain distance from a threat is the ideal option. Devices like a safety bracelet, a safety necklace, or a keychain are great options for you to make noise and contact emergency services. That being said, do check the laws of the place you’re visiting to ensure that whatever you carry is legal there.
2. Pee Funnel/Urination Device
When you travel you may come across toilets that aren’t in the best state. Or you’re probably trekking or camping outdoors when nature calls. That’s when a portable pee funnel will come in handy as it allows you to stand and pee. You will also want to keep toilet paper with you. Ensure you have this before you leave home so you’re not afraid to use public restrooms while traveling.
3. Scarf
Your scarf is going to be your most versatile piece of clothing that you should bring along for your travels. It can protect your skin and hair from the scorching heat which essentially guards you against a possible heat stroke.
You can also roll up your scarf so that it serves as a pillow when you need to rest while traveling. Your scarf will also help when you need to cover an item you just purchased and wish to be discreet about it and not draw unnecessary attention to it. Nowadays you can also get your hands on scarves that come with a hidden pocket. These are mostly stitched to form, so that you can just pull it over your head and wear it, and have small, concealed pockets for your passport and some cash.
4. Waist Bag
During a solo trip, you mostly just have yourself to rely on throughout the trip. You might always have another person to look after your luggage or hold your bag if you need to sign a document. That’s why you preferably want to keep your hands free. The best way to do so is to invest in a good quality waist bag. A waist bag will be super convenient for you to keep all your essentials within reach. Make sure you have one, especially during cycling or hiking expeditions on your trip.
5. Pocket Knife
For the uninitiated, pocket knives are small, foldable knives that are generally sold and bought as camping equipment. Generally, pocket knives also have a bunch of tools attached to them that you can sift through when you need anything between a pair of scissors, a screwdriver, and a knife!
Other than serving as part of your safety gear, you can use this tool to cut wrappers, trim your nails, or open a wine bottle so that you don’t have to wait for room service! That being said, don’t forget to keep the pocket knife inside your checked bag, so that it doesn’t get confiscated by airport security.
6. Portable Charger
This is one item that you should invest in while traveling solo because you’re going to be dependent on your phone nearly all the time. Your phone will also be the only point of contact for those who will stay in touch with you. To ensure your phone doesn’t run out of juice, it’s a must to bring along a portable charger. A pro tip for you - Carry an extra charging cord as well.
7. Customized First Aid Kit
Carrying a first aid kit is absolutely essential and you want to personalize the kit to have all the things you might possibly need such as -
- Medicines for headaches, colds, motion sickness, and allergies
- Heating pads for cramps or the prescribed medications you take
- A body pain relief spray for sudden muscle pulls
- Body warmer for women
- Bandages and ointments for minor bruises or cuts
This is a short list of the possible things you’d need to carry, be sure to think of other things you can pack in your personalized first aid kit.
8. Fake Wedding Ring
As a woman traveling alone, this one move is worth two. Seeing a wedding ring on your hand is a great deterrent to almost all unwanted attention, and having a cheap one means you don’t risk losing any expensive jewelry!
9. Emergency Contact Info
As much as we hate thinking of any sort of emergency that will hit somebody traversing the world, it would be extremely irresponsible to not prepare for it. So, having a card that has your emergency contact details is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep yourself in contact with people who will look after you.
One more thing that you can do is to set up automated emergency calls in your mobile phones. That way, one click of a button will send an SOS, along with your location, to preset contacts and emergency services.
Summing Up
You might see a million blogs online that will tell you what your luggage should look like. We wanted to go beyond that. We realized that most of us struggle with the tinier bits and wanted to make that process easier. Try starting the process of packing with a week and a half in your hands. That will give you enough time to curate lists and go shopping. After that, pick up your bags and head out. Cheers!
FAQs
What Should A Girl Carry While Traveling?
A good backpack, regional SIM card, versatile footwear, Body warmer for women and a power bank are some of the basics that every girl should carry when traveling alone.
How Do You Protect Yourself As A Woman Traveling Alone?
- Only use taxis that you can track online and share live locations of.
- Be very alert when drinking.
- Dress appropriately, according to the culture of the place you are in.
- Research places ahead of time and seem confident.
How Can I Travel Safely At Night?
- Share your location and keep in touch with someone.
- Make sure you avoid shady alleys and places with no streetlights.
- Try not to travel alone.
- Believe in your intuition.
What Are The Advantages Of Traveling Alone?
Traveling alone ensures that every day of your trip is an adventure. You have the agency to choose when you leave, when you arrive, where all you stop, and if you feel like it, just ditch all plans and go home! There is a definite amount of freedom to traveling alone that you will not experience in any other situation.
