Lostman's Star
Not all those who wander are lost, but I certainly am!
Linderhof Palace
Nestled in the forests of the Bavarian Alps, Schloss Linderhof, or Linderhof Palace, is the perfect setting for a fairy-tale. It’s French Baroque design means elegant exteriors, opulent interiors, and every single aspect of it is designed to be pleasing to the eye, if not necessarily functional. It’s decadence in the style that only the royals can afford, and it’s no accident that it looks like it comes straight out of the collections of the Brothers Grimm.
The man who built it, Ludwig The Second of Bavaria, was known as the Swan King, or the Fairy Tale King by his people; a name he more than earned with his numerous building projects and apparent strange behaviour. He re-built Linderhof to make it his escape, I suspect not only from reality, but into the past. You see Ludwig was born in 1845, but the Baroque style Linderhof was built to reflect was popular in the early 1600s. Within the palace you can see where inspiration was taken from the Palace of Versaille in Paris, and of Munich’s Nymphenburg Palace, Ludwig’s birthplace.
You’ll learn a lot about Ludwig during your tour of Linderhof, because that’s the only way you can get into the surprisingly small palace.
Don’t let it’s size deceive you though, it’s so rich in detail that it could take several lifetimes worth of tours to take it all in.
When you go for your tour, take a moment if time allows to investigate the grounds and gardens. I was part of a tour which included Linderhof, Oberammergau, and Neuschwanstein as part of a full day package, so I didn’t get to see the full grounds. What I did get to see was the gardens just outside Linderhof’s front entrance, which are well worth a stroll.
When you enter you’ll be asked to carry your backpack in front of you if you have one, and while that can be truly annoying, they ask for good reason. Remember that the palace was a getaway for Ludwig, each room can comfortably fit perhaps ten people without anyone having to jostle the others. He even had a special table built in his dining room so that food could be loaded onto it in the kitchen below, and then raised up to him. Conclusion? This guy wanted to be left well alone. If you can imagine what trying to fit a busload of tourists into each of these rooms is like, you can understand why the staff ask you to take a bit of extra care with your backpack.
Among many other treasures you’ll see a one of a kind instrument, a chandelier worth more fortunes than should be paid, and my favourite, a room built specifically for night-time reading!
This fascinating tour will go perhaps faster than you would like, and you can’t take any pictures inside, hence why there are no photos of the interior posted here. Luckily you can buy photo books in the gift shop and there are also some books to be had about Linderhof at Neuschwanstein as well, if you find yourself running to catch your bus.
So listen, learn, and let your eyes wander to enjoy every elegant detail of this beautiful fairy-tale palace!
Have you every been to Linderhof? What part of it is your favourite? Let me know what you think in the comments!
4 Airport Habits I Should Have Learned Sooner
I don’t know why it took me so long to learn these things. It could be because I was used to traveling a certain way with my parents, or maybe my stubborn streak got in the way. Whatever it was, I’m hoping that these simple things will help you find your way around the world a bit more easily, and a bit more comfortably.
#1: Pack A Yellow Bag or Pack Your Purse Right
When you’re on a long haul flight, pack yourself a yellow bag, and put it inside your carry on. Inside this yellow bag put everything you’re going to want immediate and easy access to during your flight. For example, in my yellow bag I put my phone charger, hand sanitizer, napkins, a pen, emergency pills and pads, a book, and my purse (which is too small to fit all that stuff). When I get onto the plane I take my yellow bag out and put it immediately into the pocket of the seat in front of me. I then stow my carry on backpack in the overhead bins, and sit myself down. More leg room, less hassle, and while everyone else struggles to get themselves settled I’m already in my seat watching Queer Eye. Can you believe!?
#2: Get Colourful Luggage
A lot of people have black or dark red bags, and every person who owns those has to run alongside a hopefully uncrowded luggage carousel, trying their best to read the tag as they go. Do yourself a favour, get colourful, unique, easy to spot luggage. If you already have your luggage, get a colourful, unique tag, or tie a piece of ribbon around the handles.
#3: Get an Aisle Seat for Your Flight
It’s easier for you to stretch out, and to access the bathroom. You are exempt from this rule if you are either A) a first time flyer, because looking out the window is fun, B) desperate to look out said window, or C) on a flight two hours or less in length.
#4: Get Comfortable
I don’t know if this is a real thing, but I’ve heard in South Korea they have what’s called airport fashion. Women will bust out their best outfits to fly, heels and all! It’s madness! Ditch the makeup for the day, throw on some yoga pants, a t-shirt and a big puffy sweater. Nobody really cares what you look like, they’re too busy worrying about their flight.
Are there any travel habits that you look back on and think “Why didn’t I do that sooner!?” Let me know in the comments below!
A Guide to Vacay Friday: March in Hawai’i
Since this is the first Vacay Friday, this one will be the guide for the others, where I’ll give you an in depth look at the process my trip planning goes through. This happens to be an international trip but this process is pretty similar to what I do when planning road trips.
First thing’s first, grab a notepad, or open up a word document/excel spreadsheet to take notes in. I get all of my stuff sent to me electronically, so it’s all on my phone, and I can send duplicates of everything to whomever I choose. When my parents plan a trip however, Mom prints everything out and has it in a binder with her. Either way works!
Second, choose your destination. Get ready to be flexible with this, especially in the early stages of planning. You might want to go to Newfoundland, but end up in England instead. It happened to me once!
I’ve chosen Hawai’i this month because I’ve wanted to visit ever since I watched Pearl Harbor, a fact one of my university professors would disparage over. He teaches the history of the second world war, and hates this movie with a passion. Sorry Professor!
Specifically, I’ve wanted to visit O’ahu, the third largest island, to visit the wreck of the Arizona, wander around Pearl City, and hopefully take in a museum or two to learn more about the native Hawaiian culture. I would also love to learn how to surf, though my balance is disgraceful at best.
Before we go about looking at any of that, however, we have some research to do. We need to map it!
(M)edication, (A)dvisories, (P)apers, (I)deal (T)ime. Map it!
Yes, I am very proud of the acronym I’ve come up with.
My first stop is always travel.gc.ca. If you’re from another country, your government website should have a similar section where you can find out what vaccines you need, precautions to take, if there are any travel advisories, and what sort of papers (visa, passport, etc.) you need.
Medication
Do we need any medicine or vaccinations to travel to Hawai’i? Yes. The usual suspects, Hep. B, Flu shot, and Measles are all recommended. If I didn’t have those shots, or wasn’t sure, I would be calling my health unit no later than six months before I wanted to travel.
Advisories
Advisories will tell you if there are places you should be avoiding because they are unsafe to travel. Remember to keep an eye on the news, too. There aren’t any travel advisories for the United States (remember, Hawai’i is part of the U.S.) at the moment, so that’s all good!
Papers
As a Canadian intending to fly to Hawai’i, I will need either a passport or a NEXUS card.
Ideal Time
There really isn’t an ideal time to visit Hawaii, it’s just what the ideal time happens to be for you. I’ve checked to be sure that I’m not travelling during hurricane season, and the temperatures are a 20-26 degrees Celsius, dipping into about 15 at night. Perfect temperatures for me!
A lot of people travel to Hawai’i during this time, though, so if I was insistent on being in Hawai’i in March, I might have to reschedule my trip until 2021, or consider other destinations.
That’s it! We’ve done it! We’ve taken our first steps towards planning our trip! That wasn’t so bad right? Party Break!
Now, the things you want to do. You might be thinking “Hey, Lost, shouldn’t you be booking hotels first?”
Good instincts, find shelter first, but there’s a slight trick to this: If you plan what you want to do first, you can make sure that there is a hotel closer to those things.
Think about it. If I booked my hotel on O’ahu, and then saw that all the tours I wanted were on Maui, I’d be in a bit of a pickle. If I plan (not book, just plan) my tours first, then I can find a hotel that’s close to all of those activities.
Some excellent resources are tripadvisor, and mygooglemaps. While researching what there is to do on tripadvisor, I plug in anything that seems interesting into mygooglemaps. Like so!
I know it’s a little blurry right now, but in the itinerary there will be a full list, so don’t worry!
The red dots are for things I’m unwilling to miss, the yellow for things that I would be disappointed if I missed. If there were any green dots, that would mean that I’m alright missing those things, but it would be neat to check them out if I had time. I mark long shots in purple, things that I don’t think I’ll have the time, money, or ability to see but really would like to.
That map isn’t inclusive of the big island, but I want to see some lava, something that O’ahu doesn’t have. This is leading me to wonder if I can’t island hop. The plan is to fly from Toronto to Hawai’i, spend part of my vacation there, and then move on to O’ahu.
This is why we look at activities first! Plans change!
When you go, the dates will be up to you, but for this trip I’ve selected March 7th to the 14th of 2020.
Now, for the flights!
Go onto google, and brows your flights there. If you can swing it, use a different computer than the one you want to book on, or use in-private browsing while you research all this. The more you research, the higher the prices will become!
Keep time zones in mind when you book your flight, and realise that you will be tired after a long flight! Don’t go booking a tour two hours after you’ve landed!
For this trip, I’ve decided to divide my time between O’ahu and Hawai’i, for the simple reason that I want to see lava, and O’ahu doesn’t have any. Hawai’i does, but what would be the point of going to see one island just for lava? This is an imaginary holiday so budget doesn’t matter to me in this instance, but the logic behind my thought would be the same for a real trip. Given the chance, I would rather spend the money and explore the whole island.
To that end, I’ve decided to reverse my previous decision. Instead of going to Hawaii first, we’ll fly to O’ahu, stay there for a few days, then fly to Hawai’i, do the island tour, and fly out from Hawai’i the next day.
For this trip, I’ve decided that I’ll leave from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) at 6:45 on Saturday March 7th. There will be two layovers in Calgary and Vancouver, but not so long as to need a hotel. We’ll be landing at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in O’ahu at about 10.
On Wednesday March 12th, we’ll be island hopping from HNL to Kona International Airport (KOA) at 10:09.
Finally on Friday March 14th we’ll fly from Kona International back to Toronto Pearson at 12:22, arriving at 7:00 am on Sunday with a short layover in San Francisco.
Again, don’t book anything! This is all just research, and the ideals. Things might still change.
Once you have your ideal flights picked out, you can move onto hotels.
Where you want to stay depends on your budget, what you’re comfortable with, and where you want to be. I like to use Kayak for this, because it gives me the option to see what the entire stay will cost as opposed to one night.
For my hotels, I’ve chosen two Marriotts, for O’ahu I’ve selected one near Waikiki beach, and in Hawai’i I’ve chosen to stay in Kona, to make the airport and my island tour more accessible.
There! You’re almost done! Now you’ve just got to construct your itinerary. Ours looks a little something like this.
For this trip, ours looks something like this.
Saturday March 7th
Flight leaves from Toronto to O’ahu. We get in at about 10 at night, so when we get to our hotel, it’s best to head to bed!
Sunday March 8th
This should be a relaxing day. For that, we have a Waikiki Hop-on Hop-off tours. You can chill, and let the bus take us sight seeing! Make sure to bring a pen so you can mark off places you might be interested in visiting later.
Monday March 9th
Today we have a half day tour to Pearl Harbour. Once it’s over, we’re off to explore the U.S.S. Bowfin, a submarine turned museum, and Iolani Palace, once the home of Hawaii’s royalty. If today is a good day for it, we could also learn to surf!
Tuesday March 10th
This is a big day, given over fully to the Oahu Circle Tour, which we’ve booked through the Polynesian Culture Center. As part of the tour, in the evening we are treated to a luau and a show of native Hawai’ian culture!
Wednesday March 11th
Today we rise early, because we need to get to the north shore. We can easily take the bus to get there, and the reward is totally worth it. Shark diving! Without a cage! If we survive (not to worry, we will) we’ll head back to Honolulu to visit the U.S. Army base, and the Queen Emma Summer Palace. If Monday wasn’t a good day for surfing, today might be a better. Don’t forget to pack tonight, we’re heading out early tomorrow morning.
Thursday March 12th
This morning we gather ourselves and fly over to the big island, Hawai’i. It’ll only take an hour, so when we’ve checked into our hotel, there’s plenty of time to wander around the town, or throw your bathing suit on for some swimming. Take the time to recharge and relax. It’s a vacation after all!
Friday March 13th
Today we let others do the work, and go on a tour of Hawai’i. Lava lakes, a black sand beach, waterfalls, and stunning vistas. A perfect end to an amazing trip!
Satuday March 14th
Today we fly out, but not until noon, so have a good breakfast, go dip your toes into the sea one last time, and then head off to the airport sporting an awesome tan and some amazing stories to tell your friends when you get home.
You’re almost done! You’ve got everything ready! Well done!
Now, to book.
Now, this trip isn’t cheap. Everything I’ve planned has come up to $4,188 Canadian. That’s not including taxes on most things, or meals.
But here’s the point of having gone through all that research: If you book flights, hotels, and activities all together, you’ll often get discounts.
I usually use Expedia, and while the website doesn’t allow you to book flights from different cities, you can call them and they’ll help you book your trip.
Things might change at this stage too, but now that you have all the information ready, you’ll be able to shift your schedule without too much of a hassle.
There you have it! You’ve done it! You’ve planned an epic vacation for yourself!
This took me about a week to put together, so don’t get discouraged if it takes a while. It’s hard work. Take breaks, keep hydrated, and stay positive.
From now on, Vacay Fridays will be focused more on the activities and locations, but I figured a guide as to how to plan a trip would be a good way to start. How do you plan your trips? Let me know in the comments below!
5 Ways To Travel Without Going Very Far
What I wouldn’t give to be able to hop on a plane at my leisure and fly around the globe. With new languages to learn, new food to try, and new people to meet, I don’t think I would ever tire of it.
My reality is quite different. I can’t afford grand, spur of the moment vacations, but that call to go out into the world and explore it is still there. What’s a girl to do?!
Here are the five things I do to keep my cabin fever from getting too bad, and to conserve money.
#1: Plan Your Next Vacation
It’s never too early to get started. Not only will you give yourself plenty of time to discover hidden treasures (and maybe even discounts), but knowing what you want to see, where you want to stay, and the things you plan on spending your money on can help you know what you need to save.
#2: Visit Your Local Library
Yes, this is different from research. It’s great to go to your local library and pick up a few travel books, but don’t neglect the other sections! A bit of escapism is healthy for the mind and soul. If you know you want to visit a specific place, you could pick up novel set in that area. Otherwise, sci-fi and fantasy are good travel options too.
#3: Cook Something Exotic
Growing up, Chinese food was something I ordered in from a favoured takeout restaurant. Except for an occasional stirfry, Asian food just wasn’t something we made for ourselves. I was looking into moving to South Korea when I decided I would learn how to make Asian food, and while I didn’t end up there, now I dip into those recipes when I feel the need for an escape. Tikka Masala, Char Siu Bao, and Budae Jjigae are my favourites!
#4: Go for a Walk
I live in a fairly wooded area, and there’s a place just down the street which I call ‘Beyond the Beyond’. I’ve been around there a couple of times, but there are still lots of interesting bits of forest and side roads to go down and explore. If you’re ever in need of something new, pick a direction you’ve never been in before, and start walking. Let your feet guide you.
#5: Mini-Road Trips
I’m just learning how to drive, something I’ve put off for what my family considers far too long. Like the walks, a little bit of driving can go a long way. Grab your camera, notepad, sketchbook, whatever creative outlet you love before you head out. A different setting and a bit of imagination can have you feeling like you’ve gone to wonderland and back!
Combine a few of these things, and you can have a mini-vacation on your weekend. What are some of the ways you travel without going very far? Let me know in the comments!
Kia Ora! There is Life!
It’s a superbowl Sunday, today’s date is a palindrome which only happens every 900 years, and I’ve officially launched my blog!
I’m so excited to be sharing this with the world, and I hope you’ll continue to enjoy it for a long time to come!
Wish me luck!
-Lost
Why’ve You Done This? 10 Things Not to Do in an Airport
There are a lot of good behaviours to have in airports: these are not them. I’ve seen more than a couple of these happen, and been guilty myself of one or two. Here is your opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others, and avoid learning the hard way.
#1: Don’t joke about bombs or hyjackings.
Seriously, in some countries even saying these words is illegal. Don’t test them on it, especially if your’e in the United States. The atmosphere in their airports is already so tense I doubt you’ll want to joke about much anyway.
#2: Don’t leave your bags unattended.
In case you’re wondering, the airport bathroom stalls are big enough for your bags. Just take them in. Not only will you freak everyone else out if you ditch them, you also run the risk of being detained for questioning.
#3: Don’t wait until the last minute to go through security.
Your plane will leave without you, plain and simple. Check your bags as soon as you’re able, and go through security immediately after that. Don’t worry about grabbing snacks or a meal, security will have to throw it all out, and all the good restaurants are on the other side of security anyway.
#4: Don’t be this guy.
Story time. I was at Gatwick, about to catch a flight home for Christmas. I had just gone through security, and was waiting for my things to come through the x-ray machine.
Fun fact, Gatwick has a little area where you can get yourself sorted without being in other people’s way. It’s got tables, small dividers for some privacy, and even a foot rest to help you tie your shoes.
This … person … decided he wasn’t going to use any of that.
Instead he opted to stand as close to the x-ray machine as he could, and stopped his tray as soon as he could reach it. He then proceeded to stay there while he gathered his belongings.
I couldn’t collect my things. Nobody could collect their things. Security couldn’t even scan more trays until they asked him to move.
Don’t be that guy. Move on down the line.
#5: Don’t go nuts at duty free.
Remember, you still have to carry that stuff, and there are still limits on how much you can bring home.
#6: Don’t find your gate then never look at it again.
Much like the staircases in Hogwarts, the gates like to change, especially in Canada and the U.S. Find yours, and check on it every now and again. Make sure that it still has your flight number and destination posted.
#7: Don’t have your music so loud that you can’t hear the announcements.
Yeah, I get it. You’d rather be listening to your tunes than what’s going on in the airport, but if you don’t listen, you won’t get important info. Have they cancelled all the flights because of a storm? Is there a an ongoing security issue? Has your gate changed? You won’t know if you’re cranking your music at full blast. I’ve kept a tradition for a few years now where instead of music, I listen to comedy podcasts. It keeps my stress levels low, and allows me to distinguish the tri-tone before the announcements.
#8: Don’t try to be first in line when they start the boarding for your flight.
Let the families with small children and those who need assistance board in peace. After that, nobody really cares.
#9: Don’t touch your face.
Think about how many people pass through an airport on a daily basis. Now think about how many of them may have been sick, whether they knew it or not. Yeah. Carry hand sanitizer, and don’t touch your face.
#10: Don’t panic.
Seriously. Flying can be stressful, but it can also be really fun! Do yourself a favour and make sure that you’re comfy and well prepared, but if you need help, ask a staff member. It’s what they’re there for!
5 Things England Does Which Canada Might Want to Consider
Let’s face it, there are things that really irk us about our home country. That’s part of travelling’s double edged sword. You’ll be introduced to something wonderful, like how much easier it is to get around in England, or how in Paris you can easily get fondue, and when you get home it’s sadly gone. Having to readjust can hit you harder than you might want to admit, especially if you’ve been gone a while!
Here are the top 5 things I really appreciated it in England, and that I think Canada could use a bit more of.
#1: Post Offices Which Do More
Canada! Open your post offices! Stop having them be closed!
Mailing something in Canada can be a hassle, so much so that it’s actually caused fights within my family. This happens mainly because their hours of operation seem to have been designed for inconvenience. I don’t blame the postal workers one bit, by the way, they’re just trying to do the best they can with a system that is on it’s last leg.
The English, on the other hand, have taken steps to prevent that from happening. First and foremost there really aren’t any dedicated post offices. Most of them are part of chemists (pharmacies) or corner stores. They also offer banking and currency exchange services. On any given Saturday I could go to the post office, mail a letter to Granny Lostman, withdraw a twenty for the pub, and snag a chocolate bar or two for my post drinking munchies.
#2: Pubs
No, what you’re thinking of isn’t a pub. The only food the proper ones serve are little bags of chips, peanuts, or pork scratchings. I’m not talking about a bar either, where you have to shout to be heard the music is so loud.
In a proper pub, the music is loud enough that you can sing along without fear, but low enough that you can still have a conversation without having to lean across the table to hear the person. Some pubs don’t even play music at all, those are nice too! They serve all sorts of beer and local ciders, and if it’s on tap they can sell you four pints at a time in little moonshine jugs to take home with you. To quote a friend upon his discovery of this fact, “That’s civilized!”
The atmosphere of a pub is cozy, and familiar, and the regulars seem to know each other, but aren’t afraid to have a casual chat with newcomers either. A game of snooker or darts, and it’s perfect!
My own local, The Good Intent in Rochester, will forever be my favourite pub, and I will always raise a pint of Bushels in it’s honour.
#3: Train Transportation
I know, I know. Canada’s too big for that. It is. A girl can dream though, that one day there might be a network or web of high speed passenger trains spreading out from major cities like Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver. One day there might even be a high speed train connecting both coasts. One day!
#4: Better Prices and Better Phone Plans
My cell phone bill was never over £14. That’s, generously, $28 Canadian, for 3 gigs of data and unlimited talk and text. I could use all of that, without any changes and without any extra plans in over 71 countries.
Yeah.
My plan was from Three, and they were amazing. If you’re travelling to England with an unlocked phone, just buy a one month sim card and save yourself a load of hassle.
#5: High Street Charity Shops
For clarity, High Street is the English equivalent of Main Street in Canada and the U.S. I’m not sure if this is true, but I’ve been told that if a store front closes on the High Street and there hasn’t been a shop opened within a certain time frame, then the town is to donate the empty shop to a charity. I’ve seen Oxfam, British Heart, Cancer Research UK, and Age UK, and I think it’s a really wonderful way of keeping the historic High Streets alive and well.
I love both England and Canada a lot, and I would hate to see each miss out on some awesome things the other has to offer. That said, be sure to check out part 2 of this post, 5 Things Canada Does Which England Might Want to Consider!
Lost’s Bucket List
I’m pretty sure my friends would say “What do you mean you have a bucket list? Is it not just a world map circled in sharpie?”
Everywhere is on my list. It’s true.
That said, this list is one of things that I would like to do in specific places. I’ve restricted myself to my top 10, but this list is as ever changing as desert sand.
#10: Sky Dive in New Zealand
When I was last in New Zealand I had the opportunity to go sky diving, but I chickened out. If given the chance to go back, I’d definitely go this time!
#9: See Desert Lions in Namibia
I love lions, and to be fortunate enough to see such a magnificent being thriving in such a harsh environment would be really something.
#8: Swim with Great White Sharks in Guadalupe
This has been a long standing dream of mine, there’s something so primordial about Great Whites, I imagine it would be like looking prehistory in the eyes.
#7: Visit the Grave of Choi Yeong in Korea
I’m an avid fan of Kdramas, but it was Lee Min Ho’s portrayal of Choi Yeong in Faith that sparked my interest in the country’s history. I’d like to pay my respects, and learn more about Korea while there.
#6: Have Tea in Istanbul
What can I say, I think it would be amazing to be in Istanbul, partaking in one of their most well known cultural traditions! Plus I really like tea.
#5: Attend a Hanami Near Himeji Palace
This one goes way back. I watched quite a bit of anime in high school, and was always enchanted by scenes with Sakura trees and their falling petals. I’d like to see the real thing, and especially near Himeji, one of the coolest palaces I know of in Japan.
#4: Go Shopping in New York
I’d also like the ability to afford said shopping trip, but hey, one step at a time.
#3: See the Terracotta Army in China
How cool are those soldiers?! The work that must have been put into them, to have each be unique, it astonishes me. I’d love to see them for myself, to get a sense of the size of the army. Not to mention they’d be awesome inspiration for stories!
#2: Pay my Respects at a Polish Concentration Camp
Being that my family is part Polish I want to pay my respects. It’s somber, sobering, and nothing I look forward to, but it’s something I should do none the less.
#1: See the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
I’ve wanted to see the pyramids since I was a little girl. Egypt has always held a certain mystique for me, and I’d love the chance to make my childhood dream come true. I’d love to see some crocodiles too!
Are there any places worthy of your own bucket lists? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear about them!
5 Rules for the Solo Traveler
It goes without saying that the first rule for any traveler is “If it feels wrong, leave,” and that’s great, but for those of us out there who don’t have razor sharp instincts, we need some more practical advice. It can be nerve wracking, being on your own in a foreign country for the first time, but please don’t let that stop you! Being able to travel on your own is such a freeing and confidence building experience.
These are the rules that I use to keep myself safe when I travel, but keep in mind that most of the places I’ve visited are pretty safe countries in general. If you’re planning to visit somewhere that isn’t on my desintations list, you might want to consider extra precautions.
#1: If you look like a gazelle, you will be treated like a gazelle. Look like a lion.
If you look lost, flustered, or like you’re unsure of yourself, you may find yourself becoming a target for pickpockets, or other less than savory characters. I’ve personally found this especially holds true in places like Paris and Rome.
Take a moment at night in your hotel, or when planning your trip, to study the street, subway, or bus maps of the city you’re staying in. Knowing where you’re going in advance will not only help you keep to schedule if you have one, but it will also give you an air of confidence. You look like you know where you’re going, because you do!
#2: Learn self-defense.
Consider it an investment in yourself. Learning a martial art will improve your mood (exercise does that, weird I know) and build your confidence. You’ll no longer just look like a lion, you will be a lion.
#3: Know which places need to be avoided.
You can’t prepare for every single street corner, but a quick internet search can give you a broad sense of which areas aren’t safe. I’ve had the privilege of visiting Dublin on two occasions, and both times I made it a point of googling which places were unsafe. Turns out any place west of O’Connor street is a bit of a no go after dark and so I made sure to visit those areas earlier in the day.
#4: Know how to get help.
What are the emergency telephone numbers for the place you’re visiting? They vary from country to country! It’s 911 in Canada, but it’s 999 in England! Look it up, and program it into your phone so that even if you panic and your mind goes blank, you’ll still have it.
#5: Leave your travel plan with someone you trust and check in with them.
When I travel I leave my plans with my parents and one of my aunts. I used to cringe at the thought of my family keeping tabs on me but the reality is that if something goes horrifyingly wrong those plans will help them find me, hopefully alive.
I also keep in regular contact with my parents and my friends throughout my trip. Try to think of it less like a check in and more of a chill out. After a long day of being on your feet it’s nice to kick back in your hotel room and be able to say hello, share a funny story, and maybe a photo or two.
Solo travel can be so rewarding, so take the necessary steps to keep yourself safe, then get out there and explore your world!
My Very First Blog Post!
Hello everyone! Lost here, and I’m very excited to be making this post! After months of thought, planning, and writing, I finally have a space of my very own!
I’ll be posting an article every Friday, but that doesn’t mean I won’t have other, more impromptu additions of pictures, poetry, or prose on any given day of the week, so be sure to check back regularly.
I hope you enjoy the content, and please, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, do let me know!
All the best,
-Lost
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