For Thomas Leeper Myrtle Beach was just about the only place that he had seen in his life, we both grew up together but whilst most of our friendship circle moved away as we are up, Thomas stayed put. A couple of years ago Thomas got in touch with me and told me that he had made the decision to do some traveling, and fancied a trip across Europe. To put this in perspective I am not entirely sure that Thomas had ever left Myrtle Beach before, so this was pretty groundbreaking. He would be traveling alone and wanted some tips on doing so, tips which I wanted to share with any of you who are thinking about doing some solo travel. 

Just Talk

 One of the best piece of advice that I can give any man who decides to go off and discover the world is to just talk to as many people as you possibly can. There is a temptation when you travel alone to keep yourself to yourself, but in doing this you will be missing out on one of the most adventurous aspects of doing this. Whether you are on a plane, in a bar, cafe, restaurant or bus, try to chat with the people around you. You are going to learn pretty quickly whether or not people want to talk to you, and if they don’t then no harm no foul, go talk to someone else. Chatting to strangers will open up a wide range of possibilities. 

Saying Yes

Another golden nugget which I have for you is to say yes more than you say no. There will be so many offers to go places, have experiences, get involved in activities, and the best way to enjoy all of this is to say yes. Your first thought will be safety and security, but if you live like that then you just won’t get the most out of traveling alone. 

Trust Your Gut

It is a very sad fact but unfortunately there is a bigger risk for solo female travelers than there is for males, but you should never let that fact make you drop your guard. Any solo traveler can find themselves at risk of petty crime, which is why you should always trust your gut. If you walk into an area or a place that just doesn’t feel right, get out of there and go do something else. The last thing you need is to have something taken or be involved in a bad situation, so if it doesn’t feel right, don’t stay around. 

Be Honest 

As proud men it can be easy to pretend that we are alright or that we don’t have any flaws, but when you travel this is an opportunity for you to just be who you are, without the ego. Be honest, be humble, allow yourself to get excited. Unleash the real you when you are on the road and you are going to have an amazing time.