Ever been so scared to venture out of your comfort zone that the near thought of doing something extremely different made you clam up on the spot? Safe to say this was me last year. Everyday was the same as the day before, dull and colorless. I realized that routine was just not my thing and I wanted my life to be exciting and adventurous, not so black and white. After a lot of soul searching, I picked my butt off the floor and was ready to dive into a whole new journey of life...exploration! Then and there, I decided to move away from the comfort of my home in California to travel around Europe BY MYSELF for three months.
After sharing my new life plan with friends and family, I was surprised to receive a lot of negative feedback in return. "Wait...you sure you want to travel by yourself? You're a girl, isn't that dangerous?" or "You're going by yourself?!?! Oh you must take someone with you! Have any guy friends by chance?" I gave a simple rebuttal of a scoff and eyeroll. At this point no one could change my mind nor did I want my mind changed. YES I am a woman and YES I am traveling alone, I can take care of myself and make smart choices while in a country that is foreign to me- so goodbye California and HELLOOOO Europe!
Adventure Awaits!
But first! Packing essentials...
What do you take with you when you decide to leave your home and travel solo for three months? Well the best answer is, don't bring much! For me, being a woman, not bringing much with me was hard. Your first instinct is to bring ALL your hair products and clothing accessories, so you have options. THIS IS THE WRONG THING TO DO. Okay girls, pick your most needed hair products, grab some portable refillable bottles from your local drug store, and fill 'em up! You are traveling the world which means you are glamorous enough without all go your go-to cosmetics.
All you'll need with you is enough to fit in a carry on bag, sounds impossible right? WRONG. You can do it! So let's name a few of the most needed essentials when it comes to traveling as a female, aside from the obvious items you need to leave the country:
1. Favorite ball cap/hat- this will come in handy on those long days of travel when you still want to look cute without taking an hour to get ready, throw a hat on, some sunnies and your set.
2. Reusable water bottle- This will become your best friend! Especially in towns where you can simply take water from outside fountains, you will always need to stay hydrated on your travels!
3. Extra money pouch- now this is important! It is common to get pickpocketed or robbed when traveling in Europe, so when you're traveling alone as a woman, you have a huge bullseye on your back saying "ROB ME." What's best to avoid this situation? Try to blend in as best you can to stay under the radar, while also being smart and placing your money, passport, etc. in separate places all throughout your person. Trust me, you'll be happy you did!
4. Cheap sandals- these will be your best friend throughout your travels. You will be doing your best to save money in order to do the most possible within that town, which means hostels will be your go to sleep destination. In my opinion, hostels are theeeeee best place to stay while traveling! You meet others like you, best suggestions for local hangouts from those who work they, and ITS CHEAP. With all that said, you will be sharing a bathroom with multiple people so you should/need to have sandals to take with you while in the bathroom and your room, better safe then athletes foot!
5. Favorite book- you will be happy you brought a favorite with you! The hardest thing to get over when traveling alone is EATING ALONE. It can be the most awkward and challenging thing to do, but you will have to face it and do it! Accompanying yourself with your favorite book or drawing journal will help minimize your fear of being awkward and eating alone. Once you get the hang of it, you will find your most peaceful and enjoyable moments having meals by yourself.
6. Favorite inexpensive jewelry- Alright ladies, we all love to accessorize, but! The key to accessorizing while traveling is only to bring pieces that you wouldn't truly mind losing. Throughout your travels you are constantly unpacking and repacking which means that items can be misplaced or lost. This has happened to me plenty of times and I must say I still shed a tear over the countless rings that have slipped away from me. Other than misplacing jewelry it can also be taken away from you like that! If you happen to be in a country with a high pickpocketing rate and you are wearing pretty flashing, you are more likely to be robbed or pickpocketed. So stay safe and and keep it simple ladies!
These are just a few of the MOST NEEDED essentials when exploring new places on your own, plus the more room you have the more items you can bring back with you ;) Now that we have our bags packed and passports in hand lets go to Europe!
Stay tuned to see my most favorite countries I had explored on my three-month journey; you won't want to miss it!
Bring Treehut.co with you on your next adventure!
Planning a solo trip of your own sometime soon? Then I have the perfect traveling item for you! At Treehut.co they make handcrafted wooden watches that are ideal for any busy travel, due to its extremely lightweight feel and the essence of nature that it posses. An added plus is that you can also engrave this nifty beauty with whatever you see fit- just has to be 10 words or less!
If you would love a watch for yourself and are curious about the many styles available to you, then head on over and check out their Instagram, Facebook, and website! Happy travels my fellow adventurers!
