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Blog #16

Traveling during layovers

July 26, 2025 by Ruth Misori

Earlier this month, I decided to go on a brief trip to Dallas to visit some relatives whom I knew that I wouldn’t be able to see for a while. Initially, I had previously booked another trip to San Francisco during that time since I loved it there so much the first time I’d visited. However, one of my relatives suggested that I come by briefly to visit her in case I don’t get another opportunity to do so in the future. I thought about her suggestion and decided to take it into consideration since I adore her dearly and wanted to spend as much time with her and my other relatives as possible. While I understood that I’d be missing out on a fantastic trip to San Francisco and Yosemite, it’s always something that I can always come back to at another time. However, the time that you spend with the people that you love is limited and short. I’d learned that lesson from my late uncle’s demise, so I wanted to take the opportunity to prioritize quality time with my relatives as much as possible.

Once I realized that going to Dallas to spend time with my relatives instead of going back to San Francisco on holiday was a no-brainer, I immediately cancelled my flight and hotel arrangements in San Francisco. Thankfully, once I cancelled my flights, I automatically received travel credits that goes towards any future trips that I book domestically. Luckily for me, it was enough for a roundtrip to Dallas and from my hometown. My roundtrip however had a 4-hour layover in DC on the way home. Despite weather delays and cancellations occurring across the nation, I was fortunate enough not to be directly impacted and was able to arrive in Dallas smoothly and quickly as intended on July 1st, and I would leave on the 4th of this month.

As you can imagine, those four days went by very quickly and I was set to return home on July the 4th. I had to get up early around 6, so I could leave for the airport and depart on time for my flight to DC. After a tearful goodbye with my favorite relative, I was off to the airport. My flight to DC landed around noon, and I had four hours to spare before my final flight to my hometown takes off. Initially, I was reluctant to leave the airport to briefly go sight-seeing because I didn’t want to risk missing out on any important announcements regarding my flight or even potentially missing it all together. However, I also wasn’t particularly keen on the idea of mindlessly scrolling on my phone while waiting for the time to pass by until my flight departs, either. So, as my plane was descending, I glanced through the window and thought to myself, ‘It’s a nice, sunny day. Just go now otherwise you’ll change your mind.’

Once the plane landed at DCA and passengers were able to exit, I went to the nearest metro and bought a day-pass card then immediately went to L’Enfant plaza, where the hop-on-hop-off bus tours starts. This was the first place I went to the last time that I was in DC to purchase and start the bus tour throughout the city. When I arrived, I noticed that there weren’t any tour busses and figured that maybe they were running late due to the holidays. I decided to wait 15 more minutes before going into the International spy museum to ask anyone for information regarding bus tours. Unfortunately, no one knew any information about it, so I went back outside and asked a security guard nearby. He suggested that I contact their website’s number for more info regarding their hours of operation, which I did, but it went to voicemail several times.

I decided to wait an additional 20 minutes before finally going back to the metro to go to the nearest stop at the White House. Once I arrived at the White House, I noticed that there were a lot of security guards and police cars everywhere, and barricade fences surrounding major tourist areas. I then quickly realized that there were no bus tours operating because of the barricade fences and police cars blocking major roads, so I walked to the Monument after I finished taking photos at the White House. I was annoyed because had I known that the bus tours weren’t going to operate on the 4th of July, I would’ve just stayed at the airport, since that was my sole reason for wanting to leave and go sight-seeing in the first place. After all, I had enjoyed the previous bus tour I’d took in DC back in 2023, so I was certain that I’d equally enjoy my time taking another bus tour on the 4th of July. Unfortunately, their website didn’t mention that they wouldn’t be operating for the holidays, nor did they leave a voicemail explaining any closures.

After I took pictures of the Monument and the National Museum of African American history, I decided that I was ready to go back to the airport to prepare for my flight home. By now I was hot, sweaty and exhausted from the excessive walking in the city and at the airport from my previous flight. While I had taken a cold water bottle with me, it was now too warm and gross to drink, and my body was no match for this goddamn heat. The closer I got to a metro, the more exhausted I became and felt beads of sweat run down my back and by this point, my shirt felt damp. I didn’t want to return to the airport drenched in sweat, so I went to the nearest souvenir shop outside and bought a new shirt. I then went to Starbucks to change into my new shirt and cool down for a few minutes before headed back to the airport.

As I was on my way to the airport, I glanced at my phone and noticed that I only had an hour before my flight departs. To my horror, I looked at Google maps to track how long before I arrive at the airport and it said 45 minutes. I looked at the time again, then the name of the airport (Dulles), and quickly realized that I was going to the wrong airport. Luckily, I received an email from American Airlines that my flight was being delayed by 30 minutes, which gave me more time to find the correct airport. I got off at the next stop and asked a couple nearby for directions to DCA. Their instructions were a bit confusing, but I tried my best to navigate them as I got on and off various stops on the metro lines. Time was passing by very quickly and unfortunately the metro lines confused me even further and realized that I was going around in circles, so I asked the security guards for help as a last resort. I grew frustrated by the minute and realized that if I continue to take the metro, then I’ll keep get lost over and over again. The bottom line was that if I don’t get off the metro now, then I’ll risk missing my flight. I quickly decided to leave the metro to take an uber instead by going to the nearest hotel to book a ride.

The first driver that was assigned to pick me up was 5 minutes away, so I sighed of relief. 5 minutes went by but there was no sign of my driver. I briefly panicked and texted my mother that I might end up missing my flight and that I’ll have to rebook another one home. After the text was sent, I immediately received a new notification that a new driver was assigned to me and was 2 minutes away. I furrowed by eyebrows in confusion and hoped that the new driver would arrive quickly so I can leave for the airport. Thankfully my new assigned driver arrived in 2 minutes as planned, and I gave him the address to my terminal at DCA. I continued to glance at my phone, hoping for another delay so I could make it to the airport in time and saw that I only had 6 minutes before boarding. My eyes widened as I realized that I likely wouldn’t even make it pass security in time before boarding at my gate. My driver started to slow down and told me that it might not be possible to get me to the airport because some of the roads were blocked. By now I was exasperated and snapped. “You need to find another way to get me to the airport! Please find another route,” I shouted. “Ok,” he responded.

The driver found another route to take, and I eventually arrived at the airport. By now, the notifications said that passengers were able to board. I dashed to the security which was luckily a short queue, and I was out within less than 2 minutes. I looked at my terminal and gate number, which was located all the way on the other side of the airport. I rolled my eyes as I dashed once again to get to my terminal and gate number. As I was running on and off (I was bloody exhausted), I kept thinking to myself that this was pointless because I was already late and there’s absolutely no way that I’ll make it in time for my flight, so I should just arrive at my gate to rebook the next available flight instead of wasting my time. Once I arrived at my terminal and gate number, I asked the desk attendant if my flight was still boarding. He got my information then informed me that I was at the wrong gate. I sighed out of exhaustion and glanced at my phone to check the gate, which thankfully happened to be right next to the one I was standing at.

I then quickly run to the correct gate and ask the desk attendant if my flight is still boarding. She chuckled at me and told me that no one has boarded yet. I then glimpse at the time displaying my flight’s departure and noticed that it was delayed again by 5 minutes. So that meant that I was actually on time, and I wouldn’t miss my flight back home. What a bloody relief! I quickly went to the nearest shop to buy some water and snacks since I was starving and hadn’t eaten anything since that morning of my flight. Eventually, the 5 minutes went by, and I was able to board, and my plane took off. I didn’t have any neighboring passengers on my row, so I had more space to myself, which was nice. However, there was a lot of turbulence and, I was very frightened. As my plane finally landed, I thought to myself that this something that I will never do again, and if I have 5 hours or less, then I’m staying at the airport. Lesson learned. If it wasn’t for those delays, I would’ve had the trip from hell trying to spend more money rebooking a flight back home or even a hotel stay if there weren’t any available ones that day. Even if I have a 6-hour layover, I try to find other ways to occupy my time at the airport by reading, browsing lounges, eating or even walking aimlessly within my terminal.

Even though 6 hours seems like a long time, it goes by very quickly, and it’s best to stay at the airport for any future announcements regarding delays, gate changes or cancellations. While I’m glad I got to visit the White House and Monument again and take pictures, it wasn’t worth the hassle trying to sprint back to the airport and getting lost in the process. I don’t have any regrets as I believe that if I didn’t take this chance to go sight-seeing, then I would’ve had what ifs, but this was definitely one hell of a day trying to rush to the airport so I don’t miss my flight. So, I guess experience is sometimes the best teacher, but I will never do this in such a short timeframe again. However, what I would do in the future regarding long layovers (at least 7+ hours), I would determine how long the routes to and from the airport are to see if it’s even worth leaving at all or staying grounded where I am. If I decide that it’s worth leaving, then I’ll make sure to take an uber or taxi back and forth to avoid confusion or delays, and I’d only visit one place then return to the airport with at least 3 hours left to spare.

So yeah, that was my experience of being in 3 different cities in one day on the 4th of July, and it was crazy. I’m glad I made it back home on the same day in one piece, but man, I was tired! Hopefully I’ll have more crazy adventures to tell you about, but until next time, peace out and safe travels.

Blog #14

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My experience in San Francisco

September 9, 2024 by Ruth Misori

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to San Francisco for the first time during the 4th of July since I had some scheduled time off from my summer internship, and I had an absolute blast! San Francisco was one of the cities on my bucket list for the longest time, and I felt like I would never have the opportunity to visit since it’s so expensive and across the country. However, I was fortunate in the sense that because my internship was placed in Dallas, it made booking direct flights to SF and back easier since it’s more accessible and cheaper compared to other cities that have layovers. Afterwards, I immediately made sure that I booked activities ahead of time so I can avoid encountering the risk of sold-out tickets, including cruise tours around the city and to the Alcatraz, movie tours, and to national parks.

I booked the trip for 4 days, so I was able to sightsee and even squeeze in a half-day trip to the Muir Woods since I had decided against going to Yosemite due to the long commute back and forth (almost 4 hours both ways from SF), and had figured that I might not have enough time to see Yosemite, and may end up feeling miserable like I was in NYC. So, I decided to book a half-day tour to the Muir Woods instead since it was in San Francisco and ultimately decided that when I return to SF, then I’ll try to book a longer trip so that I can eventually go to Yosemite and actually enjoy my time there without feeling like I’m in a rush.

On the first day in San Francisco, I had arrived at night, so I didn’t have anything planned except getting a good night’s rest in preparation for the next few days. However, I was too excited to fall asleep, so I watched a couple of episodes of Full-House instead and gushed over the nostalgia, lol. The next morning came, and I woke up around 7 so that I would have plenty of time to sightsee throughout the day without feeling like I’m in a rush. Luckily for me, I was staying in a hostel in North Beach, which was in close proximity to various restaurants, Coit Tower, the Transamerica Pyramid, Chinatown, and Fisherman’s Wharf, which was my very first stop. In fact, every day that I was in SF would always begin with the first stop at Fisherman’s wharf since that’s where one of the cable cars were located, and I would take it as a means to get by in the city, unless I had decided to take the bus, which I preferred. I also had the chance to sightsee by foot since San Francisco is a walkable city, which is probably the best way to experience SF. I was so amazed by the beautiful sights of the Bay Bridge and the direct view of the Alcatraz, and the seagulls that surrounded the Pacific Ocean. As I walked further along Fisherman’s Wharf, I eventually got a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge which happened not to be covered in fog! I was ecstatic!

I had booked a ticket for a bus tour which wouldn’t start for another hour, so I took more pictures and got a few souvenirs to kill some time. As I passed by various neighborhoods, I was speechless by all of their breath-taking sceneries known for its history, culture, and music. I felt like I was in a movie! San Francisco looks very Eurocentric, as the buildings resembled various combinations of Spanish, British, and Portuguese architecture due to their houses being built Victorian-style or gothic, and many more. Once the bus finally approached the Golden Gate Bridge, I was surprised by two things: the first was that it was much colder than I had expected and since I was on the top deck of the bus, it was windy, and I felt like I was on a rollercoaster. Funnily enough, it was on a perfect summer day, and I only felt cold when riding over the bridge, but other than that, I was fine, and I saw plenty of people walking around in shorts and sandals. However, I definitely advise that you bring a jacket if touring the Golden Gate Bridge because I underestimated how cold it would actually be. Now on to the second surprise which took me off guard, which was how massive the bridge was. It appeared to be much smaller from a view from the Fisherman’s Wharf or from a general distance, but damn! It’s really huge! I originally thought that it would only take a minute to cross the bridge, but it took at least 3 minutes and apparently with traffic, it could take 5 minutes or more. If walking, then the average time it takes to cross the bridge one way is 35 minutes, and 70 minutes both ways. After the bus arrived at the end of Golden Gate Bridge, I decided to walk across it and take some photos. I wanted to cross the entire bridge, but I got tired halfway and decided to go back to Fisherman’s Wharf to get a hot dog, haha.

The next day was the 4th of July, so I went on the cruise tour that gave me close views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Alcatraz, and the city overall and it was a lovely experience. Afterwards I went on a movie tour which included various locations and scenes from Full-House, Alamo Street, Shang Chi, Ant Man, Princess Diaries, and plenty more! After the tour ended, I got to walk up Lombard Street, which is the crookedest street in the world. Later that night, I got a nice view of the fireworks from Fisherman’s Wharf, which was the best way to end the holiday because spending it in SF felt very magical. The following day, which was my last full day in SF, I briefly went to the location setting of Full-House, then went on the half-day tour to the Muir woods national park and Sausalito and was able to capture amazing shots of its beautiful nature.

Time flew by so quickly as the last day approached, and I had to return to Dallas to resume my internship, but just before I departed for the airport, I was able to squeeze in a quick trip to the Alcatraz and ride the Skystar (the SF equivalent of the London Eye) and had so much fun! I wished I could’ve stayed longer but I was on a budget, and I had an internship to complete. While I felt satisfied towards the end of my trip, I still had a strong urge to continue sightseeing and explore because there’s just so much to do in SF. In fact, when I return, I would visit the Coit Towers, go inside the Transamerica Pyramid, visit the Golden gate park and Japantown, and visit the Fine Arts museum. I would also try to drive over the Bay bridge because it’s such an underrated bridge and I want to see it up close by actually driving over it, and even visit parts of Oakland. Though, I’m grateful that I was still able to see it from afar.

I would overall rate this trip a 9/10 because while SF was everything that I imagined it would be (in a good way, duh), the main downside was that it is extremely expensive. Like I originally planned to budget for $600 and ended up spending $1,200 (including flights) for the 4 days that I was there, so I can only imagine what I would’ve spent if I had stayed longer, or even as a local living there! Despite this short trip, I definitely made sure to savor every moment and made memories that will last a lifetime, and I’m already planning my next visit!

Blog #13

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The Trip that I didn’t like

June 23, 2024 by Ruth Misori

While traveling is typically a fun adventure for me and I usually enjoy my time, there were trips that I took in the past that I didn’t like or enjoy, which is sometimes a normal downside of traveling. This also applies to everyone else who frequently travels, and the reasons why they may not like their trips can vary differently from the weather to the foods, to the atmosphere to the vibes of people. Other reasons can be due to clashes of different traveling styles when traveling with people or in groups. Then there’s others who may not like their trip because the location was overwhelming or boring, or simply because they felt out of place. I will say that regardless of the reason why anyone didn’t like a specific trip that they took are still valid, and I also want to remind you that what you may like, may not be for others because everyone goes at their own pace and has certain expectations for their trips. This also goes for the other way around in case everyone around you is enjoying a specific trip and you’re thinking to yourself that it wasn’t your cup of tea- and that’s okay! So, to each their own!

Last year during Labor Day weekend, I made the awful mistake of booking a day trip from D.C to New York City. I booked it because I wasn’t from the east coast and figured that since I’m going to be traveling to D.C for a few days, then I may as well take the initiative of visiting NYC for the first time that coming Sunday. I will say that I did technically plan this trip ahead of time since I already booked the flights and the Amtrak tickets a couple of months back (so, it wasn’t on a whim, y’all), and did ask one of my mother’s friends if she would be willing to take me sightseeing upon my arrival to Manhattan (which she gladly accepted). However, due to my poor planning (and false hope that I could see most of NYC in only a day), we we’re both strapped for time, and I was ultimately disappointed. I distinctively remembered how my mother’s friend and I rushed through several bus stops, after several unsuccessful attempts of hailing taxis to quickly get back to the train station with only 5 minutes left to spare before I returned to D.C, and I was so devastated. I didn’t even have time to get any souvenirs and I was overall miserable.

I woke up very early the day of my trip to NYC after sightseeing in D.C the day before, and I admittedly didn’t get enough rest, and had to leave for the Union Station at 4-something in the morning so my train can leave for NYC at 5 and arrive at 8. I had booked a return ticket for 3pm because I was traveling solo and didn’t feel too comfortable being in NYC after sunset or navigating public transit at night since I wasn’t staying, so I understood that I only have a solid 6 1/2 hours of sightseeing with my mom’s friend and honestly, the last hour was spent trying to quickly get back to Penn Station so that I don’t miss my train ride. I will say that the only highlight of NYC was reuniting with my mom’s friend, whom I haven’t seen in a long time, and her taking me out to a delicious pizza joint in Brooklyn (Juliana’s Pizza, I believe), where I had a mini reunion with a margherita pizza (pictured above).

I planned this short trip because I had recently did something similar when I booked a weekend trip to London during my time in Spain, and despite only being there for two days, I was still able to do and see so much of England and assumed that the same thing would apply to NYC, even if it was for a day. Big mistake! I completely messed up by not booking at least a three-day trip to NYC when I would have the ability to stay longer and go sight-seeing with my mom’s friend and actually seeing the main pinpoints of the city, like Central Park, or attending a Broadway show, or really diving into the boroughs that make NYC so worth visiting! Both my mother’s friend and I were robbed of those opportunities due to my poor planning for a day trip with less than 7 hours, and the only places that I got to visit were Time’s Square (which everyone apparently hates) and the Brooklyn bridge through the ferry rides.

So, I can definitely say that I didn’t truly visit NYC, or at least visit NYC the way that I wanted to, and this bad trip left a sour taste in my mouth and set a negative tone for the rest of my trip in D.C, and I was still very bitter about it a few months afterwards. I was very salty towards NYC because I barely saw it! I remember feeling so grumpy (and sleep deprived) on the train back to D.C, that a passenger next to me sensed this and actually got up and moved to another available spot! I feel bad about that to this day, but maybe it was for the best because they were allowing me to be alone to process my emotions, and I respect that, but I still feel bad. The worst part of the trip was the fact that we were approached by bus tour guides offering discounts to take bus tours and we declined because I figured that since my mom’s friend was already from NYC, then she knows the city like the back of her hand, and that we could equally see as much in 5 hours on foot. I regret saying no because that would’ve at least given us an opportunity to see a lot more since we have the option of getting off at certain stops (it was a hop-off-hop-on bus), then getting back on to see other spots in less than 5 hours without feeling too exhausted, and I loved taking bus tours in other cities previously. So, that’s definitely my biggest regret while being in NYC.

Now that many months have passed, and I know better, I can plan better because that trip was not it! My desire to visit NYC has even returned and I can’t wait to take a proper trip with my mom’s friend and see all of the sights that she originally had in stored for me, and more! So, one day I look forward to returning and actually seeing most parts of NYC because this time, it’ll be planned better. Now a tip that I give to you regarding day trips is to make sure that you have at least 7-8 hours at your destination, not including transit time, otherwise it will be a waste of time and money. I will say that day trips overall are fun, and I have taken many of them in the past prior to this NYC trip, but the locations I visited were usually 1-2 hours away, which gave me the opportunity to stay longer and sightsee for at least 10 hours before I felt satisfied to leave. So, if you’re thinking about planning a day trip and it doesn’t last for more than 8 hours at your destination, then it isn’t worth it.

The purpose of planning day trips is to be strategic without having the burden of planning a traditionally longer trip while enjoying the convenience of a weekend trip. You first need to find out if the day trip that you want to take is feasible in the first place. Then if you feel that it is, then you’ll need to figure out what type of transport is needed to get to your location (bus, car, train, plane) and how long it takes to travel both ways, and if the costs of taking public transit is manageable (if booking for a holiday, then at least make sure tickets are booked 2-3 months in advance since they’re likely going to sell out). Now as for activities and excursions, try to go ahead and book them two weeks in advance instead of booking them upfront (unless there’s better deals in person) on their personal websites or through excursion apps, like GetYourGuide or Viator. Those apps are usually decently priced and have a variety of options of things to do in case you haven’t planned anything yet. They even have bus tours which I took in the past in D.C and London. Or, if you don’t want to plan anything online, then the best way to travel on day trips is to visit friends who will take you sightseeing since they’re already familiar with the location and can help you avoid tourist traps or scams, and it makes traveling with people you already know a ton of fun.

While I don’t enjoy my trip to NYC, it doesn’t mean that I can’t plan again and try to revisit, because now that I know that I can’t see NYC in a day, I can take the opportunity to plan in the future so that I can see my mom’s friend and explore most of NYC and really enjoy my time. So, if you’re planning a day trip to a popular place like NYC or Philly or even Paris (from another European city, of course), make sure that you spend a lot of time there for more than 7 hours and make sure that the trip is doable because you don’t want to waste your time and money like I did. However, I don’t regret this experience because while they’re not all going to be roses and peaches, it does somewhat make a great story, even though I was mad at the time. So now I can move forward with better execution and planning- and hopefully more time, lol.

Blog #12

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Traveling as A Woman

March 31, 2024 by Ruth Misori

The many times in which I have encountered women and have informed them of my plans to travel, their responses are always encouraging and positive. In fact, most women (especially older) will admit that they wish they could travel if they hadn’t settled down or jokingly advise me to continue traveling as much as I can while I’m still young or before I have children. I usually nod in agreement and while I understand that they’re being playful, they’re also being serious at the same time. It’s like their unspoken way of saying,” You have been granted more opportunities as a woman than I have ever seen in my lifetime.” I mean, it’s true because when I look back at the history of previous generations of women, it is very clear that their opportunities to become independent or develop hobbies for themselves were very limited. Obviously, they could forget about traveling! Of course, this wasn’t coming from a malicious point of view, it was just the reality of older women who grew up in that time. Actually, I view that statement as their way of saying, “Atta, girl!” because while they did not receive the same opportunities as I do today, they’re still rooting for me and other young women who do travel.

Solo traveling in general has especially been beneficial for me as I feel more liberated to express my creativity and discover future interests that I wouldn’t otherwise have if I hadn’t gone on my own adventures. Traveling itself is a gift for me because it’s a reminder that I am actually living out the life that only my grandmothers can imagine or the one that my mother often ponders. Being able to travel has been very difficult from women in the 1800’s and 1900’s, and women weren’t even allowed to open up their own bank accounts without their spouse’s signatures until 1974 (In the United States). I mean, that was only 50 years ago, so that’s not too long ago! I can’t even imagine how long it took before women were allowed to have their own passports because that’s absolutely crazy!

The blood, sweat, and tears that countless generations of women had to endure so that young women like me could have numerous amounts of opportunities is very inspiring because my grandmother’s generation of women had to walk so that my mother’s generation of women could run. And my mother’s generation of women had to run so that my generation of women can fly. And you best believe that I will bloody soar like an eagle! I never want to take the opportunities of traveling for granted, and I hope any woman who travels doesn’t either because we are living proof that when we set out minds to do things, we can thrive.

I distinctly remembered when the first time that I travelled across the pond at 17 was the moment when I realized that I wanted to live abroad. I was definitely scared at first before I entered the plane, but once I actually arrived in the UK and thoroughly enjoyed my experience was when I began thinking that I could make this dream of living abroad one day a reality, and it was a beautiful epiphany. Because of that experience alone, I have decided that I will have more faith in myself for the moment when I do decide to finally pull the trigger and move abroad one day to navigate life. I’m aware that while living abroad is much different from visiting, I do believe that this future endeavor will challenge me in ways that I’ve never experienced, change my outlook on life as well as for a lot of women’s and I can’t wait for that day when I finally get to live abroad.

Blog #11

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50 Tips for Solo Travelers

December 11, 2023 by Ruth Misori

Traveling solo for the very first time can often seem daunting or scary for a lot of people, especially if they’re young, female, or going overseas and/or long distance, and many individuals happen to fall into all of those categories. Perhaps you were planning a group trip that never happened or decided that you wanted to visit a place that no one was really interested in, or worst, you did find people to travel with but none of your schedules would align, so you didn’t have a choice but to go by yourself. Or maybe you’re just trying to find the courage to finally face your fears of solo traveling by booking that trip, and you need an extra push to take that leap of faith. As someone who has experienced similar situations, I can gladly tell you that I am extremely thankful that I took the plunge by traveling solo for the first time at the age of sixteen and then taking even more solo trips afterwards because it has now boosted my self-confidence, capabilities, and self-reliance. Of course, I’ve made some mistakes along the way, but it wasn’t too difficult to handle and I was able to overcome them because I took that first step of believing in myself, or asking for help whenever I needed it. Maybe you need a little bit of reassurance too before you take these steps, so here are fifty tips that I think will help make your first transition into solo traveling more easier and less nerve-wracking.

1. Budget wisely

2. Pack lightly

3. Dress comfortably

4. Bring an Airtag for your luggage (for flyers)

5. Get plenty of rest

6. Bring a lot of snacks

7. Use compression socks (for long-haul trips)

8. Send a loved one or friend a copy of your travel documentations and accommodation (passport, driver’s license, hotel reservations, etc)

9. Get your destination’s recommended or required vaccines prior to arrival

10. Take a bus tour

11. Bring emergency money and backup credit cards (And keep them in multiple places)

12. Study a map

13. Always get insurance

14. Be aware of your surroundings (women especially)

15. Familiarize yourself with military time (most countries use it)

16. Bring a small first-aid kit

17. Don’t wear your headphones/earbuds in tourist settings (see tip 14)

18. Buy a local sim card (if abroad)

19. Be spontaneous and flexible

20. Do your research

21. Befriend people at a local shop or hostel

22. Bring any necessary medications and toiletries (it might be unavailable or expensive in your destination)

23. Laugh at your mistakes (it’ll be funny years from now)

24. Use public transportation during the day and taxis/Ubers at night (make sure they’re reliable and reputable)

25. Book refundable trips

26. Ask for help when you need it

27. Take a lazy day

28. Bring an extra charger

29. Walk confidentially in public (it reduces your chances of being targeted)

30. Wear a fake wedding ring

31. Keep flashy jewelry at home

32. Be friendly

33. Take your luggage/backpack to the bathroom with you (or ask someone to watch it while you’re gone if you’re comfortable)

34. Drink responsibly

35. Know how to queue

36. Trust your instincts (if something feels off, you’re probably right)

37. Live in the moment

38. Keep your locations discreet on social media

39. Try a cooking class

40. Choose walkable cities

41. Connect with locals

42. Keep your valuables locked up in a safe

43. Learn how to say, “No”

44. Go on a day trip

45. Join a free walking tour

46. Develop an emergency exit plan (in case things go wrong, you absolutely need enough money to return home)

47. Understand the customs and act accordingly (ex: dressing appropriately at religious sites or in conservative regions)

48. Don’t be a dumb tourist (see tip 47)

49. Buy souvenirs towards the end of your trip instead of the beginning

50. Get noise-cancelling headphones (huge game-changer for long haul trips)