As your most-awaited solo trip draws near, your excitement for the actual trip is building up, and you’re just as thrilled to do your pre-travel tasks. This mainly involves listing down things you need for your trip, and of course, shopping for your travel essentials!
Before you go on a pre-travel shopping spree, keep in mind the main goal of every solo backpacker: travel light. Aside from your clothes, you must also consider several other things such as photography gear and your bag.
To help you prepare for your first solo trip, here are some recommended travel gear to bring so that you’ll be able to travel light:
Of course, you’re going to take a lot of travel photos! For solo travelers, a compact camera is ideal because it’s light and easy to carry. Whether it’s a mirrorless camera, a rugged point and shoot, or an action camera, get one that produces high-quality photos and has long battery life.
When you get back home, gather your best photos and create a travel photo book out of them. Your personalized photo book will surely be a perfect keepsake of an important milestone in your life: your first ever solo trip!
Having no companion to take your solo photos won’t be a problem as long as you have a selfie stick with you. Taking perfect selfies with a lightweight yet sturdy selfie stick can steady your camera to avoid blurry shots. Aside from convenience, it can also keep your camera safe from thieves. You won’t have to ask strangers to take your photo and fear that they’ll run away with your precious (and maybe expensive) gadget.
A durable, lightweight, and functional backpack is every solo traveler’s best friend. When choosing a backpack, consider its size (make sure it’s neither too small nor too big for your body), compartments, weight, water resistance, and storage capability. The wrong kind of backpack will just add weight to your back, make you get tired easily, and lead to sore back and shoulders.
Also, make sure you don’t overpack even if there’s still room in the bag. As long as the travel essentials can fit in one bag, you’re good to go.
Even though a lot of hostels provide guests with a lock for their lockers, it’s still good to bring at least two backups. Buy an encrypted padlock that’s durable enough to handle pressure. You can use it to lock the zippers of your backpack and keep it safe and secure.
Sockets in other countries may not be compatible with the plug of your charger or electronic device. It’s best to bring a universal adapter, so you won’t have to go through the hassle of borrowing one from the hostel or finding a store that sells one. Besides, some hostels don’t have any extras of these. It’s better to be prepared rather than to waste time looking for alternatives
With these simple and helpful items, you’ll surely enjoy your first-ever solo trip! Who knows, you might go for another one again next time. For more detailed packing tips see this guide – Packing for Every Trip Type.
Happy travels!