Page 37 - 101+ Tips for Solo Women Travelers
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What our travelers say:
                  72       Never unpack!


                           Use that time to explore at the beginning and end of the trip.

                          —Marilyn Litka-Klein, 2-time traveler, East Lansing, MI


                73       How to make new friends.


                         It just seems to happen naturally when you are traveling alone—you are
                more open, and more likely to chat with strangers. You ask a person at a neighboring
                table what’s good on the menu … someone starts to chat with you as you’re waiting
                in line at a store … you stop to pet a pooch in the park, and the owner strikes up a
                conversation. If it doesn’t happen so naturally, there are useful apps that can connect
                your with local people as well as fellow travelers such as Meetup or SoloTraveller. The
                dating app Tinder also connects people for activities and friendship.
                74      More than friends?


                         Plenty of solo women find romance on the road, and just like at
                home, it can be wonderful—or not. If you can’t wait for your two ships to pass
                in the night, the major dating apps (like Match, OKCupid, and OurTime) have

                international members of all ages. Be prepared to deal with cultural di erences
                regarding gender norms; and as anywhere, only meet in public, let someone
                know you’re going out on a date (even if it’s your Trip Experience Leader or the
                concierge), be very careful about drinking, and trust your gut.
                75       Learn a bit of the local language.



                         It goes without saying that making friends (and just getting around) will
                be much easier. Even if you mangle every word, it’s a great ice-breaker and most
                people will genuinely appreciate your e ort. There are plenty of apps to help you

                out, such as DuoLingo, FluentU, Babbel, Mondly, and others.
                76      When one is the luckiest number.



                        One of the perks of not having a plus one with you is that you can o en

                score a coveted restaurant table, move quicker to the head of a line, or get great
                deals on last-minute tickets. (It’s much easier to find a single seat than a pair of
                them to that play, concert, or exhibit you’ve been dying to see.) Just ask!


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