Even the most enthusiastic solo travelers know that loneliness can sneak up on you while traveling the world. While your initial reaction may be to avoid those feelings, therapists say it helps to embrace the emotion.

“Just like you’re choosing to travel to experience new things, give yourself permission to feel different things throughout your journey,” says Samantha Bender, LCSW-S, a therapist at Octave based in Texas. “So often, the most exploring you do when you travel is within yourself.”

Her first suggestion is to ask yourself what you want to get out of your travel experience. Are you traveling solo because you want peace and quiet, and a feeling of independence? Or are you traveling solo so that you have the freedom to meet a lot of different people? Perhaps it’s a bit of both.

While you could tailor a trip to spend most of your solo travel adventure alone, there’s also group trips led by tour companies like Kensington Tours and Abercrombie & Kent that give you an opportunity to meet other travelers with similar interests.

Why Do You Feel Lonely When Traveling Solo?

When we experience amazing moments in our lives, like travel, we want to share it with others, explains Colleen Marshall, MA, LMFT, and Vice President of Clinical Care at Two Chairs.

“There is even research from the positive psychology world that when we do share something we are savoring or enjoying with others it increases our experience of happiness and sense of joy,” Marshall says. “When we are traveling, solo sharing is harder to do because those we care about are not readily available to share with or talk with.”

Her advice?

Think about how you will share your travel or experiences with others ahead of time.

“Maybe set up a video call with a loved one during a meal or end your day with sharing what you enjoyed,” Marshall says.

7 Ways To Avoid Feeling Lonely When Traveling Solo

While it’s normal to feel pangs of loneliness while solo traveling, you don’t want the feeling to overshadow your trip entirely. With that in mind, therapists and seasoned solo travelers share their top tips to avoid feeling lonely while traveling.

1. Before Your Trip, Come Up With A Plan To Handle Your Loneliness

Some tactics, Bender says, that can be part of your plan include:

• Bring some journaling prompts
• Download your favorite podcasts or songs for a mood lift
• Start a travel journal where you can collect mementos and photos

As part of your plan for preparation, create a plan for when you return home. Schedule an appointment with your therapist where you can share new revelations or insights that you gathered while on your trip.

2. Write Postcards While On Your Trip

Writing can be very therapeutic especially if you’re feeling lonely or dissociated, Bender says.

“When we write, it helps us feel present in our reality,” she says. “Try writing a letter or sending a postcard to a loved one while you’re on your trip. You can even send a note of gratitude to yourself so that you have something waiting for you in the mail to remind you of your experience.”

3. Consider Low-Energy And High-Energy Options To Address Feelings Of Loneliness

If you find yourself lonely on a trip, consider your energy level, and go over different high-energy and low-energy options you have, Bender recommends. This practice is applicable for daily life, but even more important when you’re traveling because it can be so tiring.

A high-energy option would be signing up for a group activity, such as a guided tour or a cooking class, she says. That is a structured way to introduce yourself to others while learning a new skill, and both can be healthy distractions or preventions for loneliness.

People-watching is a low-energy thing you can do to feel less lonely while you travel, she says. Embrace that time to people-watch as a way to connect to the world and the people around you.

4. Look For Opportunities To Connect With Others

While traveling, look for activities where you can connect with other travelers or locals, Marshall suggests. For example, rather than going through the museum alone, join a tour guided experience.

“Connection is all around us, we just need to join in,” she says.

Some other ways to meet people organically while traveling solo is to go to local cafes, markets, community events and learn about their culture, says Reen B. Patel, a Licensed Educational Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Participate in group excursions like day trips and tours, she suggests.

5. Co-Work in A New Place

Ahead of your travels, check out your LinkedIn to see if you have any connections in the destination that you’re traveling to, suggests Katya Varbanova, says CEO of Viral Marketing Stars. If you’re a digital nomad or traveling for bleisure (business plus leisure), rent a desk at a coworking space and meet some fellow travelers or locals. Another option is being a part of a member’s club like Soho House, she points out. The “Every House” membership unlocks access to the houses all around the world, including their amenities, like spas, screening rooms and events.

6. Book an Airbnb Experience

Musician Alissa Musto has taken dozens of solo trips over the past few years and recommends booking an Airbnb experience, which are hosted by locals and are popular among solo travelers who you can connect with over shared interests. These types of experience range from city tours to the ins and outs of beekeeping to learning the art of origami.

7. Volunteer With Other Travelers

Another idea? Give back to the place you’re visiting. The Hawaiian islands, for example, started the Mālama Hawai’i program to better connect tourists with Hawaiian land and culture.

“I’ve also found that volunteering is a great way to be part of a community for a day, and do something good with your time and talent,” Musto says. “I’ve met several interesting people from all over the world as a volunteer and they’re always happy to have additional help and meet new friends.”

Good Destinations For Solo But Social Travel

Surprisingly, I’ve found that some of the best places for solo travelers to socialize are not big cities at all, but less popular tourist destinations and national parks, Musto says.

“Big tourist destinations and cities often attract groups of friends traveling together, couples or families that are more into doing their own thing,” she says.

On the flipside, quieter, outdoors-centric destinations attract many solo travelers trying to enjoy nature, but open to socializing with other-like minded individuals and people tend to be welcoming, inviting and happy to strike up a conversation or share a meal.

Traveling is an exciting venture, and naturally, you’d want to take pictures of everything. Here’s how to keep your camera safe during your trip.

The world is full of beautiful places, from the photogenic scenery in the Swiss Alps to the vast plains of the Serengeti National Park. Even if you aren’t traveling to one of the most photogenic places in the world, it’s always a good idea to take your camera with you to document your adventures.

However, traveling with your camera is a risky business. Photography equipment can be ridiculously expensive as well as delicate, so there’s always the constant threat of damage or theft.

Just because it’s risky doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Here are eight helpful tips to make sure your camera is safe and sound when you travel.

1. Use a Padded Camera Bag or Case

When it comes to carrying your camera around, it’s best not to cheap out. A camera is an expensive piece of equipment that can easily be damaged, so you need to use a decent camera bag (or camera case).

When you’re on the hunt for a high-quality camera bag, there are some things to keep in mind. First, the material must be durable. Second, it’s best if it’s waterproof; weather can be unpredictable. Third, there needs to be a lot of padding or cushioning inside. And lasty, make sure the bag has an adjustable, strong shoulder strap, especially if your camera is heavy.

If you’re rushed for time and can’t find an acceptable camera bag before your next trip, we’ve got a quick tip for you. Wrap it up tightly in clothing, pillows, or a towel and place it in your suitcase in a snug position. This isn’t the best way to travel with your camera, but it works as a last resort.

2. Don’t Check Your Camera Bag at the Airport

When you’re flying somewhere with your camera gear, it’s best to keep it as close to you as possible. The absolute worst option would be to check your camera bag as luggage. You’ve seen how the handlers load and unload luggage, it’s bound to cause some serious damage to your precious equipment.

Luckily, most camera bags are small enough to tuck away into the overhead compartment or under a seat without and issue. However, before you do anything else, contact the airport or read through their rules and regulations about checking luggage.

3. Keep Your Equipment Organized

Before you even think about going out and taking photos of your travels abroad, make a list of all the equipment you have with you. You should already have a record of everything you own, but maybe you don’t plan on bringing everything out with you. If so, just check off the pieces you’ll be using for the trip.

A quick tip to organize your smaller pieces of camera gear is to use a caddy box or a tackle box. These boxes have different compartments in various sizes, making it easy to store and keep track of everything from extra batteries to spare memory cards.

4. Always Prepare for the Worst

No matter how hard you try to keep your camera safe, bad things happen, and it could end up stolen. Crime happens just about everywhere in the world, and you could be a target if you carry a lavish, shiny camera.

To avoid becoming the next target, make sure your camera bag doesn’t look too fancy and new. It’s better to go for a bag that looks ordinary. It’s also a good idea to cover up the brand of your camera with a sticker or some tape.

While it’s easy to replace a camera, it’s not so easy to replace all those memories that you captured. When you’re out and about, use multiple memory cards throughout the day, just in case something happens.

5. Don’t Travel Alone

Traveling alone can be scary, and you may become a target if you put yourself in a vulnerable situation. Thieves usually go for tourists who are alone and have expensive valuables with them, like a fancy camera!
Don’t walk around alone with a target on your back, either travel with a friend, another group of tourists, or find someone else who’s also taking photographs and tag along. You’ll be safer in a crowd, plus, you’ll have a friend who can keep an eye out for anyone suspicious.

6. Use a Safe Storage Place

It doesn’t matter if you stay in a fancy hotel or camp in the woods, you always need to store your camera and equipment in a safe place. Depending on where you’re staying, you might have access to a safe in your room, but these safes can sometimes be too small to fit in all your equipment.

If all else fails, consider handing your camera and your gear in at the front desk, so they can lock it away. If you do choose to do this, remember the previous tip about keeping a record of everything you have, you can never be too careful.

7. Clean Your Camera Regularly

Traveling is exciting, so you might find yourself completely forgetting to clean your camera regularly. If you’ve been to different places around the world, you’ll know that each place comes with its own set of problems.
For example, there’ll be plenty of dust and sand if you’re visiting a desert area, like Namibia. Traveling close to the sea means excess moisture, which can lead to fungus growth on your camera lens. Ideally, you should wipe your camera lens off every time you use it.

There are two main reasons you need to always keep your camera clean; preventing little specks of dirt and dust from ruining your photographs, and granting your camera a longer lifespan by looking after it properly.

8. Plan Ahead for Different Weather Conditions

If you’re traveling to Japan, you could face a lot of snowfall. Perhaps you’re visiting Hawaii, which is well known for being wet and humid. You know that you need to clean your camera regularly, but are you prepared for the different weather conditions you could face?
Whether it’s snow, rain, sand, extreme humidity, or wind, you need to know how to keep your camera safe. Consider buying a rain cover for your camera. It won’t just protect it from the rain, but also from small grains of sand and dust.

If you’re out taking photos in harsh weather conditions, always bring a dry cloth with you in the event that your camera does get a little wet. The worst decision you could make would be to change lenses when you’re shooting outside in bad conditions. Rather, choose your lens and put it on before you go outside.

Traveling With Your Camera Can Be Easy, Safe, and Fun

Your camera is exceptionally important to you and probably very expensive, so is it possible to travel wherever you want and still keep your camera safe? Of course! With these eight tips, you can travel safely and forget about all the anxiety. Always take your camera along with you when you travel so you’ll be able to capture amazing photographs everywhere you go.

Traveling for work can be exciting, as it allows you to see different places and keeps things fresh. However, although visiting another part of the country or the world can be interesting, moving around so much can also get exhausting if you’re not careful. If you are someone who does travel a lot for work and you have found yourself struggling with it a little bit of late, here are some tips to help you manage this lifestyle more effectively.

Do Everything You Can to Stay Comfortable

If you’re heading off to business meetings, then looking smart and professional is important, but traveling in business attire isn’t always comfortable. Where possible, choose to travel in clothes that you do find comfortable, especially when it comes to shoes. If you are driving, you might find that taking a spare set of shoes can be beneficial, particularly if you find your smart work shoes difficult to drive in.

Other ways you can try and make yourself happier when you’re traveling is by adjusting the car seat to give you better support, keeping the temperature comfortable, and taking regular breaks when you’re on the road. If you’re traveling by plane, taking a travel pillow with you for support can be beneficial, and taking the time to stand and stretch your legs on long-haul flights.

Look at Ways to Save Money

If you are self-employed, it will be you/your business that will be covering all the travel expenses. This is why it will be in your best interest to find smart ways to save money, as traveling frequently can push up costs quickly and eat into your profits. One way you can do this is by searching for cheap deals on flights and accommodation or seeing if you can sign-up with a frequent flyer scheme with an airline you use often. If you travel a lot by car, look at fuel cards for small business to help you save money on petrol. If you use trains, you could also look into any possible rail cards that would apply to you or use discount sites to find cheaper train tickets.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

When you’re on the go a lot, it can be easy to choose quick meals or find yourself dining out a lot. This can often mean unhealthy snacks or indulgent dinners, and while these are fine to enjoy occasionally, too much can start harming your health. When you are traveling a lot for work, do make sure you are still maintaining a healthy diet as this will help give you energy and reduce your chances of getting sick. You could even take some vitamin supplements along with you to give your body a boost when it needs it. If you’re staying in hotels, take advantage of the gym facilities for exercise, and try to stick to a good sleep cycle, too.

If you do travel a lot for work, consider these basic tips, as they could help you stay more comfortable and reduce stress when you’re on the road.

What not to do when visiting Italy to ensure your trip goes smoothly.

Ciao, Italy — the land of pizza, pasta, wine, and all things romantic. Avoid these common vacation mistakes on your next trip to the Boot, so you can focus on enjoying la dolce vita.

1. Eating Too Much Pizza

Eat as much pizza as you want, but don’t stray too far from your dietary status quo (and don’t forget you’ll need to save room for pasta, wine, and gelato, too). Italy’s culinary delights are one of its main draws, but you’ll feel sick if you gorge yourself. Too much too fast could bring more harm than joy to your trip. Keep it balanced and incorporate lots of walking, so that you can enjoy the best of Italy’s irresistible flavors without overdoing it.

2. Neglecting to Consider the Weather

Italy in the summer is blazing hot, and many buildings in its ancient cities aren’t equipped with quite the same air-conditioning power that you may be used to at home. You don’t have to orient your trip around the weather entirely, but keep in mind that Italy has distinct seasons, which run the gamut from sweltering to downright frigid.

3. Waiting in Unnecessary Lines

Instead of waiting hours in line and paying to enter the Duomo, only to be shuffled quickly through the cathedral because it’s onto the next quota of visitors, why not attend a service? No matter your religious beliefs or background, all are welcome to attend and respectfully observe, and it’s completely free (though leaving a small offering would be a kind gesture). Plus, you get the opportunity to experience these historical buildings in action, being used in the manner they were intended, with organs playing, candles lit, incense burning, and more.

Services typically last an hour or less and you can walk right in, so it will probably take you less time than visiting via the traditional tourist route. The service will likely be in Italian, but most churches have a printed program with an English translation to help you follow along.

If you feel out of place or hesitant, spend a few minutes researching what to expect from the service, or consider arriving early and asking an usher if there are any protocols or procedures to note.

4. Not Dressing Appropriately

While Italy is not an overly religious or modest country, many of its attractions are sacred houses of worship that require respectful attire for entry. Men and women alike should carry a scarf or shawl to ensure shoulders, knees, and elbows are covered when entering houses of worship; closed-toe shoes and pants are also a good idea. You will be denied entry if you don’t adhere to the dress code. So, while cutoff jeans and a cute crop top may get you Instagram-ready, they aren’t going to fly in places like the Vatican.

5. Not Carrying Cash

Grab some euros before setting out to explore Italy. You’ll pass a lot of gelato shops, pizza joints, and street vendors with tempting wares such as luxe leather belts and bags, hand-painted art, Murano glass, and trinkets. Don’t be afraid to negotiate and strike a bargain for these items. The price you see is not necessarily the one you have to pay, but it’s a whole lot easier to negotiate when there’s cash on the table, and many do not accept cards at all.

6. Forgetting to Validate Your Train Ticket (and Other Train Mishaps)

If you’ve secured a Eurail pass for your ambles through Italy and beyond, congratulations — you’re in on one of the top travel hacks for exploring Europe. Using a Eurail pass will make your trip significantly easier, as long as you use it properly. For starters, you’ll need to validate it at a train station in order to ride. Always check the timetable, expiration date, seating class, and other details, so you don’t run into any surprises.

If you plan on exploring Italy by train, note that there are occasional rail strikes, but they are scheduled in advance, and Trenitalia, Italy’s national railway, still guarantees some service on strike days.

7. Planning to Sightsee on Sundays

Italy’s traditionally Christian roots mark Sunday as a day of rest, and accordingly, some attractions, stores, and restaurants around the country are closed or have reduced hours. While planning your itinerary, check each venue to ensure it will be open. And although many Italian cities and attractions are sleepier on Sundays, don’t let that dampen your trip. Instead, do as the Italians do and spend the day enjoying a relaxing stroll and leisurely lunch.

8. Not Buying Tickets in Advance

Many popular attractions and activities in Italy either have long lines or sell out completely, especially during peak season. If you don’t buy tickets in advance, you’re likely to miss out. You may want to travel with no agenda, and that’s a perfectly fine way to approach your trip. However, if there are any can’t-miss items on your Italy bucket list, book them as far ahead as possible. If you have any hopes of seeing St. Peter’s Basilica, for example, planning ahead is a must.

9. Only Going to Rome

One of the biggest mistakes you can make on a trip to Italy is sticking solely to Rome. Sure, the Eternal City has a lot to explore — the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City, and the Sistine Chapel, among others — and you should certainly spend time taking in these incredible landmarks.

But the heart of Italy extends far beyond Rome’s ancient borders. Drink your way through Tuscany, Italy’s world-renowned wine country; hike in Cinque Terre, home to colorful villages and crystal-clear waters; get lost amidst the cobblestone alleys of Florence; paddle the canals of Venice, led by a gondolier’s song; check another country off your list by working in a stop in San Marino, Italy’s little-known country within a country; and hit Milan, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily. It’s impossible to exaggerate all the beauty you’d miss if you only visited Rome.

10. Tipping

Unlike in America, where waiters rely on tips to supplement their wages, tipping is neither customary nor expected in Italian bars and restaurants. In many establishments, there is a service charge already factored into the price of the bill or even a cover charge for extras that are automatically brought to the table (bread, oil, and olives). Look over your receipt carefully, and leave a tip if you feel compelled to do so because the service was truly exceptional.