The Not-So-Glamorous Side of Solo Travel (And How I Handle It)

Let’s get one thing straight…

If you think solo travel is all cute outfits, sunsets, and sipping wine on balconies… I regret to inform you that sometimes it’s losing your portable charger when you’re phone is at 3% and a missed train you definitely cried about.

And guess what? That’s still traveling. Those moments that test you, keep you resilient, and you work through. I try to remember that it isn’t happening to me…it might be happening FOR me. Maybe there is some silver lining behind the madness and uncertainty. I recently learned about the “burnt toast theory”, which basically suggests that small, annoying inconveniences might be protecting you from something worse.

This post is for the girls who want the real solo travel experience! The messy parts, the inconvenient parts, and how I still manage to have a good trip even when the universe is testing me for some serious character development.

Transportation Betrayal

Travel is going to test you. Your patience, your abilities, your phone data plan, and your stress thresholds. I am talking about delayed flights, missed trains, and buses that simply… never arrive.

Things I’ve Learned:

• Screenshot EVERYTHING (tickets, reservations, addresses) or save in your notes app.

• Find out which cities use which apps for their trains or public transportation before you arrive & have that app figured out as well.

• Keep essentials in your carry-on like it’s a survival kit.

• It’s OK to ask for help and don’t be embarrassed!

• Stay a calm cool girl - panic and stress never helps a situation.

• Assume something will go wrong and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when it doesn’t.

Mindset Upgrade: If I’m safe and fed, we’re doing okay. Everything else is a plot twist.

Hot Girl Tummy Problems

Or as I like to call it… HGTP 🫠 Nothing humbles you faster than your stomach abroad. One minute you’re adventurous. The next minute you’re Googling the nearest pharmacy to grab instant Imodium.

Things I’ve Learned the Hard Way:

• Always carry electrolytes. Always.

• Activated charcoal is the unsung hero of travel. If you can’t find that, have Imodium on hand.

• Try to have one bland-ish meal a day if you’re not used to trying different food.

• Book places within your itinerary with private bathrooms when possible. Nothing is as humbling as frantically searching for a toilet in the middle of a foreign city, getting to said toilet, needing coins to use it, getting cash out, ordering a coffee you’re not going to drink to get change back so you can use the bathroom, alllll while your tummy ain’t happy.

• Carry coins ^

Mindset Upgrade: Getting sick on a trip doesn’t mean the trip is ruined…it means your gut is dramatic and hates change. Rest. Cancel plans. Watch Netflix in another country. That still counts as travel. Listen to your body, girlie.

When the Destination isn’t Giving

The weather sucks. The vibe is off. TikTok lied. It happens.

Things I’ve Learned:

• Stop comparing real life to curated content

• Find ONE good thing per day (coffee, a nice park, sunset, a cute dog)

• Change plans without guilt! Not vibing with the city and want to change it up? Do it!

Mindset Upgrade: Not every place has to be your favorite! Look at you checking off another country on your list and that’s enough to hang your hat on!

Stuff Disappears & So Does Your Peace

At some point, you will lose something. Phone. Wallet. Jewelry. Charger (always the charger).

Things I’ve Learned:

• Never keep all valuables in one place - when I leave the bnb or hotel I’ll basically split my wallet in half leaving one card in the room and one card with me, same for my IDs.

• Back everything up to the cloud!

• Cancel cards immediately and panic later.

• Accept the loss quickly instead of emotionally spiraling for 6 hours, that helps literally nothing.

Mindset Upgrade: The item feels irreplaceable in the moment but you are not. You’re still in a new country. Breatheeeee.

Loneliness, Anxiety, and the Existential Crisis

Yes, even solo travel girlies get lonely. Sometimes you’re surrounded by beauty and still feel off. Sometimes you just wish you had someone next to you taking in the moment by your side.

Things I Have Learned:

• Take intentional rest days (no guilt) because sometimes exhaustion can actually be the root cause of the anxiety.

• Voice note someone from home or FaceTime your mom (my go-to) to say hello!

• Book an experience on AirBnB that involves a group setting or designed for solo travelers so you can meet some people.

• Journal or read instead of doom-scrolling. I’ve found that while I’m scrolling I’ll get bummed that other people are with others while I am solo dolo and it starts that’s comparison spiral

Mindset Upgrade: Feeling lonely doesn’t mean solo travel isn’t for you, it means you’re learning how to be alone without distractions. To me, that is powerful.

My final thought on the not so glamorous parts of solo girl travel:

A good trip isn’t one where nothing goes wrong. It’s one where trust yourself to handle whatever does. I don’t travel because everything is easy. I travel because even when it’s messy, uncomfortable, or inconvenient then I figure it out. And every single time, I come home more confident, more grounded, and proud that I went anyway.

If you’ve ever been sick, lost, delayed, lonely, or emotionally humbled abroad…congratulations.

You’re doing it right. You’ll be savvier, chiller, and more resilient for it!