By Andrea MacDonald, Posted Nov 11, 2008
 Wonder if she used a backpack or a wheelie suitcase? |
Ladies: don’t be afraid to leave your friends behind and travel alone. There are so many people wanting to help us, waiting to be our personal tour guide (read: hot, foreign men waiting to be our next fling).
Here are ten tips I’ve learned after years of solo travel.
1. Leave your beauty tools at home (most of them, anyway)
The water quality on the road, plus your cheap little bottles of shampoo, will have your hair in a state that no dryer or straightener will help; put it into a ponytail and forget about it. You’ll occasionally meet someone who has that stuff for you to borrow, or just go nuts in department stores where you can sample everything for free. But there is one item that you don’t want to forget: a foot file. Your feet get into a real mess when you spend all day walking, especially in sandals, and cracked feet are not only unsightly, they can get really painful. Your heels are not meant to have black crevices in them, so take a few minutes in the shower every day to sort them out.
2. Leave the games at home too
Playing hard to get, not sleeping with someone on the first date, waiting three days to call… all of that crap is irrelevant on the road. You’ve got a short time to get to know someone so show them who you are right away. And if they don’t like it, guess what? By the time you get to the next city, you’re already over them and on to the next Aussie backpacker you meet. Because getting hung up on one person while travelling is not only silly, it’s near-impossible because there are just so many other exciting people kicking around.
3. Tampons are a privilege, not a right
Imagine yourself squatting over a hole in the ground in the middle of a Moroccan medina (because toilet seats, for that matter, are also a privilege), with the dreadful realization that you’ve started your period and there’s not even toilet paper to help you out. You then have to use hand gestures to describe to the shop owner what you need because you don’t know the Arabic or French words for tampon. And then, if you actually find somewhere that sells them, you’ll pay more than you ever wanted to spend on Tampax because they’re imported. Bring a supply from home and save yourself the trouble.
4. Friendliness can be misconstrued
You’re travelling, you’re in a great mood, you want to meet as many people as you can, especially locals. So when a local chef invites you back to his house for a home-cooked meal, you are psyched about the great story this unique experience will make. But the local chef bringing a naive tourist home isn’t thinking about it in the same way. Most times, you can make friends with local guys without any problems. Just don’t get complacent with your safety. It’s a sad but true fact that men in other countries might not have the same respect for a foreigner that they do for one of their own.
5. Don’t go to Lithuania
Just don’t go, it’s awful. That goes for male travellers too.
6. Don’t travel with a boyfriend
I’m sure if you have a great relationship, travelling together could be a significant experience that both of you will cherish forever, etc. Personally, I cherish picking up strangers in different cities, switching travel companions whenever I want, and not having to sleep next to a snoring drunk guy every night. I once travelled with a boyfriend for three months. All the bickering, the jealousy, the morning sex when I wasn’t in the mood, plus it’s difficult to make new friends because no one wants to hang out with a couple … if you like doing it, more power to you. I’ll pass.
7. Travel with a Boy Friend
When you’re not dating them, guys are great to travel with. They don’t take long to get ready in the morning, they’re happy to sit and drink beer all afternoon if you’re in the mood, plus they usually offer to carry your heavy bags up the stairs.
8. Indulge yourself occasionally
Part of what’s great about independent travel is roughing it, letting yourself be feral, not adhering to the regular expectations of femininty. I get it. But spending the night in a hotel room watching tv and using the little soaps, or going to a spa for a facial, or even just taking yourself out for a nice meal rather than a kebab on the street is nice once in a while and you’ll feel re-charged. And don’t worry too much about money. You’re not going to remember the cost of the sauna you visited in Estonia; you will remember how good it felt to beat yourself silly with a birch stick while you were there.
9. Bring a journal
Your journal makes a great companion when you’re travelling alone. It goes to dinner with you, sits on the beach with you, and entertains you with exciting memories on long journeys. And it really gives a shit about the little details of your day, unlike your friends back home. So tell your journal all about the delicious club sandwich you had for lunch and spare your friends the boring stories.
10. Being alone is a choice
Having lunch alone recently in Copenhagen, three older English women kept smiling sadly at me.
‘That poor girl is all by herself,’ one of them said, apparently forgetting that alone doesn’t mean deaf.
‘Oh, I’m sure the rest of her party is back at the hotel. She’s probably meeting up with them later,’ her friend said, and they all seemed reassured.
As I finished my hamburger and drank my beer, I realized that a lot of people still find it amazing that anyone, especially young women, travel alone. They are the people who have never experienced the complete immunity from inane conversation, or the daydreams that accompany long walks, or the freedom to do whatever you want and be whomever you like. They don’t realize that a woman eating lunch alone is not someone to feel sorry for; she’s someone who, if she gets lonely, can find a companion in two minutes back at the hostel, but would much rather spend two hours enjoying lunch without worrying about anyone else’s itinerary.
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oh man i’ve been the boyfriend so many times …
interesting: must go to Lithuania and see what awful we would find?
Lithuania is very beautiful country
I suspect the author faded in comparison to the beautiful Lithuanian woman, hence the completely random & unfounded tip #5 – out of spite :) Btw, male travellers will have left the article around tip #3 at the very latest, so no need wasting your “wisdom” on them
Law nr5. total absurd. I’ve been traveling there 3 times. It’s a wonderful country.
Sorry why did you advice don.t go to Lithuania?whats wrong?can you explain,please?Whtas is awfull-people?or roads?
OMG! Just dare to have an experience in Lithuania – you will never regret!
I got impression that Mrs. MacDonald is suffering under some sort of neurotic complex or just teasing. My advice would be – don’t take her tips face-value, she might be joking.
what are u talking about silly beach have ever been for lithuania? its gorges country if u haven’t been fucked there that just because u looks like a horse with your lager))
I’m wondering what happened to you in Lithuania. Were you raped
or what?
Some of these comments are pretty rough. I read this article as a male traveler to gain some insight to the experience of the female traveler. Thanks, Andrea.
It’s huge mistake. Lithuania is very beautiful country, and there in summer is the best time to travel. The people in Lithuania are very nice,and helpfull.
Hey, lithuania is a nice country, except if you have been there like 50 years ago.
5. ;) do not go to Ottawa. Just don’t go. It’s awful…;)
poor article. Where’s argumentation for tip 5?
Lithuania is beautiful Andrea MacDonald-stupid
Well, for a hamburger-eating, lager-drinking lady, who has such a low level of general education that she has no idea, that “tampon” is “tampon” in most languages (inc. French), Lithuania might be an awful country. Far too many theatres, art galleries and beautiful tall women.
wow! im from lituania.
Andrea MacDonald is yust a stupid and just an american, bullshit, i believe that you are a farmer and a kind of idiot. Lithuania is one of EU [euopo union] and this year lithuanian capital vilnius will be culture capital of europ so how you can write such bulshit?
Lithuania looks 4 u awful couse theres so many btfl womens as u never seen? or u r so awful, dats why?
its very nice country…
Lithuania is a really wonderful country. maybe u should go there someday, Andrea, because i don’t believe that u even was there..
I am lithuanian and i realy offer to you – don.t go to Lithuania, it’s realy terrible!!!Many of lithuanian goes out of this country.
[AnTiReKlAmA]
Crazy woman i think you are Andrea. I agree with all people that Lithuania is wonderful country. You’re not welcome in Lithuania!
well, Canadians are weird people… they might have a perverted view of things they see.
I think we can make bad opinions about all countries, I just like to hear the arguments.
Have u been yourself in lithuania,and wich kind of awful things have u seen.Every single country have nice and awful things….
Andrea, I think you felt like a grey mouse among lokal beutifull girls and you are upset that nobody even noticed you there…and you are angry,that nobody gave you naything for free or did not invite you for dinner,because you looked AWFUL with your cracked feet and having your period without TAMPONS ! ))))) I would not inwite you eather )))
Why don’t go to lithuania? Where arguments?
5. Don’t go to Lithuania
Just don’t go, it’s awful. That goes for male travellers too. I think if you say something you have to motivate your opinion , i think autor is not competiteve
who let this fucking redneck write an article? Lithuania is a wonderful country with the most beautiful women in the world.
you are just so ugly! dont go there,you would not fit in!! you would NEVER get laid in lithuania!
Welcome to Ltithuania-the land of amber:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm5lG6DmNxo&search=lithuania
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OStISjdmmSI
Great article. As one who is traveling across the USA in a teardrop, I have not used makeup and recharging by sitting at the bar to eat for a “party of 1” can be the most interesting experience. Thanks for the tips.
She left all of her beauty TOOLS (how bad does she look if she needs tools), the games too, then she couldn’t find a tampon, then her friendliness apparently got misconstrued and that’s how she got to comment number 5. GOOD GAWD, LADY! Oh and the beating yourself up with the BAMBOO STICK in an ESTONIAN SAUNA ?! I ask – WTF they don’t even have those unless in flower shops? Where all have you been, Ms.LADY TRAVELLER SOLO? Bless your heart.
Y’all – come on over to LT – it’s bloody great, wonderful, fab et all.
can you explane: why Lithuania is so awful country? all lithuanians don’t understand you…….. we love our country and think that it is great and wonderful country full of lakes, forests, beautiful biuldings and very nice and polite people :)
Guys, don’t ask her any questions for she has no answears…she just one of those woman with “higher nation” sindrom that think with arogance about rest of the world )) and if she was in Lithuania she would propbably noticed,that we don’t have any of “MacDonald’s” crap food on every corner otherwise there would be a lot more comments of how awfull is our country ))))
I’m delighted that you bothered to remember the name of the place, missy, but, as we say in Lithuania – shampoo your head. Don’t tell me you didn’t hear that phrase on the streets?
What a load of rubbish!I am surprised that this article was even posted. No arguments, just prejudice about #5. I can imagine what people think about Lithuania now, i mean those that have never been there. I’ve lived in Lithuania most of my life and I don’t see anything that could make me say that it’s awful and advise people not to go there. I would like the author of this article to tell us all why people shouldn’t go to Lithuania. And for those that believe this crap, don’t go to Lithuania, we already had enough of airheaded tourists.
Lithuania is very beautiful country! If you don’t like Lithuania you should look like hippo, like fast food and you shouldn’t like the drink of god’s – BEER and basketball – the 2 religion in Lithuania… well in Kaunas it’s looks like first religion… :D if you want to learn more about lithuania watch this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQUi2k4ek3E
Youre tips are just stupid.You writing just to write. End youre handbook its -paper trash!I’m frome LT!!!
Why do I hate Canada so much? I’ll tell you. I have seven reasons that will make whiny liberals quiver in their faux-fur lined boots.
1. Canada is cold. Real cold. Too cold for anyone sensible. But Canadians should prepare for warmer temperatures, since those Godless socialist pinko cowards will suffer an eternity in Hell. 2. The metric system. Those Canadians practically invented this “metric” system bullshit. Somehow it’s like inches and feet, only it doesn’t make any damn sense. And kilometers? Don’t even get me started on those. Next thing you know they’ll have metric months, metric dollar bills, and women will have metric breasts. Where will the madness end? 3. Canada gained independence from England in 1982. 1982! Can you believe that? Practically yesterday. We told those British popinjays to take a hike over 200 years before those lazy Canucks got around to it. And guess who still has the queen on their currency? I’ll give you a hint: Canada. 4. Rich people must pay for health care for lazy bums. Imagine being coerced into paying for health care for undserving lazy scaramouches who sit on the street corner day after day, chugging down a 40oz Mickeys before noon. Those cretins don’t deserve a nickel, let alone expensive medical treatment paid for by wealthy, upstanding members of society. Fact: If you’re poor, it’s entirely your damn fault — and you deserve a short miserable life of pain and suffering. 5. They have oil. Come on, Canada. Give us your damn oil. Who do you think makes your cars, anyway? Manitoba isn’t exactly Detroit, if you know what I mean. Don’t make us go Iraq on your ass. We’ll do it. I’m serious. 6. They speak French. Okay, I know what you’re going to say. “But O Wrinkly, only Canadians in Quebec speak French!” Well be that as it may, Canadians still write in French all over the damn place. Street signs, documents, businesses… If I ever saw a coffee shop with a sign that said “ferme” in the window instead of “closed,” I’d blow that place up before those Satan-worshiping French terrorists spread their hate any further. 7. Draft dodgers. And this is the big one. Where do you think those America-hating draft dodgers run off to when the going gets tough? You’re damn right they go to that God-forsaken hellhole known as Canada. Look, we’re making the world safe for you hippie clinchpoops, so show some damn respect.There you have it folks — seven indesputible reasons Canada sucks. Of course, everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. But if it’s different than mine, it’s wrong.
Because I said so.
zajebal varyti ant Lietuvos suka.Ashamed on you,i hate clowns&shittty like you
all you people are really lame, have any of u that are sayin Andrea is jealous of these lithuanian women actualli seen what she looks like? You’re all really retarded for gettin upset bout summit this small! If u don’t like it, don’t read it! n stop gettin on at Andrea cos i don’t see any of you offering advice, only snide comments. how shallow can u get!
Lithuania is f*cking amazing country. Just need to be at a right time in a right place. I’ll show you what I mean:
1) Eurobasket 2009 is coming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJlQUOVWw8Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JgzDa5NfVI&feature=related
WHO SAID LITHUANIAN MEN AREN“T HOT? :D
2) Be2gether is coming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7DQOIAyQbo
STRONGLY RECOMMEND FOR NOMADS
3) Soviet Gulag Holiday Camp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrniEDxOKdE
4) Love Party :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hydd5fxQFuI
5) The Landscape of Lithuania:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni0Cmr_rJCE&feature=related
6) World Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival is coming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1O-07Y4eqo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0HTnfHMy2I&feature=related
7) Lithuanian youth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3dFZwKoY4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx3StTUiCXk
8) Some famous US Lithuanians:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgfnvMCWc74&feature=related
Good luck in rediscovering Lithuania ;)
I see there is a wild discussion here about Lithuania… wow, what a vocabulary!! Andrea, please dont take it personally, your arguments in the other article are sufficient. Sadly, what is going on here is true. I am Lithuanian, but wont start defending this country. Let me explain one thing: It is the post-Soviet intellect that u encountered here that made u so upset. It is still everywhere in the province, wherever u go. Communism was a sustem that brainwashed the people’s minds for 50 years. They forgot all the values, respect, even their opinion. Its only 18 years that we are independent, so it will take at least 32 more to get rid of the Soviet-thinking style. You may ask what this style means. Its ust what you experienced here and wrote the article…
1. No respect to self and others
2. inferiority complex
3. from point 2 results:
neglecting others
avoiding strangers
feeling stupid if they dont understand u, so they rather not talk
4. soviet opinion: the client is just a piece of shit, the one who can demonstrate the power is the shop assistant, museum worker, ticket seller. They can even scream at you! even now in some places!
Vilnius is different, people here more educated, but the rest of the country…
Tourists say: post-soviet countries are so exotic!! Sadly, they dont understand in which way. Lithuania changed and improved greatly since 1989. If somebody would like to feel how it was before, u can kindly visit the post-soviet countries outside the Baltic States. There are 13 more! U might get perplexed on the first hour. So what?? Thank you Mother Russia for all the exotics!
and one more thing: the ruder language they employ when talking to you, the better they feel…
So just dont take to heart all these insults
Would’ve been tempted to ‘smash and grab’ that rucksack and just legged it to the airport.