Travel solo

What to do if your mate ditches you and you're all alone

You’ve booked round the world tickets and you and your best mate are going to eat, sleep, breathe and, most importantly, love the backpacker life. Then he gets offered a job he can’t refuse, bails out on the travel plans and you’re left dangling your ticket over a candle flame. Stop. All is not lost. Travelling solo can be a daunting prospect but often turns out to be the best way to meet people and broaden your mind. A friend even met his future wife while backpacking alone around New Zealand, so it could change your life.

But if the thought of being alone in an unknown city, in a bewildering country, on an alien continent makes you shudder, take a look at these tips from solo travel experts Tom Griffiths, a youth travel adviser to the government and founder of award-winning website Gapyear.com, and Steve Gill from STA Travel, and see if they can help change your mind.

Meeting people and dealing with loneliness

The loneliest times are arriving at a hostel late when everyone seems to have got to know each other. You don’t have the option of people coming up to you to chat, unless you’re Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, so you have to approach them. Scan the room and pick who you think you’ll get on with. If in doubt, look for where the laughter is and go for the big noisy group.

Embrace being alone somewhere spectacular and savour the tranquility. Picturing the commuter crush on the Circle Line in situations like this can make you feel the luckiest person on the planet.

Look forward to the next exciting thing. Everyone suffers from homesickness at some stage in their travels so research the next stage of your trip and let the excitement take over.

Look out for other solo travellers in the airport departures lounge. Tom Griffiths says: “Within 10 minutes you should be able to decide if they are the most boring person on earth or a complete nutter, but if they seem cool share a taxi to the hostel and stick together.” Also hook up with solo travellers....

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