As I stepped outside the hostel that morning in Salzburg, still fuddled with sleep, I wondered whether it was worth going. The city was damp and cold, yet I was determined to see it through.
I took a cable car through the mist and entered the bright sunlight above the clouds. The sunshine bathed the mountain peak, and I could see other summits peaking through the clouds like islands in a sea of white. It was truly a magical sight.
With soaked-through Nike trainers, I climbed up a snowy mountain. This may not have been my ideal footwear choice, but it meant I had to find alternate ways to come down the mountain. As my shoes had no grip, I slid down my little sit-upon, which nearly froze off.
For every solo adventure and trip, you make mistakes, but you learn to be more prepared the next time, perhaps by bringing the right shoewear, planning enough activities to fill the time, and learning how to go outside your comfort zone. I have completed several solo trips and I love them; I took a city solo trip to Milan, and my most recent solo trip was in nature in Salzburg. On my next mountain trip, I will wear hiking boots with thick, woolly socks and mittens.
Sometimes, you find yourself dying to go someplace but do not have anybody to go with – but this is the opportunity to go on a solo adventure. I love being independent and responsible for my time and decisions; it makes me feel more self-confident. You have time to think and find yourself, which makes it so relaxing. My favourite solo trip has been to Salzburg because I felt so connected to nature in the Alps on my hikes. I let my mind wander as I gazed out the cable car window and felt myself daydreaming to the sound of music. The hills felt alive as I climbed to the summit with the sun beaming.
But there was no music – just my heavy breathing from exhaustion and thirst.
The feeling of being at the top, above the clouds, above the city, makes you feel on top of the world, but doing it by yourself gives you time to let your imagination drift as you discover yourself. I miss this feeling and cannot wait to do it again.
Now reading week is over and you may have started to plan your next trip, I want to urge you to go on a solo trip, and here are my top tips:
1. Listen to a new album so that every time you hear those songs, you can associate them with your solo trip. If I ever hear the Sound of Music playlist, it will take me straight back to the mountain in Salzburg, eating my homemade ham and cheese sandwich, sitting on my damp bum, and my frozen toes at the summit.
2. Start the day early. I do not advise going out late by yourself. My best memory was going to the Duomo di Milano at 6 am and the only other person there was an Instagram influencer trying to get in a few photos before the rush of people came.
3. Go on a solo date, for example, by going out for dinner or to the cinema. I also love going to a cafe, people-watching and imagining their conversations. I always bring a book and journal to keep myself occupied.
4. Want a picture to commemorate your solo trip but have no one to take it for you? Don’t be afraid to ask people for photos. I often search other groups trying to take photos – I first ask if they would like a photo together, and then I ask for a photo by myself. Self-timer is also a handy trick.
5. Strike up a conversation with strangers. Once, on my way back from Paris on the Eurostar, I sat at a four-seater table. I started talking to a mother and her son. We discovered we had much in common, as we both lived in Scotland and loved France. However, they were going to a funeral, and I was going to a wedding.
6. Safety is most important. I never plan flights where I arrive late at my destination. I always let somebody know where I am, like a family member or close friend. I always book accommodation at top solo-rated youth hostels near the centre or with good transport links.
7. I always choose the option to walk if it is possible. Sometimes you end up walking and discovering sites you did not expect to see or find online, for example, once I was walking in Paris and came across a Jazz café. I spent a chill few hours sitting there listening to Jazz and sipping on espresso. You definitely get a better local feel for the city in this way.
8. Reading books/ watching films associated with the place you go and then visiting the places suggested in them. For example, a few of my movie recommendations are: “Before Sunrise” for Vienna, “Before Sunset” for Paris, “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway for Paris and “The Sound of Music” for Salzburg ( although ask any Austrian if they know the film and they will tell you they don’t). My favourite Instagram account is: Steppingthroughfilm – The content creator, Thomas Duke, travels to the destinations of famous movie scenes.
I hope those tips will encourage you to organise a solo trip to share your adventures with your friends and family!