7 Things Every Solo Traveler Should Have With Them At All Times

When you’re striking off on your own, there’s no one else to help you heave your heavy suitcase up those hotel stairs or drag it across town. That’s why it’s even more important to bring luggage that is lightweight and (ideally) small enough to handle on your own.

This could be as simple as a box of bandaids and some painkillers, but it might be a good idea to toss in some Dramamine, Imodium, Tylenol Cold, Benadryl, Neosporin and multivitamins.

When you’re on your own, you have more freedom to be spontaneous and go where the wind takes you. For some, this could mean a growling stomach when you realize you’ve been wandering for hours without a meal break. Keep a few snack bars with you to tide you over during your travels, as well as keep you on your feet if you miss your bus back to town or get stuck in a long airport line. Tip: try to avoid snacks with too many ingredients that could melt or crumble easily, like chocolate or thin crackers.

Repeat: everything. Carry paper copies of your plane tickets, passport, hotel reservations, credit cards, visa, travel insurance, ferry tickets, bus tickets, traveler’s checks, etc. If your phone dies or you get stranded somewhere without internet, you’ll be so glad to have the details of your trip with you on paper.

At the very least, if you’re traveling somewhere with a different language you’ll be able to point to destinations on paper that you might not be able to pronounce. That’s makes directing a taxi driver or asking for directions much easier. Consider packing a few extra passport photos as well, just in case you need to get a new one while traveling.

If you’re traveling solo, there’s a good chance you might find yourself sitting alone at a cafe or waiting for a bus by yourself. Having some good reading material goes a long way towards alleviating boredom or loneliness, and it might make you feel a bit less awkward about sipping alone at the bar. Plus, it will never run out of battery!

In the hopefully unlikely event that something happens to you and you can’t communicate with first responders or doctors about your health conditions, an emergency contact card could save your life. List any relevant information about your health including allergies, medications, existing conditions, blood type and contact numbers for doctors or family back home. If you don’t want to carry around a paper card, consider filling out the Medical ID section on your iPhone (there should be a similar option on you Android phone, though it may be called something different depending on the model) so that your medical info can be accessed from your phone’s lock screen without a passcode.

Whether you’re hitchhiking across the galaxy or just across the state, there are a million reasons to keep a clean towel with you while solo traveling. If you’re staying in hostels you might not be provided with a towel or be charged to use one during your stay. If you’re backpacking or doing a lot of hiking, you’ll appreciate having something clean and dry to clean up with on the trail. A towel can even double as a makeshift pillow or cushion in a pinch.