1. HOW TO SKILLFULLY TRAVEL SOLO
ALL OF MY SOLO TRAVEL LESSONS

2. ABOUT...
 All of my solo travel lessons were learned on nude
beaches. The lessons I refer to were garnered prior to a
career in travel writing. Suffice it to say, my initial travel
forays sans companions titillated me to the point of making
it my profession. Though, my suitcase is a little heavier
these days…

3. BE BOLD
 How did I find myself naked in Mexico? A break-up was involved. The desire to do something
daring/edgy/fearless was vital. Thumbing through a guidebook for Mexico, I stumbled across
the words ―nude beach.‖ I was in.

4. BE SMARTER (THAN I WAS )
 No, I don’t speak Spanish. Nor did I know anyone who’d ever been to this part of the world. I
was flying blind. Where I should have gone right off the bat –travel.state.gov. Not only does
the site give travel warnings and alerts, it also has advice for potential emergencies and
crises, as well as tips for traveling internationally.
 *A tip – check to see if there’s a website not only for accommodations, but the destination
itself. Visitors Bureaus can be invaluable, as can online communities where others who have
visited the region can give recommendations.

5. BRING MEDS
 As you can guess, I packed light for the trip to Mexico. With all that extra suitcase space, I
should have slipped in some RX for Montezuma’s Revenge. It hit me. Hard. Now I travel with
a plethora of over-the-counter medications including Benadryl for bug bites and a
decongestant for cold/sinus issues — ear pressure mid-flight can be a killer. As for
prescription medication, it’s packed in original pharmacy bottles versus a pillbox for safety and
security reasons, especially when abroad.

6. GET TRAVEL INSURANCE
 I’m the klutz of all klutzes. There was a nude hot tub calamity in Ojai, California, during which
I broke my foot, but was too embarrassed (translation: naked) to go to the hospital. When
traveling out of the country, or on a cruise ship, purchasing travel and medical air transport
insurance is a good rule of thumb. This has come in handy on numerous occasions, including
losing a tooth to a gummy bear in Germany and when fly-fishing with a barbed hook on a
windy day.

7. HAVE A BACKUP BUDDY
 A lesson learned en route to a nude beach in Italy’s Cinque Terre – when traveling
alone, make sure a designated person has all your travel information, including an
itinerary, copy of your passport, etc. Should you veer off the itinerary, let them know. Getting
locked in an abandoned train tunnel (not fun) is a surefire recipe for a Lifetime movie about
your disappearance.

8. PREPARE FOR ROMANCE
 Traveling solo can be exhilarating, restorative, romantic… I’m all for setting intentions prior to
departure. And if romance is among those intentions, condoms are included on the packing
list. And yes, the nude beach trip resulted in a (declined) marriage proposal.

9. STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
 Which brings me back to – Mexico. I was swaying in a hammock meditating on the ocean.
Not too far away, people were doing tequila shots on swings at the bar. ―Time for reflection‖
was booted off my intention list in lieu of meeting people. I flagged down a group of Texans
and introduced myself. This is one of the perks of traveling solo – connecting with strangers.
Something that’s less likely to occur when traveling with BFFs, a lover or family members.

10. RESERVATION FOR ONE
 For many, solitary dining is an uneasy affair. At a Bed and Breakfast on Lake Como, the keen
hostess paired up solo guests during mealtimes. Now, If I’m feeling the need for company, I
may peruse other ―one top‖ tables. However, I’ve found that dining alone can bring with it the
opportunity to immerse my senses in a meal versus merely talk over it. Bringing all the senses
online for a meal turns into an intimate event. One that often requires cell phone photos for
remembering every single, delicious detail. Another lesson – if you decide to share these
photos online, make sure you check with your cellular company about international
rates/charges beforehand.

11. HOW TO SEE THE SIGHTS
 If guidebooks haven’t turned up something intriguing, get chummy with the hotel
concierge, pool attendants, wait staff… anyone who seems like they may be on the same
wavelength as you are when it comes to attractions. Excellent recommendations can also be
found via online communities. My favorite thing to do – wander. Get lost. Let the less-traveled
road unfold what it will before me.

12. VENTURE OUT
 Finally, even though you’re alone, take risks. Try something new. In Mexico, I visited the ruins
in Tulum (do pay for the extra car insurance), checked out a sea turtle refuge, swam with
dolphins, re-enacted From Here to Eternity on the beach with a Swede and… walked around
naked for 10 days. Even though… no one else was. All those concierges, pals at the
bar, hotel staff… nary a one mentioned I wasn’t staying at the correct beach.

13. LAST WORD.
 Yeah, still working on my map-reading skills. But hey, it was an unforgettable vacation, and I
wouldn’t do one thing differently. Because that was what it was all about – one
person, me, tuning into and learning a lot about myself in a nude, er, new environment. Which
leads to a final must: pack sunscreen, but leave your inhibitions behind.