Planning My First Solo International Trip
- Lucy Huerta, Kaweah Delta Healthcare District,
YPN Steering Committee Member
I never really planned to travel internationally alone. Last year I had a trip to Peru planned with a friend, and then life happened. I no longer had a travel companion but I had already purchased my plane ticket. So I rather than losing out on the money for the ticket, I decided to bite the bullet and became a solo traveler.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, or a tad bit scared to venture off to a foreign country without knowing anyone. Thankfully I'm a fluent Spanish speaker, so I had that going for me.
As to not overwhelm myself financially, I split up my pre-trip purchases into sections. I first booked my accommodations, then my flight from Lima to Cusco, followed by train tickets, and last but not least my entrance ticket to Machu Picchu.
I used the website
www.hostelworld.com to book my hostel. Hostels are a great way to meet people, especially if you're traveling alone and are looking to save money. There are plenty of options from single rooms, to female only rooms, to the cheapest option, co-ed rooms. I choose the female only rooms and found them to never be totally full and they were actually pretty quiet at night.
In order to make my way to Machu Picchu I had to take a flight from Lima to Cusco, which is an hour flight. When booking flights I typically use
www.google.com/flights. I find it to be the easiest and most efficient way to find the cheapest flights.
Next I booked my train ticket from Cusco to
Machu Picchu Pueblo (also known as
Aguas Calientes
). There are two train options Peru Rail and Inca Rail, after reading reviews I found both to be comparable. The train experience as a whole was amazing. They give you a complimentary sack lunch, as well tea and coffee.
The last pre-trip purchase was my entrance ticket to Machu Picchu, something I recommend doing an advance especially if traveling in the summer. There are tons of websites that sell tickets for Machu Picchu, but unless you purchase a package that includes everything, I recommend using the official Peru Government website
www.machupicchu.gob.pe
. The website can be a little daunting to navigate because it's only in Spanish but it's the only way to guarantee you're not being ripped off for tickets. This website www.therewardsbos.com breaks it down nicely for non-Spanish speakers. I choose a ticket including Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu, I highly recommend this option if you're a hiker.
Once all of my pre-trip purchases were made the countdown began. I would be gone for seven days. It was a relief knowing that everything was purchased and it gave me a sense of peace.
Even though my trip wasn't intentionally planned as a solo trip, I couldn't be more thankful it worked out this way. I don't know if I would have had the courage to do it otherwise. Solo travel gave me the complete freedom and opportunity to get to know myself on a whole different level. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, and forced me to do things I would have never otherwise done. Don't let anyone hold you back, stop waiting for someone to go on that trip you've always
to go on, just do it, you won't regret it, I promise!
Have more questions? Want some travel tips?
