Keeping up with Kay

A couple months before starting medical school, I decided to book a solo trip to London. Looking back, I don’t think it was just about wanting to visit a new country. I knew I was about to begin one of the busiest and most unpredictable chapters of my life, and before that happened, I wanted to spend some time getting to know myself a little better. While I’d always enjoyed my own company, I’d never really spent days completely on my own in a place where I didn’t know anyone. Of course, there were plenty of nerves leading up to the trip. Traveling to another country by yourself can feel exciting and intimidating at the same time. Everything looks perfect online, but you never really know what it will be like until you’re standing there with your suitcase, trying to figure out the train system after an overnight flight. Thankfully, London lived up to every expectation I had, and then some.

I’ve only done one solo trip so far, so I am certainly not claiming to be an expert. There are plenty of people who have traveled to far more places than I have, and I hope to be one of them someday. But after spending a week exploring a new place on my own, I came home with a handful of tips, a few lessons learned the hard way, and some things I’d absolutely do differently next time. If you are thinking about taking your own solo trip, I hope some of these help make your adventure a little easier.

Before You Go

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about solo travel is that all of the planning happens once you arrive. I think the best trips start before you even leave home. Spending a little extra time preparing meant I could spend a lot less time stressing once I landed. One of the first things I’d recommend is putting together a rough itinerary and sharing it with someone you trust, having someone know where I was planning to be each day gave me a little extra peace of mind. It doesn’t have to be color-coded down to the minute (although, if you’re anything like me, it probably will be). I’d also recommend doing a little research before you leave. Figure out which navigation app works best where you are going – I would recommend Citymapper. It gives you multiple route options using public transportation, walking, taxis, or rideshares, along with estimated travel times and costs, so you can quickly decide what works best.

If you are booking through a hotel, look through reviews from other solo travelers too. I booked through Expedia, which lets you filter reviews specifically from people travelling alone, and I found that really helpful when deciding where to stay. The one thing I refuse to travel without now is a good portable charger. Your phone becomes your map, train ticket, translator, and a way of getting back to your hotel, so a dead battery can throw off your whole day. I bought a magnetic charger that attached directly to the back of my phone, which made it much easier than carrying around a bulky battery pack and cord. And finally, invest in a good pair of walking shoes. They don’t have to be your favorite shoes, but they should be comfortable enough to wear all day and versatile enough to match just about every outfit. You’ll probably spend far more time walking than you expect, and sore feet can make even the most beautiful city feel a little less enjoyable.

Don’t Overplan

If you know me, I love an itinerary. Whether it’s a beach vacation or a weekend away, I like having a plan (and usually a very detailed one). So naturally, that’s exactly how I approached my solo trip. Looking back, though, I think some of my favorite moments happened when I wasn’t trying to stick to a schedule. One thing that worked really well was giving myself one “big thing” to do each day. For example, one morning I toured Westminster Abbey. That was the only thing on my schedule, which left the rest of the afternoon open to explore the area. Instead of rushing off to the next landmark, I wandered through the streets, found cozy pubs and coffee shops, and stumbled upon places that never would have made it into a jam-packed itinerary.

I know it’s tempting to pack your days full, especially when you are visiting somewhere you’ve dreamed about. You want to see everything and make the most of your time. But don’t forget to actually experience the place you’re in. Sit in a cafe a little longer, wander down a side street that catches your eye, or spend an hour in a park. Some of the best parts of traveling aren’t the famous landmarks, they are the moments you never planned for in the first place.

Travel Smart, Not Scared

I think one of the biggest questions people ask about solo travel is, “weren’t you scared?” The honest answer is that I was cautious, but I wasn’t scared. Before I booked my trip, I did a lot of research. As a solo female traveler, choosing a destination where I felt comfortable navigating on my own was important to me. For my first trip, that meant going somewhere where English was the primary language and where I knew getting around would be manageable. No city is perfect. London has areas I’d avoid just like Philly has areas I’d avoid. The key isn’t finding a place with no crime; it is doing your homework before you go and using the same common sense you would use at home. If a street doesn’t feel right, don’t walk down it. If something feels off, trust your instincts.

A few practical things also made me feel more comfortable. I always kept my phone charged, tried not to advertise that I was traveling along, and made sure I knew how I was getting back to the hotel before heading somewhere new. At the end of the day, I wanted to be aware of my surroundings without letting anxiety dictate my trip. Being prepared gave me the confidence to enjoy the experience instead of worrying about every worst-case scenario.

Learn to Enjoy Your Own Company

I’ll admit it: one of the things I was most nervous about before my trip wasn’t navigating the “tube” or finding my hotel. It was something as simple as sitting down in a restaurant by myself. It turns out I had absolutely nothing to worry about. Once I got there, I realized no one cared that I was eating alone. Everyone else was busy enjoying their own meal, catching up with friends, or simply passing through their day. The only person who thought it was a big deal was me.

That quickly became one of my favorite parts of traveling solo. If I wanted to spend an hour reading in a coffee shop, I could. If I wanted to wander through a museum longer than planned because one exhibit caught my attention, I could. If I stumbled upon a pub that looked inviting, I didn’t have to convince anyone else to stop, I just walked in.

There is something really freeing about making every decision based entirely on what you want to do. You start to realize that being alone and being lonely aren’t the same thing at all. Some of my favorite memories from London came from those quiet moments when I was simply enjoying being where I was, without feeling like I needed to be talking or rushing to the next thing. I think learning to enjoy your own company is a skill, whether you travel solo or not. It doesn’t have to start with a flight across the ocean. Sometimes it starts with taking yourself out for a coffee, going for a walk, or trying a new restaurant on your own. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy it.

Ask Someone to Take Your Picture

For the first couple days of my trip, almost every picture I had of myself was a selfie. You can tell exactly when I got comfortable asking people to take my picture because suddenly, they got a whole lot better. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and a place for a good selfie. But when you are standing in front of places like the Tower of London or Windsor Castle, it is hard to capture both you and what you came all that way to see. Some of my favorite photos from the entire trip were ones that strangers took for me.

I was never the type to walk up to someone and immediately ask them to take my picture. Instead, if I saw a couple or a family trying to juggle taking a selfie or struggling to get everyone in the frame, I’d offer to take their picture first. Then, I’d ask if they wouldn’t mind taking one of me. It felt much more natural, and not a single person ever said no. One of my favorite pictures from the trip happened completely by chance. I was at the Tower of London trying to squeeze myself and one of the guards into a selfie when someone nearby offered to take the picture for me. The result was so much better than anything I could have taken myself; you could actually see part of the tower behind us instead of just half my face and a sliver of background.

So, here’s my encouragement: don’t let traveling solo mean you aren’t in your own memories. Take pictures of the landmarks, the streets, and the food, but make sure you’re in some of them too. Years from now, you’ll be glad you did.

Things I’d Do Differently Next Time

Even though I wouldn’t change a thing about my first solo trip, there are definitely a few things I’ll do differently next time.

The biggest one is leaving even more room for spontaneity. I touched on this earlier, but it’s worth repeating because I think some of the best travel experiences are the ones you never could have planned. I like having an itinerary (probably a little too much), but now I know that not every hour needs to be accounted for.

One afternoon after riding the London Eye, I wandered through the area before heading back to my hotel. There were food trucks, live entertainment, and all kinds of attractions I hadn’t even known existed. That’s when I came across the London Dungeon. It is essentially an immersive walk through of London’s dark history, with live actors, special effects, and a little bit of horror. We moved through different periods of history – from the Great Fire of London to stories like Sweeney Todd – and at one point we were all sitting in barber chairs wondering what was about to happen next. It was strange, unexpected, and honestly one of the most memorable things I did the entire week.

I think I’d give myself permission to slow down a little more. When I went back to London with my mom, we had an amazing trip and saw so much, but by the end we both agreed it would have been nice to have an afternoon where we weren’t racing to the next reservation or attraction. Sometimes wandering into a random pub or sitting in a park for an hour is just as memorable as checking another landmark off your list.

If there’s one thing I’ll carry into every future trip, it’s this: make the plans, but don’t be afraid to let them change. Sometimes the unexpected detours end up being the highlights of the trip.

A Few Final Thoughts

Don’t get me wrong, I love traveling with other people. Some of my favorite memories have been made on trips with friends and family, and I don’t think solo travel is somehow “better”. It’s just different. There’s something special about sharing a place with the people you love, but there’s also something equally special about experiencing a place entirely on your own. I do think that everyone should try it once. That doesn’t have to mean hopping on a plane and flying across the world by yourself. Maybe it’s a weekend road trip, exploring a new city, or even just taking yourself out to dinner. Whatever it looks like, I think there’s value in spending time with yourself in a place that’s unfamiliar. You might discover a new coffee shop, find an attraction you never expected to love, or realize you’re more capable than you gave yourself credit for.

One piece of advice that didn’t quite fit anywhere else is to find a meaningful way to remember your trip. I’m all for the tacky souvenir, I definitely have a few, but some of my favorite keepsakes from London aren’t things I bought in a gift shop. Throughout the week, I wrote postcards to my family and friends, sharing little moments from the trip while they were still fresh. I also wrote postcards to myself, capturing funny stories, little observations, and things I didn’t want to forget. When I got home, I even got a teacup tattoo to commemorate the trip. Looking back now, those are the “souvenirs” I treasure the most because they bring back memories that might have otherwise faded with time.

When I landed in London, I hoped I’d come home with great memories and a better understanding of the city. I got both. What I didn’t expect was how much I would enjoy figuring things out on my own, or how excited I’d be to do it all again. In fact, I loved London so much that less than a year later I went back, this time with my mom, and getting to share a city that meant so much to me made that trip just as special in a completely different way.

So, if you’ve ever thought about taking a solo trip, maybe this is your sign. Go somewhere that’s always been on your list. Wander a little. Say yes to something that wasn’t on your itinerary.

And if you do end up taking a solo trip, or you’ve already been on one, I want to hear about it! I’d also love to know where you think I should travel next, so leave your recommendations in the comments. Who knows…maybe you’ll inspire my next adventure.

Thanks for keeping up with Kay.

Enjoy a small photo gallery of some of my favorite moments from my trip 🙂