The challenge and excitement of solo travel is—to quote travel guru Rick Steves—one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Here are some need-to-knows for when you’re chasing the solo-travel-high during the pandemic.
Travel during a pandemic requires even more preplanning for the solo traveler who will be the CEO of their trip and oversee its execution. No matter where you’re going right now, if you plan to travel internationally, you will likely need to provide a negative Covid test, show proof of vaccination, and wear a mask. Most countries have a specific type of test they want you to take; know which kind of test you need in order to board the aircraft to your destination country.
When the couple returned to the US, they continued to travel domestically, taking all precautions. Aquino’s tips for travel during the pandemic include taking advantage of outdoor spaces. For their travels around Asia, that meant going to waterfalls and outdoor markets. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they recently went, they loved shopping at the outdoor farmer’s market. “We did go to the Georgia O’Keefe Museum,” she says.
Most hostels offer gender-specific rooms as a booking option. Some women, like me, feel more comfortable sleeping in a room exclusively for women. Female-only rooms in hostels are usually more expensive than mixed-gender rooms. It’s another. But I also view it as an investment in safety, like paying 50 bucks to take a taxi back to your hostel instead of taking a bus ride alone and risking a long walk in the dark. Bottom line is you'll want to budget for expenses like these.