Roxanne Labat

Mine is an Osprey 40-liter backpack with comfortable padded shoulder straps and a belt buckle that distributes the weight of the backpack to the wearer’s hips (and prevents shoulder and back strain). The cubes shown in this post are from Target, but you can find packing cubes just about anywhere that sells travel-related merchandise, like on Amazon. This is one tricky part of traveling with only a carry-on bag: you won’t have your full-size shower gel bottle in your checked luggage like usual. I’ve seen some being sold for more than $40 in some places, but only around $10 on Amazon and in retail stores like Marshalls.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll have discovered this at some point and realized that your desire to travel exceeds your fear of being alone. Before you leave, you’ll need to prepare the maps, download the apps, pack a pocket dictionary, and purchase the things you’ll need while abroad (I’m looking at you, universal adapter). It helps fellow solo travelers feel at ease to know that a fellow solo traveler has had a pleasant and safe experience in the accommodations they’re hoping to also stay in. Solo travel allows us to make a rough sketch of our trip: when we’re flying (or driving) there, where we’ll be sleeping at night, and the most important activities we want to do while there.

I’m currently in the process of balancing post-grad adult life (hello, full-time employment!) and my love for travel. Being able to see the world while working a typical 9-5 is a mystery I’ve wanted to solve forever. At the same time, I don’t want my job to be the reason I only travel a week or two out of the entire year! To limit that fuzzy feeling to only a week or two out of the year makes me acutely aware that I’m choosing to do what lights my soul up for not even 4% of my life.