Solivagant Shares Sermon—let’s talk Solo-travelling- Part III

Is everyone ready?? Keep yourself calm, comfortable and alert.. Remember you have to read the post not fall asleep after reading few lines. Phones to remain on ‘airplane’ mode as we still need wifi on it. This small overstuffed room smells of divine camphor today, if you can’t smell the earthy smell, then open your eyes, you are NOT in my room!!  

Last time the session was paused after I spoke of safety of Solo Travel… With safety of travel, the other bigger word related very closely is BUDGET, not alphabetically but rationally. Many think that if travelling on budget, it’s not safe, so in order to travel safe, budget should be beefy and burly…… (Taking long loooong breath before choosing my words now!!)

So the question is very simple.. How costly or cost effective is solo-travel? Very simple.. Completely depends upon you. How much can you spend? Dream big- bigger- biggest.. no one can look inside your invisibly extended brain, but the decision and the ‘do’ factor have to be as per the physical tijori you have. I know I am making it more general and sounding rather wittering diplomatically. Let me feed you little more with my tiny red porcelain spoon (this red spoon doesn’t have any significance here, don’t re-read it!!).

I am a budget traveller. Though I could have saved more and have had more varied experience if I could manage to stay at hostels.. many say it’s fun apart from ‘being cheap’ part. But honestly speaking, for me, I need some privacy at the end of the day and a bathroom only for myself. For which I go for budget hotels/ apartments or home-stays. Home-stays are my favourite, if I don’t find any good home-stay option in the location I am looking for, then I switch to the other two. I do check reviews, and try to book the most suitable ones for me especially the ones, with maximum positive reviews (things still may go wrong at times, it has been for me but nothing major or serious or I have managed an alternate and I will still prefer it).

My first preference is always local or public transport while connecting between cities, which is the cheapest option and mostly the safest. I also have local food at local but descent places; which saves my money, then I carry few homemade dry snacks or packaged snacks which save my cost for small cravings and all these are very cost saving, easy to eat and whole lot of fun all together.

Above all this, I always set a budget before choosing a place for holiday. Once I have a budget ready, accordingly I choose my destination; I divide the money into flight + hotel + local transport+ sightseeing + food + other daily expenses. Having a budget set for daily expenses is must, otherwise you won’t know what or where are you spending on. By the end of the day keep a mental check (or a written one on your phone if you want) of how much you have spent vs your daily budget. A planned daily expense budget will keep your tour on track. Any Solo traveller will agree to it. If you have plan for shopping, that also should be part of a separate budget.

So two prime points covered, still few more to go to, next week have some more time in hand as I am being very generous with you all; then an ultimate question to make you doubt free. For now you are free to go back to your real world. If you are still little upset about the camphor thing, go get some from the market for yourself.

** Any questions, doubts, queries.. comment box is underneath. Next session on Next Wednesday at the comfy couch next to your coffee table or at the side of the bed next to the yellow night lamp!!

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Read All my Solo- Travel Talks as below…

Solivagant Shares Sermon—let’s talk Solo-travelling- Part I

Solivagant Shares Sermon—let’s talk Solo-travelling- Part II

Solivagant Shares Sermon—let’s talk Solo-travelling- Part IV

Solivagant Shares Sermon—let’s talk Solo-travelling- Part V

Know my Travel Packing Tips Here…