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10 Tips for Solo Female Travellers

While our area of interest leans more towards business travel from a business travel agency point of view, solo travelling when you are on business is probably more the norm than the exception and if you have some free time, taking in the local tourist spots would then usually also be done solo. Therefor we thought it apt to share this excellent article. Enjoy the read!

Solo travel is on the rise these days, and single female travelers may face some particular threats and obstacles while on the road—so France-based (and female) TPG International Contributor Lane Nieset highlights 10 tips and tricks to help women take a safe and savvy solo getaway:

I’ve had my fair share of experiences—both good and bad—while traveling by myself, from post-college backpacking through Europe to exploring far-flung locales around the globe. There are certainly hazards out there, and at times, being alone might feel more lonely than exciting. But while you can’t avoid every danger or setback, there are ways to be more aware, cautious, prepared and empowered while you’re out there exploring the world Marco Polo-style, as a modern-day woman.

Here are my 10 tips for other solo female travelers:

Try to blend in.

When I studied abroad in Paris during college, my professor said that wherever you go, you should learn how to say these six phrases and you’ll be golden: Hello, Goodbye, Thank You, How Much Does that Cost?, Where are the Toilets?, and I love You. I couldn’t agree with him more; these simple gestures make all the difference when it comes to respecting a culture. The same goes for dress code and clothing: a scarf can double as winter wear, as well as something to cover your hair or shoulders if you are in a Muslim country. This also goes for revealing or flashy clothing—save it for the nightclub. Even in sexy cities like Miami, you’re going to draw attention, and it may not always be the kind you want.

Talk to Strangers.

As a child, parents and teachers always taught us to shy away from strangers, but one of the best ways to explore a city is by striking up a conversation with someone you don’t know. For instance, I’ve met new friends on trains who’ve started sharing their tips about particular destinations, and by the time we arrive at our final stop, they’ve become my travel partners. Look up from your smartphone, step outside of your comfort zone and go on a new adventure, whether it leads you to a hidden (and delicious) restaurant recommended by the bartender who just served you, or to a speakeasy club that’s filled with locals. In high-end hostels like Europe’s Generator, you could even book a private room, but still enjoy the social setting hostels are known for—and make a friend to go out with that night. Just remember to use common sense and never disclose too much information about yourself.

Be Prepared for a Plan B.

Travel doesn’t always go smoothly. Planes are late or cancelled; trains get delayed; you might miss your ferry and have to wait a day or two for the next one. While airport information desks and airline attendants make it easier to handle these types of situations, it’s not always the case for other modes of transportation. My boyfriend is notorious for missing flights and has no fear of finding a last-minute spot to sleep in anywhere from Kazakhstan to Bangkok, but I’m the opposite—situations like this stress me out while I scramble for a solution.

I was once stranded at a train station outside of Venice in the middle of the night because my overnight connection was delayed three hours. For a woman on her own, a situation like this can be disconcerting, since many open-air train stations in Europe lack security, attendants, and any type of social setting like a café or restaurant. If you find yourself in a similar situation, try to find a well-lit spot that’s not deserted. Not an option? Train stations are typically near hotels, so try walking to a nearby spot and explaining your situation to the concierge. Most hotels are fine with allowing a woman on her own to sit in the lobby or hotel restaurant and wait for a few hours until her train arrives.

Use Social Media & Smartphone Apps. While you shouldn’t flash your new iPhone 6 around, prepare for your next journey by glancing at maps and recommendations on your phone. This way you have a general idea of where you’re heading and can avoid standing out too much like a tourist with a giant paper map. Social media is also a great way to find out about local events and attractions, as well as connect with locals. Book a room at a hotel, hostel or Airbnb while on the road, maybe even snagging a last-minute deal.

While I was exploring the coast of Croatia, I booked my B&B for the next night via iPad and not only found an incredible rate on a sea-view room, but also had a lovely welcome drink with the Croatian owner and daughter, who gave me great recommendations for things to do. Think Tinder is just for meeting your next boyfriend (or rendez-vous)? The app is also a way to get ideas for things to do from locals, and maybe even meet in a public group setting. Just be careful and once again use your common sense and female intuition.

Dine Alone—And Love It.

One of the main concerns most travelers have is dining alone. Telling the hostess (who may not even speak English) you want a table for one may seem intimidating, but there are ways around the awkwardness.

Breakfast and lunch are the easiest meals for eating solo. I can’t even talk before coffee, so a table with me and a newspaper is the perfect plan for breakfast at a café. Same goes for lunchtime: bring a book if you need to feel entertained during your meal, or take advantage of some free WiFi. Often when I find myself sitting solo at a café or park, I’ll jot down my trip-notes and personal thoughts in a small, stylish notebook that can fit in my purse.

At dinnertime, when it seems like everyone else is out with friends, on dates, laughing and conversing, I’ve found that tables seem too stuffy, so I opt to dine at the bar. Bartenders have a gift for gab, and can make great dinner companions. But remember, you took this voyage alone for a reason—whether it’s your own Eat Pray Love moment or a work trip—so consider simply savoring some alone time, free of distractions. (That is, aside from taking food pics for Instagram.)

Don’t Announce Your Room Number.

Most hotels have gotten savvy when it comes to keeping guests’ room numbers private at check-in. It’s better to have the check-in person write down the room number instead of announcing it out loud for others to know where you’re staying. When getting into an elevator or walking to your room, stay mindful of unwanted company; if a person makes you feel uncomfortable, as soon as possible, get off, pick up your pace, or switch directions. Share your itinerary with a close friend, parent, roommate, so that someone knows where to find you in case of an emergency. And a last word of advice when staying at hotels or going out on the town alone: don’t drink past your own limit. We know those craft cocktails at the hotel bar look cute and all, but when you’re on your own, you put yourself at risk when you can’t stay aware of yourself and your surroundings.

Guard Your Bags & Valuables.

A TSA-approved lock not only helps keep your bags (relatively) safe at the airport, but can also be used while staying in hostels and napping on trains. The same goes for keeping an eye on your purse, backpack and smartphone. I know a few women who have set their phones on a table while having lunch or a coffee, and the minute they looked away, it was gone.

Keep your passport safely stored at your hotel and stay aware of your bag in crowded places and on public transport. The Paris metro, for instance, is notorious for pickpockets who slash bags open and steal what’s inside. You should even be careful at clubs, especially when dancing with a handsome stranger. One second my friends were kissing a dark-eyed beauty, the next they realized their wallet was no longer in their cross-body purse. Always have spare copies of your passport and identification, just in case those go missing, too.

Carry Local Currency.

Whether you withdraw money at an ATM or convert your dollars at the airport, always carry local currency in case of an emergency—and never pack it in a checked-in bag while flying. Depending on the country, some restaurants and taxi drivers may only take cash, or your credit card may not work with certain vendors (even with the international EMV chip). Having cash is also useful at local markets, or when your Uber driver fails to show and you need to hail a taxi. I also like to keep spare cash and an emergency credit card in a separate bag (usually stored safely at the hotel) in case something happens to my wallet or purse. For those in a real rut, Western Union is a great resource for friends or family to wire you money. (This has saved friends of mine who “lost” their purses at nightclubs in Paris.)

Wander, but Use Caution. I love learning my way around a new city—wandering through different neighborhoods during the day, figuring out how to navigate local transport, and finding great restaurants, cafes, bars and shops, but I always try to discover where not to go, especially at night.

When I first moved to Nice on the Cote d’Azur of France, I was told by locals that walking alone in the Old Town at night wasn’t the safest bet; women had been mugged, beaten up and grabbed in the street. As I result, I avoided unlit areas, tried to walk on busier streets, and kept my phone close at hand in case I needed to call for help.

But I also quickly learned to avoid speaking loudly on the phone or to a friend when walking at night, as my French isn’t always perfect. If you’re not fluent or can’t get a hang of an accent, speaking loudly will draw attention to the fact that you’re a tourist, and potentially an easy target.

The lesson? Do your exploring in daylight, and be prepared to get back to your lodging safe and sound at night, even if that means a direct taxi ride versus braving the subway. And always keep a card with your hotel’s name and address on it (especially for that moment when your trusty phone battery dies) that you can give to the driver to ease communication.

Take a Tour or Try a Local Activity.

Free walking tours exist in most major international cities, and are a haven for solo travelers, because not only can they help you get your bearings and learn more about the culture, you’re with a crowd of people for a few hours and may find someone to meet up with for the next few days, or even make a new friend.

Other local activities can provide the same perks. If you’re in Bordeaux, sign up for a wine tasting. In Tulum, try a yoga class or week-long retreat. Go on a kayaking trip in Norway. Making connections with people who have similar interests can make the world feel smaller—and inspire you to keep traveling.

Treat solo travel as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and the world. Let loose, but take simple precautions like these to stay safe without worrying too much. You’re on vacation, after all.

Ask your corporate travel agent to work in some ‘bleisuring’ into your next business trip! Need some good advice? Why not connect with TravelManor today.

Source: http://businesstravel.postach.io/post/10-tips-for-solo-female-travellers

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How to Visit Paris on a College Budget

Whether you’re a student studying abroad, or simply an avid TPG reader who’s taken advantage of one of those amazing fare sales to Europe we’ve been seeing recently, Paris is a hot destination. Between the flights, hotels and transportation around the city — oh, and don’t forget the food and drinks — costs can add up pretty quickly. Here, I’ll share several tricks I used while I was studying in Paris for 10 weeks that helped me make sure I was able to do everything I wanted without breaking the bank, as well as a few places that are definitely worth your money.

Start Saving as Soon as You Arrive in Paris

Paris has one of the most thorough subway systems of any major city. 16 Metro lines connect to five RER commuter lines and nine light-rail tram lines, making every block of the city easily accessible via public transit. The paper tickets you can buy at any station are easy to lose and confusingly priced, but if you plan ahead and order a Navigo Pass, you’ll watch your savings rack up — you can put an unlimited one-week pass on this plastic, chip-enabled card for just 22.15 euros (~$23). As a point of comparison, my friend who didn’t have a Navigo Pass spent more than 40 euros (~$42) on Metro tickets over the course of the five days he was there. Just don’t forget that trains stop running around 1:00am, so make sure you have a plan to get home if you’re staying out late, or else you’ll end up emptying your wallet for a cab! And if you do use the paper tickets, don’t toss them out once you’re past the turnstiles — some stations require you to use them to leave as well as enter.

With 30 lines to choose from, you’ll find zipping around Paris to be quite convenient. Image courtesy of the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens.

Meet the Store That Made Coming Back to the US Nearly Impossible

Fancy meals are fun, and you should take every opportunity to try the exquisite Parisian cuisine. But that doesn’t mean you need to spend big every time you get hungry. Enter Lidl, the German grocery chain that turned into my second home during my study-abroad program in Paris. The ability to buy a week’s worth of groceries for the equivalent of $25 was amazing, but I was usually content to pick up a fresh baguette and a few pastries for about 50 cents each, maybe a one-euro (~$1) bottle of wine and call it a day. It gets the job done, and you’ll learn pretty quickly that there’s no such thing as bad bread in Paris.

Stay tuned: European discount grocery chain Lidl is set to open its first US location in 2018. Let’s just pray they bring the baguettes with them. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Why Spend $50 on a Steak When You Can Spend $20 for Two?

People give me a funny look when I tell them that my favorite steak place in the world is a Parisian chain restaurant with only one item on the menu, steak frites. But how much do I love Le Relais de l’Entrecote? Enough that I went back to Paris this summer just for a steak — or at least that’s what I told my waitress. Sometimes the best food is the simplest. You walk in, sit down and the server will simply ask you how you want it cooked. There are no menus to distract you, just a wine list — I highly recommend the Relais house label — service is faster than you can imagine and they’ll break out a glorious plate of steak frites covered in a delicious green butter sauce. Wonderful, right?

Sorry to spoil the surprise, but just when you think it’s done, there’s more. Instead of clearing your empty plate, the waitress will bring out the second half of the steak that they’ve been keeping warm for you back in the kitchen. That’s right, 20 euros buys you two full steak dinners for the price of one. Want a drink after dinner? Of course you do, it’s Paris! While it may not be the cheapest place around, stop by La Coupole right across the street from Le Relais de l’Entrecote on Boulevard Montparnasse. Over the years, this bar-turned-restaurant has served as a watering hole for some of the most famous European writers and artists of all time, including Albert Camus, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso and Jean-Paul Sartre, to name a few.

Meet the Green Fairy

And speaking of famous European artists… So poorly understood by those who’ve never tried it — thanks to the fact that it was long illegal in the US and much of Europe — absinthe is more readily available in Paris. While many places will tout their absinthe cocktails, it’s best experienced by itself. Only a handful of bars serve it the correct way, with a slotted spoon and sugar cube cradled under a tediously slow drip of ice water to create the perfect drink. A few blocks from the Bastille metro stop in the heart of one of the city’s best bar districts, Le Fee Verte will give you the authentic experience you deserve — you can even grab a quick dinner at any of the nearby restaurants and keep hopping around the neighborhood if you’d like. This is the perfect place to start or end your night, or else makes a great stop in the middle of it.

What do Marilyn Manson, Oscar Wilde, and Vincent van Gogh all have in common? A deep, deep, deep love of absinthe. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

The Champ De Mars Will Entertain You for Free

I don’t blame you if you’re standing at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower thinking, “What could I possibly do to save money here?” Aside from scoring a student discount, for which you’d need either an EU passport or a Parisian student ID, there’s not much to it other than buying your ticket and going up to the top. But less than 100 feet from one of the largest tourist traps in the world is my favorite spot in the city. Grab a bottle of wine and a blanket and find a spot on the giant National Mall-like grassy field that stretches southeast from the tower (i.e., the Champ de Mars). Here’s the trick: Dozens of vendors will be wandering around selling wine and beer, and while a 10-euro (~$10) bottle of French wine might sound like a steal to an American tourist, it’s a blatant ripoff in Paris — you can stop by a Lidl store (mentioned above) before you go, or really any other grocery store, and buy 10 bottles for the same price (although if you’re going to do that, I’d suggest sharing).

I’ll take this view over the one from the top any day. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

No Trip to Paris Would Be Complete Without a Crepe

Or a galette, if you prefer savory to sweet. While there are hundreds of stands ands carts making fresh crepes around the city, the best one I’ve ever had is from a little place housed under a small, nondescript brown awning right next to the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris. (If you’ve ever studied in Paris, you’ll be familiar with this collection of international dorms that provide cheap housing to foreign students, and if you haven’t, it’s three stops on the RER B line from the Luxembourg Gardens.)

What really sets these crepes apart is the people who make them. Grab a steaming cup of spiced tea on the house while you wait for your food, and strike up a conversation. Over the 10 weeks that I was fortunate enough to live right next to this stand, I watched the owners help a man fix his bike after it was hit by a car, assist my friend in replacing his phone after it was stolen and find complete strangers places to stay during their travels throughout Europe. It’s easy to see how genuine they are, which is why when I was lucky enough to go back to Paris this summer, my first point of business off the plane — yes, at 8:00am — was a crepe there. Once you grab your food, walk back across the street and check out Parc Montsouris behind the train station. It’s an incredibly underrated patch of greenery, complete with running tracks, a beautiful pond, and plenty of space to relax and step back from the hustle and bustle of the city, if only for a minute.

Do Me a Favor, Would You?

I have a pretty convoluted relationship with the city of Paris. While my program was eye-opening in ways I’m still only beginning to understand, it also coincided with one of the worst terrorist attacks Europe has ever seen. When it was time for me to come home just a few weeks later, the city was still in a state of limbo and I didn’t know if things were going to return to normal or if fear and hatred would fill the void. And while time has done wonders to heal the physical and emotional wounds that were inflicted that day, there’s still a long way to go. So whether this is your first time visiting this magical city, or like me, it feels more like you’re going home than going on vacation, go out of your way to spread some kindness. Do a good deed, help a stranger, buy a homeless child a meal. The city needs more love, and so does the world.

Do you have any tips for saving money in Paris? Let us know, below.

Featured image courtesy of AleksandarNakic via Getty Images.

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