I left Prior’s Field after Sixth Form in 2021 after completing my A-Levels. The idea of going backpacking had always sounded great to me, but due to Covid, I wasn’t sure if it was going to be possible. In April 2022, a friend and I went to Thailand for a month and I continued to Bali on my own. After successfully making it home in one piece, my adventure inspired me to do more solo travelling. In January 2023, I boarded a flight to Vietnam and visited Cambodia, Australia and Indonesia. I’m going to answer some questions and share things I wish I’d known before going. Hopefully it will encourage and inspire you to do the same.
 

How did you find solo traveling, and would you recommend it?
I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to everyone. I always get asked if I was lonely, but I was never alone. I met a lovely group of people on my first night in Vietnam and I can confidently say I will continue to stay in touch with them for a long time to come. The thing I loved about being on my own was that I could do whatever I wanted to. I didn’t need to compromise, and I could change my plans at a moment’s notice.

Were you worried about anything?
I know safety is everyone’s main concern as a solo traveller, but I was never worried because the popular backpacker routes felt safe. I was also worried that I wasn’t going to make any friends and that I’d hate it. Little did I know I was going to meet the people I’d be travelling with for weeks. I even met some people from Guildford – it’s a small world.

What is your advice for planning a trip like this?
Don’t plan too much and definitely don’t book too far in advance. You will make friends and will end up wanting to change your plans to fit with theirs. Have a rough idea of where you want to go and how long you want to spend in each place. There are plenty of great backpacker websites with lots of recommendations of where to go and what to see. When I left for Vietnam, I only had three nights at my first hostel booked. I planned the next few days when I got there once I knew where everyone else was going.

What did you learn about yourself?
I learnt that I am a lot braver and resilient than I thought. A nasty accident involving an open drain resulted in a stay in an Indonesian hospital. I was left with two choices; I could feel sorry for myself, or I could get on with whatever I could do and try to enjoy my three weeks in Bali. After a day of the first choice, I switched to choice two which definitely made me and my worrying parents much happier. I was in and out of hospital but that didn’t stop me from exploring the rice terraces in Ubud and learning how to cook Indonesian food. I also surprised myself when I decided to do a scuba diving certification. As someone who is claustrophobic and scared of the sea, I didn’t think it would be for me, however, a year on, I have done several more qualifications, I have dived to over 40 metres, been diving at night, and dived with sharks!

What are your top 5 tips?

1. Stay in hostels! They are the best place to meet other travellers. I recommend ‘Hostelworld’ to book.

2. Don’t worry if your plans change, it might be for the better, just take every opportunity as it comes.

3. Keep a note of all the places you went and what you’d recommend so you can give it to others. Ask them, too.

4. You have to carry your luggage, you won’t need nearly as much as you think.

5. Immerse yourself in the culture as much as you can, especially the food!

Abi Clarkson (OG 2014-2021)