Travelling alone in NYC

So some of you know, I went to New York City alone for a period of 2.5 weeks. When I told my friends/family about it, they really freaked out at first..

'Alone? In a huge city like this?'

'You're crazy, period.'

But afterwards, people got very curious on how I made it possible. I mean, a young 18 years-old woman organizing a trip like that is highly unusual for my small village. People prefer staying at home on weekends and they mostly have 9-5 jobs. Not that it's bad or anything, but for me, it's just not conceivable.

First of all, why travel alone?

To be honest, it never came to my mind that i could actually travel alone until I realized how my friends and I had very different interests when it came to this. So I would say that travelling alone is a way to do whatever you want to do without having to wait for other people. Especially as a photographer and explorer, I can say it gets really annoying when the person you are with doesn't want to go to a place, but you know you could take stunning shots. It often ends with both parties being frustrated and not having a great moment.

Also, making your own schedule gives you a lot of self confidence. You stay true to yourself, doing activities that makes you happy, going to the places you really enjoy. Being alone with your own conscience gives you the opportunity to stop making decisions while under the influence of who and what surrounds you. For me, it was hard to stop listening to all the people around me who were afraid to step out of their comfort zone, but not as much as overcoming the fear that women face every day. A lot of people, especially women, abstain from travelling in fear of being kidnapped, raped, or anything we see on TV and ads, really. All I want to tell you, is that being well-informed on the place you are going to and having resources (and a bit of experience,too) help a lot.

New traveler? Take it one step at a time, I personally began travelling with other people, at school, to see family, special events... My tip is to take every possibility and to build travelling skills from those experiences. Travelling can be as simple as a small road trip with friends on a weekend! All those small tings will give you more confidence in yourself, this way you will feel at ease to organize your own trips without having to rely on other people.

Here's how I did it.

Step 1: Set your own goal

You have to target the places you want to go first. Then, where you will stay and how much money you are willing to spend. Set realistic expectations and most importantly; a timeline with a specific time to achieve your goal.

Step 2: Your phone/computer is your best friend

Nowadays, there are so many apps, websites, blogs and external resources to help you on your way. Here are my personal favorites;

HostelWorld

Great for youth hostels in particular, easy to use and to book. Very reassuring with loads of reviews from customers and a complete rating; value for money, security, location, staff and many more.

AirBnB

This one I haven't tried much, but I had so many great reviews I had to include it. The concept is really interesting, because it allows you to live with or near locals. Sometimes you also have access to a laundry room, a kitchen... Sometime the price are a little higher than on Hostelworld, but not always eating in restaurants can really be less pricey at the end.

WorkAway

Incredible way to travel for almost nothing. Basically, you have a place to stay and sometimes food in exchange of some work. Varies from 3 to 6 days a week, but very economic and the hosts are very nice in general! You can be a teacher, a fruit-picker, gardener, designer... The host base is practically infinite.

Nomador

For people willing to keep a house for days,weeks or months. Most of the time, the owner has one or more pets that you will have to take care, but really worth it since it costs you nothing and you have access to a full house. You can also add travelling partners and bring them with you if you don't want to live alone. That is te website I used to travel to NYC this year, and it cost me almost nothing!

Couch Surfing:

Great way to meet new people, seek for verified hosts if you want to be ultra-safe!

Also, if you want to meet new people where you are, I recommend this Facebook page.

Step 3: Do your research

It's important to search for how much money you will have to bring. I personally star by checking the price of the main activities I want to do.

Then, you can compare the cost of living of where you are versus where you want to go on this very helpful website.

But Money isn't everything, you also have to search the safest places to go, especially when travelling alone. Check out the criminality rates, how to avoid being stolen... Load of forums and blogs are there to help you stay safe anywhere you want to go. Be sure to know the emergency phone number of the area you're in, too. Make sure that the place you want to go is safe, and where are the safest spots in the case of an emergency.

As a last comment, I would say that being confident in yourself and in what you are capable of is the key. You can do it!