Five tips for solo travellers

I came across this article on the Lonely Planet website about ways to combat loneliness when traveling abroad. Whilst some of the tips were handy, they were a bit geared towards older travelers, so I thought I'd add a few more student-relevent ones of my own:

1: Stay in hostels: hostel bookers is a really useful website for finding a good hostel. It lists user ratings, so you can see which hostels are most popular. Not only does this mean you can pick the nicest hostel, but it means that you will stay at a busy hostel, thus ensuring there are plenty of people to make friends with.

2: Network: Talk to everyone when you travel, locals, tourists, backpackers, whatever. Don't ever be afraid to start up a conversation with people. I often find people are very enthusiastic to talk to you when they learn you are travelling by yourself. Find out from other travellers where the best places to stay are, and ask locals what they recommend you see whilst you are in their country. They are sure to be able to give you some historical information and tips that you wouldn't have had otherwise, don't just follow your guidebook, it can't tell you everything.

3: Use an alternative to your normal cashcard: If you are travelling by yourself, one of the main concerns is getting robbed. If you have all your money taken off you and you are completely by yourself, it really puts you in an awkward situation. STA travel have come up with a great solution to this problem, with their travel cashcard which allows you to top it up with credit, and then use it just like your normal cashcard at any ATMs which accept mastercards. It's not linked to your bank, so if its stolen, you will only loose the money that is on it, and you can block it instantly should you need to. Just make sure you carry your actual cashcard in a different place to the STA card. Money belts are useful for storing things that you need to keep secure.

4: Organise group trips/tours: Sandeman's New Europe tours offer free walking tours throughout most of the capital cities in Europe. They are very popular, and give a great introduction to the city, as well as being a good way to meet people.

5:Arrange to meet people along the way: Ask everyone you meet where they are going next, and if they are moving on to any of the same places as you, get their email and arrange to meet them. Also TravBuddy is a social networking site for people looking for people to travel with. You can create a profile and search for people who are travelling to the same places at the same time as you. Be warned that there are a few weirdos on the site though, and if you do arrange to meet anyone, make sure you meet in a safe, and crowded place in case anything should go wrong.