I am a 19-year-old girl about to go to Brasil alone, for two reasons -- 1) no friends that are able to get away / want to come (!) and 2) liked the idea of being open to meet more people and become more immersed in culture, etc. -- but now that the time to leave is drawing nearer, I'm getting a bit shaky about it all!! Any advice? Thank you very much!!
Reply to this Hello Charlotte and welcome to the Fourm!
There is a good conversation going on about safety on this thread: http://www.travelblog.org/Forum/Threads/2869-1.html that you may wish to check out.
I travel alone all the time, but I'm a guy, so it is a bit different - but overall you need to be extra cautious and always alert to your surroundings. As an example, I always act with confidence (even if I'm not) never accept drinks from strangers, nor walk away from crowded areas after dark - all just common sense really.
There are plenty of people who do travel alone and never have problems, but there are some that do. Certain countries and/or cities do have bad reputations for crime - and I've heard that Rio is one of them - but having not been there, I cannot comment personally.
Shane
Reply to this Hey,
I can sympathise with your position because I went on a trip last year, alone, when I was 18-turning 19, and it was scary! I was super nervous before I left. I landed in Quito, Ecuador and realised just how little Spanish I knew, it was dark, I didn't know anyone, and I thought I would never make it. After a couple days I realised it was ALL going to be ok. Now, I wish I was back there!!
Book your hostel before you leave, you're gonna be nervous your first few days so it's good to have a nice hostel to stay in where you can meet good ppl. Dont be afraid to approach ppl in your hostel and try to make plans with them. Pack a Portuguese-English dictionary or phrase book to help you out, very useful when you're alone and dont speak the language! You also have to be careful and smart. Watch your belongings when you're in crowded areas, try not to walk alone in areas with no one around, watch your drink etc. I'm sure you've heard of all those tips. But don't let paranoia ruin your trip. I got my camera stolen from my bag in Cuzco and it totally rattled me. I was being totally unsafe with my bag, so it was my fault, but it makes you a lot less trusting and I hated that feeling. So be trusting, but also be on your guard.
Honestly though, you'll figure it out so fast and you'll love it. So good luck!
Reply to this hi lotty, i think it's really cool that you are doing this alone - i think the tips above are the best ones, esp. acting with confidence even if you aren't. I think you should always listen closely to your instincts and friends of mine who have done loads f travelling all told me this - they also said never to go anywhere just because others say it's ok and they are going. If you feel that pull in your gut when you know you really don't feel safe, just say no! It really makes a difference, but it is a skill that you have to develop. I am going to South America alone too, this April as part of own RTW (bit older at 26 though). Why don't you let me know how you get on and you can give me your tips? Best of luck and have a fabulous time. Mel (onehorsetown)
Reply to this Travelling alone in Brazil i don´t know yet but i have travelled solo through chile, uruguay and argentina. yes when you fly in you will be freaked out and probably over welmed that is normal. my tips-
*learn as much of the language as you can this will boost confidence.
*stick to hostels as much as possible until you get confidence you will always have friends there and going out in groups is always better... and genrally the hostels have more support for travellers.
for me tho travelling alone is awesome... you can have moments like me when u freak out after losing ur credit card etc and u feel like you have no support but trust me everything is usually fine and you will find you are forced to meet more people when you travel by yourself especially locals which is awesome and what travelling is all about.
*** tip there is not much info on this normally so i am putting my experiences here... if u lose ur credit card and have zero funds Western Union is your friend and can have money to you in hours!!!
anyways the good times will definately out way the bad have an awesome time.
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