So you have decided to travel on your own. Planning everything from scratch for the first time may sound intimidating but don't worry. It's not that difficult as it seems. Speaking from experience, I still remember my first time planning for my Europe trip which gave me such a big headache! I just don't know where to start, what to do, how to plan.

It took me awhile to get used to it and trust me, after you have succeeded in your first trip planning, you will gain experience to do the same or even better in your next trip.

Here are the step-by-step on what you can do in planning your first solo trip. Most people don't know where to start or what to look out for in their planning. With this guide, I hope it will somehow put you on track to get you going without going bonkers! Have fun and all the best!


STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:

1. First, do you know where you want to visit? Decide on which country you wanna visit. Let's take for example: Italy.

2. List out all the cities you wanna visit in Italy. For example: Venice, Rome, Florence.

3. Then, search online to see and read what is there to see or do in Venice. Write down the name of the places you want to see. Do the same with Rome and Florence.

4. Next, check out if the places you want to visit requires any admission fee. Most of the churches and cathedrals are usually FREE admission. Museums, castles, palaces will need admission fee but if you just want to walk around on the ground area of the palace without going inside, then it's free to walk around. Remember to write down the opening hours of the places to avoid being denied entry when you reach there.

5. Once you have the list of places you want to see in Venice, now you may decide on how many days you want to stay in order for you to be able to visit each place in Venice. If you only want to stay for a certain number of days, for instance, two days, then make sure you plan out carefully on the number of places that can fit into your schedule. Remember, you're travelling on your own. You may decide on how long you wanna stay in one place. Give yourself at least one hour for each place, so that you won't be rushing to the next stop without slowly admiring the beauty and details of the architecture.

6. Plan out the route from one attraction to the next one. Write down which train or bus to take. I recommend Lonely Planet guidebook because each attraction is listed with its public transport to take you there. You can also search it online.

7. Now, you may search and compare flight tickets via websites such as skyscanner or other reliable websites. If you know which date you want to go, make sure you check the weather because some first-timers end up experiencing snow without knowing it's winter time! Imagine not having the appropriate winter clothing and you have to buy there. It may be more expensive than to buy in your home country, but that depends. Worse still, some places may be closed during winter, so to avoid being disappointed, check on the website of the palace if they close on winter months.

8. For accommodation, search for the suitable one via Airbnb or other websites such as Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Expedia, Traveloka, Trivago, etc on which is near to most of the attractions sites you want to visit. Read the reviews from other customers about the hotel and decide if it's what you want. Some people must have hot shower and not all budget hotels have that amenity, so make sure you read carefully on the services and amenities the hotel provide before you make a booking.

9. Change your local money to the foreign currency. How much to bring? That depends on the admission fee to all the places you want to visit. Jot down each admission fee, add the total up. Next, you can search online on how much does a meal cost in Italy. Let's say a quick cheap breakfast on the go is €8, lunch is €10 and dinner is €20, so food for each day is €38. If you are staying for a week, multiply it: €38 x 7 = €266. I suggest you to make a round figure of €300. Don't forget that you need money to buy bottled mineral water, bus ticket, subway ticket to get you around.

NOTE: Most of the small shops, museums, local eatery shop may not accept credit cards. You may bring your credit card for emergency and remember to contact the bank issuer of your credit card and inform them on the country you're going to avoid having your card being rejected when you make a payment in a foreign country. 

10. Pack your luggage in advance to avoid missing out items you may need. I make a list of the items I need and tick-off each one after I've put it into my backpack to avoid leaving it behind at home.

Once you reached the train station or bus station of the next city you're about to embark on, try to get a free city map from the station information counter to get you around. They have maps for tourists and you can see the places of attractions and which bus or train to take or if some are within walking distance, that will save you from buying a ticket.

I recommend you to buy a safety travel pouch/money belt (as shown in the photo above) that you can wear it around your waist inside your shirt. You may keep your important documents such as passport, flight tickets, credit cards, extra cash in there and keep enough cash in your wallet. DO NOT wear the money belt outside your shirt, it is meant to be worn INSIDE! so that no one can see.


THINGS TO PRINT OUT:
Once you have booked your flights and accommodation, print out your boarding pass, the hotel reservation confirmation email from the hotel, the bus/train ticket (if you buy online). Basically, print out any important confirmation email and tickets and bring it with you. Also, print your passport (the personal info page) and bring it with you. In any case of loss, at least you have a print-out passport to prove your identity when you're making a police report.


IMPORTANT ITEMS TO BRING:

1. Passport (check your passport validation, make sure it's not expired)
2. Foreign cash
3. Money belt
4. Basic toiletries (Check the airline's regulations on the bottle size and volume)
5. Clothing (Make sure it's appropriate for the season you're travelling. Check the weather forecast)
6. Smartphone
7. Phone charger (powerbank if you need)
8. Universal plug adapter (Different countries have different power socket plug)
9. All the print-out of important documents
10. Credit cards (For emergency)
11. Walking shoes (Make sure it's comfortable for walking)
12. Spectacles/Contact lens (If you need. Don't forget the contact lens solution and lens case too)
13. Pen and notebook (In case you need to write down addresses, or other important notes along the way)
14. Camera and its kit (If you're bringing your DSLR or a compact digital camera)
15. Travel guidebook (If you want to bring along)

P/S: If you have any other questions about planning your first trip, do leave your questions in the comment.