Top tips for solo travelers

Travelling solo brings challenges from luggage logistics to long-distance navigation.
Whether it comes naturally or not, most people could use a few tips when it comes to hitting the road on your own.
Solotravelgirl.com's Jennifer Huber has travelled on her own through Afghanistan, Cuba and the United States. Huber took the plunge after realising how many adventures she was missing out on by waiting for people to follow through on plans. This is her advice to fellow solo travellers:
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CONFIDENCE
You may need to start with baby steps, but solo travel will definitely boost your confidence, according to Huber. So take yourself out to lunch, see that museum on your next business trip or take a brief road trip on your own. Before you know it, you'll be taking a page from Huber's book and camping in California or hopping on a plane to Kabul.
DRIVING
Planning and preparation are particularly important for road trips, warns Huber, who never heads out without a GPS or having Google Maps loaded on her smart phone. She also believes in tyre and fluid checks, as well as an old-fashioned road map for backup in case of technology failure. When road tripping in the United States, Huber stresses the power of AAA memberships for discounts and tyre-changing support.
SAFETY
Huber advises common sense for the budding solo traveller. "If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't," she says.
To avoid risks during hotel stays, Huber only books rooms with interior entries and makes sure the desk staff doesn't mention her room number out loud while she checks in. Journeywoman.com's Evelyn Hannon also sees hotels as a hot spot for safety concerns, and cautions against telling new friends where you are staying. If you want to meet up for an activity, says Hannon, choose a neutral and busy spot.
DINING
Hannon has faced the solo-dining conundrum and suggests that until you're comfortable eating alone in restaurants, reading materials will help pass the time. They are also, says Hannon, a helpful conversation starter. She advises that while eating in a cafe, solo travellers keep an English language book or newspaper on their table. English is an international language, and if you have reading materials close by, someone will inevitably strike up a conversation. Likewise, says Hannon, you can be the first to initiate an exchange if you notice someone with a book title you've previously enjoyed.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/