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Tomorrow I am due to fly out to Copenhagen for two days, travelling solo once more.
When I started this website it was with the intention of documenting all my solo travel adventures across the world. Then somehow I ended up not travelling solo much at all!
In fact my last solo trip abroad was to Lisbon all the way back in 2019, over four years ago!
Not that it’s really all my doing. A large chunk of that time was stolen by a pesky pandemic. Plus the trips I did take I was lucky enough to have a friend ready, willing, and able to join me!
But now here we are in 2023, and I am about to head out on my own once again.
Choosing my Destination
I’ve chosen to travel solo in Copenhagen for a few reasons. Some simple (I want to go to Copenhagen), and some based on my returning anxiety about travelling alone (Where is safe?).
There are so many places in the world I want to visit, but as I now work full time it’s getting harder to fit everywhere in.
Not that I’m doing too bad! In 2023 I’ve already been to Reykjavik, Barcelona, and Snowdonia. And it’s only August!
But this will be my first solo trip this year, and as I started planning where to go solo I found myself a little nervous.
I had been exploring the possibility of going to South Africa, Egypt, or Mexico, but something in me couldn’t make the commitment. So I decided to scale my travel ambitions back a bit and start off with a mini break somewhere new, but not too alien.
Copenhagen is regarded as one of the safest cities in the world. Then I saw a picture of Nyhven on my Instagram feed I immediately knew that travelling solo in Copenhagen was my next move.
Making Plans
As always when planning a trip I start with a skyscanner search for flights.
Skyscanner is great as it finds all the best options and compares prices for you.
But my favourite function is the explore everywhere button. You can find amazing deals and see when the cheapest time to fly is.
It’s great for when you’re undecided about where to go. And if you have a destination in mind it’ll show you the best dates to aid your budget.
Next I look for somewhere to stay.
Trivago is really helpful tool, and paired with google maps hotel searches makes comparing your options easy.
A little tip: always check with the hotel direct for any offers. I got my hotel in central Copenhagen for 450DKK per night by going direct. That’s almost half what was offered on all the usual booking sites.
Plus they offer discounts for local attractions such as Tivoli Amusement Park for booking direct.
I’ve also booked a couple of tours as I’m only there for two days. Viator is my favourite site to find great activities, and I get cashback through Coupert for using them too!
So I have a Segway tour planned for my first morning, which should help me decide where to explore in more detail. Plus a canal cruise for the afternoon to see a different perspective.
Anxious Again
I’ve felt pretty calm about the trip. As always I’m prepared and well researched.
But 48 hours out from departure my anxiety makes an unwelcome appearance.
I find myself unable to sleep and stuck on google maps looking at restaurants, pictures of the hotel, planning routes….
I’m nervous about eating alone in a restaurant and explaining I’m gluten free. I don’t know why this situation is causing me to worry, but that is what my mind has fixated on.
I’ve pinned restaurants that have good reviews for gluten friendly foods. I’ve determined I can walk to the market if I don’t want to sit in a restaurant.
So what is my mind doing now?
Worrying about getting food at the airport.
It’s very hard to make my rational self take back control, but writing helps.
Sharing my Stumbles
I don’t like that despite everything I’ve achieved with my travel goals, I still feel anxious before a new trip.
But the fact is I probably always will feel this way. The important thing is to not let it stop me.
I know I’m prepared and anything else that could go wrong is beyond my control.
As a wise and empathetic friend told me yesterday, even if I have an awful time, I’ll be home in two days!
If I spend every minute hiding in my hotel room so be it.
Ultimately it doesn’t matter.
And realistically that isn’t what I’ll do. I always end up walking for miles, exploring unexpected places, and I never starve!
Getting ready to go solo in Copenhagen
My passport is in my bag and I’ve checked in online for my flight.
I’m half packed (waiting for my laundry to dry so I can finish!) and have checked the route to the airport.
I probably won’t sleep well tonight, because I never do before a trip. So I’m going to take a nap and this time tomorrow will be in Copenhagen about to go out on my first exploratory walk!
