LOH Community Contest #175 : My five rules

Travelling is an activity I enjoy, I get excited whenever I'm about to travel. The thrill of visiting new places and meeting new people is what excites me. I love to experience new things, different from what I am used to, and learn as well. Ever since I gained admission into the university in a different state, I have learned how to travel alone. Before that, it was always trips with family and friends.

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My first solo trip was when I had to travel from Lagos state to Anambra state. I remember my mum dropping me off at the park with a worried look on her face, she was worried because I suffer from motion sickness and if I forget to take my drugs I would throw up uncontrollably. After assuring her I'd taken the drugs the night before and that I would take them again during the trip, she helped me purchase my bus ticket and prayed for me before leaving.

I was taken to the bus with my bag, I prefer to travel light to avoid paying extra charges for many bags and also because I would have to carry heavy bags alone if I pack too much. My trip was a smooth journey. The bus was really lively and comfortable, I was wowed when the driver put on a movie for us to watch. It was a comedy movie and had the passengers laughing hard. The curtains were closed and the Air conditioner was at full blast.

When the movie was over, the driver switched to music. He was a jovial driver who knew how to make his passengers happy. At some point during the journey we stopped to buy food and I bought fruits and chips. We continued with our journey and arrived at Anambra in good time. I was sad to leave the bus because the other passengers were so friendly and treated me like the last born.

Ever since I started traveling alone, I have learned some things which I would love to share

1. Pack light: I've always been a light packer, but even at that, I make sure to pack Important things. It helps to avoid loosing some of your luggage, and it is easier to carry!

2. Act confident: Even if you're scared, try to act as if you know what you're doing and where you're going. It helps to keep the bad guys away ;)

3. Be Always prepared: You should try to prepare yourself mentally for any type of situation you might encounter on the journey. Not all trips are without problems.

4. Be careful: Always listen to your gut, as much as you want to be friendly with other passengers, do not over share and always study people before asking for help or directions when you need to.

5. Keep in touch with family: This is essential to me. My family always call to know where I am during the journey, and I also call when I arrive. If it is a place I've never been to before, I make sure I call to inform someone of my whereabouts. You can never be too careful.

These are the things I do when traveling solo. I also love to travel with a novel or two, make sure I'm with my ear pods, and loads of movies and music on my phone to keep away boredom. Furthermore, do not forget to relax and enjoy yourself when you arrive at your destination!

Thank you for reading.