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Solo travel is hard enough without having the proper items to cope. Sure a solo traveler prefers the lone life, otherwise they would have opted for a different experience, but that doesn’t mean they are without needs. It certainly doesn’t mean that they won’t appreciate a thoughtful gift either. Some of the best gifts for solo travelers provide them with the comfort that they cannot get from social interaction. Here are the top seven things to gift a solo traveler:
1. Kindle Reader
From the pictures you see on social media, travel may seem like a nonstop adventure, but there is actually plenty of downtime. This is especially true for the solo traveler who likes to balance out a day of activities with some quiet time. During those times there are few things that feel better than getting lost in a novel, except the feeling that you don’t have to lug around a ton of books to do so; this makes a Kindle reader the perfect gift for your solo traveler friend.
2. Spotify Membership
There is something about music that transports you to another place. Solo travel is not without moments of emotional turbulence—homesickness, loneliness, questioning one’s existence—and the ability to trigger happy thoughts on demand is vital. Whether he/she is getting nostalgic over an old tune or brightening up his/her morning with an EDM mix, access to a vast library of music will make this solo traveler’s trip substantially better.
3. Money Belt aka Fanny Pack
Let’s get practical. Protecting valuables is a top priority for the solo traveler especially because they have no one else to help look after them. A money belt helps with that by allowing this traveler to keep all of his/her items handy in what is actually a glamorized fanny pack. Good thing style is not so important to a traveler.
4. Safety Whistle
Mace isn’t exactly allowed on airplanes for whatever reason. Still, a solo traveler needs a way to protect themselves while wandering around unknown places by themselves, or at least a way to ward off creepy strangers. A safety whistle might not be able to inflict harm, but it is shrieking and alarming, which is close.
5. Portable Coffee Maker
Waking up to a cup of coffee in the morning is like waking up to another human being: you feel warm and cozy, a bit jittery and your mood is better because of it. Theoretically, coffee can replace any feelings of loneliness one might feel as a solo traveler. So, choose a gift that can replace the need for human companionship: a portable coffee maker.
6. Sleeping Kit
Earplugs, eye mask, sleeping pills, lavender cream, the whole deal! Sleeping in a 10-bed hostel dorm often means a lack of quality sleep. People are constantly walking in and out, the lights are being turned on and off, and there are always weird noises coming from other beds—it’s a zoo. A gift that provides a way to sleep through all of that would be invaluable to a solo traveler! After all, who wouldn’t cherish a night of uninterrupted sleep?
7. Selfie Stick
Before you commence with the eye rolling, consider the alternative: narrow-lens close ups of your friends face from the front facing view of their smartphone camera. Yea, no one needs those in their newsfeed. Solo travel typically means having no one to take those awesome wide-view shots of you while you’re out doing awesome things. A selfie stick provides a beautiful portrait of the surrounding landscape with a smaller, much more manageable view of your friends’ lovely face. Plus, everyone has one!