My First Solo Trip

If you’re like me, you know the deep disappointment of finding a cheap flight to a place you’ve been longing to visit…and having everyone in your circle turn you down. For a long time I’ve thought about what it would be like to just book the trip….but see, the way my anxiety is set up.

For someone who loves to travel, I am the most nervous traveler you will ever meet. I’ve mastered the art of fitting all the comforts of home into a carry on. I am never without dramamine for an impromptu yacht cruise. I always have Imodium for risky exotic cuisine, and I am never, like ever caught with a dead phone. Before I deplane, you can rest assured that I’ve checked out how the locals get about town, whether they like Black people, acceptable attire, and how to obtain a good drink. I say all this to say, I over prepare…

Imagine me trying to fit all my angst about solo travel into my carry on next to my regular anxiety.

Well…after years of my inner homegirl whispering “leave them, sis”, God provided me an opportunity to face my fears. I was already patting myself on the back for booking a trip to Ghana with a group of strangers, when I realized that every flight home included an overnight layover. I decided that one day alone in a foreign country wouldn’t kill me. My heart chose Morocco, but my wallet chose the layover in Vienna.

I used Hotel Tonight to book my hotel for an amazing price. It was one of those deals where you swipe, pay, and hope for the best. I lucked out because I ended up at the beautiful Steigenberger Hotel, one of Hotel Tonight’s “Luxe” options, right in the middle of the city.

When I arrived in Vienna around 11 am, I immediately booked an Uber, sent my location to everyone in my contacts, and headed into the city. My uber driver was super nice and helped me navigate the airport parking lot to find him. We made it out of the airport with 3 minutes to spare on his free parking pass.

I arrived at my hotel a little after noon and was allowed an early check-in. Since I had less than 24 hours to explore the city I did something else I’ve been dying to try. I bought a ticket for one of those super touristy double decker hop on/hop off buses. I looked up a few online and there was one with a stop 2 blocks from my hotel.

This was an excellent way to explore the touristy side of the city. I went in early January, so most of the Christmas markets were still in place. Vienna is famous for its palaces, and I was able to visit many of the majors during the 2 hour loop. I genuinely enjoyed the tour, and I’m thinking about implementing this on longer trips in the future. It feels like a quick way to get some photo ops and then truly enjoy being in the moment for the rest of the trip. As for solo travel, I think I’m ready for a long weekend!