Perhaps a spouse can’t travel any more and you have no one with similar interests to travel with? Or perhaps you’re concerned about safety and health or problems with unfamiliar languages and cultures?

If it’s too scary to think of heading off alone, try joining a tour group the first time, one where you’re likely to meet people with similar interests. Find a group that allows for free time to explore on your own and follow your interests. Being alone in a group combines the best elements of solo and accompanied travel. You always have people in the group to talk with and eat with, but you can also explore on your own, close your door, and savor your privacy.

Solo travel arrangements usually require paying some penalties in the form of financial supplements. If this is a deterrent or you don’t like the idea of going with a group, look for an organization that will supply you with a companion of your age and gender (see Solo Travel Resources box on next page). The risk is that you may not “click” with that person. But think of it as a short-term commitment: you’ve at least got to where you want to go and you may even have found a longer-term friend.

Real solo travels—where you decide the destination, read up on it, get your own tickets, and head off alone—is another matter. This is where you weigh concerns for personal safety and where women feel especially vulnerable (nearly all the solo travel advice is directed at women). While it might not be wise to strike out on your own to, say, Burundi, a shake-down visit to a more familiar culture like Mexico will get you started.

Perhaps the most important goal to keep in mind is to learn as much as possible about the people and places you’ll be visiting before you leave home and go out of your way to meet the locals when you’re there. You can do this in small ways: by admiring a gardener’s work, offering to take someone’s picture, asking for information about local landmarks, accepting an invitation into a family home for a meal, etc.

People everywhere, travelers and locals alike, are more willing to take up with singles than with pairs. So leave your shyness at home, pack your bag (preferably a rolling carry-on), and go for it!

But traveling on a teacher’s salary is possible-with a little planning and savvy.

First, you should think carefully about where you can go in order to get the most for your money. If you live in a foreign land, you’re probably surrounded by ancient sites or cities that are just waiting to be explored. If you live in the U.S., there are many small towns and states that offer a lot to see and do. But don’t select a tourist destination, unless you have a lot of money to spare. Instead, look into the out-of-the-way locations that will allow you to mingle with the locals, share in the culture, eat down-to-earth (read: cheap) food, and have an experience that simply couldn’t be matched in a destination filled with tourists.

Next, you should plan the timing of your vacation carefully. If you travel during the off-season, or the season between the peak and off-season, you will likely pay a lot less for your lodging and meals. That can sometimes be difficult, because teacher vacations are usually during the peak seasons. One way to overcome this would be to try and negotiate a different vacation schedule when interviewing for a position.

Missing home and the various other things that were important to you before you left is normal and is part of the transition into a new country and new culture. It can be especially hard if the culture of the country you have moved to is really different to what you were used to.

In the first few months or even the first year, you may feel as if you have lost your identity. Having this state of mind can amplify the feelings of missing home. Back home, people knew you and knew your personality. It may feel like you have to rebuild your identity. In some respects you have to, but it is important to remember why you moved to a new country in the first place. Maybe you wanted a fresh start in life. Grasp the opportunity this fresh start has given you. You could even give your personality a makeover and be someone new.

Dealing with missing home, friends and family can be made that much easier, but it takes effort. One of the important aspects you can do is to plan. Plan to make calls to friends and loved ones. Plan not to be alone. Don’t let yourself be alone too much as this is not good for your morale. Invite the new friends you make to spend time with you. Arrange for your family and friends back home to come and visit as much as possible. By being proactive and planning, you will have something to look forward to and this helps with the thoughts of missing home.

In this modern age of communications, there are many ways to keep in touch. Telephone, email, Internet chat and even via web cam video. Grasp the technology and get it working in your favor. You may feel that you are missing out on things at home, but imagine what a video of your nieces birthday party would do for you. Sure it would probably make you miss home, but you would still feel very much a part of what is happening back home and have not been forgotten.

Learn to fit in with the new culture you have found yourself in. Forget that back home you would celebrate Christmas like this, or would eat this on a Sunday. You are not at home so learn to live like the locals. Once you accept that the world around you is different, maybe then you will learn to live with it and feel part of something again. Perhaps that is when you can start to deal with missing home.

Missing home is difficult to overcome, but with effort, friends, a social life and enthusiasm to fit into this new life, it can be easier to deal with.

1. Research on your destination.

Before making your bookings, don’t forget to make a research on your destination. Research on the tourist spots on your destination so that you can plan your itinerary beforehand. Also, research on your destination’s culture, food, dress code and gestures to avoid so that you won’t be out of place when you get there. Researching the weather and climate of your destination would also help you in what kind of clothes to pack.

2. Pack light.

Don’t bring your entire wardrobe on your destination. Try to pack light so that you’ll have enough space for souvenirs and other stuff. This is also to avoid extra charges in airports and other terminals.

3. Stack up on your medicines.

Don’t forget to pack your medicines and always place them on your hand carry luggage. Also, bring some motion sickness medicines to avoid getting dizzy and sick while traveling.

4. Exchange money with the currency of your destination.

Always have some local currency of your destination before traveling. This is for your cab fares, snacks, and other stuff that might come about while you’re traveling. Avoid carrying loads of cash though. Having an ATM card or a credit card would be better than carrying lots of cash on hand.

5. Confirm your bookings.

Before leaving, especially if you’re leaving for another country, don’t forget to confirm your hotel, flight details, car rentals, and other bookings. This is to avoid major problems on the day of your trip.

6. Keep track of your expenses.

While traveling, always keep track of your expenses. This is for your reference if ever you plan to return to the place again in the future. This way, you could have a good estimate of how much you it will cost you for such vacation.

7. Take lots of pictures.

Make your trip memorable by taking lots of pictures. This way, even if you’re back at home, you’ll still have lots of things to reminisce on your trip.

Built 400 years ago in concentric horseshoes, they are the rib cage of the city. Coasting their waters on a canal boat opens windows onto a history of vast wealth and global power. The cobbled streets alongside the canals are scenic urban pathways for walking or biking. And they are anchors for funky shops, and cafes.

The inner city of the Dutch capital is a compact warren of heritage buildings, of museums both grand and odd, of hidden gardens and outdoor markets – all within easy reach by any mode of transport except the unwelcome car.

No longer is the bargain city of Europe, Amsterdam still a town of wonders that can be had for a discount, and sometimes for free.

WALKING AND BIKING

Seeing 17th century Amsterdam, with its proud past and sometimes quirky culture on display, from a bike or on foot is a happy cost-free experience. Among its 2,000 or so bridges, the Bridge of 15 Bridges at the intersection of two canals is among the most spectacular, with a view of a series of stone spans whose arches are gracefully lit at night.

The city also has hidden gems that require guidance or tips to find: Some gardens, tucked away in courtyards or behind stately apartments, are open to the public any time, while others open on a special day of the year. The Rijksmuseum, with its Rembrandts and Vermeers, costs 11 euro ($A18.86) entry, but its garden is open year-round for free.

The Begijnhof is a grassy courtyard surrounded by 14th century cottages – an oasis of quiet at one of the busiest sections of town where a small chapel often stages musical recitals. Near the Begijnhof is a covered passageway known as the Civics Guard Gallery, with 15 huge group portraits – from the same time as Rembrandt’s Night Watch – of leading citizens from the Dutch Golden Age.

Outside the well-trod shopping lanes are the lesser known sections, like the Nine Lanes, lined with tiny specialty establishments like the handmade soap shop, the spectacles museum and a store dedicated to toothbrushes. The Jordaan, once the working class district, has been revived with boutiques, tapas bars, ethnic restaurants and Amsterdam Hotels. Advertorial info: sharing files over the internet

The city’s 26 open-air markets offer knick-knacks, antiques, farmers’ produce, artworks, clothing and just about anything else you can think of. The largest and most popular with Dutch food shoppers is the Albert Cuyp Market, where everything is fresh and cheap.

Traveling by bicycle makes you feel like a true local. About 40 per cent of Amsterdam traffic is on two wheels. Most streets have special lanes and traffic lights – and woe be to the unwary pedestrian who walks in the bike path. Although the bicycle is king in Amsterdam, beware of the many trams and getting your wheel caught in their rails.

Tourists can rent a bike for about 10 euro ($A17.15) a day, with special weekly rates. Also available are tandems for two, cargo bikes for hauling groceries or toddlers, and bikes with child seats.

Biking opens up the prospect of escaping the urban setting for countryside of pastureland, windmills and more canals. On the southern side of the city is the 2500-acre Amsterdam forest, the city’s largest park with more than 50 km of bike paths.

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