Solo Travel Mishaps: How Things Going Wrong Created Unforgettable Adventures
Wrong buses, lost luggage, impulse buys like that tie-dye vest—solo travel doesn't always go as planned. Yet these mishaps rarely leave scars; instead, they spark new adventures, forge deeper connections with locals, and yield memorable stories.
To mark the launch of The Solo Travel Handbook, Lonely Planet experts share their solo travel blunders—proving that when plans derail, magic often follows.
Grounded in Vietnam
Repelled by the stench of cocktail buckets and a backpacker’s risky antics, I left Nha Trang at 9:30pm on a Tuesday, craving Hanoi’s calm. Trains were booked solid, so I taxied to the airport—only to find it shuttered. Cursing my haste, I slept in the empty lot until a security guard on a rickety bike woke me.
Duc, a chain-smoking Hanoian chasing security work, abandoned his rounds to chat all night. He insisted I visit his family’s Old Quarter restaurant and even called his mum to expect me.
True to his word, their rustic spot served my best—and biggest—Vietnamese meal: no buckets in sight.
Jack Palfrey, Assistant Editor, lonelyplanet.com. Follow @jpalfers
Lost and Lonely in Laos
Traveling solo in Laos, I boarded a midday bus from Vientiane to Savannakhet. Dropped off miles from town at midnight, alone in the dark, my map showed a 2km trek to lodging. Guard dogs barked ferociously as tears fell—a ditch seemed my fate.
A scooter’s whine pierced the night. A confused 16-year-old stopped for the crying foreigner. I pointed to my map; he whisked me to a hostel, pounding the door until staff answered. His small kindness inspired me to help other lost travelers ever since.
Tasmin Waby, Destination Editor for Australia & Pacific. Follow @TravellingTaz
Marooned in the Mojave Desert
Cruising California’s Mojave in a borrowed Corvette, I stopped to relieve myself far from Twentynine Palms. The doors locked mysteriously. Keys failed; roadside assistance promised seven hours—blaming a nearby military base.
At 48°C (120°F), I hitched to a diner for waffles, ice cream, jukebox tunes, and new friends. Rescue came swiftly, unlocking the car in seconds. The delay gifted an epic Joshua Tree drive at sunset, top down.
Peter Grunert, Group Editor, Lonely Planet magazines. Follow @peter_grunert
Bagless and Blue in Mozambique
Fresh from Malawi, I got shortchanged by a black-market dealer, then watched my bag depart on a flatbed truck. Chasing futilely, I slumped curbside. Miraculously, it returned—the driver sought more passengers.
Elated passengers shared sugarcane, chicken, and warmth, turning exploitation into family. Africa’s hospitality still amazes me.
Matt Phillips, Destination Editor, Sub-Saharan Africa. Follow @Go2MattPhillips
Third-Wheeling Venice’s Canals
Solo tours test ‘minimum persons’ rules. In Venice, I joined a kayaking trip for an engaged couple’s date. They switched to solos amid awkwardness, but we bonded. It was a trip highlight—despite photobombed snaps.
Louise Bastock, Assistant Editor, lonelyplanet.com. Follow @LouiseBastock
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