Any tips for someone traveling alone for the first time?

Plan it out ahead of time. If you know exactly where you are going, you’ll feel safe.
Plan a few “check ins” with your boyfriend. It might help you feel like you are less alone. (P.S. make sure to pull into a rest stop or something when you do these. DO NOT call him while driving).
Bring some food, etc…

Warm clothes. Almost anywhere you go in Canada, it will be cold in January. Take your passport, especially if you are flying. I don’t think you NEED it legally, but it will save you a ton of grief if you have it. Getting into Canada won’t be hard, getting back into the US will be a killer without it.

Are you flying or driving?

If flying, take a book or magazine that you can hide behind to avoid unwanted conversations. I find text books work best, if people think you are studying they won’t bother you.

Also expect at least one delay if you are flying.

If you are driving, make sure to pack a winter survival kit. Put it in the cabin of the car, not in the trunk.

Canadians are extremely helpful and kind. If you need help with anything (directions and whatnot), don’t feel weird about asking. :) Toronto is quite safe. Don’t be afraid to get around (via the TTC and subway).

Bring your warm woolies (obviously), and lots of memory for your camera (Toronto is an awesome city). Make sure that you make it to Younge Street.

Try some Poutine, Beaver Tail, and Timmies.

As @river said, keep your passport with you.

I’ll add more.

@roundsquare Well, I’m flying.. so I don’t have to worry about driving. But for whatever reason, I fly from DC to Texas THEN up to Calgary, so it’s a long flight. Which makes no sense to me, but whatever.

@mama_cakes Calgary, not Toronto :)

Bring snacks. Most important, have fun!

lol, not sure why I thought Toronto.

Same applies. Except for the TTC, Toronto subway and Younge Street. ;-)

@rangerr Calgary is a fun city, it is better in the summer when they host the Stampede. But there is plenty to see and do in the winter too.

I’m not sure if you’re a fan of the Clone Wars cartoon series, but you can watch those on a laptop, iPad or other mobile device. Hours of fun content, not as intense as the films and people will tend to avoid you if you look like you’re in the middle of something and won’t want to interrupt you.

Just don’t forget/lose your cell phone (sometimes it can be your best friend); and if you have a lap top or access to a computer, keep in touch with Fluther….we will walk/help you through anything. Have fun. :D

Also, check to see if your phone service works in Canada, what the rates are, etc… Sometimes you can temporarily extend your service to work in other countries without paying out the ear if you call the phone company in advance.

Check the TSA rules before you pack. Make sure anything that you pack into your carry on is legal, unless you want to donate it to airport security.

I believe ben’s blog has some info about his recent trip to canada. He’s an excellent travel writer. Try his stuff out.

@gorillapaws I’ve already got Clone Wars set out and ready so I don’t forget it. Even though the trip is a few weeks away :D

Wear comfortable shoes that you can easily get on and off. Same goes for coats, sweatshirts and any bags you will be carrying on with you.

Keep a general tally of how much you spend there and what you will be bringing back. I don’t know how it is from Canada to the US, but when I flew back from London, I had to list what I bought and how much I spent.

Get to your gate ridiculously early. It’s better to be sitting there waiting than get there right before you fly.

Pee before you get on the plane. Peeing on an airplane is no damn fun.

If you plan on sleeping, ask for extra pillows before the plane takes off. You may not be able to get them, but it never hurts to ask.

If you are sitting in front of a tall person, be kind, don’t recline. Unless you’re riding first class, tall people have such a hard time in airplanes anyway.

Bring something chewy like gum or fruit snacks to pop your ears during take off and landing.

That’s all I got.

Make a list of what you plan to pack and check things off. Make sure you have enough underwear and socks and stuff for the time you will be gone.

Take a small hostess gift for your boyfriend’s family.

Remember to take a book so you can bury yourself in it while on the plane so you don’t have to talk to your seatmate.

@jlelandg your link re-directs back to this page.

@rangerr I kind of thought you might have those ;)

As a former airline employee many years ago, a few more tips are to get there early (especially during the holiday travel season). Don’t check anything you will be devastated if lost in transit (including car keys). Take photos of the contents of anything checked so you can produce an inventory if your bag does get lost and the airline needs to write you a check to replace it. Kindness/politeness goes a lot further than rudeness/bullying when working with airline employees (you don’t want to get flagged for extra security, or be sat between the bathroom and a screaming infant in a seat that won’t recline, right?).

Always remember that shit happens, especially in the airline industry during the holiday travel season, so try to be flexible and roll with the punches (Like Han would, minus the smuggling).

When interacting with others, just remember that most people are too caught up in their own lives/problems to spend time analyzing you. I’ve been through times in my life where I dealt with some of what you’re going through when I was fending off depression. I would make the erroneous assumption that others were judging/analyzing me, but the reality is that nobody really cares, and if they are judging me, then so what? In a worst-case scenario, someone who I don’t know and will almost certainly never see again may not like something about me. When I realize that falling short of some stranger’s (who is petty enough to judge people they don’t know) expectations is the worst thing that could happen, I began to feel a hell-of-a-lot more confident.

@marinelife My mom keeps mentioning a hostess gift, too. What the heck do I get them? I hadn’t heard of one until Ali and Angus showed up.’

@gorillapaws Oh, losing my luggage terrifies me. Especially since I’ll have my Mandalorian armor with me this time.. I’ve never had a problem with luggage before, so this better go well, too.

But. I land in Texas then have to get on another plane 40 minutes later. Is that enough time? I assume I don’t have to go through security again?

@rangerr, it may be easier to ship most of your luggage Fed Ex or UPS so it is waiting for you when you get there. It can be just as cheap as paying the luggage fees they charge now, and it is usually more reliable.

And it is one less thing you have to worry about when going through the airports.

What keeps me sane when I travel is remembering that stuff is replaceable. If I get panicky, I think:
(1) ID? Check.
(2) Credit card? Check.
Okay, then nothing can go that wrong.

For hostess gifts, I suggest something consumable, unless you specifically know of something their family will enjoy. (Everyone likes cookies. Even Canadians.)

If you really hate talking to strangers, I second the headphones idea. Just leave ‘em in while you’re walking around. And remember, you don’t have to talk to anyone. You’re allowed to be a little bit rude if people aren’t getting the hint.

I hope you manage to relax and have fun. I love traveling alone and not having to worry about other people’s shit. And your trip is going to be fucking awesome.

@rangerr 40 minutes may or may not be enough time for your luggage to make it, it kind of depends. It’s not a big deal, though. If your luggage doesn’t make it on the same plane as you, they’ll simply put it on the next one. I’ve had luggage show up after me several times, but it’s never a problem. If you don’t live excessively far from the airport, you can ask them to bring it to you when it arrives (they’ll try to convince you to come get it from them, but they have a service that will deliver it to you if you tell them that’s what you want (I’m assuming this is true in Canada; my experience is in the US)).

@rangerr 40 minutes is a bit tight (especially during the holidays), but should probably be ok if everything is running smoothly. The real problem with such a short layover is that if your first flight gets delayed even a little bit, you and/or your bag may not make the next connection and might have to wait for the next flight. If you’re traveling earlier in the day, than there are probably several later flights going to your final destination, but if it’s in the evening, you might get stuck in a hotel.

I don’t want to scare you away, (because as @nikipedia has pointed out, your trip really will be fucking awesome), but I would hate for you to not be mentally prepared for this possibility and then have a panic attack or something.

If the Mandalorian armor is a one-of-a-kind thing, I think @WestRiverrat‘s advice of shipping it Fed-Ex/UPS is a good idea. If it’s replaceable, than be sure to make sure the airline’s insurance for lost items covers the price of replacing it. @bobbinhood is correct in that the vast majority of the time when a bag misses a connection it’s on the very next flight, and will be delivered at the airline’s expense to you boyfriend’s house. You should definitely put your contact information inside the bag as well as the tags on the exterior just incase the tags come off during travel and they need to open it up to find out who the owner is. I just think it’s wise to plan for the worst case scenario, even though there’s a very slim chance of it ever happening. It gives me confidence and reduces my stress/anxiety because I know that no matter what, I’m going to be ok. Planning and preparation can go a very long way to making you feel better.

As for the gift for your hostess, things you’ve made will always go over well. If you’re artistic then something small that you’ve spent some time on can quickly become a treasure to someone. You might want to avoid bringing in foods because it could cause issues going through customs.

As far as the hostess gift, find out from your BF if his mother collects things. That will help you decide what to get.

Always walk with a purpose, If you are alone don’t spend alot of time fumbling and wandering. That screams victim, so know where you are going and get there don’t dawdle.

Although you are tallking about Canada don’t think you’ll have much trouble there. I was just thinking about philly there for a second.

Take your ipod for the journey, with some of your favourite heart warming songs on your playlist. Music is always soothing . It always takes my mind off things. As for a gift , well, its christmas, so a good bottle of sherry or port might go down well, or something festive like that. Enjoy your trip.

@rangerr Because of the season, a tin of peppermint bark might be nice. You can get it at World Markets.

you can find bens blog here.

@jlelandg I’m happy you were able to find that link. It’s fantastic.:D

Maybe a dumb question, but will my check card work while I’m there?

It should, but to be safe, contact your bank and let them know you will be traveling and to expect some use in Canada.

You’re awesome and it will be awesomely fun and fantastic. Enjoy the plane rides. I picture myself being on a big bus that takes off into the air. But slightly more cramped. And the clouds are pretty, and after the flight you’re pretty much in his arms right? So what’s to worry about after that, either? Shibby! Have fun.

I’m like Nik, I love travelling alone.

You’re going to have an awesome time. :)

Don’t tell anyone you just met that you are traveling alone.

main advice is dont panic just chill out and enjoy it…everywhere is somewhere and its really difficult to put your self in an undoable situation when travelling. Strangers you may dislike but they are just other people trying to get somewhere same as you and if you ask someone for help they pretty much always do what they can.

Man. I’m freaking out about not having enough time to make the connecting flight to Canada.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

If you don’t get that flight, you get the next one. No big.

@rangerr what time of the day is your flight?

I arrive in Houston at 8:08 am. Departure is at 8:50.
It’s riiiiidiculously close.

Early flights are rarely delayed. You should be fine with 40 minutes. Just walk quickly to your next gate.

@rangerr there will almost certainly be many other flights from Houston to Calgary that day, so if you miss your connection, then you might have to wait around in Houston for an hour or two, and then you’ll be back on your way. It’s really nothing to stress out about. Just drink a beer, or read a book, or watch some Cartoons. You’re going to be just fine, and have a lot of fun.

Bring crosswords, sudoku, riddle books, music, anything to keep you occupied on the airplane.

Think about how much fun you’ll have once you get there. Talk to your boyfriend on any layovers you have. Keep him updated.

Just relax too. Nothing else you can except sit back and relax