When was the last time you did something for the first time? This year, maybe go ahead and say ‘yes’ to that solo trip you’ve been relegating to the distant future. The first time can be daunting. But our time-tested travellers promise it gets better. Their suggestion: make solo travel a habit.

1. Just do it

Life happens outside your comfort zone, believes Jaipur-based Neeru Saluja (71). This advice has stood her in good stead during the last 14 years that she’s spent globetrotting from the Galapagos Islands to the Atlantic. “My husband and I always loved to travel,” Neeru explains, momentarily reliving their many rendezvous on the Vespa scooter, having breakfast in one city, lunch in another, and dinner in a third.

After her husband passed away in 2010, travel took a backseat for Neeru. But instead of being wistful about the past, she decided to reclaim her adventurous side and booked herself a solo trip — a Christmas cruise through Europe in 2014. Since then, there has been no looking back.

2. Help will arrive when you need it

Despite all the meticulous planning, there is bound to be a sticky moment or two during your solo expedition. This is what the years — and 50 solo adventures — have taught Chandigarh-based lawyer Shvangi Sharma (34).

When Shvangi was travelling from Kerala to Tamil Nadu by road in 2016, she........

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