Solo travel: what you should know
Solo travel can be a scary thing. Trust me, I’ve been there. Walking past a restaurant five times, hesitating to dine alone. Doubting to book your trip because: ‘is doing things on your own even fun?’ I can tell you, yes it is! Solo travel can be a really rewarding experience if you do it right.
Personally I have spent multiple periods of up to 6 months abroad on my own. These experiences range from moving abroad for an internship for 6 months, to going on shorter vacations and city escapes. After a few years of travelling on my own I thought it was time to share with you all that I’ve learned. This blog post will cover various aspects of solo travel to get you ready for your first solo adventure!
Benefits of solo travel
Let’s start with all the things I love about exploring solo. Going somewhere on your own means that you truly get to spend your time however you want. You get to choose when and where to do the things that you want to do. It’s a feeling of freedom and independence like no other, and I’ve often found that that gives me a boost of energy and confidence. The fact that you control your itinerary, can be as flexible as you want and don’t have to think of anyone else’s needs is one of the greatest joys, even if it’s just for a few days.
Besides that, I’ve found that I have done a lot of reflecting and growing while travelling solo. When you spend some time with just yourself, you find out that you are capable of so much more than you thought you were. In addition to that, stripping away the distraction of everyday life allows for introspection and self-discovery. Most of my best ideas and plans for growth were taught up on a solo trip.
Lastly, I always love immersing myself in the culture of each new place I go to. Of course you can do this by seeing sights, eating cultural foods and just experiencing the place. But what better way to learn more about a place than to connect with some locals? I’ve found I will make new and unexpected connections way easier if I am on my own. When I travel with other people I tend to stick more to my group, but solo travel gives me the opportunity to connect with the locals or other travellers. P.S. they usually have some very good tips on things to see and do, ask someone!
Overcoming fears and concerns
Even though I am a big advocate for solo travel, I know that people have their valid concerns. Is it safe to travel on your own? Won’t I feel lonely? What if I feel judged for doing things on my own? These are all questions I asked myself before deciding to start my first solo adventure. My advice is: start small.
Go on a city trip for a long weekend instead of a 2 week beach vacation. In my experience, going to a city is also a better option for beginner solo travellers, especially if you are nervous about being on your own in normally social situations. The fact that you are going out to dinner or visiting sights alone is much less noticeable in a city than it is in a tiny beach town. Plus, because you are likely to be surrounded by other people, you will feel a lot safer. Use your common sense, keep a close eye on your stuff, don’t tell people that you are travelling alone and get out of a situation if it feels weird.
The best advice I have ever received is this: ‘the only way out of fear is taking action’. If you are scared of something, take the first step towards doing it. For example, I used to be really scared of going out to eat on my own. So what I would do is pick out the restaurant I wanted to go to beforehand, maybe even make a reservation. That way I had a plan set out. What also really helped me was taking something like a book with me so I had something to do while I was waiting. And I think you’ll find, just like I did, that the things you thought were scary will feel a lot more doable once you’ve done them a few times!
Solo travel and personal growth:
I used to have a really hard time being by myself. I used to always surround myself with people or things to do so that I did not have to be on my own. This really changed when I moved abroad for an internship. Suddenly, I was on the other side of the world for 6 months and I was totally on my own. There I went, exploring a whole new city on a whole new continent, all by myself. When I got home after that first day, I felt such a rush of euphoria and independence, I was truly proud of myself. After that, I tried to get out more and more and while I still love doing things with people, I have truly found the bliss of spending time by yourself.
After that first time, I went abroad on my own a few more times. It had such a positive impact on my confidence. Besides that, I used to follow people around wherever they wanted to go, but my little trips really thought me the decision-making skills I had always missed. I’ve learned so much from solo travel and I really encourage you guys to embrace this challenge and step out of your comfort zone, it will bring you so much, I promise!
Conclusion
So, why should you go on your first solo trip? It gives you the freedom and independence to decide on your own schedule, it’s a perfect opportunity for personal growth and a good way to make some unexpected new connections. Maybe you feel that there are some challenges, but most of these can be prepared for and to only way through fear is to take action. I hope that with this post I have inspired you to go on your own solo adventure! Or maybe you already have some experience that you would love to share? Some questions left unanswered? Let’s chat in the comments below!
Until next time!