Solo Travel 101
The reason for solo travel in my opinion is to better understand yourself, and to become more in-tune to the world around you. I want to solo travel for multiple reasons. One being that I want to push myself out of my comfort zone, Two really immerse myself into the culture that I am experiences, and Three be able to make new connections/friends. I will go more in-depth below.
So to push myself out of my comfort zone would be great for me. I am very introverted but I also really want to travel, so I think that by at least traveling alone once would be very beneficial to me. I really love learning about different cultures and I think that by traveling alone would open up more experiences to me and I would be able to experience just a little bit more of an in-depth experience. The last reason being that I would be able to create more connections or friendships with people I meet on the way. By traveling alone I think that I would be a little more welcoming to other people traveling either alone or as a couple.
Solo travel is something that I would like to experience at least once in my life. It's not going to be something that I do all the time.
There are many other reasons why solo travel is considered great. 1) You can go where you want, when you want to: you don't have to compromise with your travel partner and you can simply do what you want.
2) You can really be in the moment: So what this means is that you can really take in what is around you. When traveling with someone else you typically will spend more time talking and listening to them rather then enjoying where you are.
3) Better way to meet other people: You seem more approachable when you are alone and typically you will make some new companions.
4) Easier to make last minute plans: If you think about it it will be easier and therefore cheaper to make plans. For instance if there is one seat left on the bus an rather then wait for the next one you can just go because you are by yourself.
5) Self confidence will improve: You simply have to put yourself out there to have some fun. Overcome your shyness and simply talk to strangers to make your experience really stand out.
6) You can do the random stuff: If the opportunity arises to do something silly and strange rather than have your traveling partner say no you can simply say "let's do it"
7) You can feel a sense of achievement: Simply by getting on a plane by yourself you can feel a sense of achievement. Or when you are feeling homesick but you continue on your trip is also a sense of achievement.
8) It gives you space to think and deal with your inner chatter: Find me someone who doesn’t have the odd niggle, self-doubt or emotional baggage to sift through. I want to know their secret. Most of us have some stuff that we push to the deepest recesses of our mind while we’re busy getting on with normal life, but every now and then something triggers a thought or a memory and we realize that there’s some unfinished business. Time by yourself can give you the breathing space to confront some of that crap. It’s not like it’s a good thing to keep lugging it around through life. (Too much time lost in your thoughts, however, might just drive you mad.)
9) It's great catch up time: Time travelling alone is the perfect opportunity to do whatever it is that you’ve been putting off forever. When travelling by yourself feast on books and movies that you've been meaning to get around to in ages. Write in your journal, sometimes you can even write letters.
There are also a few reasons that traveling alone isn't that great are few and far between.
There is no one special to share and remember those moments with, no one to care for you when you’re sick, hitchhiking is more dangerous, going to the toilet with your backpack is a bit of a chore and, particularly as a female, you may get approached by some right weirdos.
