Travel, in general, is a spiritual experience but when you travel solo, the experience becomes even more internal and enlightening. The euphoric sense of freedom that looms large over every solo trip makes it unlike any other travel experience. The definition of self-indulgence is solo travel. During a solo trip, you can do whatever you want, go wherever you want, choose your challenges, make your own mistakes, learn from them, and, in general, triumph through everything with a sense of elation.
If you haven’t embarked on a solo trip yet, now is the time to step out of your comfort zone and rediscover yourself. Travel solo to enjoy a trip on your terms and discover new places, experiences just the way you would like to.
As you travel solo, being totally responsible for yourself, it is inevitable that you’ll discover just how capable you are
10 Reasons Why You Must Travel Solo
#1 ‘Your’ Trip
During group travels, each guest has a distinct agenda, and seeing local sites, museums, restaurants, and activities that you want to do might be difficult. When you travel solo, you can be a little selfish and do what you want without worrying about accommodating others.
#2 Live in the moment
When traveling with others, you spend a lot of time interacting with others in your group. When you're alone, there are no distractions, so you can immerse yourself in the present and notice the noises, scents, sights, or where you’re at.
#3 Make friends along the way
When traveling alone, you are far more approachable than when traveling with a partner. You'll also be more likely to strike up discussions with strangers along the road. Getting to interact with new people and forming lasting bonds with fellow solo travelers is one the best parts of traveling solo.
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#4 Travel at your pace
Let's face it, there's only so much you can do when it comes to traveling to a new place. When traveling with friends, though, the pressure to keep going might be overwhelming. When traveling alone, though, you have the option of returning to your accommodation for a guilt-free mid-afternoon siesta.
#5 Confidence booster
When you travel solo, you develop the ability to put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to take advantage of opportunities. It's crucial. It becomes second nature to talk to strangers and gain access to the information you might not have otherwise had privy to.
#6 Learn a Language
Learning a little of the local language may help you get to know the areas you're going to and the people who live there so you can get the most out of your trip. When you travel solo, you're much more likely to interact with the locals and pick up some language skills.
#7 Discover your true self
It's easy for old habits and group dynamics to creep up on you when you're out and about with your regular friends and family. When you're on your own, this isn't the case. You're there for yourself and you alone; the only drama you'll encounter is the one you create.
#8 Achievement unlocked!
It goes without saying that traveling solo is no child’s play. There’s a lot of determination and grit that factors into first deciding to travel solo and then actually go through with the plan. When you finish your first solo trip, you’re bound to feel a sense of achievement and gratitude for the experience.
#9 Self awareness
When you travel solo, you're far more likely to observe what's going on around you and to be more aware of your surroundings, resulting in a richer and ultimately more fulfilling travel experience. When you're conversing with a friend, it's easy to miss the moments spent gazing out of a bus or train window taking in every aspect of the passing scenery.
#10 Money matters
Traveling solo can either work out to be super expensive or really cheap, depending on the choices you make. Whatever it may be, traveling solo teaches you to manage your expenses wisely, simply because no one else is going to do it for you!
What solo travel teaches you
The benefits of solo travel
- Organization skills level up: When you're the only one in charge of planning the vacation, it's a lot of work. You're planning flights, visas, transportation, insurance, lodging, activities, and so on. Taking charge of everything offers you a great sense of ownership over your trip. When you travel solo, you get to organize your vacation and make the best decisions for yourself.
- Take your responsibilities seriously: When you go off on your own to explore new places, you must always be cautious and observant. Solo travel makes you liable for all of your acts and so responsible. When things go wrong, you have no one to blame but yourself, so you learn to take care of yourself. As you grow in wisdom, responsible travel will become your way of life.
- The art of being alone: Doing it all by yourself for a while demonstrates how content, happy, and safe you are in your presence when you want to be. It breaks the habit of being with people because you don't want to be alone. Oversocializing can be a diversion from what we truly need to achieve on our own.
- Acceptance and tolerance: When you have no choice but to trust a stranger on your travels, you suspicion is only natural. However, when you discover that not everyone is as bad as social constructs have shaped you to think, you become a new person! When you travel alone, you become less judgmental and more accepting of people, things, and situations.
- Oodles of patience: In today’s world where we spend more to wait less, patience is a virtue that’s quickly evaporating. Traveling solo teaches you to appreciate the finer things in life and become a more patient person in the process. You realise the goodness is not rushing through life and the beauty in taking it slow.
The not-so-pretty side of solo travel
It's not always rosy and nice with solo travel. Here's what you need to mentally prepare yourself for.
- Personal Safety: Any travel involves some amount of risk but solo travel is inherently slightly riskier. You have no one to fall back on in case of issues and have to rely on the kindness of strangers. But if you plan your trip well, have an open mind about seeking help, and are generally aware of how to react in pressure situations, safety should not be a concern when you travel solo.
- Loneliness: It can be intimidating to travel alone to a new location. There may be times when you wish to share a story or revisit a memory with someone. Nowadays, however, Wi-Fi is widely available around the world, and apps like Facetime and Whatsapp make it simple to communicate with loved ones who are far away.
- Expensive: Another downside of solo travel is that you won't be able to divide costs as readily as you would with a travel companion. You also end up spending a bit more money on local transport when compared to group travels. The solution? Get a local travel pass to save money on travel and book hostels instead of hotels to save even more money.
- Sick Days: When you're on the road and you're sad, unwell, or homesick, it might be difficult to cope. The easiest way to deal with this is to take some time to yourself and regroup. Knowing you have a new network of friends to lean on for mental and emotional support will help you forget about your worries in no time.
- Eating alone: Many people find the prospect of eating alone at restaurants awkward. To avoid feeling this way when you travel solo, pack your meals and eat on the go or eat at community dinners where you don’t have to sit alone during meals. Or simply video call a loved one and talk to them while you enjoy your meal!
- Missed experiences: If your solo travel experience involves exploring places without a plan, you’ll end up missing quite a few of the must-see places. To avoid this, plan your solo trip perfectly and book tickets for experiences and attractions beforehand to ensure you utilize your time well.
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All your solo travel questions answered
Solo travel allows you to be more independent and pushes you out of your comfort zone. There's less of a need to be on the go all of the time. Traveling alone also gives you confidence and teaches you to be happy in your company.
When you travel solo, you become more sensitive to new people and experiences because you’re forced to leave your comfort zones. And, unlike groups, solitary travelers are less scary and more friendly, allowing you to form meaning, if fleeing, connections.
A solo trip has the potential to be a life-changing experience. This way of travel is suitable for outgoing individuals. Solo getaways are a great way to unwind and indulge in some self-care.
When you travel alone, you’re in complete control of everything from the places to you to the hotel you stay at. This freedom makes for a memorable travel experience. On the flip side, when you travel solo, you can get lonely, overspend, and have a generally average time if you don’t plan things well.
Traveling alone to a new place where you’re not familiar with the culture and language can be a bit challenging and unsafe. So long as you’re polite and well prepared, you should be fine.
To enjoy a solo vacation, plan your trip in advance and make all the necessary bookings. Since you’re traveling alone, you must also pack light and try and make connections with local and fellow solo travelers.
Solo traveling can be dangerous if the place you’re traveling to is generally considered unsafe. Be prepared for any situation and you should be okay.
One of the main disadvantages of traveling solo is not having someone to share your wonderful experiences with the moment you have them. Also, solo travel can be a bit more expensive if you don’t plan the trip well.
Traveling alone allows you to develop as a person. It instills independence and self-reliance in you. When you travel alone, you have complete control over your itinerary. It teaches you how to make decisions based on your self-interest, which is something that our culture typically overlooks.
No, traveling solo is just as normal as traveling in a group. In fact, solo travel can in some cases be a more rewarding experience than group travel.
Solo travel allows you to experience new destinations at your own pace, assume control over the itinerary, and develop confidence.
If you set your expectations right, traveling alone can never be boring. Know what you’re getting into, plan well, and be open to new experiences and you’ll have a great trip.
