Want to take that big trip? Thinking of going on your own? Worried about the idea of going solo? There are places that we’d all love to visit, a list of dream destinations we contemplate every now and again, but if the one thing that holding you back is not having anyone to go with, you may want to reconsider. Travelling alone isn’t as difficult or lonely as it seems. If you mention taking a trip alone most people imagine your days will be spent in isolation and your evenings will be spent at a table for one with a book and a view of the kitchens. But it doesn’t have to be like that and if you plan it right, it won’t be.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of traveling alone, how do you make it successful and what should you consider things to consider during your travels. After talking to friend who are newly single and have traveled solo in Europe and around the world, I have learned a lot from their stories
The biggest plus to travelling alone for all of them was they had great fun, and when they were on their trip they actively had to choose to be alone sometimes because people wanted to get together in groups or include them in trips, not out of pity but because they were friendly and meeting new people is fun.
The first plus is you are free, really free. One of the best things about travelling solo is that you get to do what you want to do, when you want to do it. Don’t want to join in with the crowd? Find a beautiful spot and get in to that book. No one will tell you what to do. You get to call the shots and spend your time doing what you want to do.
You’ll meet new people, it’s inevitable. Being away from your normal group of friends puts you outside your comfort zone. It pushes you out there, you have to get involved and meet people. Travelling alone puts you in a position that may be unusual at first but you can go over to friendly looking people and chat, they’re travellers too and they want to be social.
All of my friends say the self discovery of lone travel was a huge bonus for them. They discovered strengths they didn’t know they had. For example if you’ve never had to read a map, use the New York subway or catch a train in Milan you will do it because you have to, but you’ll discover that most people are lovely and helpful and you are a pretty sharp cookie.
A couple of my divorced friend said that they used travelling alone to reinvent themselves. They dressed differently and because no one knew them , no one commented. So instead of “dressing like a librarian” as one of my friends put it, she resurrected her “hippy chick” and really enjoyed being a new person.
Safety is another thing lone travellers, particularly women, worry about and whilst it’s always sensible to be aware of your surroundings and alert to dangers, so many women go-it-alone that hotels, airlines and travel companies are all aware of the lone woman traveller’s needs. You learn to read situations and pick up on moods more readily, so you become aware but not paranoid about safety and you flex you street-wise muscle.
All of these are real advantages and they are the free add-ons to any trip, so if you have longed to take a trip but haven’t gone because you have no one to go with, maybe it’s time to take a look at that big wide world out there and discover some new destinations and a new you.
Share your stories with us. Have you travelled alone? Where did you go, and was it a liberating experience? Where would you recommend and where would you avoid?
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