An intro to solo travel
When I tell people about my plans to travel the world, there are usually two questions I get. Depending on how forward the person is, the question is either about money or about solo travel. I will tell you all about how I’m financing this journey later on, so let’s talk about solo travel first.
Besides you strangers on the internet, the other people I tell about my plans know that I am single. The next thing that happens is that they furrow their brows and get a worried look on their face. I know what they are going to ask me even before they open their mouths. I know, because for some reason, the same question posts into everyone’s mind: “Are you doing this all alone?”
Yes, I am. I have been doing this all alone, for years and years now. I don’t think about it, and maybe that’s why I find it so strange that everybody seems to think this is the most important question to ask me. Being alone is like second nature for me by now. An important note to this is that while I do everything on my own, I do know that I can fall back on my friends and family if I truly need to. I have a support system, it’s just that I don’t need it, so I’m fine on my own. So much so that I really value the freedom and independence that comes with it.
I’m always a bit surprised when people talk about how they are anxious or fearful to travel alone or stay at home alone. Solo travel isn’t for everybody, just like group travel isn’t for everybody. But if you are thinking of doing a solo trip, I can definitely recommend it.
Why? Because it will be the best experience of your life. It won’t be easy, it won’t be fun all the time, but you will grow so much as a person. You will gain confidence, you will develop excellent problem-solving skills (because things will go wrong), you will become more compassionate towards other people and you will get to know yourself better.
That’s me by the way, when I was still blond, at the Horshoe Bend in Arizona.
The biggest advantage of solo travel is without a doubt the freedom. When traveling alone, you don’t have to consider other people’s plans or feelings. You can do whatever, whenever you want to do it. Want to sleep in until noon? No problem. Feeling a bit tired and not up to that hike you planned later today? Just go to the beach instead. This kind of self-indulgence is rare in our modern-day society and now you get the chance to take full advantage of it. Get out of your comfort zone and enjoy your freedom.
With solo travel, everything you do is you. All the mistakes you make are your own. There is no one else to blame. This sounds bad, but those mistakes are actually really good learning experiences. On the other side of your mistakes are your triumphs. Everything you do is you, so all your triumphs are solely on you. This makes every success so much more exciting. Every challenge you overcome is so much more rewarding. Be proud. Enjoy it.
The financial aspect of solo travel is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Life is disproportionately more expensive for single people. There’s no splitting the hotel bill or sharing a ride. You have to carry the financial loan on your own. The advantage is that you also have complete control over how expensive you want your trip to be. If you are okay with not-so-luxury accommodations or skipping a meal every once in a while, you totally can. On the other hand, if you want to go all out and splurge yourself, you don’t have to take other people’s limited budget into consideration.
The biggest disadvantage of solo travel is that you have to take care of everything on your own. You are responsible for everything. You have to make sure all the paperwork is in order, you need to plan all your activities, and you need to carry all the baggage on your own (literary and figuratively). You make all the decisions, and yes, decision fatigue is a thing. It can be nice to have someone else to lean on, for someone else to take care of you every once in a while. Being the responsible one all the time can be exhausting. Hyper-independent people are very good at doing everything alone, but that doesn’t mean it becomes easy. Be mindful of this and take a “day-off” every once in a while to just relax at the pool or the beach and don’t do or decide anything that day.
“There is safety in numbers.” According to my mom, traveling the world alone is the most dangerous thing a person can do. I disagree. There are just as many bad people in my home country as in any other country, give or take a few. I’m just as likely to get into a traffic accident down the road then I am on the other side of the world. It all depends on how you act. We all know those wide-eyed, scared tourists. We’re all thinking it; they’re basically asking for it. Do the opposite of those tourists. Be confident. Walk with direction and meaning. Be conscious of your surroundings without being overly cautious. It’s a balancing act, but practice makes perfect.
Tips and tricks
Do your homework. Prepare everything beforehand, but realize plans can (and will) go wrong. The more situations you are prepared for, the more comfortable the journey will feel. When you know what to expect, you will be less likely to feel overwhelmed by the whole thing. When things do go wrong, take a minute to breathe and get your bearings before taking action and solving the problem.
Carry good identification. Good identification is crucial. Have paper copies and digital copies, both online and offline. Trust me, you don’t want to lose all your important documents in a strange place where you don’t speak the language.
Have your emergency contacts set up. I’m a positive person. I don’t like to think about the worst thing that can happen, but I am also realistic. Bad things do happen, and when you are all alone on the other side of the world, people need to know who they can contact to get help for you. Put emergency contacts in your phone. When you’re staying somewhere long-time, give your host your emergency contacts. Make sure the people back home know where you are and when they should or shouldn’t start to panic. Let them know when you will be unreachable for a few days so they don’t call the national guard on you.
Trust yourself. This is the most important tip I can give you. You will feel overwhelmed. You will doubt yourself from time to time. Other people will doubt you a lot of the time. But trust your gut. You are in the best position to judge if you are doing the right thing. When something doesn’t feel good, don’t do it. Take a step back and re-evaluate. Trust yourself.