Why You Should Travel Alone At Least Once In Your Life (If You Haven't Yet!)
/I guess even the title is scary, rather than the experience itself. I would like to show you why you should travel independently once in your life. I can understand this is not for everyone and might be a massive step outside of your comfort zone, which is totally normal and understandable!
Mindset change
Try to write down the positive things you could get out of here. A solo trip does not necessarily mean that you will be backpacking in Asia for 2 months or that you will be doing an internship or studying abroad for 6 months. A solo trip is also solo if you go to Italy, Spain, or Morocco for 2 to 3 weeks.
Be independent, meet locals, make friends
My first trip outside Romania by plane was to Miami. I never flew before, and I never travel outside of the country on my own. My dad used to tell me I won't last a week, rather than a month a lot. In the end, I spent almost a year being solo. I made a lot of friends. People I can still call and talk to even today. People from countries far away that I didn't even visit yet - Peru, Chile, Thailand...isn't that very cool and an enrichment of your life?
I grew up during that year, and I became the truly independent woman I am today. Life is not only about partying; it's also about making sure you set your alarm on time to go to work because your mom won't come to tell you to get dressed. Life is also about working 16 hours a day and being exhausted but enjoying a full week off in Key West after that.
Once I came back .....
I had a hard time settling down in Romania again. Because even though I had learned a lot, I had lost my freedom (in my opinion). I was back at home, and even though I wasn't living with my parents anymore, I was still under absolute control - to tell them where I go, with whom I go out, and what time I am back.
Therefore, when the opportunity to leave the country again came up, I didn't even think for a second. I just invested a lot of money in my apartment, but who cared about that - London, here I am! Obviously, for those who know me well enough, you know I wasn't alone anymore, though my life in London, Paris, and even Amsterdam.
But when I started this blog, I also began to work with many international tourism boards, which again meant I had to travel alone. This, too, helped me out to develop my solo travel experience.
I learned how to take photos alone and how to explore cities without a chaperon. I also started to do my own research about each destination, where not to go, dangerous places, and neighborhoods I should walk alone at night.
Would I go on a solo trip again?
If you ask me this question today, my answer will be NO. I have such a great partner, and I want to share all my experiences with him. But then again, I know this is not going to be something easy for him to do, so I decided I will always have someone by my side to share all my happy moments. Doesn't matter if it's my mom or a great friend. I want to be able to share all those beautiful moments with someone.
The main reasons at a glance
Probably, I can write up to 30 posts on this topic… but in the end, I can't tell people what to do, but I can make some suggestions to at least consider a solo trip:
You get to know a lot of new people. These people will really enrich your life, and you will meet later in life or even consciously meet up. Who hates going to Spain, Italy or France for a weekend to see friends?
You get to know yourself. I would say this is the most positive experience of my life. You will know how to react and act in many situations, and you learn to really stand for yourself in any situation.
It's an experience that no one can ever take away from you, and it's one you can be damn proud of! Because if you are back at home after a period of traveling alone, then you are really proud of yourself that you have boarded that plane on your own. Taking that shady taxi, getting to that crowded metro or bus with your large suitcase, and that you have also ended up in the right place.
You do what YOU feel like —no one to tell you where to go, what to see that day. No ... if you want to fly from one place to another for a day, you will! Do you want to be lazy on the beach or reading a book in a park from early morning until late at night? Fine!
I understand that just booking a trip on your own is a huge step, and it is not all roses and moonshine. On the contrary, sometimes it might be challenging, and you would question your sanity for leaving your own comfort zone. But that doesn't alter the fact that it could be the most incredible adventure of your life and an experience that will enrich you personally for the rest of your life.
Have you ever taken a solo trip? What were your findings? And for those of you who have never done it, would you like to?
