Solo Travel

Solo Travel

Solo travel can be one of the most daunting experiences to embark on in your life. You are going somewhere foreign that contains an abundance of unknowns. However, the opposite is true too. It can be one of the most enlightening experiences as well because of all those same unknowns. This is definitely a glass half full situation. You feel a rush of confidence after overcoming each obstacle. Catching trains, planes and automobiles doesn’t sound too hard, but these simple tasks can become difficult. This is especially true when they involve a different language. Now imagine all of your other everyday tasks with the same problem. Don’t get me wrong though. Traveling alone is something I recommend everyone to do. Truth be told, I think solo travel is easier than in a group. Below are the positives and negatives along with some helpful tips to get you on your way.

The Pluses and Minuses

The best thing about solo travel is that you are on your own time. That means not having to wait 25 minutes for your mother to take a photo of a bug on a flower. Sorry Mom, but it’s true. You eat, sleep, drink and be merry whenever you choose to. It really is amazing! The next best thing is having time to reflect. You are alone with your thoughts for most of the trip. Being surrounded by a different culture actually helps this process out. It can force you to be grateful for what you have and/or strive for something better. These two reasons stem from the most important reason for traveling alone, meeting new people. The people are the culture, and culture is why you travel. Hopefully, you can make a friend, form a bond and make the world a little more connected.

Discussing the negatives of solo travel makes me want to weep a little. Don’t let these detour you though. I have faith in you to look past it! First off, traveling by yourself can be a bit a lonely. You don’t have anyone to talk to as you go from place to place. You will start to crave conversation in the same way a stay-at-home parent craves adult conversation. Next, you won’t have anyone to share your memories with. Visiting a castle is not as fun when you can’t pretend you are ordering around a peasant from your iron throne. Also, you are finally in a scenario where you can call a friend or loved one a peasant. Dilly, dilly. And lastly, no one is there to help you out. Try doing an escape room by yourself. You will see what I am talking about.

Tips and Tricks

There are a few trips and tricks for solo travel I have picked up over the years. They have served me well. After I unpack at my hotel, I put a piece of the hotel stationary in my wallet. The stationary includes the hotel name, address and phone number. If you ever get lost, you are always one cab ride away from safety. It helps a lot too when you are completely wasted at 2 AM. Don’t worry Mom, I’m not speaking from experience…. Next, search Google for a few friendly words and phrases for each country you go to. The people will appreciate the friendly sentiment and it helps with communication. Lastly, talk to the locals. Servers and taxi drivers have worked best for me. Taxi drivers can drop you off at a hidden gem and servers can mark that same spot on a map. There’s nothing to it!

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