I’ve travelled with groups, family, a single friend, and solo, and I have to say, some of my greatest memories are from the times I was travelling alone. These are the times that I really grew as a person. I was in charge of every decision, and whether these choices worked out well or not was in my hands.
Leaving your comfort zone is scary. You get used to being surrounded by friends and family and always having someone to do things with. When you’re travelling solo, you realise that it’s a lot harder to make friends as an adult, you need to go out of your way to be your best and most charming self.
But leaving your comfort zone also helps you grow. You get used to being uncomfortable, and quickly embrace being in unfamiliar places with new people and different challenges.
And let’s face it, waiting for your friends to travel never really works out well. If I had waited for my friends to be ready to go overseas, I never would have left. Coordinating time away from work and trying to find a friend who can go travelling at the same time can be difficult. It makes more sense to make your plans in advance, let people know about them, and if they want to come along they can- otherwise you’re just find travelling by yourself.
Another reason I like travelling alone? I’m great company. When you have to spend a lot of time by yourself, you begin to like it. You learn about what you really think about the world, and you have a chance to work on yourself. Are you the type who is always complaining? You can nip that in the bud by going travelling solo. When there’s no one but yourself to complain to, you quickly get bored of always being a pessimist and you learn to be more positive.
I’m someone who is used to having a big group of friends. I thought this would be a problem when I went travelling- after all, I was going to be all by myself, but I quickly learned that the more effort you make, the more friends you have. I go out of my way to make people like me, and even if they don’t like me at first, I simply chip away at their defences and annoy them until we’re friends. I now have friends all over the world.
If you’re not sure if you can travel long-term by yourself, go abroad on a solo holiday and see how you go. A short holiday is a great way to dip your toe into the water, and you’ll quickly discover whether you enjoy travelling solo.
Have you travelled by yourself before? Is it something you’re thinking about doing soon? Leave a comment below!
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