There are two types of people in this world; those who have solo travelled and those who have not.
I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing both sides of this. I’ve travelled to destinations with people I knew; three weeks travelling through Thailand and three weeks travelling down the east coast of the USA. I’ve also travelled solo a fair bit; I went around Europe for a month, spent 5 weeks in SE Asia wandering around Thailand, Vietnam and Laos and recently returned from a weekend in Vienna where I was on my Larry.
I had a bad ass time on all these trips. However, I feel my solo travel experiences have been invaluable in many different ways compared to my experiences traveling with friends.
Allow me to explain….
You’re MORE Sociable.
I’ve found the solo travellers I’ve met can easily spend a day walking round a city with their own company and absolutely love it. However, solo travellers are extremely sociable and by no means introverts. On the contrary, being a lone traveller you have to be quite extroverted if you want to make new friends. As you are on your own you have to go out of your way in order to meet people and make new friends. You actually become a bit crazy – you throw caution to the wind and trust people straight away only knowing their name and what country they’re from.
You become a decision maker.
When you’re on your own there is no one else to make the decisions for you, and when you’re traveling there are a lot of decisions to make! Where to go next? How to get there? Where to stay? How much can I spend? You quickly learn the reasons a decision was a bad one and that delaying a decision can be costly! As a result you tend to make quick decisions that are based on (usually) sound judgement.
Responsibility & Problem Solving.
Travelling alone forces you to take responsibility – if something goes wrong you have no one else to blame but yourself. This can be little things like losing your hostel key, choosing the wrong hostel or missing a bus. However, it can also be the big things that really test you such as missing your flight. Once somethings gone south you then have to sort it out – meaning you become a problem solver. At the time you’re going to hate these situations but they’re going to help you so much in the future and teach you some important life lessons.
You don’t judge a soul.
While travelling alone you talk to all types of people you wouldn’t necessarily talk to if you were travelling with friends. You learn that everyone has a story to tell and the people you might not usually hang around with at home can be your best friends whilst travelling. Some of the least unlikely people can blow your mind.
You learn to like being out of your comfort zone.
I’m a strong believer that you grow as a person the most when you’re out of your comfort zone. Being comfortable is a sure way to stagnate. Solo travel puts you out of your comfort zone in so many ways; you have to introduce yourself to people and instigate social situations, you wander through cities where the signs are in another language, there’s different money, different customs. Throwing yourself headfirst into this is going to teach you so many lessons and help you in your future life when you’re thrown into unfamiliar territory.
You become a story teller.
The shit you get up to when travelling always makes a good story that people want to listen to. You become a source of interest and intrigue. Trust me, talking about the time you trekked through dense jungle for two days to get to the 3rd largest cave in the world trumps a story of getting chlamydia in Zante every time.
Mad life skills.
To top this all off I’ve found that solo travellers are independent, driven, determined and like to do things their own way even if it’s completely different from the norm. I feel this is so important in today’s world where there is the same standardised life plan for everyone set out by society. The solo travellers I’ve met and stayed in contact with are extremely driven and successful in their lives. Many are perusing their personal goals which include personal fitness, career development or personal development with such grit and determination. All this while still keeping up the wanderlust.
I honestly think travelling alone shapes the type of person you are for the better and prepares you well for what life will throw at you in the future. You encounter so many different situations that will both challenge and thrill you. Don’t listen to the people who say you’ll get bored, won’t meet anyone or get robbed. It’s most likely they haven’t been solo travelling before. If you haven’t solo travelled before I highly encourage you to, you never know what you will get up to and you might be surprised by what you find out about yourself.
I love this article – it’s so true that your comfort zone can cause you to be “stagnate,” it’s so nice to feel that solo traveller’s “push” to try something new and different and stop overthinking things. Great thoughts!
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Thanks for the kind words! You constantly have to be pushing yourself and believe in what you truly feel is right 😊
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Like you, I have travelled alone and with another person. I far prefer the alone version. I am an introvert by nature, but travelling alone forces me out of myself, and that is no bad thing. I end up talking to loads of interesting people and this makes the travelling experience so rich. Plus, I have discovered I am quite the daredevil when I am on my own – willing to give all sorts of things I go that I wouldn’t if I was with someone else. I don’t know why that is, but I definitely challenge myself far more when I am on my own, and feel all the better for these life enhancing experiences.
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Its like I could have written that comment about myself! Completely agree with what you say about the daredevil part of you coming out and youre open to taking more risks!
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Good to know it isn’t just me 🙂
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Reblogged this on Insight on Kashmir.
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Interesting. I’ve never travelled alone befor but i’m flying out alone in two weeks. I can’t wait! Nice read. What i do hope is to just experience what’s outside my comfort zone. 😊
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You’re going to have an awesome time! Being pushed out of your comfort zone is the best way to grow!
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Loved this post. Going out for my first solo travel this coming week. Hoping for the best!
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You are going to love it! Solo travel is great for the soul 🙂
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Great article. T-minus 40 days till my year of solo traveling…
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Ah man i hope you have a blast, I know you’ll love it!
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I am solo traveling for the first time in less than two weeks now! Nothing major like going to a different country but I am going pretty far in my own. I am so excited and nervous for this new adventure! I hope it is just the beginning of my solo traveling adventures.
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Good luck! i have a sneaking suspicion youre going to love it 😉
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It’s amazing how diffusion of responsibility is so real, even with just two people. Decision making etc, it is true once you are alone, it is all on you and at first however daunting that may seem, once you begin, it is so empowering-it’s addictive. Also, not judging others while you are alone extends to not judging yourself. When you don’t have a companion, you lose the element of being “observed” and can fully exist in the experience. You make truly valid points, although I think being a woman traveling alone there are some different things to take into consideration.
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Nice thoughts! I like the not judging yourself part, I guess you’re free to be who you want to be!
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Loved your post.
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Thanks, happy blogging!
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Thanks for these thoughts – am having a small ‘wobble’ of the ‘what am I doing with my life and why am I doing it variety’, this article has helped me feel bit more stable again!
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I’m glad its helped you out! I feel like everyone goes through phases like you described! I certainly have and its completely normal! Happy blogging!
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Fantastic post and great to read such a resounding endorsement for the wonders of solo travel!
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Thank you, this was my favourite post to write and came from my great experiences of solo travel! I hope you enjoy solo travel as much as I do!
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Reblogged this on DREAM BIG DREAM OFTEN and commented:
Have you ever traveled solo?
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I enjoyed reading your post, I can relate to most parts of it especially on being sociable and at the same time introvert. I also love solo traveling myself and it really changes you. Great post! 🙂
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Thanks! Glad you can relate to it! I agree it changes you for the better!
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Hey! Really liked your post and can definitely relate to parts! Although I haven’t yet travelled myself in a country where English isn’t the first language and the customs are totally different, I am hoping to do so at some point and hoping to develop a lot of the points you covered in your post through doing so! 🙂
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It totally transforms you! I hope you do it soon! happy blogging!
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On point! exactly what it feels like.
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Thankyou for stopping by! Happy Blogging!
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Its interesting that as far as I can see all the comments are from solo travellers, including me, and I have never seen anyone who never travels solo write to proclaim the benefits of travelling with others and decrying solo travel. Do you think we perhaps feel ourselves sightly superior to those who dont face the open road alone?))
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Very good point, I’m sure there’s a bit of that in there if I’m being honest. I don’t think were decrying non solo travel – it’s also great.
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Reblogged this on The Monica Diaries.
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LOVE this post! I’ve done a handful of solo trips and am planning two more in the next few months. There’s no better way to get to know yourself, other people, and remote corners of the world!
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Totally agree! Where are you headed?
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I’m headed to Greece for a couple weeks in November, then a 2-ish week road trip early April for a 50 mile race near Lake Tahoe, then camping at different places on my way back!
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Wow the Greek islands are a must! Lake Tahoe sounds amazing and a great place to camp in the out of doors! Have fun!
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After reading your blog, it inspire me to get out of my confort zone and be not afraid of travelling alone. 😊
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Glad it did that, thanks for reading from the Philipines 🙂
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My first travel was a solo. All I can say is – it was pretty awesome. Nice write-up!
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Solo travel is the best, I’m about to embark on another american solo travel, this time down the west coast. Thanks for the read!
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Can’t wait to read your post. Enjoy your travel.
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are*
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It’s like this post was taken out of my brain. 🙂 I love traveling alone and with others, but solo travelers and definitely some special people!
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Glad you enjoyed it! I agree, solo travelers are a special breed and grow lots from it! Happy travelling!
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Really enjoyed this post! Great piece!
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Thanks Marc, I’m liking the round the world plan!
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Great post! I’ve only done one solo trip (from London to Seattle) and really enjoyed two things about it: deciding what I wanted to do and when I wanted to do it (without taking anyone else into consideration) and not having to share my food. I promise though, I’m not nearly as selfish as I just sounded 🙂
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Nothing selfish about it at all! You have to have a bit of me time! Gad you liked it and thanks!
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Thank you very much for liking my latest post! I have just seen your blog and I love it. I think you are me in male form.
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Thanks Olivia! Ha i’ll take that as a compliment 😉
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I totally agree with all you have shared. I’m as well a solo backpacker and I’m growing, discovering myself deeper while traveling.
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Appreciate it, thanks! Yes I feel like solo travellers are always finding out new things! Keep it up 🙂
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Group Trips are Fun! But, Solo travel is so liberating. Not having to worry about other people’s agenda, schedules, routines, etc., is THE BEST! My female friends take so much time in the bathroom fixing their hair, we could have hit 1 or 2 sites by the time they get done. lol
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Haha that made me laugh! It’s true, I travelled with females before and can definitely relate! Liking your blog so far bro!
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Thanks, Broski! Just getting into it.
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I would agree with most of your points here – in fact all bar 1 – the first one! I’m really not that sociable! I love wandering around and seeing things during the day, but then at night, it’s “shut out the world”! During the day if people speak to me I’m quite happy to engage, but at night, just leave me alone! Love your post though – the other points are spot on.
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Yes totally, travelling with people is great! I just like how solo travel puts you out your comfort zone!
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People say it’s better to travel solo. I’ve met people along my way traveling, and traveled with them for a while, but then we’d eventually go our separate ways. I gotta say it was nice being with someone though.
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Yes totally, travelling with people is great! I just like how solo travel puts you out your comfort zone!
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I completely agree with you!!! 🙂 I have done solo traveling too and wrote a piece on it. Glad to be following you 🙂
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Thanks! I’ll be sure to check it out! solo travel can be so good.
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It’s great to know I’m not the only one who solo travels. lol
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There’s loads of us!
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Together alone!
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I love solo travel for long trips because my life syncs up to wherever I am and I attract different situations in each new place. Each long solo trip I’ve taken was like shedding a layer of skin to self-discovery. I like traveling with friends for weekend trips, because generally that’s more about partying and exploring and mysterious adventures.
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Glad yo see you’re getting a good balance! thanks for the comment 🙂
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Of course ☺️
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