Have you been seeing a lot of solo travel posts lately? Maybe it’s sparked your curiosity about what makes it so special. As an experienced solo traveller, I’m here to break down what all the excitement is about—and why it might just be the adventure you didn’t know you needed.
I used to genuinely think about this with an air of curiosity when I was in my late teens and early 20s. I always loved the idea of travelling when I was younger. As I got older, I started to travel with friends, family, and romantic partners – and absolutely fell in love with it.
However, solo travel was a daunting concept. I used to ask myself, why be uncomfortable and feel awkward, surrounded by strangers? Well, turns out there is a way more uncomfortable scenario to look out for.
Independent Travel
Looking back on my early travel experiences, it was rare to go on family vacations while I was growing up. I’ve come to understand that my love for, let’s call it independent travel initially, started way earlier than I realised.
I say independent travel because, as a teen, although I wasn’t travelling fully solo (I mean, I was a teenager after all!), I had a few occasions of what I call independent travel: travelling with friends and their parents or older siblings, without my mom or older brother present.
Even then, most kids may have felt a bit homesick or uncomfortable being away from their homes and comfort zones. As for me? I can’t recall a time I felt that way. For me, going away on one of these independent friend travels was always exciting as a teenager. I felt a sense of independence, yet I still felt safe since I was, after all, not alone.
Moving Abroad
Then came the big independent travel – the trip that changed my life. At 18 years old, immediately after graduating high school, I booked a one-way flight and moved abroad to the UK. Although I didn’t travel alone – I moved across with a friend whose family was already living over in the UK – it was still a pretty big step to take at 18, being away from family, in a new country with limited savings and without a plan apart from making it work. Was it easy? Nope. Did I make it work? Absolutely.
Reflecting on these moments of independent travel, I now see that they were the stepping stones on a much greater path leading to solo travel.
The Itch to Travel Solo
In my early 20s, I did what most of my peers did. I went on one or two-week holidays with either family, partners, or friends – on the rare occasion when schedules lined up. Sounds familiar, right?
Back then, it was enough for me, and it was very much keeping within my comfort zone, which I was so terrified to leave. I was quite timid and risk-averse.
However, something began to change. In my mid-twenties, I was properly single for probably the first time in my adulthood, and I had this fire spark within, becoming increasingly curious about venturing out on my own.
The major factors that sparked my interest:
1) I really wanted to travel, but couldn’t rely on family being available, so I wouldn’t have to go alone.
2) I became increasingly impatient with waiting for friends to plan and execute trips that would make it past the stage of the group chat (spoiler alert, they didn’t).
3) I was single, so I didn’t have a partner to go with me on trips.
Turning Point
There comes a point in life, as you get older, when you look around and realise that the people around you are all moving at different speeds in life.
In my mid-twenties, I had friends who were already married, either with kids or wanting to start a family. Some had serious or long-term partners, while others were still out partying every weekend (and weekdays) like they were still 18.
Then there was me. Did I feel a bit ‘behind’ in life? Yeah, admittedly, I did. However, having this awareness of what was happening around me and where I fit in led me to leap into solo travel.
I was so afraid to leave this comfort zone I’d built, while others were out there living life, that I was missing out on actually enjoying my twenties!
So I decided to wait no more and try out this solo travel thing. I didn’t know many people in my life who were solo travellers, so it was pretty much up to me to figure it out.
But once I was off, I was hooked. I think that it really is one of those things that you either like, or you don’t – it’s not for everyone, and that’s okay.
What Solo Travel Means to Me
I cannot speak for everyone, but I am happy to share how solo travel improved my life. Firstly, there’s the excitement of being in a new place to explore. For me, it’s one of the best feelings in the world. It’s like opening the fridge to see it’s fully stocked with all of your favourite things. Your eyes widen with happiness, and your mouth drools just a little bit. No, just me? Alrighty then, moving swiftly along.
Secondly, there’s the flexibility of being in charge of your schedule. There is nothing worse than going on a trip with others, where you end up waiting ages for them to be ready, or not agreeing on where to go next, and at what time, etc.
I love the flexibility that solo travel brings. Want to wake up super early one morning to see the sunrise? Go for it! Want to jam-pack a day full of activities, and then laze around in the sun the next day? Why not! Made new friends? You can scrap your initial plans to spend the day with your new friends! I am the master of my schedule.
Finally, and most importantly in my opinion, you go on a personal growth journey when travelling solo. You don’t even know it at the time because you’re just having fun.
Still, with each decision you make on your own in an unfamiliar place, each new friend that you make, every persistent street vendor you decline, a restaurant that you go to alone – the list can honestly go on and on. All of these moments lead to immense personal growth.
You end up learning so much about yourself because the environment into which you have chosen to put yourself demands it. It may sound scary to some, but as it’s happening, you don’t even realise it because you’re simply living in the moment.
It’s only when you either reflect on it, or when you’re mid-way telling someone about the adventure you just had, that you have these “a-ha” moments of “yeah – I did that”.
Conclusion
I could honestly go on and on about how solo travel has shaped me and changed my life, especially now as I’ve entered my thirties. I’ve not only experienced some amazing moments in my life through solo travel, but I’ve also learned so many things about myself that I don’t believe I would have otherwise discovered.
If you’re a passionate solo traveller like me, please reach out and share your thoughts on solo travel. If you’re new to solo travel, or simply considering it, let me know if there’s anything you would like to know.
Keep an eye out, as I will be writing a separate blog about female solo travelling, particularly for the ladies who are new to solo travelling, or who are perhaps a bit anxious about starting.