SOCIAL MEDIA

Wednesday 8 May 2019

Why You Should Travel Solo At Least Once In Your Life

Why You Should Travel Solo At Least Once In Your Life


In 2017, I found myself alone in two different countries (Japan and Korea) for 17 days. That was not what I had planned, but it paved the way for my love for solo travel. So much that I booked a 5 week trip to Europe last year, travelling through 9 different countries, and loving every incredible moment of it. 

When people say you should travel alone once in your life, they’re not wrong. It’s a cliche, (at least I think it’s a cliche expression right?), but it’s so true. It’s absolutely daunting and no one ever chooses to really be alone when they have the option of experiencing different cultures with others, but what you gain from travelling solo makes everything worthwhile. Here are the reasons why I love solo travel and why you should embark on a journey alone once in your life:

Meeting New People 


I’m fairly sure this would make the top of the list for a lot of people who have travelled alone. You are guaranteed to meet some exciting people who are either travelling alone or with some friends, or locals in the area. The friends I’ve gained from both trips and my travel abroad semester has brought me so many memories and utter joy. In fact, I can safely say some of the people I met will surely be life long friends, friends I can catch up with on the other side of the world and still have a laugh and reminisce on our old times whilst creating new memories. One of my favourite people I met in Europe last year and he holds a special place in my heart. It’s also a great excuse to jet off on a holiday once in a while and I love that I get to experience the different countries through a local’s perspective - Berlin was a great example with my friend Lan who hosted me and took me around the city!


Being Alone


This is kind of a weird point, but for me, travelling alone is great because I’m alone. I get to do things at my own pace, decide where I want to go, what I want to eat and when it’ll all happen. Planning a trip for yourself means you know you will make decisions that will make you happy and excited because it’s what YOU want to do. Seriously, experience it once in your life. It may sound selfish but you also need to put yourself first. Sometimes it is hard to say no to a friend or to prioritise someone else’s needs before yours, so let yourself enjoy a trip that you perfectly catered for yourself.


Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone


Travelling alone isn’t easy. Meeting new people and enjoying your company requires you to really step out of your comfort zone and it’s this challenge that makes me fully appreciate being alone in a different country. You’re forced to make conversation first, extend an invite to join you for a night our or lunch during the day. I find that my confidence has greatly increased since finding that I enjoy travelling alone. So often we’re use to someone approaching us or walking straight past someone, even if they could potentially be a great friend in the future. Moreover, the activities you get up to could well be things you never thought you could accomplish or even enjoy alone. I loved that I was able to hike the tallest mountain in Seoul, go on a pub crawl through Paris and attend a 4 day, 12 hour night festival in Barcelona. It also forces you to be okay with being alone. You’re not always going to be surrounded by people, I found that there were days where I would just be by myself and my thoughts. Honestly, it made me appreciate my “me” time whilst also being able to reflect on my surroundings and myself. I did learn a lot about myself, as cliche as that sounds.


Have You Ever Travelled Alone Before? Do You Plan On Travelling Alone?


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