Travelling solo
The only real way to see the world?
A friend once told me, “if it scares and excites you at the same time it’s probably a good idea”. It’s a feeling I’ve had regularly over the last 3 years of solo travel, but perhaps never as prominent as my first solo trip to South East Asia in the summer of 2015. A recent break up and a sense of unfulfillment in my professional working life left me with the feeling of, surely there’s more to it than this?
I was ready to get out and start doing. Jumping in feet first, I impulsively booked a cheap flight I saw online, a one-way ticket to Bangkok that left me with that “scared and excited” feeling, whilst my poor mum was left only with the scared.
In the weeks that followed, the excitement in public was prominent, but I’d be lying if I said the fear didn’t keep me up a few nights in the days leading to the flight
Upon landing, the sensation of seeing Thai writing for the first time led me to a culture shock I haven’t been able to replicate to this day. Searching unsuccessfully for a taxi led me to a feeling I look back on and laugh today “what the hell have I done”.
Fast forward three years and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From Everest base camp to river safaris through the Borneo jungle, everything I’ve accomplished, all the things I’ve seen have been solo or with people met along the way. I’ll tell you why; it’s incredibly liberating to wake up in a foreign place with your only goal for the day to satisfy yourself. Be that with exploring a new town, eating where you want to, or simply soaking up the sun and atmosphere. No work, no responsibility, and while this can sound selfish, how many times do you really get to opt out of work for months at a time, broadening your horizons and gaining invaluable life experience in the process.
I’m not saying you will never run into adversity on your own, this is unavoidable. How you deal with it is the important bit. Being self sufficient gives you the perfect opportunity to learn how you cope in certain situations, and give you a confidence you never thought you had. My recommendation would be to go into every situation with a smile on your face and a skip in your step. Almost everything can be sorted quickly; even dealing with banks, hospitals and police will go smoother if you can keep calm and your smile. It is in these situations you truly find you are far more capable than you ever imagined.
A huge myth to solo travel is that you will actually be alone, but in fact you’re much more likely to run into like minded individuals who are usually a lot more open to sharing a trip, ride, beer, dinner etc. I have met some of the best friends I have to this day whilst travelling who I have carried on travelling with for months at a time, several friends met their partners the same way and continue to be happy.
So I’ll give you the same advice that my friend gave to me three years ago, if it excites and scares you, it’s probably a good idea.
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