The Perks of Solo Travelling

If there is no one to come with you to whatever place you want to go to, just GO BY YOURSELF – there is a big chance that you will meet people with the same interests and passions and there are so many upsides and things you will learn. Yet, there are so many people scared of traveling alone. If you’re one of them, those 5 perks of Solo Traveling might possibly change your mind.

Independence

When you’re alone out there in the world, you’re forced to solve every possible problem or unforeseen situation by yourself. There is no one who would help you decide about where to go, how to get there, what to do when your flight is cancelled etc. You also have no one to complain to about all these little troubles along the way which means that in the end you actually spend less time worrying about this kind of stuff - you just laugh it off and go on. and what more, you can set your own pace of the journey and don’t have to adjust your needs to someone else’s. That’s where you truly become independent and learn to solve problems on your own.

 

Self-awareness and confidence boost

Most people associate Solo Travelling with the words ‘alone or loneliness’. Be aware of the difference between loneliness and solitude. Loneliness means feeling alone, sometimes even when we’re surrounded by people. Solitude, on the other hand, is more of a choice not to surround yourself by people at a certain moment. Being alone with your own thoughts works kind of like a mental hygiene and it will help you to feel good in your own skin.

When you’re by yourself, you need to be alert at all times. Meaning that you start paying attention to the smallest things around you which makes you fully present and aware of yourself. You will also become a lot more confident after travelling alone. Coming back home from a solo trip feels like if you have changed for the better, you’ll feel like a whole new person. Yet, most people avoid being by themselves instead of embracing it.

 

Getting lost becomes fun

If you’re anything like me and have a terrible sense of direction, you’ll get lost a lot while travelling alone. Even though it can be frustrating at first, you’ll realise that thanks to getting lost you stumble upon the most amazing places you would have missed otherwise. Getting lost may lead you on an unexpected adventure and you will definitely get a better taste of local culture when getting lost in less ‘touristy’ neighbourhoods – like when I joined the ANTITrump protest in New Orleans. You’ll learn to see getting lost not as a failure but as an opportunity to explore.

 

Unexpected and strong friendships

Travelling alone to places where no one knows anything about you is a truly liberating feeling and it’s like starting over with a clean slate. That’s the reason why we tend to be more open to new experiences, ideas and friendships when we travel alone. You need to put yourself out there and you’ll see that the world isn’t as scary as the media is presenting it. There are many amazing places to see and great people to meet. You’ll get the chance to build friendships with people you would otherwise maybe never even talk to.

Solo travelling helps you learn more about your own personality, you’ll learn who you really are. Thanks to this, friendships made while travelling tend to be a lot stronger cause you’re being the true self and the experience you share is intense. There’s also a  big unspoken connection already – the passion for travelling.

In fact you’re never alone

As students, most of us are trying to safe as much money as we can while travelling. That’s where hostels come into the picture. Most hostels will feel like home away from home and that’s again thanks to the different types of people staying there. You’re almost pressured to socialise with people you normally wouldn’t and you’ll meet some really interesting people while travelling. Authentic spontaneous conversations with people from different cultures and backgrounds will definitely turn you into a compassionate and open-minded person.