Leaving home, on your own, on a plane, to a foreign country – travelling solo makes for a pretty daunting prospect when deconstructed. However, it’s not without its benefits and there are a number of reasons why so many people prefer to go their own way when it comes to travelling.
If you’re thinking of travelling by yourself, you’ll be aware of what comes with the package. Sure, you’ll have to book your own room rather than cutting costs by sharing. Not only this, it’s all on you to find somewhere to eat, sleep and drink on every occasion. It can be hard work at times, but it’s through these exact experiences that you learn more about yourself and become more independent as a result.
Doesn’t everyone aspire to be like this? Decisive and self-dependent, should the time arise? Exactly, and that’s one of the many reasons why people travel alone. If you wouldn’t mind knowing what else might be in it for you, read on..
You see what you want, when you want
No compromises here – it’s all tailor-made – this can be from the boring decisions like choosing the right single trip travel insurance, to what to pack and take with you. Travelling alone allows you to call all the shots. You can spend the day in a café or see everything the city has to offer in the space of 12 hours. Everything you visit can be specific to your taste and you don’t end up getting dragging along to the string museum or world’s biggest flower bed (that’s unless you want to see the world’s biggest flower bed).
It’s not all about taste though, travelling alone has its benefits when you’re a little under the weather. There’s nothing worse than rooming with someone who’s on top of the world when you’re exhausted beyond belief. If you want to stay in, feel free to do so.
Increased chances of meeting new friends
When you’re in a group of three to five people, you’re less inclined to really put yourself out there and attempt to meet new people. There’s no point; you’ve got all the companions you want right there. When you’re on your own it’s a completely different matter. You’ll want to get talking to fellow travellers so you’ll head for the places they congregate. From there you can get chatting and get planning for activities and evenings out.
A genuine sense of accomplishment
The day you realise, ‘Hey, I’m in India all by myself and having the time of my life’ is a day you’ll never forget. It’s near on impossible to achieve such a sense of accomplishment. Whether you’ve haggled over the price of a handmade purse or used public transport to get from one side of a city to the other, you’ll be hit with the most amazing feeling. This one’s got shelf life, too. Whenever you’re struggling with work or something in your personal life, you’ll think back to your travels and think of how you conquered a barrier back then.
A chance to meet the real you
Travelling alone allows you to understand yourself on a level you may not have thought existed. There’s little room for you to discover new tastes and interests if you’re stuck at home with your daily routine. Travelling gives you the chance to sample an entirely different culture and learn more about yourself along the way. You might like visiting museums and learning about local history more than you thought; something which could inspire you to learn more about your area back home. The only way to truly embrace a new activity is to go it alone, with no friends warping your perception. Just you and the subject in question – how do you find it now?
New life stories
Group or solo, travelling is generally good for the odd story. However, is it not better to tell someone about a particular experience by saying ‘There was this time when I’ rather than ‘There was this time when me and my friends’? The former sounds a lot more personal and significant, don’t you think? Not only this, employers may be interested to hear of what you’ve done alone. Again, travelling solo says independence, strength and confidence. More often than not, these are the exact skills companies want to see.
I have traveled in many countries both solo and in groups, but believes that the best kinds of trips are always made with a companion. I have written on behalf of travel insurance supplier 24/7 Travel Insurance.
