Lack of money and work commitments are just some of the excuses your friends could come up with when trying to find someone to travel with. Instead of being put off by this, think of the lack of companions as a blessing in disguise.
Travelling alone is an often a more life-changing and affirming experience than travelling with friends. Here are five reasons why everybody should attempt solo travelling at some point in their lives.
Make new friends
When you travel with your pals you are much less likely to make the effort to meet new people. Why would you when you already have friends with you? If you are on your own you are forced into doing this, which is great as you can meet locals and other travellers from all over the world, as opposed to just chatting to friends from back home.
As well as pushing yourself more, if you are on your own the locals are much more likely talk to you. You’re much more approachable than you would be with a group of mates.
Find yourself
It is a bit of a traveller’s cliché but ‘finding yourself’ is often one of the main reasons to go travelling.
You’re likely to have recently quit your job, finished your studies or had a big life change, so thinking about yourself and your future while out of your comfort zone is a top priority. If you are travelling solo then you have more time to think and re-evaluate things without your friends cracking jokes or chatting all the time.
You’re the boss
Forget about visiting that museum that sounds boring or going out to a seedy nightclub when you would rather stay at the hostel and read your book; when you are travelling solo, you don’t have to conform to the wants and whims of another person.
Even little things like booking your travel insurance for your trip is all left to you. This trip is all about doing what you want, when you want, and what could be better than that?
Character building
If you travel with a group of friends then they can almost act as your comfort blanket. It’s a lot like being at home – you’re with your friends, having the same old conversation, only in different surroundings. When going solo, you must make the effort to do things all on your own.
You have to open up and make friends, you have to navigate your way around foreign lands, and you have to make the right options in difficult and unfamiliar situations. You’ll mature and grow up more than you ever would with your pals.
Not only will you be much better at dealing with time alone, after pushing yourself to make friends you will find you are much more confident once home from your travels. You will probably now think of yourself as a ‘people person’.
Consider what you can achieve with these new social skills – teaching, presentations and interviews will all seem like a walk in the park.
So decide where you want to go, make the necessary preparations, travel light and travel solo!
