Solo travel definitely has its advantages and
disadvantages. However, all the solo
trips I have been on have been fantastic, empowering experiences from which I
have met lots of amazing people and made precious memories. This
post aims to inspire people who are thinking about solo travel to
take the plunge. I have put together my
top 5 reasons why I think solo travel is an experience most people can benefit
from, followed by some drawbacks you may be faced with.
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| The world is waiting for you! |
You’ll meet new
people
When I tell people I’m travelling solo, this can be
misleading as I don’t actually spend much time on my own! When staying in hostel accommodation, it is
very easy to meet lots of like-minded people.
It’s a real cliché that ‘you’ll meet so many people when you’re away’,
but it’s true! Travelling solo forces
you to socialize outside your comfort zone.
Often, a simple ‘hi’ can lead to whole new friendships. You always have something in common to talk
about – travel! Travelling allows you to
meet diverse groups of people from all different parts of the world from all
different backgrounds. I spent my
birthday this year clubbing in Copenhagen with people I’d known for a matter of
hours – we had a great time! It is the
people I have met who have made my trips away such fantastic experiences – I am
always sad to wave goodbye.
It allows time for
self-reflection
I tend to have a very active mind. Whenever I have even five minutes to myself,
I think about everything. This
reflection time can be relaxing and therapeutic. I hate to use another cliché, but solo travel
really does allow yourself the opportunity to discover yourself as a person,
and reflect upon what it is you want to get from life. Okay, this is getting a bit deep, I’ll move
onto something a bit lighter next!
Freedom and
flexibility
Solo travel offers a real sense of freedom, allowing you to
really explore the places you want to see at your own pace. You can go where you like, when you like!
It pushes you out of
your comfort zone!
When travelling to new places, you are bound to be met with
some challenges. However, I like to view
these challenges as adventures, rather than bad situations. For example, you may need to book a train in
Vladivostok, but not speak any Russian, or you may be lost in the middle of
Mumbai without a map. Travelling solo
forces you to tackle these challenges by yourself. This is really good life experience, and I
strongly believe it has helped me to develop as an individual. The more you are faced with difficult
situations, the easier it becomes to deal with them. I
really like the saying ‘Life starts at
the edge of your comfort zone’ – this holds a lot of truth!
You get a real sense
of achievement
This point follows on nicely from the last point. Conquering fears by yourself can make you
feel great. It gives you confidence in
your own ability and can be really empowering!
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| 'Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone' |
It is worth pointing out, however, that solo travel may not
appeal to everyone. And it certainly has
its drawbacks. There may be issues around
personal safety, which are very important to consider when making the decision
to go travelling solo. Safety concerns
vary depending on your destination, but wherever you visit will have an element
of risk. However, the most common problems
people have is boredom. Although solo
travel certainly helps you to appreciate your own company, it probably will not
be an enjoyable trip if you hate being alone!
Also, when you are travelling on your own, there’s no-one to
watch your luggage whilst you go to the loo!
So security can be more compromised.
This probably sounds quite a trivial point, but it can be a pain to deal
with!
I sometimes travel solo and sometimes travel with a group –
both certainly have their advantages. To
anyone considering taking the plunge, I would say go on and do it – go see the
world.
Thanks for reading, happy travels! And stay safe!
Elis Griffiths. x
