Why You Should Travel Solo At Least Once

“People never learn anything by being told, they have to find out for themselves.” — Paulo Coelho

Many people are hesitant to travel alone for so many reasons like finances, self-limiting fear, a small town mentality and a lot more. I would like to say, it just boils down to interest and priorities.

Traveling may not be for everyone. A lot of people are already happy living in their own bubble, doing the same routine, sleeping on their bed, being cozy at home and there's definitely nothing wrong with it.

But geez! Have you ever imagined yourself going out of your comfort zone and just suddenly felt like "Darn! I'm not getting any younger and I'm booking this solo trip no matter what it takes!" Man, this is a different level of liberation.

My solo traveling journey started way back when I was in the Philippines. I think I'm the kind of person who is so curious about what's out there and what more the world has to offer. My interest towards traveling grew all the more when I read the book "Eat Pray Love". I pictured out how wonderful it may feel like to drink coffee in Italy through the funny experiences of Liz (the main character in the aforementioned book). Funny how dreams come true and how imaginations can really become reality.

Who would have thought that I'd be drinking Affogato and eating Orecchiette in Bari, Italy and eat my comfort food in Milan? It's so crazy whenever I think about it because never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine being able to visit Europe as a striving Asian coming from a 3rd world country. I will forever be grateful for it.

What we ate in Italy lol

My first solo travel outside my home country was wayback in 2016 in Jakarta Indonesia which my mom did not know about (PS: You do not have any idea how strict and overprotective an Asian mother to her female daughter is, lol) and I had a few hours of layover in Malaysia. I spent this opportunity to go out from the airport and discover the city with a fellow Couchsurfer who was kind enough to drive me to see Batu Caves. If you are not familiar with couchsurfing, it is a travel app where travelers get to find a host for their travels basically for companionship or free accommodations. This is an unsponsored blog post but you can check it out through this link: Meet and Stay with Locals All Over the World | Couchsurfing

A small photo of me in Taman Mini Jakarta Indonesia

So let's get to the real point. Here are the reasons why you should also try traveling solo at least once:

1. It allows you enough time to reflect.

   Though traveling solo means you have to mainly rely on yourself with the aid of google maps, gut feeling and mobile apps, it allows you time to have more mental space to be present and reflect at the end of the day or in the morning right before you jump off to your next travel destination. It may be hectic at times to be traveling alone when you need to catch connecting flights or trains but during quiet times, there will still be room for reflection and introspection and through it, you get to find clarity especially if you are dealing with burnout or emotional exhaustion. Always remember, mental health is wealth so allow traveling alone to be an expense paid for your mental health.

   
   

2. Self- growth and resilience

   Need I say more? Traveling alone allows you to rely on your own decision-making skills and makes you think on your feet. I'm pretty indecisive and I always underestimate myself in terms of what I am capable of doing but traveling alone has made me more confident and made me grow so much as a person. Maybe it's just me? But I kinda have the belief that when you survive deciphering an unfamiliar or seemingly unsafe city alone with micro struggles and problems along the way yet be able to go or fly back home without any problem, you get to feel invincible even just for that single moment.

   
   

3. It screams so much freedom.

   Last minute schedule changes? Wanna enjoy the comfort of sleeping for 8-10 hours? Not jibing with the hostel's or cafe's vibe and wanna try other options? Wanna explore offbeat and underrated places instead of those touristy places suggested by social media? No problem. You do what you want and you own your time, plans and pace. I am a bad planner to be honest, also unorganized and I want to always incorporate a day of chilling and relaxing in my travel plans so traveling alone makes me feel lighter since I just consider my feelings and what I want at that very moment.

   
   

4. Cost efficient.

   This may not apply all the time since splitting expenses among travel buddies may also save you more money but as for a budget traveler like me, I am already satisfied with booking cheap hostels or even mixed dormitories with shared bathrooms since I could take this kind of inconvenience. All the more, I could sleep in a Couchsurfer's shared space if I really want to save money and buy them coffee as my gratitude gesture for them. So far, I never had a negative experience.

   
   

   As a female solo traveler, I travel at my own risk so I practice being more mindful and cautious at the same time. Most of all, if I am extra stingy, I usually avoid spending money on food and eat when I am already hungry or dizzy. lol! I even packed protein rich bread or bananas which could sustain me throughout a short journey. But that was before. Now I get to be more generous with myself. So for people who say that traveling is expensive, I refuse to believe it. There are always strategies in spending money on travel without the need of breaking the bank. If traveling is your money dial, you could cut off spending so much on clothes, shoes, bags etc. and start that solo trip. Make compromises if you really want something to happen. I promise, it will all be worth it.

   

   My first solo trip to Scandinavia, this one's taken in Copenhagen, Denmark and I rented a bike to go around the tourist spots and did a lot of walking since I found these options cheaper than paying for public transport

   
   

5. It allows you to build deeper and even once-in-a-lifetime connections.

   Until now, I still have contact with my former Couchsurfing host in Vietnam and a Japanese doctor whom I got to meet during my solo hike to Mt. Popa in Myanmar. What's more interesting is that, during the pandemic I did not have a job for a month and this aforementioned Japanese doctor wanted me to become his online English tutor and through this, I had a source of income. Who would have thought that connections like this would lead to a feeling of belongingness and self-purpose? In addition, it allows you to talk to strangers which let you exchange stories that enrich your life in one way or another. Those are the things that money can not buy.. authentic and soul-enriching friendships and connections.

   
   
   
   

   Traveling solo is very humbling. It makes you feel 2 things at the same time: the temporary but empowering feeling of invincibility basically like a dreadnought and the feeling of being just a tiny speck existing in this world that we are living in.

   For those who are reading this now, this is your huge sign... to book that solo trip!

   
   

   Let me end this blog post through a quote from Joyce Meyer: "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage." So, it's okay to do it scared. :) I would be more than happy if I'll receive a message from you the time you get to finish doing a solo trip since that is my main goal why I still continue writing and maintaining this blog. Please feel free to write a comment in this blog or send me an email.

   
   

   If you resonate with any of my blog posts and want to support me through buying me coffee, you can visit this link. https://ko-fi.com/misssmallcreature

   Feel free to share this post to your friends and family. Thank you for your precious time. :) I appreciate all of you!