Solo travelling. Is solo travelling worth it?
Short answer, yes. Solo travelling is worth it.
Is it fulfilling? Most definitely!
Is it enriching? Absolutely!
Is it scary? Maybe.
Still holding on to my 9-5 job, I make it a point to travel solo annually. It rejuvenates. It inspires. It provides me with the opportunity to meet people I would not be able to meet if I had never gone solo.
Here, I’ll share with you the good, the bad, and the ugly of solo travelling.
What do I love most about solo travelling?
As a frequent solo traveller, what I love most about solo travelling is the flexibility. There is not a need to coordinate and get an agreement with everyone before proceeding with the plan.
And, when you get the “ok” from everyone in the group, the deal goes and the “it’s fully booked. Shall we go for this?” question starts again.
My another favourite of solo travelling is to people-watch. People-watching enables me to reflect and journal. Also, you’d be amazed at the interesting subconscious habits of the locals.
What I found the most difficult about solo travelling?
What I found most difficult while solo travelling is to figure out my next stop during the trip.
On some occasions, upon arriving in the city, I struggle to know where I am heading next, be it for lunch or the best activity to do in the city. I have a bit too much flexibility which left me unsure.
Thus, I overcome this by chatting with the hostel staff reception and the folks who have been staying at the hostel for the past few days. And before I know it, I got myself plans for the day.
Is it safe to solo travel? Is it safe to solo travel as a woman?
Yes.
I’m sure your next question will be, “but, is it safe to solo travel, especially since you’re a woman?”
Deciding if the country is safe is all about perspective. The media has portrayed Country X in a certain way, which then influences you to think that of Country X.
Hence, travelling solo to the country will enable you to see if what you have seen and heard is what Country X is perceived as. Amassed with a wealth of travel knowledge through my travel experience, here are my 10 tips for you as you prepare to travel solo. It is worth it!
10 reasons to solo travel
1. To be your own boss
At your workplace, your boss steers you into what needs to be done.
Solo travelling enables you to be your own boss. You make your own decisions. You set your own pace. You pursue your own interests without having to get approval from anyone.
During my 18 days of travel in Vietnam, I initially planned to stay in Ho Chi Minh for 5 days, 2 days upon arrival and 3 days before flying back home. However, on day 2, I did not enjoy myself. I did not like the vibes. I felt it was a little too busy for me to unwind.
Hence, during my last 3 days in Vietnam, I booked a coach bus to back to Mui Ne. I spent more days surfing, a new sport I have come to enjoy, and catching beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I left sooner and stayed longer than planned.
2. To validate other’s perspective with your own eyes
Have you been to a place because it looks very attractive, but got very disappointed when you get there because it is not what you had imagined it to be?
And, have you coincidentally visited a quaint little town and loved it so much that you didn’t want to leave?
To both of the questions above, my answer is yes.
Often, I deviated from my tentative plan because I enjoyed and disliked the place too much. This is the perk of solo travelling. You adapt and react accordingly. I always believe, never try, never know.
3. To rediscover yourself
Travelling solo will enable you to find answers to your questions. Questions which you always have while working in your day job. Solo travelling will allow you to rediscover what makes you, you.
Questions such as:
“What do I really like to do?”
“What do I really want to do?”
“What makes me happy?”
“What type of people’s personality do I enjoy hanging out with?”
As you sit with your cup of coffee and watch the world pass by, you will come to realise and have answers to these questions. Write them down in your notebook. Think about how you will achieve them.
Slowly but surely, you will realise where you are today is because your past self went on a solo travel adventure.
4. To try out a version of yourself that you’ve wanted to try, but are afraid of being judged
The folks you meet along your solo travel journey do not know who you are as a person. They do not know your past.
Travelling solo gives you an opportunity to be yourself. There is no need to fake it till you make it. There is no one that you need to impress. You be the judge for yourself.
Most likely, you will be travelling with other solo travellers, who have the same mindset as you. They will inspire you with ideas you had never thought of. You will return home with a fresh new perspective on life. You will return home, motivated.
5. To meet people you never thought you will meet if you had never left
Travelling to different continents and meeting individuals from different nationalities gives you new perspectives. New ideas. New opportunities.
Over the years of travelling, I have met very interesting folks. To name a few of what “interesting” means from my perspective:
- A bartender who owns a business on wheels in France
- Songwriters
- Sports instructors such as skiing and surfboarding
- Pilots
- English teachers
- Ex-engineers building the future in the local communities
As I travelled through Asia, I realised that travellers are more friendly. More welcoming, regardless of where they are from. Travellers were embracing the art of slow travel.
In Europe, most travellers were there for a very short period of time. During my short 3-day stay in a particular hostel in Germany, I noticed my roommates change almost every day!
6. To accomplish more than what you thought about yourself
Travelling solo tests your independence. You are responsible for your own safety, your own happiness, and your own well-being.
At first, it will be daunting. But, soon, you will realise how much you have accomplished and how far you have come after stepping out of your comfort zone. You are empowered!
You will trust your own instincts and your own gut. You will know when it is time to take a step back or take many steps forward. You will know how to solve anything that life throws at you.
Never had I thought, my move to Singapore during my teenage years gave me more than just an education. I learnt how to navigate through immigration, solo. I learnt the importance of punctuality. I learnt how to find answers to my questions. I learnt how to read maps as technology was not as advanced as it is today. And, the list goes on.
Like Steve Jobs said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards”.
7. To hold interesting conversations
If you need to ask a question, will you ask the person standing solo or in a group?
Most likely, your answer is the former.
Travelling solo makes you more approachable to others. Locals are more likely to chat with you and share with you the best local advice you can get as you step foot into the new place. And, before you know it, you have formed some of the best memorable connections.
Through my personal experiences, my conversations with solo travellers have been inspirational and thought-provoking. I learnt about some of the best places to visit and how to best experience the local life.
While I see and hear the good about Country Y, I had the opportunity to hear directly from the locals on the unfiltered stories of the local situation. The challenges they face and what they do to overcome them.
8. To embrace the feeling of overwhelmingness life has to offer and soak it all in
Doing something new for the first time is intimidating and embarrassing. If it is not, then, you are not pushing yourself to be the better version of yourself.
I will not deny, travelling solo may be scary, whether it is your first, second or nth. It is only human to have thoughts of the potential “what ifs”.
On my first flight after the pandemic, I felt nervous. Nervous about the thought that I might catch the virus and it impacted me severely. Nervous about how things have changed and I am left in an unfamiliar spot. And, here I am, 10 flights later. I am doing well as I am doing what I can to keep myself safe.
Meditate. Journal. Talk. That’s 3 advice that I’d give you when you start to feel overwhelmed with what life has thrown at you. Take one step at a time. Be kind to yourself.
9. To cherish every moment
Travelling solo will bring out the inner child in you. The flexibility you have will enable you to go where your heart desires.
And, at some point, you will meet people that you will connect with immediately. The conversations will get you thinking. However, that may only last for that instance. There may not be a next time, next conversation.
So, cherish every moment. Be in the moment.
10. To have the possibility to score free accommodation
Yes, the possibility of free accommodation. Yes, you read that right.
This can be achieved by volunteering in the hostel. Is there a catch? Not really.
Volunteering at the hostel is not as stressful as your day job. It is the usual day job that helps the management to keep the hostel running. I reckon the job is quite intuitive.
You’d have the chance to chat with other travellers after you’re done with your job. You’d have the chance to join hostel events for free if they need an extra pair of hands. You’d have the chance to score free breakfasts and dinners when there are extras.
Along the way, you will learn some new skills yourself. You will have a rough idea of how a hostel runs. You learn how to handle grumpy and drunk guests. You build your confidence.
Is travelling solo worth it? Final thoughts!
Yes. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.