Solo travel: 10 reasons why you should try it
When I tell other people that I love traveling alone, they look at me like I am crazy. At best, they tell me "It's so sad" or "It's just so scary." Probably, because they watched films “127 Hours” and “Into the wild”. During my ESC I have visited 6 European countries and 23 German cities and survived. I am very annoyed by the comment "You're a girl, it's dangerous to go somewhere alone." I insist that traveling alone is very convenient and fun way to explore the world and I don't feel myself lonely or vulnerable during my solo trips. So, let me introduce you my 10 reasons why traveling alone is cool.
Reason 1: Saving money
When I buy plane/bus tickets or book hostels, I go by my understanding of convenience, I know better what I have to go through in order to save some euros. I don't want to pay more if my companion doesn't like to spend nights in tents or hostels, if he/she is not ready to travel in 2 class, if he/she prefers restaurants instead of canteens. I am quite unpretentious and I am sure that it is possible to organize an unforgettable trip for little money. If I want to pay for better service or try something expensive, I will do it for the soul, not just along for the ride.
Reason 2: Energy saving
When I travel alone, I can stop at any moment and get enough rest. I can walk at my own pace. I can lie on the grass and look at beautiful houses. I can run. I can stand still. I listen to my body and its needs. First I renew my energy and then move on. And nobody is pushing me or complaining about my slowness or speed.
Reason 3: New contacts
I try to be open-minded and always ready to make new acquaintances, so the universe often gives me opportunity to meet nice people along the way. I'm not afraid to ask locals for direction, even if I don't speak their language well. I talk to people in hostels and public transport, on the street. When I travel, I meet people from different cities and countries. Communication with them is invaluable, it significantly expands my internal borders. When I travel with someone, I focus on my companion, we are walking and talking to each other, and it reduces my chances of meeting someone else.
Reason 4: Saving time
I don’t like to be late and especially I don’t like to wait. While somebody is picking his/her nose or tying his/her laces, I can explore half of a city. I can't afford to waste my time instead of enjoying new place.
Reason 5: Opportunity to explore/to see more
Modern tourists look for different things in new cities: some people enjoy nature, others are fond of ancient architecture, someone orders sightseeing tours and visits museums. If my and my companion's travel tastes do not match, none of us will enjoy our trip. When I travel alone, I visit only what I want and as many places as I want.
Reason 6: Opportunity for you to get to know yourself
When I travel, I spend a lot of time with myself and with my thoughts. But staying in a new place and having strong impressions keep me from unnecessary self-reflection or being negative. When I travel, I get to know to my body and its capabilities (for example, I never imagined that I can walk for so long!). I set small goals (for example, to talk to local people or to figure out a subway map on my own) and celebrate their successful completion. I analyze my emotions, I dream a lot. Sometimes I turn off my thoughts and just enjoying the moment and nobody and nothing distracts me from this.
Reason 7: Flexibility
I will say a trivial thing, but life is very unpredictable. It is important to respond quickly and adequately to changes. When I travel, changes happen more often than in normal life. And I'm always ready to change my ticket, to change my route, or to come back home earlier if circumstances require. When there is another person nearby, it is important to take into account his/her interests and it eliminates the ability to change plans sharply and freely.
Reason 8: Pure impressions
I am often told: "When you travel alone, you have nobody to share your impressions with." Well, first of all, in the 21st century I can find WiFi almost everywhere and call my loved ones. Secondly, if I like a certain place and there is a person who is negative about it, it can spoil my impressions and mood. That is why I am very cautious about sharing my impressions and I don’t really take that as an argument for traveling with someone.
Reason 9: Inner peace
When people travel together, they always need to find a compromise, to negotiate, to make concessions, to deny themselves something. I take every trip as a special occasion and I don’t want to argue during this time. I want to enjoy the process rather than explaining what and how I want to eat/see/hear, where and why I want to go/fly, where and for how long I want to sleep/stand/sit/lie.
Reason 10: Living life
While some people stay at home, because there is nobody to hit the road with, I just take my backpack and explore the world. You can wait for ages until your friend will find time and opportunity to travel together, or you can visit a lot of new places in the meantime.
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