For any book lover, the notion of travel is well-documented. From Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love to Jack Kerouac’s On The Road, travel is about the thrill of adventure, but also the thrill of discovering yourself. And travel is something that everybody needs to do to broaden their mind and their horizons. Travelling by yourself is not always so easy. It seems that in the modern-day, solo travel can come with its fair share of concerns. But to travel solo can be one of the best things to take you out of your comfort zone, but also make you understand what you are capable of. While it may seem daunting, how can you travel by yourself successfully?
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Know Your Strengths
This is the most important thing to address. When you know your strengths, this will give you a far better idea of where you should go. If you are someone that needs to be sociable, it’s not a good idea to head to the Far East if you don’t really speak the language. But if you are an introvert, you may not need to worry about learning the lingo. The great thing about travelling solo is that if you are keen on having your own company, you may decide on a slower-paced expedition.
The highlands of Scotland boast a tranquillity and slower pace of life than most, and expeditions like the Jacobite Trail take you around many castles and on railway lines. But if you need to have a few pints in the city, there are vibrant places like Glasgow and Edinburgh. As long as you know your strengths, you will not go far wrong, wherever you choose to venture.
Fueling Yourself Correctly
One of the best things that we can do when we are going on expeditions by ourselves is that we can actually go and explore so many different places. It is important that we have the energy to do it. It’s important to keep your aerobic fitness up, especially if you decide to hike up and down trails, but you may feel somewhat embarrassed sitting in a restaurant by yourself. But there are plenty of reasons to dine alone, not just because waiters are more than friendly with solo diners, but there are always those people that are friendly enough to invite you over. You never know, you may make more friends being by yourself than you would ever do travelling in a group.
Make Connections Online
There is a lot to contend with when you are by yourself. You may feel daunted by being on your own for large quantities of time but you may very well learn how to love your own company, but if you feel that you need to be in a group of people, you can always go to a gang of chatty people at a bar, but you can also use social media to make connections. If there are people you know who have friends in your chosen destination, you can always offer to take them out for dinner, and you may very well be surprised how many people will take you up on it!
You Don’t Need To Be Out All of the Time
You may feel the pressure to go out and explore constantly because you are by yourself. But it is exhausting. That is nothing wrong with being in the guest house having a night of watching television. The great thing is that now, you can take your tablet anywhere, and use the free wi-fi just to connect with home, or watch a few films on Netflix. It’s a great way to pass some time if you are feeling a little bit homesick. But remember, you need to take in your surroundings. The temptation to read a book while you are travelling is always there, but you never know what you might miss out on. Travelling gives you the opportunity to see some of the most amazing science, even when you are on public transport! the Hohenzollern Bridge in Germany, or the 25 de Abril Bridge in Portugal momentous feats of architecture.
If solo travel is part of your bucket list, but you feel intimidated, it is possible to travel by yourself successfully. It’s partly about learning to enjoy your own company, but also remember that when you start to go by yourself, a lot of those worries soon disappear. It’s the perfect way of finding yourself. You have nobody else to rely on, and venturing out in this manner gives you so many skills, but also meaning to life.
Would you like to travel solo? Or is it something you’ve done already? Share your stories below, and don’t forget to like and pin if you enjoyed this article! You might also want to check out these other articles focused around travel:
Top 10 British Locations To Visit For Your UK Bucket List
6 Adventure Experiences To Complete In Your Lifetime
10 Things To Do When You Can’t Travel
Thanks for sharing this guide. Take love!