Traveling alone as a woman or any person may seem unusual at first. Why wouldn’t you want to go with your friends or that special someone to explore a new country? Group trips and bae-cations are great, but there is something so special about solo travel that will change the way you look at the world around you and the way you see yourself.
You Hold The Power
When you travel alone, you never have to compromise on the activities you want to do or the sights you want to see. The agenda is all yours to fill up with museums and tours, or to do absolutely nothing at all. My favorite thing to do when I travel alone is to wander aimlessly and get lost in a new city (with my GoogleMaps ready when I need to get home).
Besides cutting down on disagreements you might have with a larger group, you also hold all the power when you solo travel. You get to choose whether you want to ball out or be frugal with your trip with no one around to judge your decisions. You can opt to stay in or hang out all night long. You can sleep in and relax or spend the day doing as many activities as you can fit in a day. And if you don’t like something you chose, you can change your mind!
Let your Introvert or Extrovert Self Shine
Traveling alone does not necessarily mean you have to be alone 100% of the time. Other travelers, whether in a group or fellow solo travelers are always happy to befriend you and share an experience or two. You’ll nevermeet an unhappy vacationer because they’re on vacation too!
So, if you’re up for it, you can make friends on walking tours, day trips, your hotel, the bar, really anywhere. Just say hi and ask where they are from. Since you and other travelers are likely new to the destination, everyone is starting on the same playing field and travelers are typically open to everything because it’s all a new experience. This is also a great option if you don’t feel 100% comfortable doing certain activities alone. Meet some travelers and plan to go out dancing all night or join the same snorkeling tour the next day.
But the real beauty in solo travel is that you don’t have to befriend anyone. If you really want to take time to yourself, you totally have that option. No one has any expectations of you, and you can explore and be in your thoughts to your heart’s content. Sometimes you just need to unplug from work, responsibility, and people.
Figure It Out As You Go
It’s true at times that two heads are better than one, and it’s never truer than the moment when you ever get lost or can’t figure out the transportation system or experience other minor problems on your solo trip. However, once you try traveling along, you’ll see how resourceful you truly are. You may have always had the luxury of someone else planning everything and resolving issues, and maybe you’ve never had the chance to see how you’d fare on your own.
But once you have to handle these issues alone, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can adapt to any problems you might face on your solo trip. Lost? Find a friendly face to ask for directions. Not sure what to eat? Spark up a conversation with a bartender orsomeone sitting at your cafe. No clue how to find that tour bus everyone recommended? Talk to your cab driver.
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One of the things you’ll quickly learn when you travel alone is that people are usually more than happy to help you. Just think, you’ve come all this way to see their city and explore their history, so why wouldn’t they want to help you make the most of your visit? Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and people will oftentimes gladly help you along on your journey. Of course, trust your instincts and find a safe and public place to chat it up with a helpful friend.
Gain New Experiences and Meet New People
Most likely, even if you are the biggest introvert, you will find yourself making friendships with other travelers or people native to your destination in no time. It’s just human nature for people to flock those who are similar to them. If you visit a non-English speaking country, speak one word of English and see how quickly a fellow English speaker comes running.
We always want a piece of home, so it’s just natural to team up with people who speak the same language or look like you. When you travel alone, you naturally become more open to sparking up conversations with other tourists or people native to the country. And these random conversations can give you a new perspective on the world you live in, the people around you and yourself. Every person you meet can lead to a new experience, a new idea about your next trip, or a new life lesson. It sounds deep, but ask any solo traveler, and they’ll tell you the same.
Safety Tips
If you’re considering a solo trip, don’t wait another moment to make it happen. When choosing your destination, start with a place where there is plenty to do with tours to museums and great food so that you’ll never get bored. You also want to make sure the destination you choose will haveplenty of other travelers so you can make new friends and feel more comfortable.
Share your itinerary with someone back home and bring copies of your passport just in case you lose any baggage along the way. Trust your instincts and step out on faith! You’ll be so glad you did.
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
