Solo travel. Traveling by yourself. Sounds scary, right?
My thoughts exactly, before I actually worked up the nerve to try it.
Not everyone has the itch to solo travel, but I absolutely did and before I get into the life-changing benefits of solo travel, I want to share with you my story of how I ended up going on a solo trip.
I have been fortunate enough to travel internationally from a young age, because my parents (and a lot of my family) have been going back and forth between the US and Japan for a big portion of their lives. I was born in Tokyo and grew up in the States, and I remember going to Paris at age 3, not even knowing why I was there or what was so great about the city of love.
As I got older, I realized that living and seeing different places growing up has given me a wider perspective than those who have spent their entire life in a one hour radius. I’m so incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to find this out at a young age.
After studying for a few years at a university in Japan, I decided to study abroad for a year in the UK. I had an inkling that there was something waiting for me, almost as if I needed that experience to complete my circle of understanding.
Moving there wasn’t easy – no one in my family had ever lived in the UK, and I didn’t have a clue about the culture or lifestyle, never mind the logistics of housing, insurance, and visas. I eventually figured it out though, and that was the first checkpoint that made me realize I could actually do this on my own.
While living my absolute best life in the UK, I wanted to take my holidays and travel as much as I could within Europe. I mean, when the flights are cheap and it takes only two hours to get to Milan, why not, right? So I did.
As someone who is naturally anxious and therefore plans, researches, and organizes EVERYTHING, the logistics of a solo trip didn’t bother me as much as the mental. The overwhelming sensation of fear and worry is not something to dismiss, because gut feelings are real. It’s a matter of how you address it and at what point you say f*ck it and just do it.
As I got to the third or fourth day of my trip, traveling by myself was less scary and eating alone at a restaurant felt less lonely. I eventually made friends along the way and by the end of my trip, I felt (almost) invincible, like I was capable of doing anything if I put my mind to it.
That experience alone has changed my life for the better and I can’t believe it took me that long to do it. There are so many ways it has impacted my life, and I just want to share a few ways traveling solo can change yours too.
HOW IT CAN BENEFIT YOUR LIFE
Encourages Self-Discovery and Freedom
Being alone in a new place made me wonder about the big picture of life. It let me get away from the everyday responsibilities for a minute and think about what I actually want out of my limited time on this earth.
In my early 20s, I had thought about school and my extracurriculars and that’s it. From the time we’re born to when we’re in college, our lives seem to be set out for us. I think a lot of us can relate to feeling like we’re on a conveyor belt – whether that’s positive or negative.
On one hand, we never had to worry about what’s next. We attend classes, take exams, write papers, then we have summer or winter breaks, and we’re back in class just trying to get a good grade to go on to the next semester. On the other hand, we never had the full autonomy to choose what we want in our lives, what to do with every hour of every day. And when the time comes to choose how we want to live our lives, it can feel overwhelming. That’s exactly how I felt.
A solo trip didn’t magically fix everything, but it did encourage me to discover what I really want and exercise the freedom I now have as an adult. It’s an incredible way to jump in and find yourself and I’m so glad I pushed myself to do it.
Creates Lifelong Memories
This one might be a bit obvious, but I had to include it in the list because these trips are one of the fondest memories I have, not only because it was exciting and wonderful, but also because it was something I didn’t know I could overcome. Even though I didn’t do insanely adventurous things during the trip, I still remember it like it was yesterday.
Being able to make every decision leads to the trip being exactly what YOU want. Whether that’s going on a hike during sunrise, wandering around a gallery for hours, or relaxing in bed looking out at the view, it’s all completely up to you, and that is something you’d never be able to get otherwise. And because you’re making all of these decisions on your own, it inevitably becomes more prominent in your memory.
Boost Confidence and Independence
As you can probably imagine, travelling alone comes with its challenges. But think about if you could overcome those challenges – how much more confident would you be?
Solo travel has a way of tapping into your inner strength and getting you out of your comfort zone. It’s not always easy, but every turn made me realize something about myself. I learned to trust myself more, because every decision, big or small, was up to me and at the end of the day, I was able to get through it.
I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d be able to survive it, but it was a great way of pushing me into the unknown and saying hey, you’re actually stronger than you think.
When you’re travelling alone, you not only have to walk around and stay overnight alone, but you also have the time to wander around and sit at cafes thinking, reflecting and just taking in the moment. At first, that was a scary thought to me – to be left alone with my thoughts for that long. I thought maybe I’ll get bored, or be too anxious to relax and have a cup of coffee, but it became refreshing and freeing because I never felt rushed.
As I did it more and more, I kind of just got used to it to the point where I felt confident sitting in a restaurant with my own company.
I also had the freedom to talk to new people, because I wasn’t preoccupied in my own group. When you think about it, the people who are confident and adventurous enough to travel on their own, are also people worth getting to know, and usually, they turn out to be pretty fun people.
When you’re on your own, you become more approachable too – a benefit of solo travel I didn’t fully consider before. I was able to chat with people from different places and backgrounds, and that alone made my trip incredibly exciting.
I can honestly keep going about how much solo travel has boosted my confidence and independence, but the strength I found in myself is something I have been able to carry with me in my everyday life. It taught me to embrace new challenges. It taught me to enjoy my own company. And it taught me that I’m more capable than I thought.
TIPS FOR A SAFE AND EXCITING SOLO TRIP
Tip #1: Plan, plan, research, and plan
I swear to heaven, this will make your life so much easier.
Let me be clear, I know there are times when you want to be spontaneous and go with the flow. But my whole philosophy is that it’s better to have a plan and not necessarily follow it than having no clue what to do.
Tip #2: Utilize Airbnb experiences (not sponsored, I wish)
Now this isn’t limited to Airbnb – there are so many sites and events out there to find experiences and guides. As a solo traveler, I found it nice to have at least one experience planned where I know I will meet and talk to people.
I personally went to a rooftop yoga class in Florence, Italy through Airbnb experiences and it was one of the most memorable things about the whole trip! I always try to find more local ones rather than an event run by a big organization, because you’re more likely to meet more solo travelers and in smaller groups.
Tip #3: Take simple safety measures
When you’re traveling by yourself, you gotta look out for you.
There are a few little things I do when I’m traveling alone that keep me and my belongings safe. Holding your purse under your jacket and in front of you and having a strap for your phone can keep your essentials safe while you’re walking around and exploring. Having a simple padlock on your luggage, wherever you’re staying, can give you some peace of mind while you’re out and about. I talk more about specific safety measures you can take on a trip here!
Going abroad on my own has given me a wider perspective on life and a great story. I highly recommend it for anyone in their 20’s or 30’s who haven’t yet – as long as you do it safely and with a plan.
I plan on going on many more solo trips in the future, and I will be sharing my experience on here and taking you guys with me on my journey. I hope my story inspires you to get out of your comfort zone and go somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. I promise you – it’s an experience you will never forget.
With love,
Your Caffeinated Friend
