One of the main purposes of traveling is to obtain experiences that allow us to grow and develop as individuals and it is important that people travel in the way that best suits them at a given time. For example, I like to go on adventure vacations and this invariably includes a small group and knowledgeable guide, and I frequently participate in writing retreats around the world with like-minded people. For me, though, the real joy of traveling has always been taking off on my own and simply ‘seeing’ what comes along the way. Of course, this can sometimes be fraught with frustration, difficulty, and even danger.
Advantages of traveling alone
- Freedom Most solo travelers cite freedom as the biggest motivating factor: freedom to indulge themselves, go where and when they want, change their plans on a whim when they hear of something ‘must see’ and accept spontaneous invitations from the locals.
- No compromises This is associated with the previous point. Even if you are traveling with someone else, be it a friend, colleague, lover or spouse, some compromises will always be required. Not everyone has the same interests or energy levels, some people need emotional support all the time, some are apathetic, some have different attitudes towards time. With solo travel, there’s no peer pressure over finances, no unspoken need to split restaurant bills equally, or guilt trips when you want to go solo for a while.
- Meeting people Traveling alone doesn’t mean you’ll always be alone. In fact, it allows you to meet more people because other tourists and locals find an individual traveler more approachable than those in a close-knit group. Also, people in groups have very little need to get close to others to communicate. I met more people, had more interesting conversations and invitations, and made more long-term friends while eating alone in foreign restaurants or sitting alone in bars. But then I’m sociable. Traveling alone allows you to choose the people you want to spend time with instead of having to deal with the daily annoyances of the inevitable clowns and whiners found in any large group.
- Discoveries There is a real sense of discovery involved in traveling on your own, and that includes self-discovery. You don’t have to rely on an often misinformed guide to keep you on a leash, and there’s the surprise and excitement when you find something you didn’t expect, like the time I got lost and ended up in a small Bavarian town with a monastery that it contained a library with tens of thousands of medieval manuscripts. Traveling alone allows you to discover more about yourself as you overcome simple challenges like missing a bus or boat and realizing that there is no other for a day or a week. Then there’s the sense of accomplishment in solving much more challenging problems, like getting lost in a strange city at midnight or running out of money on a bank holiday weekend with no ATM in sight and the banks closed.
Disadvantages of traveling alone
- The Single Supplement For those who like to stay in decent hotels, there is the unfair single supplement that can add thousands to the cost of your trip.
- Lack of help There is no one to watch your luggage while you go to the bathroom in airports or train stations, no one to help you with persistent touts, no one to be there to help you if you get sick or are being stalked or harassed. by a determined man on the street.
- Photos There are times when I wish more photos were taken of me in certain places, but then again, there are always people willing to take one or two for you.
I know there will be times in the future when I will travel as part of a group because I want to visit areas where it is not possible or sensible for a single woman, or because I want to be with my family or as psyched people. However, due to my particular personality traits, my preference is to travel alone. I guess it really doesn’t matter how people travel, but that they travel.