Solo Travel Guide
Are you an introvert and have been dreading the thought of traveling alone? Or are you an extrovert who just can’t wait to get out of town on a solo trip? Either way, there is no correct answer when it comes to your level of social ability. Everyone has their own preferences and ways of dealing with daily life. If you identify as an introvert or are generally more reserved in social situations, you might be feeling anxious about planning a solo trip. Rest assured that even though you may crave time alone more often than not, traveling alone does not mean you’re weird or afraid to meet new people. In fact, many introverts find that a solo trip gives them the opportunity to explore and enjoy themselves without having to ask anyone else what they think about things.
Intro to Solo Travel: Why You Should Go Anyways
If you’re holding off on solo travel because you’re afraid you’ll feel lonely or miss the company of your friends and family, you’re missing out on a fantastic way to grow as a person. First of all, you don’t have to travel alone forever. Solo travel is simply a wonderful way to gain perspective, figure out what you really want from life, and then go get it. You might find that you don’t miss being surrounded by friends and family nearly as much as you thought. If you’re an introvert, chances are you crave alone time anyway, and it’s likely that you don’t sit around your hometown wishing you could be with your friends and family 24/7.
Decide Where You Want to Go
Before you jump headfirst into booking your ticket, think about what kind of trip you want to take. Depending on where you go, your solo trip can be anything from a quick weekend getaway to a three-month journey around the world. Ideally, you want to pick a destination that’s both interesting to you and something you can realistically pull off as a solo traveler. If you really want to go to Paris, for example, but you also are passionate about learning about the culture of the indigenous people of the Amazon, you may want to pick a more remote destination. Again, find a destination that interests you, so you can fully appreciate the trip and its culture.
Plan Your Trip
You may want to create a detailed itinerary of your trip so you can make the most of your time. If you decide to plan out your trip, make sure to carve out time to relax and disconnect from your phone. After all, you’re not on vacation to post every minute of your travels to Instagram. Depending on where you go and how long you stay, you may want to consider picking up some travel insurance. This will protect you in the event of an injury or illness while you’re away, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Stay in Contact While You Travel
If you’re really anxious about being away from your loved ones, you can always let them know where you are and when you intend to come home. If you’re staying in hostels, you can give them your hostel name and let them know that you’d like to keep your location private. You can also purchase a one-time use phone service that allows you to call and text a select number of people without paying for a full-featured, long-term data plan. Similarly, if you’re staying with people and want to let loved ones know where you are, ask if you can put a note in their mailbox or leave a message for them with a neighbor.
Finding The Right Solo Travelling Environment
If you’re an introvert who is nervous about meeting people while on your trip, you can always try to find like-minded people to travel with. If you don’t think you’ll be able to find people to travel with, you can always look into joining a tour or signing up for a language exchange. Alternatively, you can look into cities and/or countries where you know you’ll likely find other introverts and/or people who are more reserved. Cities like Tokyo and Paris, for example, are known for their more reserved inhabitants. If you’re a more reserved person yourself, these cities may be a better fit for you.
During your trip
While you are on your trip, try to avoid comparing yourself to others and instead focus on what you want to get out of the experience. If you find yourself getting frustrated with others who are enjoying themselves loudly or are simply enjoying themselves too much for your tastes, remind yourself that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Similarly, if you want to participate in a group activity or conversation and are nervous about doing so, remind yourself that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Remember, you are on this trip to enjoy yourself, not please anyone else.
Final Words
Remember, you don’t have to travel alone forever. You can start by booking one-way tickets and exploring the world on your own terms. From there, you can decide if you want to come home and be surrounded by friends and family again, or if you want to keep going. Hopefully, these tips and tricks will help make your solo journey more enjoyable and stress-free. Along with a healthy mindset, the only thing you have to worry about is what adventure you’ll be on next.
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