I like to travel. Whether I’m looking for something a little new in my own hometown, or whether I go on a bigger trip, I love to try new things and see new places. And, while it is pleasant to have a companion when you travel (my son often comes with me), there are times when I think it’s nice to travel alone.
Being alone doesn’t bother me too much. I don’t feel bad about going to the movies alone, and, most of the time, I’m fine wandering about on my own. In fact, there are lots of time that I prefer solo travel. At the very least, there are times that I just need a good walk on my own.
The Benefits of Traveling Alone
There are benefits to traveling alone. Most of them are kind of selfish. Here are two of the things I like best about traveling on my own:
- I can keep my own schedule: The more people you have on your trip, the more schedules you have to accommodate. Even when going with my son, I still have to consider his scheduling needs. Even though he mostly conforms to what I want to do, and my timetable, the reality is that I can’t take him to do all the adult things. And a 12-year-old has different attention span needs than I do. And, of course, traveling with another adult means that the other person’s input is just as important as yours, so sometimes it means you alter your expectations or schedule. When I travel on my own, I can do what I want, when I want to do it. I can change my plans if I wish, and I don’t have to worry about someone else’s schedule.
- I can deal with inconvenience: There are aspects of travel that my husband and son find inconvenient that don’t bother me. Additionally, I’m more flexible in the way I do things a lot of the time. I don’t mind showing up to the train station, seeing what’s available, and then just going for it. I’ll buy a ticket using an app, hurry to the train, and leave — all within 5 minutes. My husband hates that sort of uncertainty. He wants to have a ticket for a specific time, on a specific train, heading to a specific place, and he wants to arrive at the station half an hour early. My son just gets stressed trying to keep up with what I’m doing when we’re in those situations. I can deal with uncertainty and inconvenience, and it’s much easier to just go with the flow when you are alone.
As long as I can meet some interesting people along the way, I’m usually pretty good. I can be a solitary traveler for three or four days, but after that, it gets kind of old. Meeting new people, even if it’s just talking to a shopkeeper in a small town, or conversing for the space of a meal with someone else, can help. But, in the end, I often like to just wander on my own, with no time constraints, and no particular place to go.
Do you travel alone? What do you like (or dislike) about it?
I can agree that traveling alone has a lot of advantages. I think it can also be useful for your mental state and your ability to rely only on yourself. When you have nobody near you it makes you feel independent and as a result you can only make demands only towards yourself. And only you are responsible for all things that happen to you. I think that people should try this and start from some small journey. It is necessary to make some plan and calculate the budget. Of course it is always possible to take loans online till payday here, but such financial action will make you a borrower, so it is better to rely on your own money. So take all necessary things and start the journey.
Found your blog today from your other one. I have a buddy that I sometimes take mancations with but the downside is the compromising and he generally wants to stay longer than I care to and eat at more expensive places. We did have an awesome time in Vancouver just before the Olympics. Hoping to check out NYC solo for a few days this spring. It’s a cheap flight from Atlanta. I live about 20 minutes south of the airport.