When I went into Nationwide to upgrade my savings account last week, I (inevitably) ended up talking about my travels with the lady who helped me out. Once I'd outlined my plans for the next 18 months, she asked who I was going with, to which I answered: "myself". To which she responded: "Oh, bless you!"
Eh? Hang on a tick - why the sympathy? Travelling solo is one of the best decisions I've made! Maybe it's because I'm small and look about 5 years below my real age; maybe she thought I had no friends; or perhaps she was vocalising worry for my welfare overseas. I appreciate the concern but it's quite unnecessary: once you get used to requesting a table for 1 in the evenings, going it alone is not only a breeze but also heaps of fun and often ten times easier than gallivanting around the globe with someone else in tow.
I have to say, I was unsure at the start; in fact, I distinctly remember writing in an early post that I wished someone was coming with me to South America, even just for the first couple of weeks until I knew what I was up against. Despite being repeatedly told by numerous different people that globetrotting solo was by far the best way to approach a RTW trip, I never believed them until I experienced it for myself.
Before I flew to Ecuador, the longest time I'd been alone in a foreign country was 4 days. I needed a break from work, like, NOW, knew no-one else would be able to get the time off that quickly, so I just booked myself a cheeky beach holiday in Majorca. Why not? By day 3 I did wonder whether I'd made the right decision, but that was in all likelihood because I'd booked myself into a studio rather than a hostel so meeting people wasn't easy.
As renowned blogger Nomadic Matt says in his recent advice post on becoming a savvy traveller, you should aim to travel on your own at least once. Here's why:
1.You meet more people - Take it from me, solo travellers are people magnets! People sitting on their own are far more approachable than groups or even a pair, so you'll find others actively seek to make conversation with you. When you're with someone it can be tempting to plant your feet firmly in your comfort zone and hang out exclusively with your bestie, whereas being on your tod forces you to get out there, meet some pretty awesome people and have experiences you might have missed out on.
2.You learn to problem solve - Yes, 'life's a beach' probably can be applied more to travellers than most people, but that's not to say it's always an easy ride. Making your way around the world takes hard work, involves a hefty amount of research and - no matter how much you plan - is incredibly unpredictable. Organising your trip and dealing with problems that will inevitably come your way teaches you to depend on yourself rather than looking to others for a solution. Independence: an admirable quality that will be your middle name if you do a stint of solo travel.
3.You get free stuff - When you wander into a shop/museum/eatery and have someone strike up a conversation with you, they'll probably enquire about the purpose of your visit. Are you here on holiday? Who are you here with? You explain that you're on a epic RTW trip and that you're here with...yourself. And they are FASCINATED. It turns out travelling on your own is something people very much admire, especially when you're a 5'2" 24-year-old blonde female. People suddenly want to look after you and this is when you say hello to free food, queue jumping, free guided tours and, of course, free binoculars for safari (had to crowbar that in somewhere!). Sometimes it's being a woman; sometimes it's the British accent; but quite often it's because you're exploring a foreign country on your own - something many people would not be brave enough to do.
4.You have total freedom - When it comes to long-term travel, different interests and budgets make it tough to keep 2+ people happy in each other's company. The great thing about ridin' solo is that you can do whatever you want, whenever you want: there's no time-devouring umming and ahing about how to spend the day, you won't get dragged around the museum of fine arts when you wanted to hang out at the beach and you can lie in without feeling guilty there's someone waiting for you to get your ass out of bed. This is your chance to be unashamedly selfish. It's your trip; your life changing adventure: don't be afraid to do it your way.
5.You get precious alone time - While meeting new people from all over the world is a major contributing factor when it comes to expanding your cultural horizons, boosting your confidence and generally having the time of your life, there are some things you'd just rather do on your own. Hiking up a mountain, for example - who even has the breath to maintain a conversation? Same goes for slobbing out on the beach or watching the sun set over the ocean: sometimes you neither require nor desire company. Alone doesn't mean lonely; choosing to spend time on your own gives you a breather, time to really relax and a chance to think.
Travelling alone is great, but there are two sides to every story: next see why you should toy with the idea of taking a travel buddy!
Image sources
1.http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01719/black-sheep_1719970i.jpg
2.http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi1mOThmZjNhOGJiYmE5YzMy
3.http://www.quickmeme.com/img/29/2938242588c3839fb22c0e878e2e8d51ff1960e157a4720a1c00876e824c12ca.jpg
4.http://anniecallahan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/freedom.jpg
5.http://cdn.someecards.com/someecards/usercards/MjAxMy03ZmQwZDFiNTk0NzhhMTFh.png
