Solo Travel - “That’s Really Scary!”

On the whole, solo travel isn’t anywhere near as scary as you might think, and here is why.

“You’re going travelling - alone? That’s a really scary thing to do. Why would you want to do that? Stay safe with me - let’s go to the beach.”

How many times have you heard that?

Heard that solo travelling is a scary thing to do and have people try to talk you out of it. The thing is, those people have almost certainly never travelled alone and their ‘experience’ of solo travel being scary is based on no proof at all and probably some story they read on the internet.

Let’s be realistic here. The first time you take a big solo trip, you may feel apprehensive. After all, you have never done it before, have you? Actually - you have.

You’ve travelled on your own around town. Alone on a train or bus to another city. By car to, well, anywhere really.

Did those journeys scare you? Of course not. What you may think is scary, is going somewhere completely new, most likely to a different country, about which you know very little. Perhaps anxious travelling to a foreign land where you speak just three words of the language. And that is the beauty of solo travel - going somewhere new and exploring.

You have stayed safe when out and about on your own in familiar territory. With a little preparation and a new mindset, you can travel solo to most parts of the world and come back alive!

Solo travel gives you the opportunity to learn about new places and cultures. You can choose to travel fast, or so slowly that you can smell every blade of grass.

You’ll learn new things about yourself as you travel. What are your limits? You may already enjoy doing a bungee jump off a bridge, or only want to watch others. There again, perhaps it is time to step outside your comfort zone and step off the edge. Scary yes, but really fulfilling.

The newfound freedom of solo travel, unencumbered by the demands of others, gives you a new sense of opportunity. And, although you are travelling alone, you’ll meet other travellers, share stories and make new friends.

Does being a solo traveler take courage? Perhaps, yes. That newfound courage will help you trust your intuition and discover what is important in life. Solo travel means you will grow as a person. And this isn’t at all scary.

So, how soon are you leaving? And where will you go?