Travelling Solo, Great Decision or Mistake?
So your coming around to the idea of travelling solo, either you have been let down by your friends and fellow travellers or you have been toying with the idea that you may want to take a trip accompanied by the person who knows you best, yourself. In this blog I hope to take you through the pros and the cons of travelling solo and if you decide in the favour of solo travel then where would be a good option.
Travelling alone will offer you unlimited freedom; it allows you to be in charge of where you go, what you do and where you eat. You have a greater opportunity to discover the things you want to discover at a comfortable pace. Many think travelling alone would be lonely or even boring, but in fact it gives you a greater opportunity to immerse yourself in culture and discover things you would not have discovered, had you been in a group. Furthermore the trip will be overall less expensive than any large group travelling as food and activities and flights will be for only one person, this means you can spend your money on important things such as travel insurance which is definitely worth the buy. Also you should aim to stay in places such as hostels as they will encourage talk and socializing which will always improve your trip. You will also not feel pressure from anyone to do or not do anything, the trip will be completely yours to command and take charge of.
However this lack of pressure to adventure outside your comfort zone may result in experiencing less great times if you are the type of person who does not seek to challenge their feelings and their comfort. Travelling alone can be dangerous, especially if you are demonstrating your money and showing it off so when solo it is important not to flex your Gucci watch as you are on your own and more vulnerable. The same goes for keeping your identity safe as well as your banking details so try to use VPN on public WIFI networks or avoid them completely. The last con, which I will mention, is the dreaded eating alone. While travelling alone you will end up dining solo and that’s uncomfortable. But what people do not realise often enough is no one really cares. However a good tip to distract you from how alone you look is to do something such as read a book or do some work or even try and plan your next day, it will distract you from your image and make dining alone more enjoyable.
Okay, so by now you will have made up your mind and are either excited or ready to travel alone, or you have decided it is not for you. If the latter is applicable to you then I suggest you stop reading this now, but for the brave who seek solo adventure then read on to discover the places I would recommend visiting when on a solo voyage.
1 – Italy, this is definitely the first place I would recommend visiting if you intend to travel alone, There you can find some of the best food ever to be made while looking at centuries-old historical sights such as the coliseum and the next day you can end up drinking wine in the sunset at an Italian vineyard and chatting with friendly locals. Being in Europe, should you get bored of Italy then you can take a short train ride and be in another country within the same day. Italy is the perfect mix of great food, ocean and culture and is a great place for beginner solo travellers and regulars to visit.
2 – Japan, with amazing sushi and temples Japan offers a great solo travelling journey with interesting attractions such as tranquil temples and trippy light museums, and delicious cuisine such as sushi. Another great option to solo travel.
3 – Finally we recommend for the more experienced solo traveller a trip to Thailand. With full moon parties to have a crazy good time and surfing, you wont be bored, as well as friendly locals, good food and interesting attractions, this makes Thailand a great place for beach lovers and jungle lovers.
In conclusion it is important to remain safe when travelling alone and to do the best you can to enjoy the trip.