Earlier I wrote about solo travel and the bad impression it had had on me. I had decided to stick to traveling with friends, under the impression that solo travel just isn’t for me. Then I was forced to travel solo. I was fascinated by the Muslim history of Spain, and wanted to go down to Andalucía to see it for myself. When I couldn’t find anybody to go with me, I bit the bullet and decided to travel solo. This time, I learned a couple things!
Confidence
Solo travel will give you a major confidence boost. The ability to go to a foreign place (especially one that speaks a foreign language), make your way around, see what you want to see, enjoy yourself, and not get stressed out is a big deal. To be completely independent and succeed in solo travel is something that not everybody can accomplish.
Stress free
One of the issues with travel companions is when you realize it’s not the right fit. You’ll be in the middle of a trip and you’re stuck together until the trip is over. That can get really stressful, especially if tensions are high and you just can’t get away from each other to cool off. With solo travel, you’re not stuck with a bad match. It’s just me, myself, and I. Don’t worry about compromising your time doing things your travel buddy wants to do and not getting your own goals finished. It’s all on you!
Freedom
Expanding on that last point, you can do whatever you want! Hike that mountain? Eat at that restaurant? See that monument? You don’t have to ask your travel buddy for permission, or hope that they’re okay doing something solo for a while. You have complete control of your trip, with nobody to check in on or feel responsible for.
It’s personal
Solo travel allows you to have a more personal experience with the place you’re visiting. Instead of being distracted by a travel buddy, you’re able to soak in a place, and really capture it. You can feel yourself truly immerse in a destination, instead of spending time talking with a friend about the drama happening in your lives or what’s going on back at work. Your everyday life can melt away when you travel solo - all there is is you and your experiences.