Whenever I mention that I'll be taking a solo vacation, I get met with the question above. I've mentioned before that I'm a big fan of traveling by myself. This is a scary concept to a lot of people, and it's understandable since everyone has a different comfort level and personality. I've been traveling by myself for years, and while it was hard at first, I've actually come to prefer it. I know many people who have told me that they would never or could never travel alone, and either admire that I do, or worry about me. I also know quite a few people who would like to give a solo trip a shot, but are hesitant due to their own concerns or those of others around them. If you're considering taking a solo vacation, I'd like to share some of my experiences and tips that I hope will be helpful.
I'd like to first share how I got into traveling alone. When I was 16, I moved to Palermo, Sicily for the summer to be with my boyfriend at the time. We had met on an earlier vacation in April (2006) and had ended up having a long distance relationship. Though once I got to Sicily I would be staying with him and his housemates, I had to fly out alone. This was my first flight without a parent or friend, so this was my first dose of solo travel. I had only myself to rely on at the airport for changing planes and getting a taxi, etc. The following year, my friend Steve and I went Nice, France, by ourselves. I was still with a friend, but we got our own apartment and it was just the two of us. At 17, this was fantastic! In 2009 I went to Rome, and would initially be going alone if it wasn't for my friend who was actually able to come last minute. However, he wouldn't be able to stay the full 2 weeks, so the trip would be half and half. He stayed for 5 days, and then I was completely alone for the other 9. I don't recommend this setup since it is incredibly hard to have someone with you and them have them leave. Have them come for the second part of a trip so that you are alone for the first half instead. Anyway, after all these training wheel trips, I was finally left alone in Rome, and so began my conversion to solo traveler. The following summer is when I went to Paris for a month completely by myself, and I haven't looked back since! Sicily, Nice, and Rome trained me, and Paris put on the finishing touches. If you can do this gradual progression, I think it helps a lot with attempting to travel alone.
To start, here are some of the pros and cons of traveling alone:
Pros
- Your own agenda. You don't have to answer to anyone or compromise on anything that you want to see or do. It's what you want, when you want it, all the time.
- You're more open to meeting new people since you're not with anyone else. Solo travel to me never means that I'm completely alone, but more that I'm not bringing anyone with me. I always make new friends when I travel.
- You can get more immersed into a place. When you don't have anyone familiar with you, it's just you and your destination, no middle man
Cons
- Solo travel can be lonely. This is unavoidable, there will definitely be times that you wish you had someone with you
- The cost is all on you, no one to split anything with, like hotel bills
Personally, I love the freedom of traveling by myself. This is the biggest selling point for me, since I can do whatever I want. I am not a morning person, I don't want to have to get up at 7am on vacation for anyone. I'm good with waking up whenever I wake up and then seeing sights or going out etc. I also like to be able to see what I want to see in a place. Sometimes that even means a day of no sights at all where instead I wander around and do some shopping. I don't have to do everything in a place. I was in Paris for a month and never got out to Versailles because I was too busy just enjoying the city. To some people, that would be blasphemy! Since I was alone however, my schedule was entirely up to my desires that day.
Planning a solo trip is also much easier than planning a trip with another person. When I say I want to go somewhere, I'm serious, and will probably be making bookings soon, I'm not asking rhetorically. A lot of times, if I ask my friends if they would like to come, I get wishy washy answers like, "maybe" "I'll see" or the one I hate the most, "yeah I'd go", but then they never actually get their act together. If I do find a friend to accompany me, there is always the issue of where to stay and budget differences. I do a lot of research before I travel and pick an area to stay in that I feel is best suited for me. I also am aware of what the area in question will cost. I'm the type of person who would rather pay a little more for a central location than save some money and be farther away from everything. My travel companions don't always agree with this, and occasionally, can be very disillusioned about the realistic costs of a city. For example, to me, $300 for 3 days in a Marais apartment in Paris is a fantastic price. If you're thinking you'll get a central location like that for less, you're going to be seriously disappointed. You won't get the central address if you're adamant about not spending more than 100$ for the weekend. Everyone has a different budget, but I personally get annoyed if I am with someone who is, in my opinion, too conservative with their funds to the point where it hinders the experience of a trip. Vacation to me is a time to splurge a little if you can, and it's hard if your partner feels differently. It's also difficult to find someone that you can agreeably travel with. We all have those friends that we love dearly, but could never be alone together with for more than a day. You really don't want to be stuck on a long vacation with someone who gets on your nerves too much.
As I mentioned, I always meet new people when I travel solo. This is my favorite aspect of it. I go alone, but I never stay alone, I have always made friends, many of whom I am still in contact with today. It's easy to be more introverted when you are traveling with a companion, because you can be. When you're alone, if you want socialization, you'll have to go find it for yourself. I'm a very shy person, so I like that this makes me get out of my comfort zone and grow as a person. Traveling alone can be lonely, there is no denying that fact, but if you make friends I guarantee you will beat the loneliness! You then have the option of doing activities with your new acquaintances or continuing to do things on your own. I usually might go to a museum or two with my new friends, but mostly we meet up at night, after our days alone, to go check out some nightlife.
Traveling solo is a fantastic experience, and I highly encourage everyone to give it a try if they feel like they would enjoy it! It's daunting at first, but eventually it becomes second nature.
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