This photo is from Gruyere, Switzerland. I visited this beautiful medieval town in May, 2016. I took a lot of selfies on this trip. First, because my husband was home in Michigan and I promised him at least one per day. The other is for my own travel record.
My mind incessantly wanders to places I’ve been, and where I’m going to go next. As much as I enjoy traveling with companions, at l
east once per year I make sure I have a solo adventure. In 2016 it was Austria and Switzerland. In 2017 it’s going to be New London, Connecticut to conduct some family history research.
There are numerous benefits to solo travel. I’ll list just a few of them to get you thinking.
You can go anywhere you want on your own schedule. If you want to visit the same museum, eat at the same dive fish bar, or never leave the beach for five consecutive days – you can do that! My first trip to London included four trips to Westminster Abbey because I’m a history buff and that place is dripping with it. If you want to sleep until noon, or stay up all night singing “The Wild Rover” with a bunch of your new best friends at a pub – you can do that. Take the 10 am train instead of the 2 pm. Hate shopping? Don’t go. Love snorkeling? Do it all day. You’re on your own time, and that’s a wonderful thing.
Solo travel is empowering. Apparently boarding a flight and flying across the Atlantic alone is considered brave, or insane depending who I’m speaking with. If I want to go somewhere, I map my route and venture forth. I cannot even begin to tell you how many people are afraid to even drive an hour alone. I spoke with a woman recently (probably in her 50’s) who told me that driving from Chelsea to Lansing (about 40 miles) was too scary for her. “I’d be too afraid to go that far by myself”. Wow. I’ve been driving eight hours straight by myself since I was in my early 20’s.
Solo travel affords you the opportunity to be completely self-reliant. You get to figure out where to stay, how to get around, how to shop, where to spend your time and who to spend your time with. You are forced to solve problems, be flexible, and develop your survival skills. Once you’ve experienced the sense of empowerment that solo travel affords, you’ll want more and more.
You will meet some amazing people. I had the most wonderful conversation with an older gentleman at Windsor Castle. He shared stories about his many meetings with members of the royal family. In Vienna I spent an hour at a coffee shop with two young women (the baristas) who were getting ready to come to the US as foreign exchange students. Fortunately, I had been to both of their cities and was able to give them some insider info. These situations happen all the time when you travel solo. I can honestly say I have never felt lonely on a solo trip.
These are just a few of the many reasons you should consider a solo trip. I can promise you won’t do it just once.