There are many reasons for a person to be travelling alone. You may be looking for adventure, you may need a break from family and work to re-discover yourself and recharge, you may want to look at new possibilities in your life for a new direction, you may be looking to add excitement from your boring routine and make new friends, platonic or romantic, or there may be a crisis that you need to simply get away from and return with a fresh mind and perspective. Whatever the reason, travelling alone does not have to be "odd".
If this is the first time you are travelling alone ever – or in a long while – it is possible that you will probably be a little nervous. On top of that, you might be getting some strange and concerned questions from friends and family who might even be looking at you a little weird. If you're a woman then it will be even worse. You get all sorts of horror stories. And if you're a woman with a family but just need some time off for yourself, the reaction from your family and friends may be even more negative.
Never really alone
One thing that people don't often realize is that although you may be technically travelling alone, you will be meeting people much more easily than you would if you are travelling in a group. It is kind of ironic. You will be a lot less alone than you think.Â
Flexibility
Perhaps the best thing about travelling alone is that your trip is entirely up to you. You have a maximum flexibility. You don't have to worry about other people's schedules, about making people feel left out, about compromising for other people's tastes and missing out what you really want to see in a new place, and you can really take in the new environment all by itself when you feel like it.
There are so many times that you miss opportunities to discover a new place, in the way you're really want to, because your travel companions keep you back in one way or the other. This is not the case when you are travelling alone.
You can fully enjoy your holiday much more when you're travelling by yourself. If there is some interesting or strange food that you want to try, you can do so without your travel partner making a face. On the other hand if you are not interested in trying new and exotic foods, you will not be forced to do so. If you feel like to walk in the streets at 2:00am you can do so without having a grumpy travel companion constantly whining that they want to go back to their room. Or on the other hand, you can ensure that you get up early to take advantage of a full day. Whatever is your style.
Also when you are travelling alone you will not have to deal with the inevitable fights that will occur whenever you travel with family and friends.
Rediscover yourself
It may be a bit clichéd but travelling alone really does help you find yourself anew. When you are in the new contexts out of your daily routines, away from your support system and crutches, faced with new situations, you have to react differently. And you often find things out about yourself, about what you are capable of, and who you really are.
For others, travelling alone is a way that you can find someone new, either as a friend or more. It is difficult to find quality relationships in the modern world. It is something that we may have to search far and wide for. The routine situations we find ourselves in everyday are often saturated. A fresh holiday by yourself may be the best way to make new connections.
Checklist for travelling alone
When you are travelling alone that also means that you alone are responsible for everything. In that case you should have a good checklist. The following may be of help to you:
Tips for women travelling alone
Women need to be especially careful when travelling alone, unfortunately. But following some simple guidelines will in most cases make for a very safe, enjoyable, and incident-free trip. For example:
It can be a very rewarding experience an extremely enjoyable travelling alone. Particularity if you have not done so in a long long time. Take advantage of some of the great singles holidays for people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and active 60s, and put a spark the back in your life.
If this is the first time you are travelling alone ever – or in a long while – it is possible that you will probably be a little nervous. On top of that, you might be getting some strange and concerned questions from friends and family who might even be looking at you a little weird. If you're a woman then it will be even worse. You get all sorts of horror stories. And if you're a woman with a family but just need some time off for yourself, the reaction from your family and friends may be even more negative.
Never really alone
One thing that people don't often realize is that although you may be technically travelling alone, you will be meeting people much more easily than you would if you are travelling in a group. It is kind of ironic. You will be a lot less alone than you think.Â
Flexibility
Perhaps the best thing about travelling alone is that your trip is entirely up to you. You have a maximum flexibility. You don't have to worry about other people's schedules, about making people feel left out, about compromising for other people's tastes and missing out what you really want to see in a new place, and you can really take in the new environment all by itself when you feel like it.
There are so many times that you miss opportunities to discover a new place, in the way you're really want to, because your travel companions keep you back in one way or the other. This is not the case when you are travelling alone.
You can fully enjoy your holiday much more when you're travelling by yourself. If there is some interesting or strange food that you want to try, you can do so without your travel partner making a face. On the other hand if you are not interested in trying new and exotic foods, you will not be forced to do so. If you feel like to walk in the streets at 2:00am you can do so without having a grumpy travel companion constantly whining that they want to go back to their room. Or on the other hand, you can ensure that you get up early to take advantage of a full day. Whatever is your style.
Also when you are travelling alone you will not have to deal with the inevitable fights that will occur whenever you travel with family and friends.
Rediscover yourself
It may be a bit clichéd but travelling alone really does help you find yourself anew. When you are in the new contexts out of your daily routines, away from your support system and crutches, faced with new situations, you have to react differently. And you often find things out about yourself, about what you are capable of, and who you really are.
For others, travelling alone is a way that you can find someone new, either as a friend or more. It is difficult to find quality relationships in the modern world. It is something that we may have to search far and wide for. The routine situations we find ourselves in everyday are often saturated. A fresh holiday by yourself may be the best way to make new connections.
Checklist for travelling alone
When you are travelling alone that also means that you alone are responsible for everything. In that case you should have a good checklist. The following may be of help to you:
- Carry a pocket dictionaries or phrase book with you. This can help if you are lost or if you want to explore a little more independently.
- Make sure that you have copies of all your important travel documents like your passport, travel itinerary, Health Insurance, tour agent information, etc. And leave it with someone you trust in case there is an emergency.
- Make sure to have with you a credit card as well as cash. Also, before you leave make sure that you take the customer service number for your credit card company, in case of loss or theft.
- Record your experience. This can make a world of difference. Reading books about where you are visiting in the place itself, a journal in which you can write the day's events, a camera and extra batteries along with an extra memory card, and maps so that you can get a better spatial perspective on where you are and where other important things are located, even where events occurred that happened on your trip.
Tips for women travelling alone
Women need to be especially careful when travelling alone, unfortunately. But following some simple guidelines will in most cases make for a very safe, enjoyable, and incident-free trip. For example:
- Before you leave your home, make sure all the arrangements to and from the Airport are made, this includes your departure and your arrival.
- If you find yourself in a strange situation listen to your gut. If it does not feel right, just don't do it.
- Carry good identification and make sure you have it in more than one place.
- Make sure to stay as much as possible in open and public places. At night, this is especially important.
- Do not look like a lost tourist in a strange place. Exude confidence and walk purposefully. Do not wear tourist clothes, tourist hairstyles, or walk around with open maps and guide books.
- Do not draw attention to yourself by your clothes or your jewellery.
- Do not let people know that you are alone. If you need to ask directions, tell the person that you are meeting a colleague.
- Don't let any charming stranger disarm your good sense.
It can be a very rewarding experience an extremely enjoyable travelling alone. Particularity if you have not done so in a long long time. Take advantage of some of the great singles holidays for people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and active 60s, and put a spark the back in your life.