SOLO TRAVEL
Traveling solo is a special time when a person travels alone rather than with anybody else. Traveling with a boyfriend, husband, children, friend, etc, does not count as unaccompanied so it is not solo.
When we travel to a destination we have to focus on the now, on what is there, and learn to navigate that new reality. Being in the moment is just that, it is to focus on what is real and what we experience (the hype word is mindfulness).
Here are some of the many reasons why we have been traveling solo
1- Discovery
Searching and finding something new not only breaks the monotony but might bring important ideas and concepts to someone’s life. Tackling the unknown can bring about hidden potentials. Finding a new place, new hobbies, new environment, new experiences, new people, new likes, and other elements that identify with yourself is where your discovery starts. This newness is what brings new life and feels like new beginnings that refresh everyday life.
2- Take a break
Tired of the same routine? 8-5 job? taking care of the home, the yard, doing the same things on weekends, seeing the same people? Research tells us that breaks are important to restore our well-being. Well, for sure traveling solo will break that routine because you are alone and none of those outside “variables” will play any part in your experience. Traveling solo is the best way to disconnect!
3- Land your favorite type of destination
It could be a city, countryside, desert, beach, summer, fall, desert, ocean, etc. Not everybody is fortunate enough to live all year round at a favorite type of place. Traveling to a favorite location is a way to pamper ourselves and assert what we love. No matter the type of destination you love, you just go for it, variety of choices is what the world is all about. What’s your favorite type of destination nowadays?
4-Stay Away
Some people have to stay away from situations that can be physically and psychologically harmful. We all heard stories of people having to run away from abusive relationships, bad economies, war, and different degrees of distressing circumstances.
5- Adventure
Adventure in our lifetime is definitely not limited to young adults wanting to hang off a cliff or wearing a tiny bikini on a zipline. Adventure truly means bringing excitement into one’s life by doing something “risky” (without really knowing the circumstances) which is totally ageless. Whatever adventure means to a person depends on preferences and what stage of life one is in but it can happen at any time in your lifetime!! Is adventure going on a cruise at 95 years old? yes, you bet! It is also buying a ticket to an undisclosed destination, going to a nude beach, or riding a bike on the red square in Beijing. The unpredictability of the result is the excitement itself.
6- Rite of Passage
Rites of passage are major events, usually turning points in someone’s life. A rite of passage rarely leaves us in the same “state” because it creates a transition in someone’s life. A marriage, death, divorce, birth, and graduation are all some examples of rites of passage where one transition from an isolated phase to a communal one. Some people travel, during these milestone moments of one’s personal story, to reflect and contemplate on what is next. Some consider travel a rite of passage however, there is enough evidence that it is not always the case.
7- Meet New People
This is one of the fun parts of traveling; meeting new people. Research validates that we are hard-wired to meet new like-minded people with whom we could connect longer term. Nowadays it is easy to meet locals if you use apps and you like to party. If that is not the case, as it is for me, meeting people can happen in many places such as while taking a tour, at a store, at a restaurant, doing volunteer work, and/or taking a class. It just takes someone to say “hello where are you from?” only if you are in the mood. Another more current way of meeting people is to search online (yeap here we go) and see if there is a local group meeting that you can join at your current location.
8– Healing
There are times in someone’s life when social, economic, or other types of distress take a big toll on our emotional health. At this juncture, we might judge ourselves and others through the hurt. Travel is a way to set our minds for healing and wellbeing. A series of studies validate a degree of physical and psychological benefits of travel with a psychological detachment providing evidence of more satisfaction. The type of travel to do healing is a very personal one, some people go to visit sacred places, healing sanctuaries, mediation, you name it. Where others need to re-connect themselves through their unique space of trust.
Traveling solo is a chance to start anew, it helps to flow without walls again, and that is where we can restart our power. We deserve to be where we feel physical and emotional peace and well-being, this is the best medicine to help ease the pain. So take a deep breath to recompose, nothing lasts forever! HEALING SANCTUARIES>>>>>
9- Scout new place to live
People travel to find a place to relocate or to move temporarily. Retirement or being a digital nomad might be some of the reasons why folks travel to scout a new place to live. Moving to another country can be an intense experience and to ease the relocation stress, at any level, visiting the new location helps us understand if it is a feasible decision or not. Reconciling rules, regulations, and ways of living at our comfort level is key in choosing a new location. In an ever-growing fickle world moving temporarily does not seem to be too much of a challenge, however, moving permanently requires much more preparation where scouting the new location is a must.
10- Learn about a new culture
This is my “numero uno” and worth exploring when you go abroad; learning. I have researched how people learn about a new culture abroad as the topic of my doctoral dissertation and continued research. Sadly my finding has been that traveling to a new country does not imply someone learns about a new culture just by being in a place, needless to say, does not make someone global. True learning a new culture is an acquired skill that goes beyond framing a culture, research besides mine backs it up! We all met folks who have been to “x” country and it is truly little they know about the place they visited. Learning a new culture broadens your horizons like any other experience but it takes work that does not involve relaxation and taking selfies.
11- Learn a new skill
This is another fun part of traveling solo and definitely one of my faves; learning. Learning a language, snorkeling, diving, cooking, painting with local artists, birdwatching, gardening, whatever is adding a new skill adds fun and a spark into one’s life. Learning a new skill activates the feel-good chemical dopamine; a stress reliever that increases attention and motivates creativity. What a plus!!!
12- Challenge yourself
We know traveling solo is not for everyone and for some, not an easy task to embark on. However, traveling solo makes a person step out of a comfort zone which might turn into a learning experience. Traveling solo pushes us to uncover hidden talents that can turn into confidence. Are you shy and/or introverted? well, you might learn to eat alone at ease, talk to strangers at a pace that is comfortable for you, and may decide to do a walking tour by yourself. Whatever we do on our own, is teaching us to rely less on others, to learn to solve our issues, and to turn that radar of alert when needed. I can do this!!
13- Can finally do it
Life gets busy with different responsibilities for most of us. While for some people traveling solo is a way to escape from the “have to’s,” for others is just something they have been postponing. At times we can’t travel because of schooling, family, the spouse would get upset, pets, money, health, you name it When all of these “nuances” cool down or you find there is a gap to get away, just do it because the time being right might be a landmark in your life. In the end, we regret more the things we did not try other than the ones we did and this is one of them.
14- Stand Alone
Independent beings want to do their own thing and don’t want to spend their alone time having to schedule activities with others. Even though I enjoy people, as an independent being, I can relate so much to the fact that I want to plan my day as I wish. Traveling solo gives us time away from the everyday “fuss” and to take a step back and notice who we are and what we like, this self-awareness heightens our sense of self and grounds who we are. Choosing the level of comfort and discomfort and switching the pace of travel and locations gives us a sense of self-reliance.
15- The DRD4-7R Gene
Some folks enjoy beyond measure experiencing the unknown and the unfamiliar, together with the learning experience that it might bring. Research tells us that there is a genetic push to have this curious wanderlust spirit, the uncommon DRD4-7R gene! Nomad life is then part of heredity and for sure mine came from my father. Glad to validate my genetic pool!!!
16- Return Travel
Returning to a location to explore on your own is a very common reason for traveling. When we travel with accompanied we must negotiate some of our do’s and likes, leaving sometimes things pending that we could have liked to do and see. It is rewarding to return to a location and to check that spot you wish you could have visited and taken that mosaic class you wanted to do so badly. Now, returning solo you have the chance!
17- No one Available
Many times someone wants to travel and asks around if anyone would be interested and or available. If finding someone is not possible, some people just don’t do it while others take the plunge. Remember that most people in the world do not have the chance to think and or choose to take a trip. In the end, we regret more the things we did not try other than the ones we did and this is one of them.
18- Relaxation
What a nice one! and one that doesn’t we all love! but even the word “to relax” means different things for different people. Some relax the most in off-grid places away from most and the nuance of technology, My lifestyle does not go well with most I know, so relaxing is in the eyes of the beholder. As for others might mean having a drink by the beach, playing bingo, or sleeping. All in all, we do know that research tells us that we must learn to relax to live a physically and mentally healthier life.
19- Health
Psychological and mental health is a big issue and more than ever after the Pandemic and ruthless wars around the world. Health reasons to travel can range from a serious medical condition, such as going through a cancer diagnosis to medical tourism for cosmetic surgery (which is more common than anyone would ever know). The cliche word that “health is number one” is a truth that no one can deny, and research backs it up. Some scientific research suggests that people who travel showed lower chances to have a heart attack, and lower levels of stress than folks who don’t travel (this also relates to solo travel) So when you hear that travel is stressful just leave the facts to the experts and not to “opinionologists,” the world is full of them!
20- Got the Funds
Traveling solo, for the most part, is much more expensive than traveling with someone else. Not sharing rooms, transportation, a meal, a canoeing trip and not being able to get those 2×1 deals is a sure hike up in price. However, if you have the funds to treat yourself, you don’t have to negotiate to do things you might not want and spend those funds for yourself. Money sometimes does buy happiness;-0 YAY! you got it!!
As a middle age adult, I have experienced real travel solo where maps were essential and scheduling calls a necessity. Nowadays, technology allows folks the level of comfort preferred to navigate the degree of “soloness” (my made-up word). Regardless of how solo you allow yourself to be technology is not always an easy fix; research has shown that technology causes a higher level of loneliness. YIKES!
Remember that you are always there with your best friend; yourself!!
