Some of us see a lot of advantages to traveling solo. Solo travel is a great way to learn new skills and build self-confidence (without being careless). Being aware of your surroundings is a great tool to learn about the host culture. I have done solo travel for over 40 years (I feel like part of the Jurassic clan stating this…) and it has helped shape who I am today.
Here are some of the reasons women choose to travel solo
- FREEDOM: In an informal survey, the number one reason why women traveled alone was the independence to do as one pleases. Freedom is the complete disregard for anyone’s expectations, even your own.
- CHOOSE YOUR OWN PACE: hile this is part of freedom, there is a choice in going as fast or slow as you can. The older you get, the more you enjoy and understand the value of pacing yourself to enjoy each moment (well, we hope!). No need to run to bungee jump? So you can stay in or go to visit a site. No ties here, we are not running to go nowhere.
- DON’T HAVE TO COMPROMISE: When traveling with someone else, at one point, one has to do something that our travel partner wants to do, even if we don’t feel like it. You don’t like going shopping? Not interested in going to an artifact museum? Not feeling like going for a walk? No worries, you don’t have to even think about it.
- DECIDE YOUR BUDGET: As part of traveling with a companion, we have to compromise, and many times this means compromising our budget. I remember having to book a very expensive hotel because a friend wanted to stay at 5-star resorts. It ended up being a place not worth 4 stars, and I stretched my budget. Well, I am not doing that anymore unless I choose where and when. What a plus!
- LEARN TO ENJOY YOURSELF: Traveling solo pushes you to check in emotionally with how you are feeling and work on feeling good to enjoy your travels. Touring alone? Find some interesting spots for yourself and explore. Eating alone? Well, sometimes a surprise companion might show up, even if it is not in human form.
- OPPORTUNITY TO FIND ONE’S OWN INTERESTS: We live in a world where being “busy” is synonymous with being productive (or so we think), and as a result, we lose sight of the importance of having fun. Having fun is crucial, and we truly enjoy ourselves when we engage in activities that we genuinely love. Therefore, make the most of your alone time and explore new hobbies such as belly dancing, photography, or simply observing people without doing much. These activities may seem insignificant, but they can do wonders for your soul.
- PRACTICE MINDFULNESS: Also, a major long-time trend is the importance of being mindful for wellbeing. Mindfulness has always existed as “stopping to smell the roses.” Mindfulness is being conscious and aware of the moment you are living. There are so many examples of being mindful while traveling solo, such as when you “people watch.” It is a great way of being present and mindful. I can’t think of a better way to experience mindfulness than when traveling solo.
- PLAN YOUR OWN SCHEDULE: This is important when you have certain items you want to explore during your travel. The flexibility of the schedule allows you to meet personal needs and do things during hours that fill your energy to the best.
- SOCIALIZE WHEN YOU WANT: There are times when you want to be alone. Some of us travel to recharge and reconnect with ourselves. With that in mind, we choose when we want to be social, and we will probably do that to the best of our ability.
- HAVING YOUR OWN ROOM: is an important subject, especially when you are over 40. You can go to bed when you want to and watch TV, read a book, be on the phone, or stay online without having to worry about turning off those lights or making noise. You can also stay in the shower as long as you want without worrying about leaving enough hot water or taking too much time inside the bathroom. Additionally, you can stay in bed without feeling obligated to have a morning chat or wake up.
- FORCED TO FOCUS ON THE HOST CULTURE: This is my number one reason for wanting to travel solo: culture learning. When we solo travel, we are either inside or outside ourselves. Traveling solo is the best promoter of culture gazing and interaction. We ask for directions, try to speak the language, or – at least saying hello in the host language – we try local food and explore local markets. The beauty of learning about other cultures is the gift of being able to travel around the world.
