5 Things to Know Before you Embark on your First Solo Trip

I’ve known I always wanted to travel the world alone someday.

After five years of dreaming about it, I did the cliche thing after graduation of embarking on a solo journey across Europe, amidst the pandemic.

It was one of the most beautiful and equally painful experiences of my life… all condensed into a short one-month span.

I learned a lot from that trip; and now just coming back from another trip from Paris and Spain, I can safely say that traveling alone is a world of a difference from traveling with people. And each has its pros and cons.

Traveling alone enabled me to learn A LOT about myself. As somebody who is used to being the ‘baby of the group’, I found myself in a situation where I had to constantly watch my own back. Especially considering how Europe is notorious for pick-pockets. I spent two to three months planning out my entire itinerary, booking everything in advance—from plane and train tickets to living accommodations in each city. I had originally planned on visiting four countries, 10 cities. Needless to say, by not even the second week I was EXHAUSTED. That’s when I discovered planning trips based on Pinterest-Esque photography is not the best idea.

 I had envisioned myself loving cities in Italy, only to end up absolutely hating them. I almost skipped out on Spain because I didn’t find much to do on the internet, yet Madrid became one of my favorite cities of all time (so much that I went back a second time).

It surprises you a lot, figuring out what you like and don’t like, can, and cannot tolerate when you’re on your own. In a group, you can kind of compromise and go along with the activities because you have the right company. But when you’re wandering alone in the Louvre for 3 hours by yourself, it’s hard to fool yourself into believing you care about the art.

Here are the five things you should consider before taking on a solo trip alone.

1. It’s tough being alone, but you also fall in love with it

It can be incredibly intimidating thinking about having to travel alone. There are sometimes hiccups that come with traveling that can cause stress. For example, once I almost didn’t make it on my flight to Greece and I was stuck in Rome. Having people around that you trust usually reduces the stress load on your part. And helps with navigation too!

However, learning to deal with these situations on your own helps you build greater confidence and a stronger backbone. I love walking through train stations or airports in Europe and having some sense of direction of where things are (this was nada the first time). 

Coming out of the solo trip, I came back with a stronger and more visible sense of confidence. In the way, I walk, and the way I don’t put up with other people’s crap. 

Also, learning to enjoy your own time— doing the things you like to do, eating the things you want to eat. Having this freedom and control can lead to very happy moments for yourself. 

2. You might form extreme, short-fused attachments to other travelers

After spending a little ‘too much time’ with yourself, especially in a foreign environment where people might not even speak your language, it’s completely normal to want to latch onto the first person that shows some form of familiarity. This can lead to great friendships because the bond is formed under a condensed timeframe where both parties deep down are looking for human connection.

There’s something romantic about two semi-lost souls finding each other in a foreign city; be careful you might even find yourself falling in love after a couple of days (guilty!).

But remember, a good time, doesn’t always necessarily mean it will be a long time. Don’t take it personally if people don’t always stay in touch regularly after. Once we’re taken out of an extreme foreign environment, and back to our comfort zone where we have people and things that ground us. We no longer need to latch onto what did feel familiar within that particular phase.

Those moments and experiences you shared with whoever you met on your journey will always be cherished.

3. You’re not going to accomplish everything on the list (meaning not everything will go to plan)

Rarely do things go according to plan. You need to be prepared for this especially if you’re someone who has anxiety over planning things to the T. This is why I recommend not booking everything in advance. Honestly, the price difference is rarely that much, other than the flight itself. Airbnbs can be booked the day before. Whereas if you book everything in advance, and find yourself having to cancel for some reason (ie. being too tired to move to another city, or loving one so much you want to stay longer), you won’t be faced with a bunch of sunk costs.

Especially now with COVID, rules are always changing. It’s better to keep an open mind, instead of strapping yourself down to a tight itinerary. Go with the flow, hang out with locals instead of doing the tourist activities. You’re likely to not only save a lot of money but actually, get a taste of the city you’re visiting.

4. Traveling will spark a sense of inspiration and motivation in you to dream bigger

You have these moments traveling alone where you realize what you want for yourself in the future. You might be totally awestruck by the things you see and experience, or you might feel totally discouraged that you’re not staying in a nicer place or area. 

Quality of life was a huge thing for me. I realized I just couldn’t do hostels. I needed my own privacy and sense of comfort after a long day of exploring. No 3 am wake-up calls from loud and smelly neighbors for me.

In order to travel, do the things I wanted to do, eat at the restaurants I wanted to eat at; I needed to find ways to increase my income. Not budget more. Obviously having more money doesn’t guarantee happiness, but it can guarantee that you’re not stranded on a budget all the time—especially when you’re on vacation. It gives you more options, variety, and comfort which makes traveling itself more enjoyable.

5. You might endure withdrawals after your trip

You will come back from your trip maybe a little tired but refreshed, confident and excited with all the things you learned and saw stashed in your back pocket.

It is normal to feel a little sad when you come home. Part of it’s probably fatigue and your body catching up with you. And another part of it is how different your life was when you were away. Experiencing new things every day versus going back to a boring routine.

However, there are always ways you can spark more passion into your daily life, not just from traveling. Catching up with friends, taking weekend road trips to somewhere new, picking up on a new hobby. There are always ways to discover if you want to look.

Be kind to yourself and remind yourself that it will pass. And before you know it, you’ll be planning another trip!

Conclusion

Traveling alone takes bravery. I’m telling you now, it’s not a walk in the park. However, I truly believe it’s the moments where you feel the most lost and most pained, that make the happiest little blips, euphoria.

The beauty of solo traveling is you have an abundance of time alone to self-reflect and pinpoint what areas in your life you want to improve. Travelling makes us better dreamers because we know that the possibilities the world has to offer are infinite.