10 Facts About Solo Travel

Travelling alone can certainly have it’s ups and downs. The majority of my overseas trips have been solo, which has taught me so much about myself. Travelling alone is something I think everyone should do at least once in their life. You may be scared at first, but I promise you wont regret it. Below are 10 facts about solo travel.

You will meet more people

As you will be alone and have no one to talk to, you will end up meeting more people than you would if you were travelling with a friend.

Solo travel taught me to be able to talk to almost anyone, and introduced me to some of my best friends. Sooo many people travel alone, and everyone is in the same position. Don’t fear being alone when travelling, embrace it, and engage with other travellers around you.

The photo above was taken in Miami. I travelled to Miami alone and within hours met Claudia who I instantly because friends with.

 You are in complete control

The most liberating part of travelling alone is your ability to do absolutely anything you want whenever you want. You get to decide if you will wake up early or sleep in, what day trip you want to talk, when you will eat, and you get to do it all at your own pace. Without a travel companion to answer to, you accept more spontaneous offers and come across more opportunities.

It pays to put your self out there

It can be as simple as starting a conversation with the person next to you on the bus, or trying a new activity that you wouldn’t usually do. Sometimes putting your self out there is the best way to meet new people and have a good time.

Travelling alone is empowering

There is nothing more empowering than embarking on a solo journey around the world with nothing but an open mind and heart.

You will get lonely

Travelling solo is my favorite way to travel, but there is no denying the fact that I get lonely.

Meal times are often the loneliest and most boring times. To avoid feeling lonely, I avoid eating in restaurants alone. I opt to cook at the hostels where I can meet other travellers, and I carry snacks with me on day trips. If I am going out to a restaurant, I would take a book or something to do.

You will spend more money

Travelling alone costs slightly more as you cant split things like taxis, and hotel rooms.

When travelling solo, I always get a bed in a hostel to save money. Check out my blog on 3 ways to stretch your budget.

You will spend less money

You wont be pressured into doing expensive activities you don’t want to do.

I personally spend less money when I travel alone because I prefer hiking, sightseeing and other free activities and prefer to walk instead of taking a taxi or bus.

You will be more vulnerable to crime

Unfortunately travelling alone can make you more vulnerable to crime in certain situations. Don’t let this stop you from travelling alone, just be aware.

You will learn more

Being alone forces you to talk to, and learn more about other people. It also teaches you more about yourself.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger 

Solo travel has its ups and downs. You will get into situations where things go wrong, you will get lost, no one will understand you and you wont understand anyone, but you will survive.

Solo travel is more fun than you could ever imagine…

And that is a FACT…. Don’t fear it, go for it.

By Lucy Frank

A Travellers Footsteps

Lucy is a 23 year old Australian who started travelling the world alone at 18. She created A Travellers Footsteps to share her journey, inspire other people to travel and to provide information on the best ways to travel.