11 things you learn on a #solotravel

While we are all currently in our little #homequarantine bubble I thought it might be nice to dream a bit about travelling. I´m a big lover of solo travel and today I´d like to share some of my experiences with you.

My very first solo trips started as a longer stay abroad. A two-week exchange to an English school, a three-month au-pair trip to Madrid and finally I stayed for almost a year in Australia. Even though I travelled alone, it was always in a safe setting. I visited locals, who felt more or less responsible for me. So it didn´t really challenge me to start those journeys.

And then I started my first real solo trip because I didn´t have much choice. In faraway Australia, I wanted to experience as much as possible and didn´t want to wait – and possibly waste precious time – until I had made some new close friends. So I planned a small trip to three places and was way more concerned about my first upcoming scuba diving experience than I was about the itinerary itself. Now that time has passed, I can see more clearly that this was where it all started, where my love for solo travels was born. Time has passed and I travelled to more countries just by myself than I can remember. So I decided that today I share with you my experiences and tips for a solo journey. So grab a hot chocolate or a fancy drink and let´s get started!

Reason for Solo-Traveling: You can be whoever you want to be - so #befree #beyourself #findyourpath Klick um zu Tweeten

#1 Go With The Flow

First of all, it is important, that even those who only travel alone out of necessity, give loneliness a chance. Cause when you´re regretting that you´re travelling without company all the time, you won´t give your trip a real chance to turn out well and you will miss some incredible chances. It´s absolutely normal, that you might feel lonely sometimes: Like for example when you´re sitting in a restaurant, between all the couples and groups of friends, while you´re alone at a table. So instead of looking frantically for new contacts at the destination, I rather recommend you accept the solo trip and enjoy how many new experiences you are making now. And don’t worry, you will always get in contact with new people anyway, but not immediately. Sometimes you get lucky and already make new friends at the check-in of your hostel. On other trips, you only get to know someone great on the last night. But that is also a good thing because many experiences on a solo journey are experienced much more intensively than you would ever do when you´re in a group. That’s why my first tip is to be open-minded and go with the flow.

#2 Your Pace Tells You Who You Are

The beauty of travelling alone is that nobody rushes you. Not only can you experience everything at your own pace, but also learn quickly, which things really interest you and which ones you´ve only shown interest in on previous trips because you had the feeling you´d have to. Those, who have no interest in museums or churches, don´t have to visit them only because they are famous sightseeing spots. It´s the same with countries or experiences. Just because „everyone“ feels the need to do a bungee jump or only because a work and travel trip to Australia is trendy, doesn’t mean that you have to force yourself to do it as well. At the same time, it doesn´t mean you have to stop yourself from doing it, just because you have the feeling, there were already too many of your friends. Travel where you want to, when you want and with whom you want to. Those of you, who are not yet sure of your priorities and preferences will be more self-knowledgeable at the end of your solo journey.

#3 The Only Wrong Decision Is To Not Make A Decision At All

If you are travelling alone, you won´t only learn new things about yourself – the long journeys will give you so much time with your own thoughts, that you will get to know yourself, your needs and wishes way better – you will also learn how to take full responsibility for yourself. Because on a solo trip there is no one who makes the decisions for you. This can be liberating, but sometimes quite tiring as well, when you realize, how many decisions you have to make every single day. Usually, at some point, you get the fear of missing out on something, because you are never really aware of all the possibilities that a place offers to you. After a while, it will get easier to relax and go with the flow. You will learn how to listen to your gut feeling and to spontaneously decide what is right for you.
As for myself on some days I still need to force myself to be fully open to all new experiences and impressions. I try to push myself to overcome my own fears. Try to concentrate on the progress of getting to know me better, be more adventurous and make new experiences. The good thing is that with every experience it gets easier and self-confidence grows automatically.

#4 It Is Great To Get Lost

I discovered the tastiest macaroons on my penultimate day in a side street in Rome, when I wandered away from my usual paths. I would have never tasted the best sushi in New Zealand when I wouldn´t run out of water and didn’t need to stop in a little shop for a refreshment. I also only discovered my absolute favourite handbag on a tiny leather market in Madrid, because I took the unusual path. And I only jumped off a cliff into the wild ocean with a friend, because the long way back over a rocky wall in the heated air of Portugal appeared too far for us. So don´t be scared of getting lost, ´cause you will find the best adventure on the unusual paths.

#5 If You Leave The Travel Guide At Home You Will Experience A Fresher And More Exciting Journey

I´ll recommend you try this tip on your next trip: Don’t look up your destination at all, before you get there and start with fresh eyes. In Barcelona for example I decided to not open up a travel guide after half of the journey has passed. I was surprised to find out, that some of the places I  discovered by accident, were pretty often famous spots in the travel guide. But as I´ve found the places by myself, I felt way more connected to them, because I discovered their beauty by myself, instead of just following the paths of other people that have already been there. So for me, it felt like I looked at the streets and (famous) spots with opener eyes and greater enthusiasm than if I would have purposefully run to a sightseeing spot, just to check it out.

#6 Your Roommates Are Either Send From Heaven Or Hell

I was not even aware of how quickly another person could make me furious with rage in a few minutes before I stayed in a hostel for the first time. Clearly, there are also good roommates, in some you even fall in love with (cheers to my gorgeous boyfriend), but mostly you rarely have the same daily routine as your roommates. Those who like to get up early will be annoyed by night owls, who rush into the room at dawn, throw down chairs, turn on the flashy ceiling lights for something that feels like hours and leave the bathroom door open so that you can listen to their little toilet concert – thank you, Nate. It was really great. Every. Single. Night!
Even dirty rooms and unwashed roommates can bring you to the edge, but luckily most roommates are quite respectful and friendly. In mixed rooms, I have also had more positive experiences than in pure-girl dorms. So I mostly recommend a mixed room to you guys.

#7 Be Whoever You Want To Be

You´ve always wanted to slip into someone else’s identity? Here’s your chance! Because if you ever looked for the perfect opportunity to let out a different side of yourself it is a solo trip. After all, there is no one who knows you, so who´s stopping you, right? Most of the people you meet on a trip, you will never meet again anyway. Of course, you should be careful and a little creative by using white lies. Changing your name isn´t smart when it comes to your roommates for example, but it’s easy to change your origin country or take on a fun or creative profession when you know it´s only for a short time.
Fun fact: When I met my boyfriend on a Rome trip, he loved to bring me out of my shell. So he thought it would be funny to introduce me to new people as Amelia from Iceland. Not the best choice as I have never been to Iceland before, so I wasn´t able to respond to all the interesting and enthusiastic questions I got. When I asked him afterwards how he came up with this crazy idea, he answered with a big grin on his face that it would be quite boring to travel to Italy as a german girl. So if I want to meet some new people, I could be a little bit more creative, especially as it was my last day of the trip.

#8 The Desire To Give Something Back Will Grow

Travelling will change your relationship with things. It’s crazy that nowhere in the world do I feel so comfortable in my own skin as when I travel. Beauty issues or medical conditions don´t seem so important to me anymore, compared to the wild world and all the other human beings. Instead, I always feel gratitude for the things I am allowed to experience, the food I try and the people I´m allowed to meet and exchange conversations with. When you´re travelling alone, you concentrate more on the people you meet and they have a big impact on you. The change of perspective leaves you striving for a more minimalistic life and the desire to help other people and vulnerable animals will grow.

#9 Better Take Too Little Than Too Much

Anyone who has read some of my early blog posts already knows about the most important travel rule. Because on my very first backpacking trip to New Zealand I learned the hard way: Always take only as much as you can carry yourself. When it comes to travelling with a backpack, it is always better to pack minimalistic, because otherwise you will be forced to stop every few meters to rest on a bench. And believe me, that´s not cool at all!

#10 Expect And Accept Failures

Perfect journeys don´t exist. Whether it is a delayed train ride to the plane, a flight that has been cancelled or lost baggage – sometimes things go wrong and as much you try to organize everything perfectly, you can´t control it. Travelling mostly doesn´t happen as planned and anyone who is prepared for failure and ideally even has a plan b will be able to enjoy his journey more relaxed, than the ones who get angry about every little change. In case of a broken credit card, it helps to have some cash just in case. A forgotten towel can often be borrowed at the hostel and whoever asks nicely usually also finds someone who is willing to help with other problems.
Storytime: When I was stuck in the airport in Paris in the middle of the night on a Sunday and it took the airport a whole hour after the flight should have been, to announce that there will be another opportunity to get to the destination. The easiest would have been to freak out. I mean I had no idea when I would finally get home and if I would have to stay at that airport that night. Of course, I would have liked to speak french and to be able to understand what was going on, but on the other hand, I made some new friends with other travellers from my delayed flight, who I wouldn´t have met otherwise. So even though it´s not easy in that kind of situation to stay calm, it´s always better for you to not let the stressful situation get control over your whole travel experience. It´s just one tiny part of it if you don´t give it the power to ruin your trip. 
So when you travel alone there will be sometimes overwhelming situations, that wouldn´t stress you out as much if you would have company. This is absolutely normal and nobody should feel bad, just because he wishes for some help. But usually, it´s exactly these little travel challenges that you learn the most of and grow from because you found a solution to the situation and managed it just by yourself. And after all, they also give some pretty nice anecdotes for home.

#11 You Will Appreciate Company

Being alone is not always great, just as it is not always great to crouch on a trip with friends or family. So many evenings I sat in restaurants and looked at the couples at the other tables and wished to have someone to talk to or share experiences with. But just as often my gaze slipped farther to arguing couples who didn´t enjoy their moment of togetherness at all, who perhaps envied me for my rest. I’ve learned that it’s perfectly okay to miss someone. Not every moment on a journey has to be perfect. That doesn´t mean it´s a bad journey at all. Because no matter how much went wrong on a trip, not once did I regret a trip. Ever. Sometimes when I was in places that were so incredible that I swore to myself I have to show them one day to a future partner or other important persons, so I started to write them on a list in my head. Because those who travel alone also learn to appreciate how beautiful it is to gather experiences together with someone and to review the memories after the journey together.

Travel reports of women travelling just by themselves are currently quite popular, but this does not mean that everyone should do so. Only those who feel drawn to travel alone, for whom the thought is a delightful adventure, should actually go for it. Because if I have learned one thing in my travels then this (assuming you do not harm a third party): Always do only what you really want to do. Then you will find your happiness all by itself.

You may also like

52 comments

    1. Liebe Tiziana, was für ein interessanter und informativer Beitrag und ich finde es einfach toll, mit welcher Einstellung du an deine Reisen herangehst und wie du die Länder und Orte auf dich wirken lässt. Dabei hast du uns wunderbare Tipps für Solo-Travel vermittelt, die sich aber auch bei mehreren Personen gut anwenden lassen. Ich bin wohl nicht der geeignete Alleinreiser, aber ich muss gleich mal hinzufügen, dass ich es selbst auch noch nie aufprobiert habe. Doch ich könnte mir vorstellen, dass ich das Erlebte gerne mit jemandem teilen will, dass ich mich im Bedarfsfall mit jemanden beraten will. Ich mache bei unseren Reisen immer gerne eine Grobplan, was wir ungefähr machen, was wir ansehen oder wo wir essen wollen und dann lassen wir uns einfach treiben und landen dann doch immer wieder mal ganz woanders als geplant, aber das sind dann meist ganz wunderbare Erfahrungen. Ich hoffe, dir und deinem Freund geht es gut und ihr seid wohlauf.
      Bleib gesund und alles Liebe

      1. Hallo meine Liebe!!
        Vielen Dank für deine süßen Worte. Uns geht es zum Glück tatsächlich gut und mittlerweile haben wir unsere Routine gefunden und kommen mit der Quarantäne erstaunlich gut klar 🙂
        Ganz liebe Grüße!!

  1. I really enjoyed reading this article and can relate to so much of what you said! About 2 years ago, I began solo festivaling! It came about because I was originally supposed to go with someone to a Paris festival and they couldn’t make it in the end – but I went anyway! It ended up being one of the best experiences of my life and I ended up going to a festival in Lisbon and Spain alone!
    This is something I could never have done in my 20s, but now I’m MUCH older ( ; I have the confidence and personal strength to do it!
    Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment.
    Have a good week ahead, Xo

  2. Das ist echt super spannend. Ich selbst war noch nie wirklich richtig allein unterwegs. Nur Tagesausflüge habe ich im Urlaub schon mal allein auf eigene Faust unternommen. Dabei würde ich mir einen richten Solo-Trip durchaus zu trauen, also mal schauen, vielleicht ergibt sich ja irgendwann mal eine Gelegenheit 🙂
    Liebe Grüße
    Sarah

  3. Liebe Tiziana, ein ganz, ganz toller Post. Ich selbst bin tatsächlich noch NIE alleine irgendwo gewesen, nicht einmal auf einen Tagesausflug, aber tatsächlich ist das etwas, was auf meiner lifetime-bucket-list steht. Ich möchte einmal genau diese Erfahrungen machen.Andererseits lassen sich viele deiner Tipps ja auch auf das Reisen zu zweit anwenden. Gerade was das Reisen nach Plan bzw. Reiseführer angeht, hat sich bei mir die letzten Jahre auch schon viel geändert, einfach einmal abseits der vorgepflasterten Wege gehen – man lernt so viel mehr über ein Land. Viiiielen, vielen Dank fürs Mitnehmen auf einen kleinen Ausbruch aus der Isolation, das hat richtig gut getan, gerne mehr davon. Ich hoffe, dir und deinen Lieben geht es gut, schau weiter gut auf dich, alles, alles Liebe, x S.Mirli
    https://www.mirilme.at

  4. Tiziana, this is such a great post! While I do not travel overseas at all, I do love a good solo road trip. Not that I am opposed to international travel alone, I just don’t have the budget for it right now. But I do love solo travel as well. It is so much easier, more relaxing, and more exciting. I think my love for solo travel began about 20 years ago when I had a job that had me traveling all of the United States by myself. I would fulfill my work obligations wherever I was and then spend my free time exploring alone. And now I prefer that time alone whenI do get the chance to travel. So I can totally relate to this post!

    Shelbee
    http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

  5. Honestly I’m not quite the type to travel on my own because I’m fearing the loneliness. I have to admit though it has lots of advantages, you are your own boss and you get in touch more easily with other people. Maybe one day I will be travelling solo too.

    xx Simone
    Little Glittery Box

  6. Ah yes theres is something about solo travel. I think because you are not with other people you are not distracted with chit chat and the like. When you are alone you are more in tune with your surroundings and if they are new and different then of course this heightens the experience. When I go to Paris for FW it is a semi solo trip. I am not totally alone as my step family lives there, though I stay in my own AIR B-N-B. But I only see them on the weekends and for dinner in the evening. The rest of the time I am on my own exploring and shooting. It is a great arrangement!

    Allie of
    http://www.allienyc.com

  7. Klasse Tipps, da habe ich echt einiges Neues gelernt. Auf einer Soloreise war ich noch nie, doch vielleicht probiere ich es auch einmal wenn wir diese Virus-Zeit ueberstanden haben
    Lieben Gruss

    1. Hi gorgeous oh that’s sad to hear. I totally understand your point, that as a women we have to be extra careful, but our gender shouldn’t stop us from trying things we want to do 🙂
      Maybe one day you find the courage too!
      Have a good day

  8. I travel a lot but the only time I’ve travelled alone is for work. I am always so excited and enjoy it for one night and then miss everyone – which makes me think I am not cut out for single travel. How fun that you lived in Australia for nearly a year – hope you enjoyed it here!

  9. Das ist etwas, woran ich mich noch nicht so ganz heran getraut habe. Liegt vielleicht auch ein bisschen an den Umständen; weniger daran, dass ich es mir nicht zutrauen würde (mit mir allein komme ich ganz gut klar ^^) bzw. es nicht sicherlich eine tolle Erfahrung wäre. Aber als Selbstständige nutze ich die freie Zeit und Möglichkeit zu Reisen dann doch immer lieber mit meinen Liebsten. 😉

Schreibe einen Kommentar

Deine E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht veröffentlicht. Erforderliche Felder sind mit * markiert