Ever thought about travelling alone? If you have, but always been sceptical, here are 5 reasons why you most definitely should.
Traveling alone, at least initially, might seem daunting. You might think that you’ll be bored without anyone to talk to and, depending on the destination, you might think that it would be scary to be alone. To be sure, there are some parts of the world where you would never want to go by yourself. Some of the world’s major cities represent a real challenge when it comes to safety and security. However, there are many destinations where going it alone is a genuine opportunity. Nevertheless, it is always prudent to take out travel insurance for single trips prior to leaving home. Here are five reasons to consider taking this sort of trip.
1. Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Is Healthy
If you’re used to having people to talk to – but you don’t do well introducing yourself in social situations – then this will be a real learning experience for you. You might never have gone to a restaurant by yourself, but, on a trip away alone, you’ll be doing this all the time. You might have never planned your own holiday before, letting a significant other make all the decisions. This time, the choices are yours. This means that you have more responsibility – but also a greater sense of ownership for the good things that happen on your trip.
2. When You’re By Yourself, You Get To Know Yourself Better
If you put the smartphone down and stop texting with other people, and if you have to spend a week not talking to anyone but the people that you meet along the way, you’ll be surprised by how much you learn about yourself. Taking this sort of trip gives you a chance to slow your pace down and think about all of those things that you don’t have time to consider during your busy life. Other people will come and go, but the more comfortable you are with yourself, the more content you will be.
3. You’ll Return Much Different Than You Were When You Left
Going out on your own brings a real sense of comfort and renewal to the spirit. You’ll look at the world around you in a different way, and your perspective on other people will shift as well. You’ll have a greater sense of autonomy and courage when it comes to facing challenges.
4. Things Are Not Nearly As Valuable As Experiences
If you’re choosing between a second car and a luxury cruise (and you can afford either one), take that luxury cruise by yourself. You really only need one car, if you think about it, and the memories from that luxury cruise will last a lifetime. You’ll meet new people, find new destinations and have a whole host of stories that a second car in the garage will never provide.
5. You’ll Have A Network Of Friends Everywhere
If you travel alone, you’ll be surprised how friendly absolute strangers turn out to be. You’ll build a network of people in every city where you go, which means that you’ll have a whole constellation of contacts for the next time you travel. Even if you never see those people again, having them as contacts will help you restore those memories each time you communicate with one another. It is surprising how much traveling alone can make you far richer in terms of the number of friends that you have.
There are numerous other reasons for taking the plunge and deciding to travel alone than the five we have described here. The most important thing, however, is to enjoy the trip and take full advantage of all the pleasures that a solo holiday can bring.
