Scared of Travelling Alone For the First Time?
The most common reaction I received when I said to my friends I was travelling alone was ‘Oh really? Why?’ or ‘Oh really? Aren’t you scared?’ The answer was yes, petrified, and I didn’t quite know why. But I’d decided in a moment of madness in the January blues that I was going to book my first ever solo trip, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Of course travelling alone is intimidating, so many questions crossed my mind. What if I get lost? Will I get lonely? Or bored? Will other people find it strange that I’m travelling on my own? Is it safe? But travelling solo is the most freedom I’ve ever felt. My confidence has grown and I’m more independent than ever, and that’s saying something for someone who’s been living on their own for 2 years.
First Solo Trip Abroad
My first solo travel trip was a tour on a sailing boat visiting the islands of Croatia. The company I travelled with was Sail Croatia and the group was a mix from mid twenties to sixties, from the UK, the States and Australia in the main. And what a fabulous group of people it was.
It didn’t take me long to realise that just because you’re travelling alone it doesn’t mean you are on your own. There are 7.5 billion people on this planet. Odds are you’re going to meet people you get on with. We naturally formed a group of about 9 of us that came and went. We didn’t huddle together all day every day, people joined and left as they did their own things, but if you wanted to walk through the city with someone or wanted to join a group for dinner the option was always there.
Why Travelling Solo is Great
When travelling alone you have the complete freedom to just ‘do you’. You meet new people from different backgrounds and share your experiences with each other. Not only have I learnt a lot about Croatia during the course of my trip but I’ve gained snippets of knowledge about Australia, America, and the way other people live on the opposite side of the globe. They work in different industries to me, face challenges I’ve never come across in my own life, have different relationships and are used to environments quite unlike my own. I came away from the week wishing I had asked more and more questions, gained more knowledge and questioned more of their opinions. I cannot think of another situation where you would be so totally and completely thrown together with a group of amicable strangers to bounce off one another and grow. And for that reason, I found it utterly fantastic.
How Travelling Alone Changes You
I’ve returned from my trip with a weight lifted from my shoulders. I had gotten so bogged down in the monotony of every day life – work, eat, sleep, gym, more work, mortgage, car repayments etc. that I’d forgotten we only get to do this once. Life is for living and I want to make the most of every opportunity. It’s really very cliché but travelling alone changes you – it has altered my perspective on life and been a much-needed pick-me-up.
My thirst for life has tripled and my drive to see more and do more has increased ten-fold.
Worried About Making Friends Travelling Alone?
Making friends travelling solo was one of the things that made me slightly anxious. But in reality, it was so easy. Check out my post dedicated to making friends travelling alone.
Considering Travelling Alone For the First Time? Go For It!
Even if travelling alone scares you, even if you’re shy, I cannot recommend it enough. You will surprise yourself.
