{"id":28411,"date":"2014-12-22T10:04:36","date_gmt":"2014-12-22T15:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/?p=28411"},"modified":"2024-09-17T10:23:51","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T14:23:51","slug":"why-solo-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-blogs\/why-solo-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I Travel Alone"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Nomadic<\/p>\n

“Joe, did you book your ticket yet?” I asked as we sat playing video games.<\/p>\n

“No. I changed my mind. I\u2019m not going to go.”<\/p>\n

“What? You aren\u2019t going to Australia? We\u2019ve been planning this vacation for months!” I was stupified. <\/p>\n

“Yeah, I don\u2019t feel like it. We\u2019ll go some other time.”<\/p>\n

Over the coming weeks, I attempted to get my friend to reconsider, but to no avail. When Joe changed his mind, he changed his mind. Our trip to Australia<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 our big post-college adventure \u2014\u00a0was off.<\/p>\n

And none of my friends wanted to replace him. <\/p>\n

If I wanted to travel, it would have to be on my own.<\/p>\n

So, in 2004, I left by myself to Costa Rica. It was that trip that planted the travel bug in me. It was that trip that helped inspire me to travel more, visit Thailand, and quit my job to travel the world.<\/p>\n

Joe not going was the best thing that ever happened to me. <\/p>\n

But him not going was a pattern that has repeated itself consistently over the years. While a few friends have joined me here and there along the way, more often than not, plans to meet friends in far-flung places don\u2019t pan out. When it comes down to the wire, “something” always comes up<\/a> and they\u2019re suddenly too busy, change their mind, or can’t afford it.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s taught me that if I wait for others, I\u2019ll never go anywhere.<\/p>\n

There are places I want to go, people to see, experiences to have, and food to try \u2014\u00a0and only so much time to accomplish it all.<\/p>\n

So I refuse to wait. I won’t let others keep me from realizing my dreams.<\/p>\n

It can be scary traveling alone, especially when you\u2019ve never done it before. But, to me, growing old without experiencing everything you want from life is even scarier. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been putting off a trip because you\u2019re waiting for someone to go with \u2014\u00a0stop. Just go. Don\u2019t let others hold you back from your dreams<\/a>. Trust me, along the way you\u2019ll make plenty of friends<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 from other solo travelers who thought \u201cScrew it, if I don\u2019t go, I\u2019ll never go\u201d to locals interested in meeting new people. <\/p>\n

I’ve found that you\u2019re never alone when you travel. I worried that if I didn’t travel with friends, I’d be alone. I’d never make any friends. But it turns out you make so many on the road that you have to go out of your way to be alone! You’re constantly surrounded by people! <\/p>\n

Solo travel gives you ultimate freedom<\/a>. You wake up and it\u2019s just you \u2014\u00a0what you want, where you want, when you want. In that freedom and infinite space of possibility, you meet yourself. You hit the limits of what you like and don\u2019t like. There\u2019s no one to pull you in any one direction or override your reasons. Want sushi? Get sushi. Want to leave? Leave. Want to try bungee jumping? Go for it. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s sink or swim and you have to learn how to survive \u2014\u00a0who to trust, how to make friends, how to find your way around alone. That\u2019s the greatest reward of solo travel:\u00a0the personal growth<\/a>. Each time you go away, you learn to become a little more independent, confident, and in tune with your emotions and desires.<\/p>\n

Solo travel is not for everyone. Some people return home soon after departing, others cry for weeks before embracing it, and some just embrace it right away. But you\u2019ll never learn that if you don\u2019t travel once by yourself. Whether a weekend away, a two-week vacation, or trip around the world, try it at least once.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t wait for people or hold back from living your dreams. You could be waiting a long time until someone finally says yes. There\u2019s only now \u2014 and if you don\u2019t go, you\u2019ll regret it.<\/p>\n

Because if I hadn\u2019t stopped waiting, I\u2019d still be in my cubicle, trying to convince Joe to go to Australia<\/a> and wondering if I\u2019d ever get to see the world.
\n 
\n

How to Travel the World on $75 a Day<\/span><\/h3>
\"How<\/div>

My New York Times<\/em> best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you\u2019ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It\u2019s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the \u201cbible for budget travelers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Click here to learn more and start reading it today!<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n

\n

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks<\/h4>\n

Book Your Flight<\/strong>
\nFind a cheap flight by using Skyscanner<\/a>. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned. <\/p>\n

Book Your Accommodation<\/strong>
\nYou can book your hostel with Hostelworld<\/a>. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com<\/a> as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. <\/p>\n

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance<\/strong>
\nTravel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:<\/p>\n