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Is Solo Travel Lonely?

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Is solo travel lonely? Find out how to avoid being lonely when traveling solo.

One question I get asked a lot is: is solo travel lonely?

There are a lot of people that are scared of traveling solo or that simply would never consider planning a trip for themselves because they worry about being somewhere new without backup.

It’s completely normal to worry about traveling alone, especially when we’re used to sharing experiences with our favorite people. However, once you dare to travel by yourself, you’ll discover that you can have new enriching experiences that can’t be compared to those you have when traveling with your people.

Now, you’re probably wondering if solo traveling won’t make you feel lonely.

Woman looking out at the view in Turkey

Being by yourself isn’t at all the same as being lonely. Any experienced solo traveler will deny having that feeling in any of their trips. Even first-time solo travelers come back ready to deny that loneliness myth.

If you are deciding whether to plan a vacation for yourself but you keep on wondering if solo travel is a lonely experience, then you’re in the right place. Keep on reading to discover some of the many reasons why you won’t even have time to feel lonely on a solo trip.

The following are just some of the benefits and advantages that you’ll get from traveling by yourself.

Meet New Friends

One of the reasons why people choose to travel alone is because they can meet new people.

Traveling by yourself will inevitably enable you to make friends and talk to other people. This is usually pretty hard to do when you’re with a partner or traveling with a group of friends.

When we aren’t alone we’re less open to talking to someone else. For starters, a person who’s accompanied isn’t as approachable as someone who isn’t. Plus, we don’t have that social survival instinct that forces us to get out of our comfort zone and talk to strangers.

When you’re alone in a different country and in an unfamiliar place for you, talking to other people to get around and as for crucial information will become a part of your daily activities. This way you get to meet the locals and explore the place following their suggestions.

On the other side, you get to meet people that are traveling alone just like you are.

The second scenario is the more common one. Solo travelers, without even noticing, can spot each other. Therefore, they understand each other’s experience, it’s easier to make conversation, and since no one has any compromises, they can stick together and end up becoming a nice travel companion and even good friends.

Woman dancing in the street for the post is solo travel lonely

Having friends from all over the world is one of the best things that come out as a result of traveling solo.

You get to experience new traveling styles, get to know other cultures, practice other languages, and get out of your normal routine.

If you make good friends during your trip, then you’ll go back home with a new excuse to start planning a trip to see them again.

Explore Exactly What You Want to See

When traveling with your friends, family, a partner, or in a group, you have to adapt your schedule to the others. Sometimes you have to give in and sacrifice activities that you’d like to do in order to please someone else. Other times you can’t enjoy certain things because you have to keep going with the group. Or there are occasions in which you simply want to rest for a day but you can’t because of the tight travel schedule.

When traveling solo, none of these scenarios will be an issue.

You’re in total control of your schedule and the activities you do each day. You’ll be able to spend as much time exploring a museum as you want, grab something to eat whenever you feel like it, or suddenly change your plans and choose something else to do.

You can decide freely what to do with each minute of your schedule, you’ll be able to find and follow your own rhythm without compromise.

If you travel by yourself, you’ll create a unique travel experience.

You decide if you go dining with a new friend, tagging along to a party with the guests of the hostel, or staying in to catch up on your reading. At the end of the day, you’re in charge of your activities.

Even if you’ve already made new friends, you can choose whether to go with them for a certain activity or to go by yourself to another place and meet them afterward. There are no strings attached to them.

Woman sitting outside on a balcony

Try New Things

The best part about traveling solo is that you’ll get to try things that you normally wouldn’t do with someone else.

When you travel with friends or family, you do activities that you know you’re all going to enjoy.

You plan your trip taking into consideration each other’s likes or dislikes, and end up having a day with similar activities as the ones you usually do. Even if this can be a lot of fun because you’re with people you love exploring a new city, and taking time out from your responsibilities; you’re still in your comfort zone.

When traveling solo, you can try anything you want. You’re not forced to go out of your comfort zone, but you are free to try new activities and explore the world in a way that you normally wouldn’t.

The best part about this is that if something goes wrong or you didn’t like the random activity that you chose, you don’t have to worry about ruining someone else’s day. On the contrary, you can go back home with a fun and exciting story to tell.

Moreover, you’ll be discovering things and activities that you can do, that you didn’t plan.

If you feel like it, you can just ditch your schedule and move on with a new activity that the locals recommended you. There won’t be time to feel lonely if you’re trying new things and pampering yourself with different experiences. 

If you ever feel lonely while traveling alone, remember that your loved ones are just acall or text away! With technology these days, t can be just as if you’re in the same room together most of the time!

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