Modern Travel - The serenity of solo travel

Waterton National park - image by, yep, me.

I’ve been a professional travel writer for over a decade and over 75% of my travels have been by myself. I have no qualms with group/pairs/couples travel as with the right person/people, there are adventures aplenty. I intentionally chose solo travel for so many reasons, which I’ll unpack below.

Before we scan our proverbial passports to this article, I strongly endorse travelling solo at least once in your lifetime as it offers a unique perspective on where you are, what you do, and how your memories are crafted.
It can be one night or one week; across town or across the country - the beauty of travel is that it can be whatever you decide.

Uncovering hidden gems
Venturing on your own means you’ll have full input as to what attractions you’ll experience.
Sure, the popular spots have their own allure but stumbling upon a dive bar, a quaint shop, a tiny ice cream parlour, etc., brings out a certain sense of excitement.
Almost all of these types of places I’ve visited have yielded colourful conversations and in most cases, “local-only knowledge” of where I was, which sometimes led to other hidden gems that are less advertised.
There’s a balance to be had and I encourage you to wander out safely on your own, phone in your pocket/purse with your head up to see what your next favourite spot could be. 

Crafting your own itinerary
With all the group travel I’ve done, it’s been a pleasant experience and I’ve made several friends along my journey. The drawback for me is that I’m on the same schedule as everyone else, seeing the same things and eating at the same restaurants.
I’m appreciative of tourism agencies and destinations for creating these itineraries for me…sometimes, ok, often, I enjoy making my own itinerary and choosing my own adventure.
(Being the oldest child in a family of five probably contributed to that…)

I’m up early in my home life and prefer to start my adventuring early as well so I’m able to start and end my day on my terms. It also offers greater flexibility as I can easily make my own changes to react to my conditions; perhaps I want to make a second visit to the tiny guitar shop.
If I’m doing, for example, a two-hour scheduled bike ride/hike and want to do it again or extend my current time, it’s easier for me to adjust my choices than to be locked in someone else’s choices. 

Escape your comfort zone
I thoroughly understand that solo travel isn’t for everyone; I didn’t think it was for me until I tried it.
It doesn’t have to be traveling to the furthest part of the world for a month; it can be exploring the next city over for 24 hours.
My biggest concern was dining alone and what people would think. Sadly, it used to be “who’s that peculiar person eating alone? Does he have no friends? Is he ok?”
After my third trip, I built a bridge and got over myself so I could thoroughly enjoy my surroundings, meal and I’ve had excellent exchanges with staff and owners.
The same goes for an activity usually done in pairs/groups, such as rides attractions, etc.
Creating imaginary scenarios of what people might be saying/thinking is seldom reality.
It can take time and as a pro-tip, playing on your phone is an easy way to help reduce any anxiety of traveling alone. With the utmost confidence, I can say that even a fingertip outside of your comfort zone is liberating and worth it. 

Empower yourself

Whether it’s quick decision making, learning a new language, making adjustments to your itinerary, learning the layout of a city, reading a map, etc., the feeling of empowerment you create is unlike anything else.
I used to be awful with maps and prior to this, I’d always have someone with me who was good with them. Venturing on my own forced me to learn this skill and it wasn’t as hard as I thought and I’ve turned out to be relatively good at it.
Perhaps it’s doing a 5 km hike successfully when you previously through you’d only do half.
It can also build and boost self confidence. I’m not saying you need it but when you get a lift, you truly feel and appreciate it. 

Reconnect with yourself
With all this time alone adventuring, you’ll likely learn about yourself. Maybe you do like museums and art galleries! Kayaking might not be all that bad once you try it alone! Being alone with your thoughts and free of distraction enables you to dive as deep as desired into yourself. If you’ve been unhappy for a few weeks, you can take this time to figure out why. If you’ve been exceptionally happy, dig into what’s contributed and why.
The point I’m making is being introspective wherever you are is important; being alone in a new environment can accentuate that and strengthen the internal connection with yourself.
It’s certainly done wonders for me.