My journey as a solo traveler actually began by default. I have always been a free spirit and inquisitive by nature. I learned to read at a very young age and thus began my love for traveling to faraway places if only in my imagination. As a young child, growing up in St. Louis, MO, my family did not travel often. I recall visiting family in Arkansas by way of a long trek by car on a few occasions but other than that we were pretty much homebound. However, I had quite an enchanted childhood filled with love and an amazingly strong family foundation. I think my first real traveling “thrill” as a young adult was in college for “Spring Break”. I attended undergrad at Tennesse State University in Nashville, TN (Go Big Blue), yes I am a proud HBCU graduate😁. Well, a few friends and I hit the road and had a ball in Florida. After college and grad school as a young adult, I longed to see the world. I attempted to plan trips with friends. There would be a group of us in the beginning, then somehow it would dwindle down to none. I remember the disappointment and sometimes the resentment that came with canceling a few trips because nobody else wanted to go. The same issue would happen even for local events like concerts, missing out on the fun because others could not or did not want to go. On other occasions, I did plan trips and others joined but after having me plan the whole trip they would complain the whole time…this hotel is not worth the money we paid, etc. Well, I finally decided enough is enough and set out to explore the world on my own. I quickly grew to not only love but prefer solo travel. Don’t get me wrong, a good family vacation or Girls Trips is great, but as a solo traveler, you are in complete control. I have traveled all over the world-just me, myself & I. I have climbed the Great Wall in China, rode a camel across the Egyptian sands and saw the sunset on the Nile River. I swam with elephants in Bali, enjoyed an elephant ride in India and have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Those are just a few of my adventures. I look forward to sharing more details of those trips and others in future posts. I understand that solo travel is not for everyone but Me, Myself & I find it to be quite exhilarating.
Great Read! What will be your next adventure? What do you find exhilarating about traveling solo?
Thanks for the comment. What I love most about solo traveling is being in complete control of my agenda. I can go where I want and do what I want without having to consult or debate with others. I also find that as a solo traveler you are more open to new experiences and exploring outside of your comfort zone. You don’t have to do everything alone on a solo trip though, there are always great opportunities to meet others and attend events where you can socialize. It’s all on your own terms though.
I’ve also experienced similar situations where I’ve attended events solo because I couldn’t rely on anyone to go with me. I end up meeting different people and have a wonderful time. I haven’t mustard up the courage to do a solo trip somewhere yet but if opportunity presents itself I’ll take it. Life is too short to pass up great opportunities and experiences because you can’t rely on friends or family to go with you.
Yes, exactly! Life is too short not to enjoy yourself. Maybe 2020 will the year that you venture out on your own with a solo trip.