Why I Prefer Traveling Alone
Since spontaneously backpacking 5 countries in Europe after my first year of university, many people since have asked me why I travel alone.
“Isn’t it unsafe?”
“Do you not have any friends?”
“Don’t you get bored or lonely?”
It’s a series of repeating questions before, during, and after I travel, so I wanted to clarify things. The following reasons are all personal and may not apply to everyone, but I have never felt it to be more true than during my recent trip to Cambodia.
- Security is a fickle thing
Living with the privilege of safety mechanisms everywhere in our Western society such as having direct access to 911, well lit streets, and even our smartphones, we’ve gradually dumb down our sense of what to do when things actually turn sour.
When we think about stepping outside our comfort zone and exploring new places, fears for our safety automatically rise. Now I am not endorsing a lifestyle of reckless adventurism with a lack of worry, but travelling has really hardened my skin and made me even more alert.
Many people associate the country’s economic development to its level of security. However, I can surely say that I felt more safe in a country like Cambodia than suburban areas in Paris, despite the obvious difference in development. In fact, I found Cambodians to be a friendlier bunch than some Parisians (not to say there aren’t any friendly Parisians).
People know me as a naturally clumsy person, often forgetting things behind and tripping over nothing on sidewalks. The moment I am in a foreign place, the degree I double check everything and scan my surroundings is heightened. I credit it to a mixture of both fear and excitement of wanting to embrace the entire experience without the worry of things going wrong.
2. Friends are closer than you think
Probably the most repeated question, many people ask me if I don’t get lonely while I travel alone. Like any human being, loneliness is a natural feeling I get whether I am in a crowded space or absolutely alone.
Traveling alone, however, forces you to come out of the shell of loneliness and interact with whoever you can. I find myself eagerly sparking a conversation with other travelers in my hostels or scrapping my itinerary entirely to join my new friends on a spontaneous adventure.
The time with my new friends during my travels is often very short. One day I could be drinking a couple of beers and talking endlessly about world politics, and the next day I would say goodbye. This relationship’s temporary nature allows me to express many of my concerns without worrying about preconceived judgments that I might get when talking to people that I’ve already known.
Plus, the good thing about today’s technology is that the goodbyes are only as short as the next time I can Facebook them from the other side of the world. I have even been able to meet up with my temporary travelmates in other countries and enjoy conversations of endless topics.
3. No compromise, just your own experience
No doubt, travelling with your friends can be a cherishable memory that you can laugh and share many years down the road. Even the silly arguments that almost split your friendship while traveling can become fodder for jokes as friends look back.
However, there are bound to be regrets of compromising one aspect of your itinerary to accommodate your friends’ own personal interest. Traveling alone ultimately gives you the autonomy to travel where you like and do what you want without regrets.
During my time alone I have seen many groups of travelers often arguing of where each person wants to go. While in Munich, Germany, a beer tour group of two friends and myself turned sour after one friend stormed off in boiling frustration while arguing what time they should go home. Thankfully the atmosphere wasn’t too bad for the rest of the tour due to the copious amount of beer, but I could tell there was a splinter in their relationship.
Travelling alone avoids the distractions that come while worrying about your other companions and allows you to fully immerse in your own itinerary. It is easier to improvise when things don’t go according to plan and you can take as long as you want admiring that one sight.
4. You learn about yourself
Perhaps the most important reason of them all, traveling alone gives you an incredible opportunity to discover yourself.
The extended periods of being alone in a completely foreign environment makes you think a lot. From sitting on Ponte San’t Angelo and looking at the cocktail of tourists and locals rushing their way to the Vatican or spending a short 30 minute free performance in he Concertgebouw, various thoughts swirl in your head.
I have also noticed specific feelings I did not previously recognize. When I was close to being mugged by 5 nasty buggers being lost in suburban Paris, I then realized what fear really was. At the same time, a random hero who was able to skillfully talk his way out for me and even accompany me to my destination showed me what true gratitude felt like.
I’ve always said that traveling is by far more effective learning than any textbook or lecture. Not only do you learn about the various cities and countries, but you find out what your opinions and values are when facing these attractions.
So the next time you have a dream destination and you can’t seem to find anyone else to accompany you, consider going alone. Not having companions is certainly not an excuse to regret not traveling somewhere. I will be going to Taiwan at the end of this month, so keep posted for some delicious foodie shots!
