Solo Travel: It made me fall in love with myself.
It’s more potent than you think.
Before I even write about how my solo trip was, one of my favorite parts was the time before it. I wasn’t scared or worried, there was a sense of excitement, and I knew it in my bones it’s going to be an adventure (didn’t know a good or a bad one).
The blank canvas itinerary was mine to fill and mine alone. The possibilities of designing it the way I want and not worrying if my travel companions would like the same things were endless. More I started planning my first solo trip to Bali, the more I felt that I want to push myself out of my comfort zone and always knowing ‘what’s next?’.
I didn’t plan anything for my trip except for my flights and accommodation.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t anxious or worried the day I first landed there, as the questions started popping in my head. Will I be safe? How will I go around? Will I get bored? But those feelings went away as soon as I packed my backpack, put my phone on airplane mode, and just started walking in the new city.
“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” — Rosalia de Castro
Without any doubt, I can say that it was the best trip of my life. I was spontaneous, spent my time exploring the city, the culture, and the locals, made new friends, read books in coffee shops, and got lost in the beautiful nature of forests and oceans.
This experience made me fall in love with myself, as I learned it is only alone, and in silence, can I truly understand who I am, my passion, my strengths, and my limits.
Here’s why —
You encounter a sense of self
Every day in the morning, I would wake up and ask myself, what am I in the mood for today? Whether it’s checking out a touristy spot or spend the day in coffee shops reading books.
When you are traveling solo, you truly become aware of the things you want to do, what makes you happy at the moment. You learn what makes you comfortable and what situations bring discomfort to you. You take full responsibility for your life.
I found that discomfort empowering and felt truly free.
You will meet people you never would otherwise
Don’t take me wrong; I love traveling with my friends and family. After going solo, I realized how my previous experiences have been limited as we tend to keep to ourselves on these trips. My favorite part of the solo trip was meeting fellow solo travelers from all over the world, locals and learning about their life stories. It opened up my view of the world.
Like when I went for the Mount Batur volcano trek, I met a fellow solo traveler from Brazil. She was truly delightful. She had been going for different treks all over the world for the past few years. She was doing this as she wanted to find that one trek that terrifies her. It was just amazing to see how willing she was to push herself!
You become a storyteller
Traveling solo will make you a storyteller, as no matter how much you have planned (in my case, nothing ), something will go south! You will develop a sense of humor, have breathtaking experiences, and create special memories to share with the world.
Solo travel is not just about crossing borders or meeting new people. It has shaped me in many ways — my mind, my heart, my soul. It will make you love yourself as it truly gives you the opportunity to get to know you, your strengths, your limitations.
I can say with confidence that solo travel has ruined all other trips for me. This was my first, but it surely won’t be my last.
“Just because my path is different, doesn’t mean I am lost.”
