Why I Never Travel Alone

You have heard about all the perks of traveling alone, whether it is the freedom to plan things your way, the opportunity to discover yourself, or not having to worry about being judged for snacking on gelato 5 times a day. While all these reasons are legitimate, traveling alone is just not for me.

Before you call me out, I will just admit that the title is somewhat misleading. By definition, I have lived in and traveled to almost 20 countries all by myself since the age of 16. I am a big advocate of traveling solo, but I don’t believe it should the equivalent of traveling alone.

Wherever I go, I always try to be with someone. This “someone” can be my bunkmate at a hostel, the guide of a walking tour, or a Facebook “friend” whom I haven’t talked to in years that lives in a city I will be visiting. It is very rare that I am truly alone, and let me explain why:

1. I travel to experience people, not places

You want to try the best pasta in Rome? Good, it is cooked by people.

You want to watch a Broadway show in NYC? Good, it is created by people.

You want to visit the pyramids in Giza? Good, they were also built by people. (unless you believe they were built by aliens, but that’s just a whole different topic…)

Almost everything you experience on a trip— food, culture, architecture, music, sports — starts and ends with people. So, why not make people the main focus of your trip? That’s why I think traveling is really about experiencing, interacting, and understanding people with different backgrounds, ideas, and stories.

Don’t get me wrong, I surely enjoy all the touristy activities, but it’s so much more fun to learn the urban legend behind a landmark from a local and discuss how tasty (or nasty) a exotic dish tastes with a fellow traveler than simply taking Instagram-worthy photos. After all, empanadas will still taste the same in 5 years, Eiffel Tower will still be there in 10 years, but the conversation you had with that girl/guy you met at Copacabana Beach will never be replicated.

2. Memories are more fun when shared

Have you ever tried to bring up an embarrassing story about a friend, and before you even finished the sentence, all your best friends already knew what you were talking about and started giggling?

That feeling was awesome, right?

The bond you guys built based on shared memories is exactly why I prefer doing things with people, whether they are my bros from college or friends I meet along the way. If I die tomorrow, at least I could die happily knowing I wasn’t the only person who saw that drunk guy swimming in the river at 3AM.

While photos and videos are also great ways to preserve memories, nothing compares to chatting with someone who was also there to re-live those amazing moments.

3. Meeting new people opens up more opportunities

The best part of traveling is the endless possibilities it offers. I would not call my trip an adventure if all I do is checking things off of that outdated travel guide I picked up at a bookstore.

When I meet new people, new doors open. Maybe it’s a new relationship, a new friendship, a new job offer, a life-changing lesson, or simply a recommendation of a hidden restaurant in the city. I have always been amazed by the number of great things that happened simply because I said “Hi” to a person I did not know.

Some people do not see the connections they make during their trips as “real friends” because they might never cross paths with each other again.

I disagree.

Thanks to Facebook, Snapchat, and many other technologies, keeping up with friends on the other side of the globe has never been easier. I am proud to say that I still stay in touch with many friends I made in my previous trips. Again, you never know what could happen and where you might end up in the future, why limit yourself from the endless possibilities?

Stay bold and happy travels, my friend.