Why I Never Travel Alone
You’ve heard about all the pros 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 five times a day. While all these benefits are great, 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 travelled to more than 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 surround myself with people. They could either be my roommate at a hostel, a local merchant who tries to rip me off, or a Facebook “friend” that I haven’t talked to in years who happens to live in the city I am 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 taste the best Cacio e Pepe in Rome? It’s prepared by an old Italian chef named Alessandro.
You want to watch a Broadway show in New York? It’s performed by a group of talented theater actors.
You want to visit the Great Pyramid in Giza? It’s built by ancient Egyptian workers (unless you believe it was built by aliens, but that’s 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 truly about experiencing, interacting, and understanding people with different backgrounds, ideas, and stories.
Don’t get me wrong, I surely enjoy nature and all the touristy activities, but it’s much more fun to learn about the urban legend behind a landmark from a local and discuss how tasty (or nasty) an authentic dish is with a fellow traveler than simply taking Instagram-worthy photos. After all, empanadas will still taste the same in five years, Eiffel Tower will still be there in ten years, but the conversation you had with that girl at Copacabana Beach will never reoccur.
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 other friends had already started giggling?
That feeling was awesome, right?
The bond you and your friends built based on shared memories is exactly why I prefer doing things with people. If I get struck by lightning tomorrow, at least I could die happily knowing I wasn’t the only person who saw that drunk guy swimming in the Danube river at 3AM.
While photos and videos are also great ways to preserve memories, nothing compares to talking to someone who shares the same experiences 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 did was follow the Top 10 Things To Do in Tokyo list on Trip Advisor.
Whenever I meet new people, new doors open up. Perhaps it’s a new relationship, a new friendship, a job offer, a life-changing lesson, or simply a recommendation of the best club in town. 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, Instagram…etc, 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 met in my previous trips. Again, you never know what could happen and where you might end up in the future — why shut the door between you and the endless possibilities?
Next time you travel solo, make sure you say “Hi” to a stranger!
(Just don’t get kidnapped.)
