Traveling alone sounds scarier than one may think. The thought of getting on a plane to an unknown place all by yourself is scary but also invigorating.
I traveled for my first time outside of the United States for the first time at 24 years old. Yes this seems like it would be a breeze at a young, more mature age, but believe me, I was petrified.
I boarded my plane at Logan airport in Boston in tears knowing I wouldn't be seeing my family for a long time. I was not aware of exciting adventure I was about to embark on. So here is the question, why should you travel alone?
1. You get to take time to yourself and really reflect on life. Sitting on that plane with your stomach in your throat, you start to feel sentimental about the opportunity that you were given.
2. You get to go where you want, when you want. Skip the sights that don't interest you and go to the sights you want to see. My personal favorite is Tower Bridge in London.
3. The people you meet along the way came into your life for a reason. They may just be someone to say hi to or someone you have around forever, but everyone that crosses your path has a purpose.
4.You learn more about yourself as a person. I would be lying if I said traveling didn't include some stress, in those times of stress you handle it all on your own. With being by yourself you are forced to make those decisions and learn more about yourself.
5. You get to eat wherever you want. Some like fancier places, others like the pub down the street. I enjoyed sitting at the bar and getting to meet people at the local pub and learning about their life experiences.
6. You will stick to whatever budget you want. Traveling with others is fun except when they want to do more things than you can afford. You can set your own budget and stick to it throughout your journey.
7. You will have stories that you will talk about for years. Most people can't do it on their own so you will be proud of your adventures and the accomplishments you made traveling.
8. You will come back a whole new person. Traveling is a new experience and you learn more about yourself everyday you are out of your comfort zone.
As a solo traveler my one piece of advice is to just go for it, you won't regret it. Enjoy the food. Take in the sights and people around you. Most importantly have fun. Cheers!
