Solo Travel

I did not grow up in a family of travelers. My father served in the Army for more than 20 years; once he retired, he was ready to stay put. We made a cross-country road trip to visit our relatives a handful of times, but the point of those trips was never to explore the cities between home and our destination. In fact, my dad did everything in his power to avoid driving through a city.

I’m not sure why I grew up dreaming of travel, but anytime I was annoyed with my parents during my teen years, I drove to the tiny airport in my hometown. I looked at the Departures board and asked myself: If I could leave right now, where would I go? Then I headed to the appropriate gate–this was in those long-ago days when you could get through airport security without a boarding pass. I sat there until the flight was ready to board and imagined myself as one of the people preparing to fly away.

I didn’t actually set foot on a plane until I was almost 18 years old. I didn’t travel solo until I was 22. But in the many years since, I’ve made solo trips to cities around the United States: New York City, Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Seattle, and many others. I’ve even traveled internationally on my own. Next fall, I’m headed to England for a full semester of teaching abroad. I’m really looking forward to using my weekends to explore more of Great Britain, as well as a handful of nearby European cities–all by myself.

I love solo travel for a number of reasons.

Your can go where you want, when you want.

I like making my own itinerary. Also, I love the fact that I can change my plans at the last minute, if I feel like it. I can walk slowly or quickly, or take an extra half hour at a museum. I spent a long afternoon at an exhibit of Matisse paintings in London several years ago and learned a lot about his creative process. I’m not sure anyone I normally travel with would have found this as fascinating as I did.

You can eat whatever you like, whenever you like.

On that same trip to London, I made a pilgrimage through the city to the Borough Market specifically for the purpose of trying what I’d read was the best toasted cheese sandwich ever. (It’s true, by the way. I still dream of that sandwich.)

I basked in the sunshine and washed down my sandwich with a cup of strawberry-rhubarb juice. It was glorious. And no one was there to ask me whether the long journey through the city had been worth it for a grilled cheese sandwich, or to suggest that maybe that little cup of juice wasn’t worth what I’d paid for it. As far as I was concerned, that lunch was worth all the time and money it required.

You might actually be safer on your own.

Statistics tell us a woman is most likely to be assaulted by someone she knows. So, if you’re traveling by yourself, it stands to reason that you’re actually pretty safe–as long as you use your common sense. Stay in well-lit public areas. Don’t flash money around, and don’t be careless with your valuables.  Additionally, I don’t drink alcohol at all when I’m travelling on my own. Even at the end of the day, relaxing in a hotel room, you never know when a fire alarm (or some other disaster) might require your full attention. I’m generally more alert when I’m traveling than I am when I’m near home–which means, on the whole, I’m probably a little safer.

 

But perhaps  you’re still not convinced that solo travel is an option for you. What if you get scared? Or lonely?

If you get scared, trust your gut.

Back to that London trip again: at one point I made a wrong turn and realized that I was headed into what looked like a dicey neighborhood. Nothing terribly scary was going on, but I didn’t feel comfortable there. So I just turned right around and retraced my steps for five blocks. I didn’t stop to look at a map or figure out where I’d gone wrong; the first order of business was to get to a place where I felt safe. Once I’d done that, I looked at my GPS and readjusted my route.

Yes, I felt a little foolish. But I was no worse for wear–and, let’s be honest,  it’s highly unlikely anyone else noticed my mistake. (Even if they did, I was  just one of many ladies wandering around in London that day.)  Solo travel can make you feel conspicuous, but it helps to remember that most people are wrapped up in their own lives. They’re not paying attention to what any random stranger might be doing.

When you’re lonely, connect.

If you’re an extrovert, solo travel may not seem like your cup of tea—unless you think of it as an opportunity to make lots of new friends. Tour groups are a great place to do this. Most major cities offer walking tours on different topics, or even day tours to areas outside the city center.

But for an introvert like me, solo travel is appealing for other reasons: I’m all by myself in a way I would never be elsewhere. And, if I do get lonely, I can always find a café with free wifi and check in with the people I love. It’s hard to be too isolated these days.

 

If you’re thinking about making a solo journey, I highly recommend checking out two websites that help women travel without fear: Journeywoman and Solo Traveler. Both provide a wealth of information that will make you feel prepared to venture into the world. There’s no need to wait for anyone to be ready to join you.

Save

Save

Save