Travel

Why I Choose to Take Solo Trips in My 30s

posted on December 16, 2019 | by Vanessa Peers

Not everyone prioritizes travel to the same extent that I do. Because of that, and for a number of other reasons as well including children and other family commitments, financial constraints, work obligations and limited vacation, friends, and family are not always available or keen to join me on an adventure! So, as my desire and ability to prioritize travel has grown, I have learned that if I’m going to see the places I dream of seeing and take the trips I plan to take, I’m going to have to do it (or at least some of it) alone. So, over the years I have taken numerous solo trips to places near and far and have learned to love the freedom and learning that comes with each one. As I continue to plan solo adventures, I encourage you to do the same and enjoy the benefits of solo travel, many of which last long after the trip is over.

You don’t have to compromise

Everyone has their own idea of their perfect holiday – some want to spend two weeks lying on the beach while others enjoy five days in a new city or a long weekend of camping. However, even if you can agree on the length and destination of a trip, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to see and do the exact same things as your travel partner and so often times you have to make some compromises, even if it’s just going to a Chinese restaurant when you feel like Italian. But when you’re traveling alone, there are no compromises – you can plan your perfect trip and fill your days exactly how you wish and see everything your heart desires!

You learn to enjoy your own company

I don’t dislike my own company, but day to day I’m usually too busy to enjoy it. Traveling alone gives you the opportunity to sit with yourself and make time for your favorite pastimes. For example, when traveling alone, I always carry a book and love stopping at cute cafes to enjoy a drink while reading.

It builds confidence

Traveling is usually not stress-free and proving to yourself that you can handle the stress of figuring out a new public transport system, making yourself understood in a foreign language or simply being okay having dinner by yourself is truly liberating. Through traveling solo I have proved to myself, time and time again, that I’m independent and capable and sometimes that’s just the confidence boost you need!

Of course, there are downsides to solo trips – it can get lonely and you have no one to share the experience (or split the cost) with. But the upside of exploring a place you’ve been dying to see on your own terms and proving that you can have fun by yourself and that you don’t need help navigating a new place is unbeatable!

Have you taken a solo trip? If so, leave a comment and let me know where you’ve been and what your favorite part of the trip was.