There are countless travel blogs out there singing the praises of solo travel, and I completely agree. Without a shadow of a doubt, solo travel is a decision that’ll bring immense joy. Whether it’s a short holiday, a spontaneous weekend escape, or a more extended journey, I’ll forever champion solo travel as an incredible experience that’ll reshape you for the better.
However, there are certainly some unspoken truths about solo travel. While it’s an extraordinary investment of your time and money, it doesn’t come without its share of challenges. I’ve never faced more trials or been thrust into more uncomfortable situations than during these solo expeditions. Here are some of the most significant challenges I’ve encountered throughout the course of my solo journeys:
1. Boredom
This one might catch you off guard, but it’s a hurdle I tackle every few days. This boredom often stems from my own laziness or simply getting tired of my own company. I catch myself meandering around town or immersing myself in hours of reading as my go-to forms of entertainment. While it’s a frequent companion, it usually dissipates when I move on to the next location or stumble upon a new adventure. Boredom is part of the package, and it’s in the moments of deepest boredom that I’m forced to dig deeper and either find a better way to spend my time or discover some deeper truth about myself.
2. Loneliness or Solitude
During solo travel, lonliness often ties in with a lack of human interaction, or more precisely, a lack of quality human interaction. There can be days on end where the most interaction I have is with the clerk at the grocery store. However, there’s a constant shift between feelings of loneliness and the embrace of peaceful solitude. For instance, one day I might feel a profound sense of loneliness and a yearning to connect deeply with others. In these moments, a simple call to a loved one usually alleviates the loneliness. On the next day, I might revel in the feeling of being entirely on my own in the world, capable of making any decision that pleases me the most. Loneliness comes and goes, but it often transforms into peaceful solitude once I navigate through and acknowledge it for what it is.
3. Uncertainty
This one is probably the heaviest burden I carry while solo traveling. It typically hits me in the moments before I reach the contentedness I mentioned earlier. The uncertainty I’m referring to might start with not knowing where I’ll sleep that night, leading into concerns about my safety. This broader uncertainty extends to questioning what I’m doing with my life – am I where I’m supposed to be, or should I be doing something different? What sets this feeling of uncertainty apart is that this uncertainty can’t be squelched with a day-to-day routine or the distractions of the “real” world. I simply must move through it and acknowledge that part of myself.
4. Motivation
The ebb and flow of motivation in solo travel take on a distinctive rhythm for me. It’s all too easy to spend an entire day reading a book in a local coffee shop. If I’m honest, some of my fondest memories of my travels involve such leisurely days. However, when I find myself indulging in this for one too many days in a row, I have to dig deep to break out into the world and explore. After all, that’s the very reason I’m out there. I believe these slow days are incredibly important, providing some comfort in an otherwise mostly uncomfortable situation. So, while I genuinely believe there’s extraordinary value in taking it easy for a few days and giving your system a bit of a reset. It’s equally crucial to find the motivation to dive back into the discomfort of solo travel and embark on some epic adventures.
5. Budgeting and Financial Management
Budgeting while on the road is always a tricky dance. It can be incredibly challenging to stick to a budget. When you’re solo traveling for an extended period, thoughts about money and spending without making any money tend to linger in the back of your mind. This however, is not a challenge to solo travel that I care to dwell too much on. I can say with certainty that every penny I spend on travel is well worth it.
6. Safety Concerns
Ensuring safety as a solo female traveler is a daily consideration, and it’s just the reality of the situation. Sometimes, it can really take a toll on your mental health. When I start to feel uneasy, I recognize it as my gut reaction to a potentially dangerous situation. Taking precautions and ensuring preparededness to exit any situation is essential. However, I can’t allow fear to dominate my thoughts, or I’d simply never solo travel again. So, I choose to be conscious of my safety but not linger too much.
7. Adaptations
During any travel, but especially solo travel, constant adaptation to new challenges or even just new ideas is a requirement. It can be taxing, but ultimately, it leads to more adventure and life-changing experiences. Being willing to adapt and embrace new challenges or ideas becomes a pathway to growth.
8. Decision Fatigue
Traveling alone means making every single decision that comes your way. Sure, you can sometimes get away with avoiding a decision. Each day is filled with a new set of decisions that shape the course of your travels. This constant decision-making can certainly be exhausting, and occasionally, a decision or two might slip through the cracks. I’m still in the process of learning, but it’s important to take each decision one at a time and recognize that no one decision really carries that much weight. If I tackle each decision one at a time and follow my gut, I’m sure I’ll end up where I’m supposed to be.
9. Being Social
When you’re solo traveling, being social becomes a crucial element for maintaining sanity. You have to put yourself out there and allow yourself to meet others. It’s not always easy, especially when you’re spending a lot of time alone. You get used to your own company, and sometimes, any other company feels burdensome. This often depends on whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert. I lean more towards introversion. So it takes a distinct effort to ask the kind strangers on the chairlift if I can ski a few laps with them. This effort to be vulnerable inevitably leads to a more satisfied feeling at the end of the day.
10. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
In solo travel, especially during longer-term adventures, I often find myself pondering whether what I’m doing is worth missing out on things back home. Usually, these thoughts surface during moments of boredom and loneliness. However, while I may miss out on those memories, I’m so grateful for the memories I’m building during my travels. I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
Ultimately, solo travel isn’t a constant stream of fast-tracked friendships, self-actualizing solitude, and the perfect Instagram photo. Sure, all those things happen while solo traveling, but it’s the challenges that make it so rewarding. You can’t have the ups without the downs.
Related posts:
On the road again: My First Solo Road Trip