Solo Travel

When I decided to set of on my solo journey a few years ago, this was seen by some as a slightly odd thing to do. But I didn’t have a partner in crime to travel with and too be quite honest although I was a bit nervous about travelling alone, I was also excited by my solo trip. Travelling solo is a huge opportunity to see the world on your own terms without having to compromise with someone else’s plans. Your schedule is entirely yours to decide. Solo travel is something everyone should try at least once in their lifetime. There's no better way to get to know who you are as a person than by spending time with yourself away from the distractions of everyday life. Whilst It does take a certain amount of confidence to find your own way and engage with strangers, the good-points definitely outweigh the bad. So go on, embrace your inner Shirley Valentine.

Surprisingly, one in three Britons will now set off on holiday alone this year. Companies organising small-group adventure tours and escorted journeys report that as many as half of their customers now travel on their own. In part this is due to the fact that a quarter of all adults have never married or are now divorced or widowed. Many keen travellers have partners who either cannot or will not travel with them. I am not saying that travelling with family and friends cannot be incredibly rewarding and enjoyable, because it can be a wonderful experience this is just a different way of travelling. When you are away with people you know well, you can find yourselves talking about the usual things like work or people you have in common etc. Also, a solo traveller, can also seem more approachable. If you’re with a partner or friend, it’s tempting to talk mostly with each other, and outsiders might not want to impose. But if you’re by yourself, it’s often easier for someone else to strike up a conversation with you or vice versa. If I stopped for a coffee or something to eat, I often found myself sharing a table with stranglers and I met some lovely people from many different countries and had some very interesting conversations.

Travelling alone makes remaining in your own comfort zone impossible, which can lead to a more intense travel experience. You have to turn to the locals more for human interaction giving you more opportunities to learn a different language or improve your language skills. I made friends with a few locals and this gave me the chance to really see what it was like to live in a different country and I have remained friends. Travel offers you the chance to make friendships that may last a lifetime.

The biggest problem with solo travel is finding suitable accommodation as most travel companies usually offer rates based on at least two people travelling. The single supplement charge added to rooms for single travellers can be very high and can make travel for singles too expensive. However, due to the demand, tour operators and cruise lines are finally starting to cater for single people. There are also many specialist singles tour operators offering a wide range of trips like short breaks in Europe to Trip-of-a Lifetime destinations around the world. On a personal note, I use Airbnb and Homeaway and have had great experiences, both renting small apartments on my own and renting a room in a shared house. I prefer this as I don’t enjoy staying in hotels all that much. If you do like hotels, larger tour operators like TUI offer a range of hotels with single rooms to suit every kind of budget. I found their website their bit difficult to navigate as it kept taking me back to booking for two adults. I think a good travel agent can probably offer you assistance in booking your holiday.

If you are travelling alone for whatever reason and would prefer to go on an arranged trip or holiday, there are quite a few companies about that offer this service. I researched this market and found one of the best to be One Traveller, which is an online company.

One Traveller was founded in 2007 by Ian Darkin. Having worked as a Tour Manager for ten years, he saw that single travellers often felt marginalised or awkward when mixing with the couples who usually made up most of his tour groups. Eventually, Ian began organising excursions for these individuals within the holiday’s free time and from there, the idea of what would later become One Traveller emerged. One Traveller was founded as a specialist holiday company specifically for mature single travellers. The principle of their holidays is that guests are made to feel welcome and included, with nobody left on their own, unless they wish to do so. There is no stipulation of marital status, however no couples are allowed either. Guests simply need to be travelling alone. There is a wide selection of cruises, train tours and bus tours. Taking into account its more mature market these are cultural, scenic or classical cities. It would be a great way to see how you like travelling alone but with company on hand if you felt you needed it.

Overall, I found solo travelling a very positive thing, you need to take some simple precautions in order to keep yourself safe. I left an itinerary with a family member with contact details so I could always be traced. Use some common-sense, by being cautious when out alone after dark and researching unsafe neighbourhoods. I was due to visit Barcelona and a work colleague told me she had been mugged in the daytime. Now this was alarming but she advised me to wear my handbag, across my body, and to put a scarf over the top to hide it and stay alert. This also works for markets and other busy areas. One downside of travelling alone for longer periods of time with no constant routine in your life is that it can be draining and you may struggle with issues of loneliness. I did encounter this a little bit, from time to time. Homesickness is something every long-term traveller must deal with. But you know, I just told myself how lucky I was to be able to go on such a wonderful trip. Finding something to do that makes you happy like going to an art gallery or the beach can help. Reading is great and learning the language keeps your brain active. I taught myself how to cook local dishes, eating and drinking, not to excess, is a wonderful way to really absorb the culture.

By being able to sort out problems or figure out where you are when you’re lost can give you a new sense of confidence and faith in your own resourcefulness. My map-reading skills started at a poor 2/10 now I am a solid 8/10. I learnt the bus and timetables so well I helped out other tourists too.

When you venture out into the world on your own, you eventually need to face who you are, what you care about, and what you want to do with your time. For me this carried not only into other trips but also into my life at home too. It was a journey of the mind as well as the body.

I wouldn’t have missed my trips for the world. I can fully understand why a journey is at the centre of many of our greatest and most significant myths, novels, and memoirs. Travel changes you forever….