4 things I learned from traveling alone

Thinking of traveling alone? I took the plunge on a solo trip to India, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made!

Here are 4 things I learned from traveling alone

You learn to improvise

When you travel alone things don’t always go as planned. When I landed in New Delhi at 2am, the airport pickup I had arranged with my hotel never showed up. This was a time to put jet-lag, and 25 hours of travel time aside, and make a game-plan. I found a cab and was very stern with my driver on where I wanted to be taken. (after hearing of all the taxi scams in India…) I made it safe and sound to my hotel, and the taxi charged me a fair price. Always trust your gut, your instincts will guide you in the right direction.

You learn to be responsible

When you’re alone, you learn how to take care of yourself very quickly. When traveling with other people, there can be so many things that you don’t even know you’re overlooking. I never used to pay attention to directions, but roaming the streets of New Delhi alone I learned to be more attentive to my location. When you’re alone you learn to have your own back, and take care of yourself.  

You learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable

We’ve all heard it… it’s good to get out of your comfort zone. Well, let me tell you, there is no better way to do so than to travel alone. You will be thrown into uncomfortable, sometimes even scary situations, and you’re just going to have to deal with them. Now I’m not trying to scare you off from traveling solo!  In fact, being uncomfortable is a great thing.  What better way to conquer your fears than to be put face to face with them alone?  Whether it’s killing the giant spider in your room, roaming the streets alone, or feeling completely out of place, (like I did as a blonde girl in India) you learn to be comfortable with it.

You learn new things about yourself

It’s always fun to travel with friends and family. But sometimes, you can be your own best company. Traveling alone gives you the opportunity to spend some quality time with yourself. When I was traveling in India, I spent a lot of time alone. Whether it was in my hotel, on day trips, or eating meals alone. You are able to learn so much about yourself, and yea, It’s also fun to be a little selfish and do whatever you want sometimes.

So do yourself a favour, take the plunge, and hop on that plane. I promise you won’t regret it.