Pros and Cons of Traveling Solo

Are you fond of traveling? Do you travel alone or with friends?

Traveling is convenient and easy these days. More travel destinations are accessible because of the heightened ease of access from one country or city to another. These destinations are actually budget-friendly and you don't need to spend much on transportation and accommodation. Imagine the COVID-19 pandemic did not arise. Imagine the current state of the world is normal. How often do you travel?

Traveling alone or with a companion is your choice. By deciding to go on a trip for leisure, you also decide whether to be with someone or go on your own. Both have the advantage and disadvantage, but you may consider some factors before you finalize your decision. 

Traveling alone soon? How about contemplating on its pros and cons?

Traveling Solo: Pros and Cons

💰Budget

Pros:

• You can decide on the amount of money you want to disburse for yourself.
• You know when and how to manage your own budget without worrying about others.

Cons:

• It can be a little expensive.
• You get to pay all the amount for something you purchase or for other fees.
• There is a possibility of touching your extra budget for unanticipated circumstances.

🕧Time

Pros:

• You can manage your own time.
• You don't need to wait for others to finish doing a thing especially when it's a new day to start kicking off for the next adventure.
• You can decide whether to stop at a place to rest and relax or not.
• Your time is unlimited.

Cons:

• You may tend to unfollow your itinerary.
• You may miss some of the places you intend to visit.

👧Self-Time

Pros:

• You have all the time to reflect and cogitate.
• You give yourself peace of mind.
• You allow yourself to think deeply about life.
• You get to realize your worth as a person.
• You become more independent and confident.
• You don't depend your decisions to others; you decide for yourself and by yourself.

Cons:

• You will be lonely.
• You may envy other travelers who have companions (thinking that they enjoy better having somebody with them).
• You feel tired.
• You cannot share your excitement with anybody you know.

👫People and Places

Pros:

• You get the chance to meet new people, particularly the locals.
• You get to experience a new culture (food, language, customs, etc.)
• You develop your interpersonal skills by interacting with other people.
• You discover new places out of your comfort zone.
• You can decide which place you want to go to without asking others' opinions.
• You learn a new skill by feeling and thinking like a local.
• You look after yourself; you don't worry about others.

Cons:

• You cannot trust everyone you meet.
• Some places, if you like adventures the most, can be a little dangerous.
• There are expensive places or tourist spots.
• You are prone to fooling by some people (if you did not do research prior to your trip).

Traveling alone is something that you can try at least once in your life. There are good things about traveling solo. Do research about places you intend to go. Your strong determination is more important than anything else.

Imagine the pandemic has ended. Where is your next holiday? Share it with us.

Why Do We Travel: My Personal Reasons

Travelling is sometimes an expensive hobby. We need to have sufficient budget for us to go to our desired travel destination, regardless of the reason. Here are my personal reasons why I always want to travel, whether I have enough budget or none.

1. Relax and unwind

Although travelling is a bit tiring, my main purpose is to relax and unwind; to free myself from a tiring work. There are times that we have been so busy doing our tasks at work and we forget to give ourselves the freedom they deserve. I always desire to go to a place where I can feel inner peace and have a stable state of mind. I always long for self-reflection and cogitation. To a place where I have peace of mind, I can relax and unwind, and forget about life problems.

2. Discover new places

When I travel, I always make sure that I enjoy and see to it that my chosen place of adventure is worth it. I do research as to where to go next, then make a list of worthwhile activities. I love discovering new places that I have never been to. I admire every little thing that place has to offer as I love nature. When I go to a certain place for adventure, I get excited about it and what I can do.

3. Meet new friends

I have been travelling domestically by myself. Sometimes I travel with my friends. Travelling alone is more expensive than travelling with friends, but when I go alone, I meet new people - strangers. Talking with the locals while I eat their usual snacks is like getting to know them well and feeling like I am one of them. I have realized that it is always good to befriend the locals as they will treat you more than a tourist or a visitor. In places of adventure and beautiful spots, we can also make friends or acquaintances by greeting our fellow tourists or starting a small talk with them. It is one way of getting out of our shell and explore others' world too.

4. Self-assessment and Cogitation

Everytime I travel alone, at the end of every day, I think about my main purpose. I give myself time to reflect and cogitate. I re-assess myself by going back to the stressful days I have been struggling. I think about possible solutions to problems. This time is my "me time." I always make time for myself and to spend it with my own company. This is the only time when I can value myself more than anything else, because I deserve peacefulness in mind and heart.

5. Explore another culture

I appreciate learning about other cultures particularly learning a language and eating food. I love learning new things. If I go to another place, it is expected that there is a vast difference in terms of language or dialect, conversational styles and attitudes, food preparation, eating habits, norms of the locals, beliefs, and many others related to culture. I have always been interested to all of these, and it is one of the reasons why I love travelling. I want to learn more and I want to be part of that particular culture (although impossible).

6. Experience

If you don't go to other places, you have nothing to share with others. As much as possible, travel if you can. The experience I get when I go on a trip is always a treasure. There is nothing more beautiful than the experience I encounter in every place I go, whether it is nice or not. At least, there is always something that we can share and not just rely on what we read in books. I take a lot of pictures and keep them because one day I know, all these will become a memory.

7. Develop confidence and enthusiasm

I am not a shy person but there are certain times that I hesitate to initiate a query. When I travel, I learned that there is no harm in asking. It is way better than doing things on your own. I was able to develop self-confidence by doing so. To add, I was able to develop my enthusiasm in all the things I want to get and what I want to happen. Because I am always enthusiastic, I make sure that what I imagine happens.

8. Doing myself a favor

I believe that I deserve a break - a break from the toxic reality. When I travel, I grant myself's request: achieve your goal. I always find ways to do it, because at the end of the day, I only have myself to accompany me. I don't care about material things. Travelling is my form of contentment.Travelling is my self-reward. 

We have our own reasons why we travel. Although it is expensive, travelling makes us more adventurous and the experience we gain from it does not equate any value of money. It may be hard at times, but if we try to be more aggressive and keen, we can achieve it.

Are you in for a trip after the pandemic? Send me a buzz and let's talk.

Share your thoughts with me.