Solo travel is not for everyone, let me say that again, solo travel is not for everyone.Β As a solo traveller myself, it seems a bit contradictory to say solo travel is not for everyone. I am someone who often advocates for travellers to attempt solo travelling at least once before deciding if it’s for them or not. But after many solo travel years under my belt, I can certainly say solo travel is not for everyone. After travelling in a group this summer, I am even more convinced that solo travel is not for everyone.
Over the last four years, I solo travelled to over 20 countries and each trip has taught me something about myself. Close friends and family have always expressed their opinion on why I shouldn’t solo travel and most of it stems from their own fear. Whilst I truly believe everyone should take at least on a solo trip, it is defini
- Eating alone
- Think solo travel is expensive
- Always concerned about their safety
- Don’t like not having an Instagram buddy
- Are scared of planning everything alone
- Loneliness
- That it ca
n been stressful
Solo Travel is NOT for Everyone
Solo travel is not for everyone, there is no truer statement, as solo travel bloggers, we have glamorised solo adventures to the point of no return. Not everyone is cut out to go on travel adventures alone whether abroad or even in their own backyard. Solo travel is more than travelling to instagrammable destinations, having the best time of your life and making lifetime connections. When you travel alone, you have to fend for yourself, you have to do everything alone including having to sit in a restaurant eating alone.
Back in 2014, I decided to give solo travel a go and went to Brussels, the entire trip I was absolutely petrified of something going wrong. I took the Eurostar from Londonβs St. Pancras to Brussels, the journey itself was incredible, it felt no different from a trip to Cambridge from London. When arrived in Brussels, with google mapsβ help, I ascertained that my hotel was 15 minutes walk from the station. Stepping out onto the streets, an overwhelming fear gripped me and I ended up taking a taxis to my hotel.
The fear that gripped me when I arrived in Brussels stayed with me the entire 3 days in was in the city but with a huge difference, I did not give up. I waddled through the city with both excitement at what I had accomplished by coming to Brussels and trepidation of everything that could possibly go wrong. When I look back at this trip it made me realise that solo travel is not for everyone.
Eating alone
Not everyone is feels comfortable eating alone and I donβt mean sat in MacDonalds or KFC, I mean eating in a restaurant. The first time I sat down to eat in restaurant and ordered a three course me alone was in Brno, Czech Republic. I got stares from the minute I arrived, throughout the evening as I ate until the minute I left, even that staff were a bit amused. Eating is a social event therefore it looks and to some feels weird to do it alone but it is possible.
Think solo travel is expensive
Well, yes and no, solo travel can be expensive because you have to pay for everything yourself but I think with care budgeting you can keep your costs down. Whenever I travel to Eastern European countries I also budget Β£50 for my trip, no more no less. If you budget wisely, you can keep costs down but if youβre not good at budgeting then you will find solo travelling pretty expensive.
Always concerned about their safety
Whilst I am not saying its a bad thing to be concerned about your safety, it will always hinder your travels. When I was in Brussels, I took taxis everywhere and even when I got on the tour bus, I never got off to explore popular destinations because I was concerned about my safety. There is safety in numbers but it does not mean just because youβre travelling with a group you will be safe. When it comes to safety as a solo traveller, I always recommend you do all your explorations during the day and rest at night.
Donβt like not having an Instagram buddy
As a solo travel blogger, I am used to not taking pictures of myself in the cities and countries that I visit, most of my camera roll is full of popular destinations but not of me. There has been times I have asked strangers to take pictures of me and even used selfie sticks to take pictures. Whilst it nice to have a buddy to travel with and take your pictures, there are many ways you can take them yourself.
Are scared of planning everything alone
One of the most scariest things about solo travel is planning everything yourself and if something goes wrong, you fit it. When I think back to the Brussels trip, the planning I had in place was very basic, I had booked a hotel and my Eurostar but nothing more. I had not put together and itinerary nor places to eat or even a basic cost of food throughout the trip. It was definitely a learning lesson for me and now whilst I donβt always have a full itinerary, I always plan ahead.
Loneliness
Whenever you travel alone, one thing you will quickly come to realise it that solo travel can be a lone business. There has been times I have been to exotic places and wished I had someone special to share that with bu it is not to say I regretted visiting alone. I have met wonderful people on trips that has made solo travel absolute fun and some I am still friends with now. But the bottom line is that solo travel is a lonely business.
That it can been stressful
On top of being lonely, solo travel can be very stressful and big out your anxiety because of the unknown and uncertainties. When this donβt go according to plan you find yourself stressed with no one to help when you need it the most. One thing I have learned throughout the many years of solo travel is expect the unexpected and donβt sweat the small stuff, I just go with the flow.
Whilst I do not wish to discourage anyone from solo travelling, I do want to reiterate that solo travel is not for everyone. Solo travellers and bloggers have created this pseudo world that makes it seem like solo travel is all fun and games. Whilst it can be, there is a lot that is not shared, whether youβre travelling so a long time or short period, it can be stressful, lonely, overwhelming but an experience of a lifetime.
Adam says
That moment you described in Brussels β frozen on the pavement, then surrendering to a taxi β is something I think more solo travellers have experienced than will ever admit (myself very much included, hello Rome 2019). What strikes me most is your honesty that advocating for solo travel doesn’t mean pretending it’s comfortable, because according to a 2023 Solo Travel Society survey, nearly 40% of first-time solo travellers report anxiety significant enough to cut their trip short or avoid it altogether. There’s something quietly radical about saying “this thing I love is genuinely hard and not for everyone” β it makes the community more honest and ultimately more welcoming for people on the fence. I’d love to know: after your group travel experience this summer, did it shift anything in how you’d coach a nervous first-timer, or did it just deepen your appreciation for both styles?
Steph @ Renovation Bay-Bee says
I do think your amazing travelling alone, great advice here and I hope you enjoy many more trips
gianlucafiore says
You raise a lot of good points, thank you for this post. I love travelling solo and would suggest anybody to try it, at least once, to see for themselves if it fits their style and personality or not. While we may have exaggerated the perks of travelling alone, I also keep the opinion that we should encourage anybody to try anyway.
There are plenty of resources out there to assuage any kind of fear one may have before leaving π
Kira says
Some really great tips and tricks here . I have always wanted to travel alone π
packthepjs says
Itβs not for me. I travelled a lot on business as a fresh graduate employee and I found it quite lonely at times. I like to share what I see with my family
bigfamilytravelsblog says
I definitely want to do one trip on my own just once. Great blog and inspiring.
Lilinha says
I have always wanted to try travelling by myself so thank you for the great tips!
Lilinha says
I have always wanted to travel by myself to see if I would like it. Great tips!
Erica Hughes says
I do like traveling solo because I don’t need to please anyone else, but I do struggle with eating alone. As you say it’s ok in a fast food joint or a cafe, but it can feel odd in a restaurant. I generally find hotel restaurants are a bit more used to people eating alone, but it’s a tricky one as you can miss out on interesting eateries that way.