Why Solo Travel May Not Be Right For You

Different things bring each of us joy

Last February I visited Athens, Greece by myself. It was unseasonably cool which didn't bother me, but was unexpected. One morning I set out to visit the National (Art) Gallery, but as I exited my Airbnb apartment, I realized that it was warm outside, warmer than any day since I'd arrived, and the sky was mostly blue. So as the door latched behind me, I decided to seize the moment and visit the Parthenon instead. It took me about 30 seconds to update Google Maps, change direction, and start heading toward the Acropolis. I arrived before the ticket booth closed for the day and with five minutes to spare. Once on top of the Acropolis, I unzipped my jacket, wandered around the Parthenon listening to a Rick Steves audio tour, and chatted with other visitors. The experience could not have been better. 

But not everyone I know would find that in-the-moment change of plans enjoyable or satisfying. Some prefer to travel differently, planning their trips months, if not years, in advance and leaving home with detailed "rain or shine" itineraries that enable them to see as many sights as possible. They focus on efficiency, stick to a schedule, and see way more sites than I do. For them, that is the most fun way to travel, and it brings them great joy.

For me, it's all about just "being" somewhere. I prefer to travel slowly and wander, explore, and discover as I go. I delight in experiencing the unexpected and capturing a photo that can't be duplicated via a Google search. I still enjoy seeing many of the major sites, but don't need to see them all, and I really enjoy getting off the beaten path, if only just a little. I like to assume that I will return some day, so I'm OK skipping some of the major attractions in order to experience the unusual. In Athens, I learned to create a Chinese stone seal, and everywhere I go, I like to taste their version of Mexican food if I can. 

Friends concerned that I am traveling alone out of desperation regularly offer to travel with me. While I do enjoy traveling with others, I'm unwilling to give up the solo experiences. In fact, I enjoy them so much that I used to try to convince others that they should try it too. But the more I watch the way others travel and listen to their stories, the more convinced I become that solo travel probably isn't for everyone. Here's my current thinking. 

Solo travel may not be right for you if you ...

• Feel a sense of accomplishment or even get comfort from sticking to a firm itinerary
• Want help creating an itinerary and/or like help deciding what to do from one minute to the next
• Rarely wish you had more time to experience something while following an itinerary
• Feel compelled to discuss your travel experiences in great detail with others
  (because the best listeners are almost always your travel companions)
• Trust others (including travel guides) to predict what you'll enjoy most while traveling
• Don't wonder what's off the beaten paths
• Don't feel burdened by the need to constantly compromise while traveling with others
  
• Don't like problem-solving alone
  
  

On the other hand, you may love solo travel if you ...

• Enjoy being able to change your plans in an instant
• Believe that "mistakes" often lead to great adventure and entertaining stories
• Can't easily predict what you'll feel like doing from one day to the next
• Like starting and/or ending your day earlier or later than most
• Consider yourself great company

The good news is that most of us are able to travel on our own terms and refine our plans for future trips with each travel experience. And while some like to travel with others, and others enjoy going it alone, I haven't even mentioned that there's a whole group of people who don't enjoy traveling far from home at all. But that's a blog post for another day and should probably be written by another author. 

Enjoy your next travel adventure and let us know more about your preferred travel style below.

-- Kathy