To travel alone means to be free, to go where you want, when you want, to get away from everyday life, to find yourself. It’s a great way to get out of the closed circle and interact with the locals, beyond a simple hello. For some, it’s a real need, but it can also be a source of fear and anxiety. Going solo is booming, especially with the new generation Y, the explosion in the number of singles and low-cost tourism.
According to the New York Times, 24% of holidaymakers went away alone in 2014, compared with just 9% in 2013.
Travelling alone has many virtues. According to psychiatrists, it’s a “return to original animality”, a self-discovery and acceptance of one’s limits. It pushes us to act as responsible, mature beings. Sometimes we need to put miles between ourselves and our lives to better understand and manage the situation.
It also means freedom of movement, no more compromises or shouting matches for no important reason. You’ve found a superb monument, the weather’s nice and warm and you don’t feel like moving, so going off on your own lets you stand in front of it for hours, dreaming and leaving whenever you like!
Another great advantage of solo travel is the opportunity to meet new people, rich in cultural differences. Indeed, when you go off on your own, you put yourself in a position of openness, abandoning yourself to others, fearing neither their gaze nor their judgments. It doesn’t take long to create a “little social circle”.
You don’t have to be an intrepid traveler to go it alone. Just do some research on the Forums, to avoid the official tourist board’s simple good looks. When you’re there, just take care of yourself and your belongings – there’s no need to get paranoid! Be aware of your surroundings and don’t flaunt your banknotes. You can also forge links with local merchants. To meet new people, you can find a local club or association. It’s also important to take part in activities, such as a simple windsurfing lesson. Of course, volunteering is always a good idea!
And if anything goes wrong, don’t worry, you’ve got your travel insurance😉
