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Traveling solo?

Absolutely love it!
Nomadic lifestyle

Solo Traveling: Pro & Contra

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The 2012 was kind of a special year for me – I discovered solo traveling for myself. I used to travel together with friends or a partner by that time: we would agree to meet somewhere and head the road together. That was the exact plan in April 2012 – I was going to meet some dancers from Berlin on a tango festival in Izmir, Turkey. For whatever reason they cancelled their trip on a very short note, so I ended up being „all alone“ for 5 days absolutely unprepared for Izmir. 

That trip was in a way a frustrating but also a very rewarding experience at the same time – since then I fall in love with solo traveling.Either a long weekend in Venice, a 4 week trip across Argentina, or a six month journey around the world, I love solo traveling and highly recommend everyone, especially ladies, to experience it at least once in their lifetime. And for sure, solo traveling as any other lifestyle, has many advantages and disadvantages, that may discourage one to head the road alone. Here are my learnings so far.

I love traveling solo, because…
I.

…I can head the road whenever I want.

Agreeing timing with someone, especially if it is about a long term journey, can be very challenging and even impossible. You can’t blame anyone for this. But as long as you have fears of traveling alone and keep yourself in dependance from someone to accompany you, you end up not acting on your dreams. The freedom I experienced after my first solo trip made me absolutely addictive to it.
II.

…its going to be my journey.

I love the freedom of making decisions alone. The choice of destination and activities, travel style, timing – it’s all about me. And the best is I can change my plans anytime I want without agreeing them with anyone. I shape my journey as I go.
V.

…because I can!

A female solo traveler is not a novelty anymore, but it’s still not taken for granted. I often meet people questioning, if it’s not too hard and dangerous for ladies to travel alone. No, it is not! Enough of this default “weak and vulnerable” image we are labelled with. It is wonderful to travel as a solo female, it makes us women open minded and enormous self-confident. I’d love to inspire everyone to try it at least once in her life. So ladies, pack your stuff, its travel time! The world out there is so beautiful and less dangerous than you think.
VII.

…because I can!

A female solo traveler is not a novelty anymore, but it’s still not taken for granted. I often meet people questioning, if it’s not too hard and dangerous for ladies to travel alone. No, it is not! Enough of this default “weak and vulnerable” image we are labelled with. It is wonderful to travel as a solo female, it makes us women open minded and enormous self-confident. I’d love to inspire everyone to try it at least once in her life. So ladies, pack your stuff, its travel time! The world out there is so beautiful and less dangerous than you think.
III.

…I stretch my comfort zone.

To me the most important aspect of traveling. Facing challenges alone helped me to stretch my own limits, it strengthened my personality and gave me confidence. It made me a very independent person. In course of time doing things alone became a routine exercise I need now and then.
IV.

…it helps me to fight my fears.

After my first solo trip, I told to myself “it was not that bad”. I thought the same thing, after I went climbing despite my fear of heights. And then over and over again after doing the things I was scared of before. Every time I decided not to give up I felt wonderfully relieved. Such a great feeling absolutely worth the effort.
VI.

…while traveling alone I’m hardly ever alone.

The world is full of amazing inspiring people. You have low chances of staying alone for a long period of time unless you want it. I met many travellers and locals during my journeys, who made even a very touristic spot to a very special and memorable experience. Generally, I merge with local environment more when I am alone, as when I am traveling with someone. It is because I am less focused on my own environment, thus more spontaneous and open to opportunities to meet locals and new people.
VIII.

…I learn to watch my back.

The topic of security gains automatically priority once you decide to travel alone. You switch to hyper-awareness mode, plan and prepare your trip more accurately, you are more careful and observe your environment with more awareness. For instance, I pay special attention on time of arrival in unfamiliar places. The way to my accommodation in the middle of the night may turn to an unpleasant adventure, which I don’t need. I rather book an alternate connection. Another case, no matter how much I’d love to make that one shot, sometimes it’s smart to keep the expensive photography gear hidden in the bag. Generally, it’s always a good Idea stay low-key and not challenge the fate more than it’s necessary. Once you are in trouble, you may stick alone there. But no worries, it becomes a routine after a while…
Solo traveling is not always the best option, because…
I.

…it will cost you more.

A female solo traveler is not a novelty anymore, but it’s still not taken for granted. I often meet people questioning, if it’s not too hard and dangerous for ladies to travel alone. No, it is not! Enough of this default “weak and vulnerable” image we are labelled with. It is wonderful to travel as a solo female, it makes us women open minded and enormous self-confident. I’d love to inspire everyone to try it at least once in her life. So ladies, pack your stuff, its travel time! The world out there is so beautiful and less dangerous than you think.
III.

…sometimes you are all alone with your beautiful moments.

While traveling you have huge chances of seeing something amazing and breathtaking. No wonder, as you cross oceans and mountains for that very special experience… and here you go, there is no one to share it with. A quick post on Facebook or Instagram are not going to help you. These kind of moments happen often and might make you feel very lonely. 
V.

…being ill while traveling alone is double unpleasant.

Illness while traveling is unpleasant, risky and also unavoidable. The only thing you can do is to be well prepared for that. I avoid for instance being forced to go to drug store when I’m already feeling bad. For this I prefer carrying an extended first aid kit with a set of medicines for various cases. I research for health warnings carefully prior traveling, take necessary vaccines and precautions. And most important, I don’t panic. It is always a good idea to ask for help of locals. 
II.

…it will cost you more.

A female solo traveler is not a novelty anymore, but it’s still not taken for granted. I often meet people questioning, if it’s not too hard and dangerous for ladies to travel alone. No, it is not! Enough of this default “weak and vulnerable” image we are labelled with. It is wonderful to travel as a solo female, it makes us women open minded and enormous self-confident. I’d love to inspire everyone to try it at least once in her life. So ladies, pack your stuff, its travel time! The world out there is so beautiful and less dangerous than you think.
IV.

…sometimes one needs a warm hug.

Traveling is exciting, but it’s not always like this. Of course, it is hard to deal alone with moments, when you feel lonely, homesick, sad or lost someone close somewhere far away (yes, things like this happen too). But it’s part of life and overcoming hardships makes one stronger. We can’t always prevent sadness and losses, but we definitely can use every opportunity to let our beloved ones know about our feelings.
VII.

…a dinner for one is not that tasty.

I know, the perspective of dining alone in a nice restaurant might seem pretty depressing. You end up many times just grabbing (again) some street food. The hardest is the first time, when you overcome the awkwardness of dining alone. But remember, this is another step towards your freedom and confidence. I learned dealing with this in different ways and will publish a post covering this topic soon.

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