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20 Comments

  1. Anne
    December 5, 2014 @ 12:16 pm

    One advantage that I have found about travelling solo is that I discover much more than I would have if I went in a group.

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      December 6, 2014 @ 4:19 pm

      That’s great, Anne! I can see how that happens. I definitely have to rely on myself to figure things out when I’m on my own, though sometimes it takes me longer when I’m on my own. I get lost and I always seem to look at the map the wrong way. Always an adventure though!

      Reply

  2. Teresa
    August 23, 2014 @ 1:11 pm

    I really want to travel alone to grow up and be more confident about myself. Only thing holding me back is a fear of fainting and getting ill. I always feel dizzy when I travel but doctor says everything’s fine. But it is still holding me back. How to overcome fear or fainting which is on my way to fulfil my dreams of traveling?

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      August 23, 2014 @ 9:54 pm

      Hi Teresa, that’s a tough one! What if you booked yourself a tour for the first day of your trip? That way you’re not completely alone, and someone else is handling the details. Food tours are great because they give you a little glimpse of the city while teaching you about the importance of the cuisine in that destination’s culture. Plus you get a lot of sitting time, which might help you feel less dizzy. If your doctor can’t find a physical reason for your dizziness, it might be an emotional thing, that your fear is causing you to feel dizzy. Which means you might have to just power through and push yourself to work through the fear. I know that’s easier said than done, but keep reminding yourself that you CAN do this, you are stronger than your fear. Start small, maybe take a trip to a new city in your own country for a weekend or something. Sign up for a tour or two so you’re not completely on your own. Any time you feel dizzy, take a few slow, deep breaths, and remind yourself that you’re ok. Once you get through it, you’ll start to feel more confident about the whole thing. Check out this post too: https://travel-made-simple.com/story-overcoming-solo-travel-fear/

      Let me know if I can help with anything else!

      Reply

  3. Michela of Rocky Travel Blog
    May 14, 2014 @ 12:20 pm

    Travelling alone is a very rewarding experience I think everyone should do at leat once in their life. It’s the best way to learn about yourself, step out of your comfort zone, grow your confidence and see what you are capable of. Most times we learn that fears and limitations we had only live in our imagination! 🙂

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      May 14, 2014 @ 5:31 pm

      Thanks Michela! I completely agree with you. Deciding to travel by myself was one of the best decisions I ever made. I returned from that first trip with so much more confidence!

      Reply

  4. Anne
    November 14, 2013 @ 1:12 pm

    Hi Ali, I enjoy reading your posts on solo travel. Great to see that others have done it successfully, it’s really encouraging. I’ve had people suggest that I go on tour groups for safety reasons and for company. We face risks in our home countries too. I’ve also learned from experience that friends are not always reliable in keeping with plans and they can pull out for various reasons.

    Doing some research on the culture and customs of a country would also be very helpful and also know what the weather will be like when you travel to that destination.

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      November 19, 2013 @ 1:06 pm

      Thanks Anne! I think group tours have their place, but it’s not a guarantee of safety, and it’s certainly not a guarantee you will enjoy your trip. Solo travel brings its own stresses at times, but overall I think it’s a great option for someone who wants to travel but doesn’t have a travel partner and doesn’t want the restraints of a group tour. And I agree, researching the culture, customs and weather of your destination is definitely important.

      Reply

      • Anne
        December 16, 2013 @ 9:38 am

        Also just because one is on a group tour doesn’t mean they can let their guard down. One always to keep safety in mind, regardless of whether they are in a group or on their own. It may be well and good to spend time with people on an organised tour lasting a week or so, but once the tour is over, people can choose to go on a path totally different from someone else’s, so one can be left without someone to travel with once again. This is something one should consider especially if they are travelling for extended periods.

        Reply

        • Ali Garland
          December 16, 2013 @ 10:51 am

          Agreed, you still need to be aware of your surroundings, watch your things, etc. And yes, many people do travel on their own after a group tour (and I highly recommend it!) and you need to be careful no matter what. I don’t think people should be overly paranoid because in reality most of the world is filled with good people, but being a little cautious is helpful.

          Reply

  5. Jennifer
    September 21, 2013 @ 11:06 am

    I definitely agree that you can meet fun people on a day tour. I especially like small group tours where you really can get to know someone over the course of the tour. I find bigger tours make this much harder.

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      September 21, 2013 @ 4:34 pm

      I can’t remember the last time I took a big/long tour, but I’m sure it totally depends on the tour. Those are not my thing at all, but I could see how someone in their early 20s might meet fun people on a Contiki tour or something. As I’m older now, meeting people on a 10 day tour just wouldn’t work the same.

      Reply

  6. Agness
    September 10, 2013 @ 4:31 am

    Great tips Ali! When I travel on my own and I don’t want to feel lonely I always stay somewhere social, usually in guest houses and backpacking hostels. There are amazing people there who I can always join for a day or two 🙂

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      September 10, 2013 @ 2:49 pm

      Thank you Agness! I love meeting new people on the road, and it’s somehow easier to do when you’re traveling solo.

      Reply

  7. gautam
    September 6, 2013 @ 12:06 pm

    It was really motivating. I dont have any travel partner. I am thinking of going alone but everytime something stopped me but now i will make a plan .

    Thanks……………….

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      September 6, 2013 @ 2:17 pm

      Enjoy and happy travels!

      Reply

  8. Christoffer Moen
    August 30, 2013 @ 5:54 am

    Awesome tips. Agree on staying social and also keeping safety in mind. Also, love walking tours!

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      August 30, 2013 @ 10:23 am

      Thanks Christoffer! Walking tours can be really great, a nice way to get a feel for a city!

      Reply

  9. Matthew Cheyne
    August 28, 2013 @ 5:42 pm

    I still remember my first solo travel experience. It was August 2001, almost 12 years to the day. Because of some seriousl intense events that occurred earlier in that year which I needn’t go into here, I had only a suitcase to my name and $250. On the spur of the moment without any research I decided to catch an overnight train from Melbourne, Australia to the other major capital Sydney. When I say without any research I absolutely mean it. I had no job, nowhere to stay when I got there and not enough money to get back to Melbourne if something went wrong.

    As soon as I got off the train in Sydney I found an accommodation board and made a couple of calls and found somewhere to stay in Central Sydney. Then when I got to the place, I put my bags down and slept for five hours and made some calls and found some work within a week. I was 23 at the time and had absolutely nothing to lose and it was the single best thing that I have ever done. I proved to myself that I could make it on my own in this world regardless of what other people said and did, family included.

    I have been back to Sydney on several occasions and every time I go, I plan almost every detail – how I’m going to get there, where I’m going to stay, what I am going to do for at least the first few days and the all important: how am I going to finance all this. I’m 35 now and still desire to travel but nowadays I am older, wiser and much more cautious, I still have the desire for spontaneity but I prefer spontaneity of the ordered kind, not the disordered.

    Reply

    • Ali Garland
      August 29, 2013 @ 4:50 pm

      That sounds like such an awesome experience Matthew! Being spontaneous can be really great, but there are times where planning is more useful. I’m probably more comfortable not planning now than I was a few years ago, but in some ways I’m a lot more cautious than I was when I was younger. I totally understand what you’re saying about spontaneity of the ordered kind, love that!

      Reply

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