You've probably seen vlogs that say "I stopped waiting for others and went alone." These are usually followed by picturesque and vivid moments of solo travel with an emphasis on freedom and self-sufficiency. We don't know how it really happened, but anyone who has ever traveled alone understands that this is not an easy undertaking. Let's figure out why a person still needs a companion on solo trips.
In 2024, 68% of tourists identified themselves as enthusiasts of solo travel. All ages have intentionally embraced solo travel: zoomers and millennials frequently decline group excursions to be alone with their ideas, while elderly individuals travel alone to meet new people.
People go on solo trips for different reasons, but all solo travelers are united by the desire to get to know themselves again. This is another tool for self-knowledge in the self-centered era.
The Challenges Of Traveling Alone
Therapy-like solo travel has its side effects.
- More expenses. Traveling alone is more expensive than in a group: there is no one to share the costs of transport, food and accommodation (single hotel rooms are still rare).
- It may not be safe. Some countries try to protect residents and tourists as much as possible (for example, in France,catcalling has been declared illegal), but it is impossible to foresee all the risks even in the safest countries.
- Everyday problems. When traveling alone, a person is forced to control everything himself, including unforeseen situations, when the help of loved ones is usually needed: to go to the pharmacy if you are very sick, or to look after things while you swim in the sea. Although traveling alone teaches independence and flexibility, in some cases it is difficult without support.
- Anxiety from great responsibility. Constant planning and problem solving can be very exhausting and emotionally devastating.
- Feeling lonely. It appears suddenly and is always felt especially acutely on solo trips. You can feel lonely regardless of your personality type: extroverts who easily make new acquaintances begin to miss their loved ones, and introverts who value time alone begin to pay more attention to others and seek communication.
Despite the fact that solo travel helps you regain control over your life, loneliness is the only difficulty that cannot be completely controlled and predicted. But it can be dealt with if you recognize this feeling in yourself in time.
Ways to Feel Connected
These concepts are often confused. Solitude is the time a person consciously spends in isolation from others. Loneliness is a self-destructive feeling of emptiness and rejection that can be experienced among people. Solo travelers spend time in solitude, and loneliness is its unpleasant consequence.
Solo trips often make you feel lonely because there is no one to share your emotions with – be it anxiety from unexpected events or delight in the beauty of the mountains. There are several ways to overcome this painful feeling.
- Find a travel buddy. Backpackr, Travello – services that introduce solo travelers to each other. You can take a simpler route – look into apps for dating as Apericor. The main thing is to indicate the purpose of the meeting and be careful (for example, spend time in public places).
- Plan your days in advance. The feeling of loneliness often comes when we are not doing anything and it becomes uncomfortable to be alone with our thoughts. You can make a to-do list for the entire trip or think about what to do tomorrow the night before. But sometimes not planning anything and giving in to spontaneity is also a plan. The main thing in this case is not to sit back and actively explore a new place.
- Be in touch with loved ones. Chats and calls are not a panacea for loneliness when we are away from home. But they help to cope with it and remind us that we are expected and always ready to be listened to.
- Go for a small talk. It is difficult to start opening up to strangers, but to get rid of the feeling of isolation, you do not necessarily have to share your innermost thoughts. A light and short conversation in a line for coffee will already return the feeling that you are not alone.
- Start a travel diary. Notes in a notebook or smartphone, photos and videos on a camera, recordings on a voice recorder will bring you back to reality and distract you from obsessive thoughts about loneliness. However, books, music or films, which we often use to fill the time when we feel lonely, will not help as effectively as recording our own impressions.
Traveling alone doesn't have to end badly if you experience loneliness. The bad times are typically fleeting, as are most experiences in life. If you can get through them, get beyond them, or find a way to go around them by applying the advice above, you'll be able to fulfill all the other, happier expectations you had for your journey.
