Solo travel: A "truer" travel experience

This post, from a Web site called Brave New Traveler, lists six reasons to wander the world solo. 

1. "Enjoy complete freedom."
You can try exotic cuisines without having someone "crinkling their nose" at you. And, you won't have anyone pushing you to eat something you'd rather not, writes Michaela Lola.

I've experienced the nose crinkling. It was from the same person who was irritated because I wanted to get a bite to eat when he wasn't hungry.

2. "Challenge yourself."
Traveling alone forces you to be confident in your choices, she says. And the challenges make you stronger. And, I'll add, traveling alone allows you to make all the choices. It's not often in life you get to pick exactly what you'd like to do, all day long, for the purpose of pleasing or educating yourself.

3. "Attain deeper insights."
"Everything tastes better, shines brighter and seeps deeper into your bones when all you have are your thoughts and a notebook." Nice sentiment. And, Lola adds, you don't need to fill empty gaps of time with "desperate, painful dialog" with a travel partner. Amen. How silly is it in a museum to turn to your partner and say, "Wow, look at that." Or, "isn't that a great painting?" We feel obligated to comment because someone is by our side. Or is it just me?

Continued...

4. "Leave Home (And Travel Companions) Behind"
Not exactly a reason to travel solo, but a good idea. The travel experience is lessened when you "pack remnants of home along with your guidebook," she says. Pairs, or groups, of travelers create a "force field" that is intimidating to people who might otherwise talk to you. So true. Groups of people are self-contained and send the unspoken message that they don't need anyone else.

5. "Meet the locals."
Lola had a memorable encounter with a "kif-smoking goat-herder." I'm sure she met many other lovely local people. It's the reward of any travel but tends to happen more often when we travel alone.

6. "See with clear eyes."
She quotes Alain de Botton who says, "Our responses to the world are crucially molded by the company we keep, for we temper our curiosity to fit in with the expectations of others." We - women especially - tend to try to live up to others' expectations, or speak to please or to be accepted. When traveling solo, you can just be you. Whomever that is, on any given day.

Comments

[kim]

When you find someone who does have the same expectations and intentions for a trip as you do, I think company can enrich the traveling experience greatly. You see things you may have missed since they weren't on your must-see list, but they were on the other. And you have a 'soundboard', someone to share the experience with and hear their perspective on things.
I loved that.
Granted, you don't come across these great matches a lot...