Solo Travel

I so badly want to go on all these adventures that no-one else has the time for.  The most obvious solution to this, is to go on my own…something that’s much easier said than done.  The more I think about the missed trips, the more I consider a solo trip, but I have so many reservations.

It’s no secret I’m an extrovert.  I have to make a conscious effort to have “alone time” because subconsciously I jam all of my time full of being around people so I don’t have to put up with my own company.  So my biggest fear of a solo trip would be feeling lonely, which I usually feel after just a few hours at home with no-one around to talk to.

Recently I spent my first weekend alone doing a short trip in Tasmania.  It started out great. I was invincible! Doing whatever I liked, not letting no company stop me.  Confident in my decisions on where to go, effortlessly hiring a car and catching a shuttle to do a walk I wanted. Once finished the “what next?” set in.  Being in a remote area I found myself in a cabin with barely a bar of reception. Great, I couldn’t even call someone for company.

I guess that was the moment I’d been waiting for. A flight, 5hrs driving, a snow walk, and then a full night, entirely on my own.  I wondered what I should do with the time, what do others do? I ended up turning to my only natural habit which is writing this very post.  Maybe I should sit and think about stuff, but I already did that while driving.  I would have looked up things to do the next day, but there was no reception…and if there was I’d probably be so distracted by social media and chatting to people that I wouldn’t have looked anything up anyway.

Now instead of confidently independent, I was just bored.  Eventually I took some time to go through the days photos and I was back to being inspired by my awesome self for going ahead and doing the trip, and in awe of the gorgeous places I’d been that day.  I finally see why people do this now, even alone.

After a lonely night, I had an amazing day.  I witnessed the most spectacular sunrise, went for a walk, and did some more thinking in the car.  Driving through the mountains I realised I was so overwhelming in love with what I was seeing my that heart actually felt full.  It was so grounding, recharging and it was like I had found a missing part of myself.

My attitude towards solo travel changed a lot over that weekend.  I appreciated moments and sights while alone, I travelled over 500kms, and I felt safe the whole time.  By stripping down the limitations I’ve put on travel, I can broaden my creativity for future trips.  The possibilities really are endless now.