SOLO TRAVEL - THE LOWS AND HIGHS OF A SEASONED PRO!

‘Oooo, you’re brave.’

‘Oh, I could never do that.’

These are the most common things people say to me when they find out I’m going / have been travelling on my own. And they all come from people who have never done it themselves.

…… So, it makes me wonder, is there a bit of a gap between what they think and what I know?

Confession Time

The dinner trays had been collected and the cabin lights had recently dimmed, and while everyone else around me was immersed in the films glowing in the seat-back screens in front of them, I was doing my best to artfully wipe away a few escaping tears as they overspilled onto my cheeks.

The man beside me was travelling back home after attending a family party, the newly-wed couple in front of me, who kept giving each other little kisses, were on the way to their honeymoon destination, and the excited family across the aisle from me were clearly off on their holiday. It was quite apparent that the majority of people on the flight were sharing adventures with their nearest and dearest – and that was part of the reason for the newly formed lump taking residence in my heart and throat.

I’ve been on countless solo trips, so it’s not that I’ve not done it before, but it stills get to me that I embark on experiences where I’m not with someone else to make memories with, no one to look back at pictures with and say ‘oh look, do you remember that?’.

(Caveat: I have done group solo travel before which have fit the bill, but I’m often seeking more unique, bespoke and personalised trips, fully tailored to my wants and needs).

Over the years, I’ve realised that it’s not unusual on the day of travel for my mind to fast-forward, already thinking about returning home to my family and the feelings and longing of being back in comfort and security, BUT …….. it’s a string of thoughts that very swiftly gets replaced by a multitude of new sensations and fresh experiences that literally light up my soul once my feet have settled on the ground in a new country and I start to live out the events I’ve got planned. 

Lonely vs Alone – It’s A Mindset Game

As I pressed the pads of my index fingers into the corners of my eyes in an attempt to dam up the pooling sheen of wetness that was fast approaching my lash line, I became very present. Having recently completed Peter Crone’s Mastermind course, I somehow flipped a switch where I became an instant observer of my thoughts, almost as though I was now an outside third party looking in on the conversation going on in my head.

And you know what?

All those thoughts of lack and comparison to the people around me on the plane, the niggles of self-doubt and insecurities flying around weren’t doing me any good as I sat 35,000 feet in the air, hurtling towards an unfamiliar location thousands of miles away.

I swiftly got out of my ego and into my soul with the realisation that I could CHOOSE to see, think and act very differently. Rather than viewing solo travel as a scary step into the unknown, I chose to see it as a courageous leap into my own growth and evolution. After all, I knew I had some incredible experiences planned and couldn’t wait to turn them into reality.

I deliberately reconnected with the word ‘Brave’, which has been my theme for 2025, and it prompted a defiant energy to immediately rise within me; ‘I’ve got this, I’ve totally got this’, I told myself.

Solitude

Whilst I highlighted above the positives of sharing travel memories with others, there is actually a great deal to be gained from experiencing adventures on your own.

The first obvious point is that you don’t have to make any compromises, you literally do exactly what you want, when you want. You follow your nose, your instincts, your passions; whatever drives you as a unique individual, you can lap it all up.

Pure self-expression.

Total liberation.

Complete freedom of choice.

What’s not to love?

The less obvious point became very apparent to me during a hike in Sedona when I realised the gains I received from not being alongside others.

Solitude brought both a quiet stillness within me and also a heightened presence outside of me. I was observant to the awe of my surroundings, understanding towards the bigger picture of nature and fully conscious of life. This open-eyed meditation of awareness seemed to contrast starkly with the groups of people I passed. Some were so entrenched in noisy conversation that they barely seemed to take note of their surroundings, while others were so intent on taking ‘selfies’ to report back to the ‘screen world’ that they didn’t seem to even be a part of the real world.

I sensed a tight bubble of busy, distracted energy around them – a contemplation point rather than a judgement – which was enough for me to appreciate and feel immense gratitude for the fact that I could achieve deeper moments of connection with myself and the surroundings from simply being on my own.

Self-Fulfilment

I can assert that there is an immense feeling of satisfaction gained from solo travel – why? – partly because so many people are afraid of doing it!

This is not coming from an egoic or outward sense of one-upmanship, but rather more from an inward reflection of pride, daring and celebration. It’s a case of acknowledging the fact that the edge of my comfort zone has now been pegged further out – something I know others would also feel if they took the same challenge.

If I hadn’t have plucked up the nerve all those years ago to complete my first ever solo trip, I undoubtedly wouldn’t have gained half of the extraordinary memories I’ve achieved in my life.

Believe it or not, I actually feel fortunate that I’ve had so many travel adventures on my own because it has shaped me into becoming a different human being. I greatly recognise the vastness of my capabilities, I see what I am able to achieve and I appreciate that my life becomes so much richer with every journey I take.  It makes me wonder – did solo travel inadvertently give me the courage to set up my own business(!)?

I think it’s fair to say that any worries or fears associated with solo travel are constraints that are quickly dissolvable once the powerful gains take over.  I keep going back for more, so clearly a few nerves at the start of each trip are never enough to put me off booking again.

Final Words Of Advice

Remember; mindset is everything.