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Many people believe that traveling alone is the best way to travel because of the numerous advantages they get from it. If you go out all by yourself to explore the world out there, you spend more time on yourself, being able to do what you want to do, eat what you want to eat, watch the movie you want to watch and everything else without considering someone else’s interests and opinions. Those things are probably just some of the many reasons why solo traveling could be a good thing for you.

Indeed, traveling alone is a great time for independence and for more opportunities to discover who you are as you spend your time on your own. It’s not something that everybody can always do because as humans are social and relational beings, time is mostly spent with other people such as family and friends.

There are however, some things that can make solo travel a challenge. Although they are actually not too difficult, and even though they can be made a solution, still they can be considered as some of the aspects wherein you might have a hard time or a less convenient experience as you travel alone. Here are 4:

[1] TALKING TO SOMEONE

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When you’re with other people, when you’re at work and when you’re busy with all of your life responsibilities, most likely, you don’t have a lot of time to spend for yourself only. That’s why traveling all by yourself is one of the perfect moments for you to have a “me time”.

While you desire to share not your time with other people, you might also feel that you want someone to talk to during your travel. When you see a magnificent scenery or overheard of a nice place to eat, you might want to share it and talk about it with someone. When you’re bored in the long flight, you might want someone to talk to. You might have the feeling that “I want to talk, but I have no one to talk to,” while thinking that your saliva might get dried up because you’ve been too quiet for so long.

Talking with a friend during your travel makes the fun and even more exciting. You have someone to share the thrill with while they know exactly what you feel as well. Good for you if you are an extrovert, really friendly and approachable because you can easily talk to random people and make new chums.

[2] TAKING PHOTOS

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When you travel, of course, taking photos is inevitable! Pictures capture unrepeatable moments. They are the best remembrances one could actually bring home. Souvenirs and delicacies are enjoyable to take home, but nothing will ever match the beauty of photographs.

One of the challenges of solo travelers is having their pictures taken in tourist spots and landmarks. You won’t have a problem with taking selfies, but if you want a bigger shot of a huge monument with you in the photo, you will most likely need someone to find a nice angle and click the camera for you.

The usual solution to this is kindly approaching strangers, who could also be a tourist or a local, and asking if they can help you get a good shot with the background you want. The risk that goes with it, anyway, is that you do not know if they can actually give you the kind of photo that you have in mind.

If you don’t really mind if your feet are cut in the picture or if the photo itself has no symmetry, then it wouldn’t be a problem. If you do, however, it would be a big deal, and another problem you will face is requesting them to take another one for you in a better way. Very likely, you will hesitate and be shy because you’re taking their time. If you have a close buddy with you instead, you can have fifty shots in one place, and they wouldn’t really mind as long as you take fifty for them too. If you have your family members with you instead, everybody can take turns clicking the shoot button for each other! That’s no hassle at all–just your family members getting tired of your tireless posing.

Some solo travelers have their own devices and tools like a tripod, so that even when they are alone, they can get a nice photo of themselves. Admit it, however, it has a hassle in it. Just by thinking that you’ll have to fix the cam from afar and go back and forth to check and adjust settings and so on and so forth, it’s not as easy as when you’re with a companion.

[3] ASSISTANCE WITH STUFF

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Traveling with someone you know means you can be assistants to each other. In what way? Most often, it’s about carrying stuff around and looking over them too. Especially if you have huge baggage and many other things, it would be a relief and a stress lessened when there’s a friend who can help you with them.

Although there could be aiding staff and services in airports and in hotels, it’s a different thing when you actually have someone who personally knows the looks of your bags aside from you, so they can keep an eye on them when you’re working on something. In that way, you will be more assured that you have your complete stuff and that they are further safe and secured. Moreover, you can peacefully focus on what you’re bringing and doing if you have with you someone you know you can trust even with your things.

Things that do seem simple for some people usually can do a lot; specifically, leaving your things unattended even for a couple of minutes can be very dangerous! Thieves are wise and quick nowadays, so if someone you personally trust can supervise your things while you buy some food or go to the restroom, it would be a whole lot better!

[4] EXPENSIVE COSTS

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When you travel alone, that means you pay for everything alone, all from your wallet and bank account. When you travel with your family or with your friends who already have a job and an income, there are chances of getting cheap rates in certain services like restaurants, hotel rooms, amusement parks and travel tours! It’s because you can encounter and get some promos and discounts given for group deals!

On another note, when you’re not alone enjoying the trip, meals, activities, accommodation, shopping and everything, you’re not alone spending money too! You can divide the bills among yourselves. That’s being practical without making the fun and excitement suffer. Meanwhile, if you travel alone, what the bill says is what you take out of your own wallet, alone.

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SOLO EVERYTHING

Traveling alone has both good and not-so-good points. When you travel by yourself and realize and experience all or some of the things on the list, you will surely even more grasp that truly, no man is an island. There’s something good about solo travel, but without a doubt, there’s something challenging about it as well.

AUTHOR BIO

Nicole Ann Pore finds glee in writing about travel — world destinations, accommodation, tourist sites, vacation spots and everything else related to it! For her, the beauty of this world is amazing and worth-sharing, and traveling is one of the purest ways to acknowledge it. She is a daytime writer for Holiday Inn Parramatta Hotel, a five-star hotel in Parramatta, New South Wales which provides a rewarding stay and a close reach of Australia’s noteworthy features. | Nicole graduated Cum Laude from De La Salle University Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts.