*Alexa, play “Me, Myself, and I” by Beyonce”*

Back in 2018, I made the brave decision to spend my birthday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It was my first solo trip and it was the best! Check out my post about that trip here. Since then, I’ve taken a few solo international trips (along with moving overseas with just me, myself, and I) in addition to other smaller domestic solo trips. I follow a lot of travel social media sites, and I’d heard so many great stories of people taking solo trips. Don’t get me wrong, I love traveling with others, but I love stepping out of my element and proving to myself of how much of an independent traveling lady I can be! 

When I choose a city/country that I want to travel to by myself, I’m always sure to choose places where there’s plenty of research of how safe the place is for solo travelers, female travelers, and even Black travelers. I also consider whether the city has any laws that are foreign to me (ex: gum is illegal in Singapore), whether the city has accessible transportation (ex: Uber, Grab, taxis), and what major attractions are within the area (shoutout to Klook.com and Pinterest.com). Once I compile all of this information, I set my heart of going, and then I inform my parents. They are typical concerned parents who usually dislike when I tell them I’m going somewhere (especially international) regardless of whether I’m alone or with a group. To put their minds at ease, I always try to make an itinerary for them along with my important documents (ex: my ID, passport) just in case something goes down. Side Note: If you remember nothing from what I post, please remember to always have a copy and send a copy of your passport to someone if you’re traveling internationally! 

I’m a huge advocate for others to explore their independence and to take at least one solo trip in your life! I understand that there are people who wouldn’t be comfortable doing so regardless of how much I could hype it up. Let’s be real, solo traveling can be a scary thing! Honestly, there are moments where I am afraid to step out in unfamiliar territories on my own, and I have to remember to use extra caution to avoid anything bad happening.If you’ve been contemplating a solo trip, you don’t have to go all out and be extravagant by any means. It could be as simple as taking a day trip to explore a city within your state by yourself which can turn out to be a great experience. Based on my experiences thus far, here are a few reasons why I think solo adventure is worth the experience:

• You gain confidence in your ability to be independent.

I’m naturally an independent person (most of the time). For me, being able to navigate a city, to navigate domestic and international airports, to find well rated places to stay and dine, and to make it home in one piece gives me validation that I can survive and be a functional human without needing to be coddled by someone. This includes not being afraid to ask others for help when I’m lost. It happens a lot, especially when navigating the subway system in Tokyo where the train map is in all Japanese, no English (most Japanese people are very kind in doing their best to help you when you look like a lost/scared American). This confidence in traveling has extended to how I am currently in my life living overseas (we can chat about that later). Even though I have my days where I feel like I need more support than I’m willing to admit, I know that I can take care of myself at the end of the day.

• You’re on your OWN schedule

With a group, it can be amazing to have that one person who plans everything while you sit back and enjoy the ride. There are times where within larger groups, people split apart and do different things because everyone isn’t on the same page or they may have other interests. It seems a bit selfish to say, but one of my favorite things about traveling alone is that I don’t have to confide with anyone to ask whether they want to do certain things. I’m able to set my own itinerary, and if it doesn’t go as planned I can only be upset (or not) with myself. 

• You aren’t really alone

When I first started traveling alone, I remember being asked “won’t you be lonely?”. Ah, no unless I’m going to a deserted island with no other humans present! There are plenty of opportunities to communicate and hang out with other people, including locals and other travelers. While staying in hostels or when being a part of a group trip (ex: city tour), there are plenty of opportunities to meet people from different parts of the world and to potentially hang out with them (of course take personal precautions). Your solo trip to visit the Eiffel Tower could turn into a mini group trip if you want. Case in point, even if you are traveling alone, you are never truly alone unless you choose not to interact with others (which is okay). 

• You learn how to budget

There are so many websites that you can utilize when booking a trip (ex: skyscanner.com, booking.com, kayak.com) and/or when planning your trip excursions. I should take my own advice, but finding a good package deal with your flight and hotel total combined can be beneficial. With all of my trips, I always try to set a budget and allow a little bit of wiggle room in case of emergencies. Most of my tours are planned beforehand or I have certain destinations that I keep in mind and book an excursion (if applicable) once I arrive at my destination. I highly recommend finding attractions or events that you’re interested in, and researching any free events or sites that you can visit while planning your trip (remember, Pinterest and Google are your best friends).

• You become immersed in another culture

The beauty that I find in traveling regardless of whether I am stateside or out of the country, is to immerse yourself into the culture where you gain a memorable experience. My appreciation for travel expanded when seeing how different life could be for Europeans. It expanded even more visiting and living in Asia where there are a lot of differences in just about everything ha! It’s allowed me to be both appreciative of the differences in daily life and my culture as an American. Regardless of whether you travel domestically or internationally, challenge yourself to try at least 1 new thing especially if it involves food. DO NOT TRAVEL ALL THE WAY TO MEXICO JUST TO EAT MCDONALD’S THE ENTIRE TIME!!!! Immerse yourself in the culture and enjoy yourself!

I hope that I was somewhat convincing in at least getting you to think about taking a solo trip. Solo traveling doesn’t have to be a complete replacement for group trips. I’ve found it reassuring to have a nice balance of both types of trips. Traveling alone can have so many benefits as listed above! Remember that you are in control of how great (or not so great) your experiences could be! 

Happy travels!