5 hard truths about travelling solo: what to really expect on your (first) solo trip

If you're a returning reader to this blog you know that I am a big advocate for solo travelling, it is something that gave me so many incredible experiences and memories that I wouldn't trade for the world. But I also don't like to sugarcoat things. I always aim to stay honest and bring you information that will help you make the best decisions for you. So, I thought that today I would bring you 5 solo travel hard truths that will empower, encourage and help you prepare for your (first) solo trip. Some of these are positive, others not so much, but all of them are based on my over decade long experience of solo travel. I have brought these to you not to scare you, but to help you understand what to expect.

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1. It may feel awkward at first

If you are used to travelling with others, you will have moments where you are trying to figure out how to deal with or to do certain things on your own that you would normally do with others (dining alone for instance). You may think that people are looking at you thinking something or having an opinion, but I can promise you, most people are focused on their journey, they don't really have the time or energy to focus on other travellers. When I feel awkward during my solo travels, I always like to remind myself that the chances of me ever seeing or meeting these people are pretty low, so I might as well stop worrying about what others think about me and enjoy my trip. I think realising this can help eliminate so much pressure and awkwardness, and it helps you embrace solo travel a bit more. In my experience, fellow solo travellers never really judge because they know what you're going through. And if you were to speak to the people who never travelled solo, they would probably tell you that they secretly admire you. This happened to me on many occasions, people actually salute you for having the courage to explore the world alone.

2. You will really learn what it means to trust your gut

Travelling solo will for sure improve your ability to trust your gut. There will be certain situations, when you will have to rely purely on your instincts and making the best possible decision for you. If you are naturally very independent this may not seem like a big deal, but if you are the type of person who likes to discuss matters before making decisions, this may be something to prepare for. Don't worry, most of the time this doesn't mean some grand, life changing decisions, but some of these can also alter the course of your travels or the way you experience things. As negative as this sounds at first, I think it is also a very beneficial element of travelling on your long term life quality, responsibility and independent thinking are skills you can literally transfer to any other area of your life.

3. It can be super helpful if you are a recovering people pleasers

Don't let the first two points scare you too much because solo travelling is always rewarding. While you will have to be responsible, you always don't have to discuss with anyone, no approval or compromise is needed when you travel alone. You want to change your return flights and stay an extra night? Done. You want to stay in the hotel all day and just relax? No-one will bat an eye. You want to wake up at 3am to see the sunrise at the viewpoint you read about? No problem, you won't wake up anyone while getting ready. As a recovering people pleaser, I think this is an element of solo travelling that personally helped me so much to learn to live life on my own terms a little, set better boundaries, and learn to put myself first sometimes.

4. Sometimes you will wish you could share this with someone

I love travelling solo, but even then there are moments here and there when I wish I wasn't alone. This is completely normal, just because you enjoy being alone, does not mean that there aren't moments you'd want to share with others. Human beings always crave connection, so this is only normal. This feeling of wanting to share may only be momentary, and I always find that after a solo trip I tend to appreciate those around me. I think this is actually a very beautiful element of solo travel because you learn to enjoy your own company and appreciate the company of others at the same time.

5. Some people at home won't understand or grow with you

Some people will not understand why you want to do this alone, and questions like "why would you do this solo?" or "is it even safe to go alone?" will arise early on. Solo travelling isn't just about seeing tourist attractions, it is a self-development journey. And just like with any self-development journey, you can expect to grow apart from people, or even places or situations that are no longer supposed to be a part of your everyday life. With each travel you will discover a new sense of who you are, you will learn more about yourself, what you like, what you dislike etc etc. So, with time it is possible that you will find less things in common with some of the people you felt close to before. This can feel painful and sad at times, but I think it is also important to note that everyone else is on their own journey, so it is only natural that some of these paths don't always cross. This is something that happens even without the travels, but I find that solo travelling kind of speeds up or amplifies this process at times. The more your discover of the world and yourself, the more difficult you will find it to connect with those who don't want to do either of those things. BUT. The good news is that you are likely to find like minded people on the way, fellow solo travellers perhaps who you may end up building amazing friendships with!

I hope you found this honest take on what to expect travelling solo insightful. Obviously, it's all my personal experience and doesn't necessarily apply to everyone, but I hope that it will give someone the courage to book that trip and embark on their own adventures as solo female travellers.