Solo Traveler
If you’ve ever been traveling in Asia or South America then you’ll know who I’m talking about. These are the free-spirited individuals who we’ll enviously watch out of the corner of our eye as they relax in the hostel garden while we desperately attempt to send a group email for the thirteenth time that morning. These are the people that always look dressed for their environment and order a specialty coffee in the country’s native language, even getting the right inflection on the regional dialect.
So, how does one become a seasoned solo traveler where, at the drop of a floppy hat, we’re whisked away on the back of a Jeep on yet another cultural and spiritual journey of discovery?
The answer is experience and no matter how often you travel as a family or with friends, there’s no better way to truly unearth your inner-solo than by going it alone and finding out for yourself.
Below are the five characteristics that you’re going to need whilst attempting to travel alone. Of course, to gain these traits, you’ll need to try it for yourself, however, in the meantime, here’s what you can look forward to once you’ve bitten the bullet and put your best foot forward.
Solo Female Traveler
Brave
Anyone attempting anything new for the first time needs to have an element of bravery to their nature and solo traveling is no different. If you remember to keep it safe and sensible then there’s not that much that can go wrong. Booking hostels in advance, keeping copies of important documents and not getting too drunk with people you’ve only just met, are all travel tips that will help your bravery develop as you continue your adventures.
Independent
Without a doubt, you’ll be an independent sort of person even before you’ve stepped foot on the plane or train however, to strengthen your independence learning how to be comfortable in your own company is vital for embarking on your solo holidays. Yes, you’ll meet people along the way but if you want to really unearth hidden treasures off the beaten track then knowing when to go your own way is an important factor to getting the most out of your trip.
Contemplative
Again, if you’re on your own then often your thoughts will be all that you rely upon for company. Visiting historic monuments, natural wonders and places of worship, often conjure up a wide range of feelings for you to digest and from organized meditation to writing down your beliefs, the solo traveler is often a very reflective soul.
Curious
When traveling alone it helps to have a curious nature, where you’re more inclined to ask why and how as opposed to simply not caring. Part and parcel of your experience is to learn about new cultures and experience a wide range of fascinating sites of interest. The more curious you are then the deeper into subject matters you’ll delve and once you’ve started to ask questions, then there’s no end to the answers that you may receive.
Solo Traveling
Intuitive
This isn’t simply a characteristic that you can gain through reading books or the internet, intuition comes from your gut and becomes stronger through years of trial and error. It’s probably one of the most important qualities in any solo traveler and no matter if it’s judging the weather conditions on your walking holidays or deciding whether to drink that luminous green cocktail in Thailand, knowing instinctively what’s right or wrong can often mean the difference between continuing your travels or coming home.
