I am super excited to get to go to Antarctica in less than 2 weeks! It got me thinking about how I didn't hesitate to say yes to this opportunity even though I would be going solo. I know some people might think I am crazy to go solo but I have traveled on my own many times and the one thing I can say is that I never feel alone. Even though I enjoy going solo, just like anything in life there are pros and cons to it. Here are my 3 pros and cons to going solo.
I am a bright-side kind of person so let's start with the
Pros of traveling solo -
#1 - You make all the decisions. You don't have to wait for anyone else to agree on where or when to travel or what you will do on the trip.
#2 - You feel empowered to try new things. I don't know if it is because there is no one I know to get embarrassed in front of or that since no one knows me they have no expectations but I feel more adventurous when I am on my own.
#3 - You will meet more new people. When you are traveling with someone else you are not as likely to look for someone new to talk to or do something with. I definitely talk with more locals when I am traveling solo than I would if I was with other people I knew.
Ok so now the
Cons of traveling solo -
#1 - Usually costs you more. Many hotels and cruise ships charge rates in double occupancy prices which means going solo can sometimes cost you double. I of course try to still spin the cost thing as a pro since in many cases if you are traveling with someone you might be paying for all of the trip anyway so by going solo you still might save on things like only having to buy one seat for flights.
#2 - Loneliness - Since I choose trips like cruises or tours as a group I never have felt alone when I travel solo but there are times such as when I am in my room or maybe having one of those core memory moments that I wish someone I knew was with me to share it.
#3 - Safety - I am careful to plan my solo trips to places where that should be safe but still being on my own, especially as a woman, I always have that thought in the back of my head that being alone means no one is there to have my back. Again this is why I choose trips like cruises or tours where I am generally always with a group of people but there are times when I go wandering off on my own. I am just smart about where I choose to wander.
There is no such thing as a bad way to travel it is all about how you look at it. I enjoy traveling solo just as much as with family and friends so I don't pass up any opportunity to go somewhere I want just because I cannot find anyone to go with me.
What are your thoughts on traveling solo? If you have any pros or cons you would like to share I would love to hear them!
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