"Hey, remember when we were planning that trip to Australia? Yeah, the one we were so excited about. Well, my buddy Joe, who was supposed to come with me, backed out at the last minute. I was shocked, to say the least. I tried to convince him, but Joe being Joe, once he made up his mind, there was no changing it. Our grand adventure was off, and none of my other friends were up for replacing him.
So, I decided to go it alone. In 2004, I embarked on a solo trip to Costa Rica. That journey sparked a love for travel in me. It inspired me to explore more, visit places like Thailand, and even quit my job to travel the world. Looking back, Joe not coming along was probably the best thing that could have happened to me.
Over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern. While I’ve had friends join me on my travels occasionally, more often than not, plans to meet up in distant places fall through. There’s always some reason – they’re too busy, they change their mind, or they can’t afford it. I’ve learned that if I wait for others, I’ll never go anywhere.
There’s so much I want to see and do – places to visit, people to meet, experiences to have, food to taste. And there’s only so much time. So, I refuse to wait. I won’t let others keep me from pursuing my dreams.
Traveling alone can be scary, especially if it’s your first time. But to me, the thought of growing old without experiencing everything life has to offer is even scarier. If you’ve been putting off a trip because you’re waiting for someone to go with, just go. Don’t let others hold you back from your dreams. Trust me, you’ll make plenty of friends along the way – from other solo travelers who thought, "If I don’t go, I’ll never go," to locals interested in meeting new people.
I used to worry that if I didn’t travel with friends, I’d be alone. I’d never make any friends. But it turns out you make so many on the road that you have to go out of your way to be alone! You’re constantly surrounded by people!
Traveling solo gives you ultimate freedom. You wake up and it’s just you – what you want, where you want, when you want. In that freedom and infinite space of possibility, you meet yourself. You discover what you like and don’t like. There’s no one to pull you in any direction or override your decisions. Want sushi? Get sushi. Want to leave? Leave. Want to try bungee jumping? Go for it.
It’s sink or swim, and you have to learn how to survive – who to trust, how to make friends, how to navigate alone. That’s the greatest reward of solo travel: personal growth. Each time you go away, you become a little more independent, confident, and in tune with your emotions and desires.
Solo travel isn’t for everyone. Some people return home soon after departing, others cry for weeks before embracing it, and some just embrace it right away. But you’ll never know if you don’t try it at least once. Whether it’s a weekend away, a two-week vacation, or a trip around the world, give it a shot.
Don’t wait for people or hold back from living your dreams. You could be waiting a long time until someone finally says yes. There’s only now – and if you don’t go, you’ll regret it. Because if I hadn’t stopped waiting, I’d still be in my cubicle, trying to convince Joe to go to Australia and wondering if I’d ever get to see the world."
