Three benefits of solo travel

Recently I took a solo trip to Chicago during spring break and it got me thinking about the many positives of travelling alone. I will share three with you today!

1. Plans

Something that I noticed almost immediately was the fact that I had the freedom to do what I wanted. I didn't have to factor in another person’s interests, which at points meant that I spent more time in bed relaxing because ... there are no rules to solo travel! 

2. Meeting the locals

Now I'm not sure if this was solely because I was travelling solo or if my British accent also played a role in causing intrigue but whilst in Chicago, I got involved in a couple of workshops. In the first one I designed a T-shirt and in the second workshop, I made some giraffe earrings (I love giraffes, but that is not the point of this post). During these workshops I got the opportunity to talk with the other attendees and days later I went to the theatre alone and found myself having a conversation about travel with the lady next to me.

The point I am trying to make is that I am almost certain that these conversations would not have happened if I had travelled with a friend and, to be honest, I probably wouldn't have found myself at a workshop. Solo travel can equal some valuable conversations.

Last but certainly not least ...

3. Confidence

There is something about being alone and not having anyone else to lean or rely on that really pushes someone out of their comfort zone but in doing so, you realise it's not so difficult after all. My grandma says, ‘You can't get lost if you can read’, and I would like to add the following to that: ‘If you are not sure, just ask.’ This can be applied to so many areas of life, from travel to being in the classroom. Fear is not tangible. We create it and by pushing ourselves and taking the leap to get out of our comfort zones from time to time, the cycle of fear can be broken AND it is an amazing confidence booster.