Why Should You Travel Solo?

Travelling solo isn’t an easy decision. But here’s why you must make it for long term learning.

 

Busting assumptions

Books, movies, newspapers are all someone else’s version of reality. Some of it may be true and some of it may vary. If someone asks us about Kenya or Tanzania we would think of safaris and civil unrest. In reality, these places have great party pads, beautiful beaches, and genuinely friendly people. When you travel solo, you observe the rhythm and pulse of a place. This may just be one of your truest realizations.

 

Understanding your culture and privileges

Conversations with people you meet will never be one-sided. Your acquaintances want to know as much about you as you want to know about them. In this dialogue about cultures, you understand yours much better than you ever did. The whys and hows that you never thought of asking back home, might all be answered while sipping on a coconut at a rice field or interacting with a new friend during your backpacking trip.

 

Taking responsibility in a new environment

If you have never lived alone, solo-travel is a great opportunity for you to plan, execute, and cherish each part of your day. From food to laundry, transport to accounts, these are adventures in themselves and you will love them by the end of your trip. Your family would encourage you to travel more once you gain these traits.

 

Trying local as well as international food

If you are an ardent foodie, a foreign land has the potential to give you a new menu for a whole year. If you go beyond just local food, that is. The Italian food in Africa is very different from the one in India, which is nothing like the one in Vietnam. Try these out for quirky yet tasty recipes that would keep your kitchens and taste buds alive.

 

Real people, real stories

From the evolution of local indie music to current affairs, traditional practices to education, family history to the privilege of hosting you – your conversations with them will become your story to the world. Did you know that every fourth child in a Balinese family is called ‘Ketut’?

 

Traveling solo doesn’t necessarily mean you go alone everywhere. Even if a part of your travel is solo, that’s a good start. Or go with a group of people you don’t know. You go as strangers, come back as friends with a family ready to welcome you back to another country.