Solo Travel - 7 Reasons To Go It Alone

This generation is a clingy one. We like to travel with friends, visit friends, and stay in constant contact with those back home. It’s nice to share international experiences with your closest pals, but there are also some pretty compelling reasons to travel alone.

1. Cultural Immersion

Traveling with a friend from home means you will miss out on those one on one connections on the train. You will be less desperate to talk to the guy at the hostel or share a beer with the girl at the pub. Your language skills will suffer as well. The locals may be less inclined to approach you.

2. Dragging You Down

Traveling with a friend can be a curse. They may become dependent on your travel skills and weigh you down. Is your friend more timid, more crazy, more obnoxious? How will that affect your plans?

3. Traveling By Committee

Traveling with others often means that the itinerary will be a well negotiated plan. This can be cool when trying new things but can suck when your friend’s plans are singularly focused on drinking around the world.

4. Your Blogging Will Rule

Traveling by yourself allows more time for reflection. This results in unabridged journaling and better assessments of your experiences.

5. From Desperation Comes Friendship

A few days of traveling and you will be aching to chat with someone. From this desperation comes some of the most valuable friendships you may experience.

6. Personal Growth

When you learn something on your own, only you can get credit for it. Figuring out the local transportation, finding the best accommodations, joining an excursion are all accomplishments worthy of accolades. Yea you!

7. Falling in Love

Lets face it, it won’t happen with your buddy there unless he/she is a great wingperson. It won’t happen with your boyfriend there and let’s be real: sometimes the local guy is better looking, more charming, AND he is local!