Why I Prefer Not To Travel Solo

You always see and hear of people packing up their bags and setting out on their own adventure. Personally I’m lucky to have a group of friends who love to travel as much as I do, so travelling alone would nearly be harder because as of them is always up for a new adventure! Every time I hear of someone taking off on their own I think of how brave they are and wonder what their experience would be like, assuming they would have the time of their life.. but recently I started really thinking about packing up and jumping ship on my own and found there are a lot of downsides to going solo.

1. When Things Go Wrong, They Go REALLY Wrong.

Have you ever gone somewhere with your friends and lost your purse? It has happened me a ridiculous three times! And the only thing that got me through it was my friends helping me out every step of the way. Not only did they help me financially until I got home which was a huge weight off my shoulders, they also helped me forget about it and not worry too much about it. If I were alone any of these three times it would have been a completely different story as I would have been stranded where I was and without any money for food/accommodation/anything! Losing belongings, missing your bus, falling ill.. without friends to take your mind off these things and help you laugh your way through them they could end up ruining your entire trip.

2. It Can Get Really Boring

I took a short trip to Amsterdam last summer and it rained for an entire day and a half of the four day trip. I don’t mean lightly drizzled either, I mean full blown impossible to stand outside rain! Luckily there was a small group of us and after darting to get some food, we promptly went back to the hostel and enjoyed each other’s laughs and company for the day! Although it wasn’t ideal spending a day abroad doing something we could have done back home, it was nice to know that the day wasn’t completely wasted because I wasn’t sitting in that hostel all on my own.

3. There’s No Buddy System

I am a firm believer in the buddy system! When you’re alone and you go out for a few drinks, who is there to mind you if things take a turn for the worst? Who is going to mind you on the walk home? It doesn’t take a scientist to know that one person is a lot more vulnerable than two. Admittedly we all wander from the pack every once and awhile but the reality of it is that it can be really dangerous to go around on your own, especially in a place you don’t know too well. Not going solo means there are always people there to have your back and make every activity that little bit safer.

4. The Introvert

Although some people make it look next near impossible to not make friends abroad, this might not be the case for others! Just because you want to travel the world doesn’t mean you are the type of person to instantly click with the stranger on the bus beside you. Approaching strangers is also a hell of a lot easier when you have your own friend by your side because if you don’t click, you always have your buddy to fall back on! It’s easy to talk to someone for a few minutes at a festival or in a bar, but trying to make such good friends with someone to spend the entire day with them and engage in all the activities you want to do might be a little tougher than you think.

5. The Memories

I love going abroad and seeing new things, but one of the best parts are the memories that you make and cherish forever. I’m not saying that you can’t make many friends while you are abroad, there have been thousands upon thousands of success stories in the past but nothing beats hanging around with the people you are most comfortable with, then re-living the memories on a random Saturday afternoon and laughing about the things that you did.

You don’t even have to travel in a huge group, I found that travelling in twos you get the most done (because you’re not waiting on the lazy ones!) and you have a great time on top of it! If you prefer to travel solo or know some of the benefits then comment and let me know! 🙂