TRAVEL|CULTURE

Why I Highly Recommend Solo Travel and Miss It Dearly

It is not nearly as scary as it can seem, and I have the photos to prove it.

When I first visited Europe from the United States, I spent a month in Malaga, Spain, because a close friend was there and had invited me to join her.

I loved it and wanted to move to Europe then, but it was too difficult to find work I wanted to do for the required time.

It took 15 years for me to finally return to Europe.

The biggest reason was money and stability.

Once I started working as a licensed massage therapist and established myself as a high-quality one with my pick of top places in which I could work, the world was my oyster.

Italy was a dream destination of mine from the photos I had seen online and the quality of food I had eaten at Italian restaurants in America.

I was in my early thirties at the time, and I did not even ask if anyone wanted to go to Italy with me. I did not think twice about going to Italy by myself.

Too many people in my social circle talked about places they wanted to travel, but few ever went.

However, a co-worker of mine at the time said that she had never left the country and wanted to go along with me for part of my trip.

I did not know her that well because she was a part-time employee who worked at the front desk to help pay off her student loans.

She was reliable, though, which meant a lot to me, and I knew that the trip would mean a lot for her to go. She also was afraid to do such a trip alone.

I planned everything. We flew into London, spent the day there, then took the bullet train to Paris and spent one night there.

Lastly, we took the train to Milan and spent three nights right by the famous Duomo.

It was amazing…much better than either of us imagined.

My co-worker flew back to Philadelphia because a week was good enough for her but not for me.

This is when and where my world cracked wide open.

I took the train to Florence, Italy, and stayed there for two nights. Holy moly…I was inundated with beauty inside and out. I didn’t even go into any museums. I was surrounded by the most beautiful pieces of art simply in the architecture alone, not to mention the food.

An Italian man heard me speaking English into my phone and asked if he could join me for the evening. He took me to Michaelangelo Park where I saw the best view of the sunset.

The next day I went to Rome for three days and nights. I knew very little Italian. GPS was not nearly as good then as it is now, and Rome quickly became overwhelming to me.

So I decided to go to a small town just north of Rome called Tivoli. That was the best decision I could have made for myself.

Traveling solo allowed me to be completely and utterly selfish regarding my itinerary. I absolutely loved that! I knew then that the next time I went to Italy, I would not allow anyone to join me.

Visiting that small town and loving it as much as I did made me book my next trip to a small village close to Lake Como in Italy. The photos online were gorgeous. It turned out to be even better in person.

I had already started staying in Airbnbs by then but had found a hotel offering an incredible deal for one week. My room had a private garden in front of it and a sauna inside of it. I took full advantage of it all.

I could tell that it was not normal for Italians to see a woman on vacation by herself, but I did not care.

I truly ate it up!

Lake Como is close to Switzerland. While staying in San Fedele, I found out that I could easily take the train to Lugano, Switzerland for the day, so I did.

Switzerland was more expensive, but it did not matter to me since I was only there for the day and was more into simply walking around than buying anything aside from food to eat.

It was very clean, and I felt totally safe doing all of these things by myself. The hardest part was figuring out where and how to buy the bus tickets in Italy that took me to and from the train to Switzerland.

I did end up making friends without trying while out on a hike one day. I asked a gentleman about a path I was on. I wasn’t sure where it led. He spoke no English and called a friend of his who knew some English.

He then invited me to his home where he lived with his older brother and we all had lunch together. It was very sweet.

These are experiences I know I would not have had if I was with someone.

As a writer, photographer, and introvert who can also be very social via email and over the phone, I took tons of photos, sent emails to friends and family almost every day, and spoke on the phone to some who had Skype or WhatsApp. It was free and easy using wi-fi.

I also wrote a lot in my journal while in the garden, in my room, and while out at cafes or restaurants. It’s an excellent way to spend time alone.

I did not have a book with me on that trip because of the weight, but I highly recommend a digital, physical, or an audio-book to enjoy as well.

I cried when I had to leave. It was such an exquisite experience all around.

Then came Iceland…

I had the exact same thing happen in regard to booking a solo trip (after a friend screwed me over) to Iceland as a way to treat myself to a dream come true, and a co-worker asked to join me.

I knew that co-worker much better, but he was a guy, so I was a little skeptical. However, after we talked openly and honestly about our expectations and decided on booking a 2-bedroom apartment, I was completely at ease.

He left after six days, and I stayed for another week.

I treated myself to many things, including a 90-minute massage and extended time at a day spa which I had never done before.

My life at home, wherever I am, tends to be pretty damn full. When I travel, I love the sense of freedom I feel to do what I want when I want on a moment’s notice. It’s a priceless gift I like to give myself, but it is not easy to do when traveling with other people.

I am very considerate of others which makes me savor every ounce of this kind of time and space.

Now that I have a boyfriend and live in Germany, I have no idea when I will travel solo again.

As much as I loved it, I now prefer to vacation alone with my boyfriend, friends in and outside, and Germany, and visit friends and family on the East and West coasts of the United States.

I am extremely grateful that I did those solo trips and am happy to offer any tips or advice to those who want to go solo.

It is one of those gifts that keeps on giving…