What it takes to Travel Solo : Motivation and Insights

What it takes to Travel Solo : Motivation and Insights

I’ve been traveling solo extensively since 2012. Even before I started blogging about my travels, I used to share my experiences on Facebook. Over the years, I’ve received countless messages from women I’ve met on various journeys, as well as those I’ve never encountered. These messages have been filled with encouragement, appreciation, and expressions of admiration for my solo travel endeavors. My inboxes and blog comments have been inundated with questions and tips specifically tailored for solo traveling women in India.
Just a week ago, I had the privilege of speaking at a blogging event where I engaged in an interactive session with enthusiastic women who aspire to embark on solo travel adventures in the future. I’ve been promising many of my blog followers to create this post, and I’m thrilled to finally deliver. To all the bold and beautiful ladies out there, and even the handsome gentlemen who dream of solo travel, this post is for you!

RavenousLegs - Insights into Solo Traveling

​Let me put before you the deeper aspects of solo traveling, before I share the practical tips.

​1. Have a Strong Reason to Travel Solo

Solo travel isn’t a trend to be followed. While it may seem appealing to see women traveling solo, it’s not for the trend or the cool solo-selfies you might enjoy. For me, travel is a profound and meaningful experience. I view it as the best way to evolve.

RavenousLegs - Insights into Solo Traveling

​Solo travel breaks all my inhibitions, making me bolder and more confident each day. This is the reason behind my attempts to step out of my comfort zone and try new adventures on each of my trips. Travel is not just a fleeting trend for me; it’s a meaningful way of life.

RavenousLegs - Insights into Solo Traveling

​2. Identify if you fear Loneliness or enjoy Solitude

Before embarking on a solo travel adventure, it’s crucial to introspect and understand your personality. Consider whether you can comfortably live alone in your own city, your comfort zone. Do you relish dining out alone? Are you passionate about exploring new places and have the motivation to venture out on your own even when your friends decline the invitation?

RavenousLegs - Insights into Solo Traveling

If you’re constantly craving company, I suggest avoiding solo travel. Loneliness can make your travel experiences miserable. Traveling alone brings its own set of challenges that you’ll need to handle on your own in a foreign land.
But, if you have embraced the solitude, then my friend, you are in the league. Solitude is dangerous, it is addictive. Once you know how peaceful it is, you don't wanna deal with people anymore. Solo travel could make you love your solitude so much that it becomes hard to return to a life with others.

RavenousLegs - Insights into Solo Traveling

3. Believe in yourself

Coming from an Indian family, I understand how our families shape and mold us to conform to societal norms. However, if you genuinely desire to follow your heart, whether for travel or any other pursuit, you must break free from the constraints imposed by societal expectations. As I’ve rightly read somewhere, “Magic happens outside  your comfort zone.” The obstacles that prevent you from doing so are self-doubts and apprehensions about the potential consequences. So, believe in yourself and take the first step.

4. Get Started

If you’ve met the above three criteria and are confident in your ability to travel solo, all you need is that final push to begin. Trust me, all it takes is a single step. Even as an experienced solo traveler, I occasionally encounter apprehensions when I arrive at a new destination—“Am I making the right decision by being alone here?” and the next thought is, “Now that I’m already here, let me make the most of it,” which ultimately leads to the most exhilarating journeys of my life. So, it’s these small initial steps that make a significant difference in your travels and your life. 

RavenousLegs - Insights into Solo Traveling

5. Follow your instincts

This is the greatest gift solo traveling has bestowed upon me. My impulses were always strong, but due to the naysayers, I never learned to trust or believe in them. People around me were always ready to discourage and make me doubt my gut feelings. On my solo travels, I had the opportunity to experiment with completely following my senses, without any external involvement or interference. Over time, I developed the confidence to believe in and follow my own instincts, and I started traveling fearlessly. I even embarked on a solo trek in Ladakh.

RavenousLegs - Insights into Solo Traveling

​This is akin to a chicken-or-the-egg dilemma. To relish solo travels, you must cultivate self-belief. With consistent practice, your skills and confidence will naturally improve.

RavenousLegs - Insights into Solo Traveling

Once you have cleared your mind, the practical implementation is not too difficult. I'll share tips for women on solo traveling in my next post.