Solo travel.
Something familiar these days. I only heard of it few months ago when I start tweeter. I saw it and thought, ‘Oh right, I guess I am one of them!’ and also, I never plan to solo travel, it just happened.
I had so many reasons to be solo traveler and very positive about it. Then I got some chances to hang around couple travelers and it’s a whole new world to me.
So it got me think for a while, why do we do something solo, especially travel?
Where do I start?
When you are a kid, there’s no concept as ‘solo’. There’s always family, friends at school and even your pet. A few years back, I recall my memory about when do I start enjoy being myself.
The very first time I ran into an idea of doing something solo was right after I started university. No family for sure, no settled classes and I could even skip a class or two. Naturally I have more time for myself. Go to cafeteria alone, coffee, reading or movies. Let me add one fact about where I from. No one does something alone. I cannot tell ‘why’ but it’s some kind of sign of you don’t have friends, sign of shame. You may know that it’s extremely difficult to eat alone here in Korea. And I’m talking about more than 7 years ago, so it was dead serious.
Back to the story, I just loved have my own time. You may ask ‘that is because of you are not a people person?’ but no. I loved hang out with my friends but that’s different fun. I didn’t make it happen to be alone but it just happens. .
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After sophomore, I decided to take some time off, do something fun (other than studying), so I reached to the conclusion = backpacking. I didn’t consider going with someone. Guess it never has been an issue for me.
I’ve never been in overseas before, my English skill was almost zero, and I didn’t even know about the county New Zealand. I always say the best part or travel is meeting people on the road, but guess what? I didn’t know that yet!
So, there I was. 18 kilograms of backpack, hostel life, using bad English, eat exotic food and travel itself. These came very natural to me.
Ironically I didn’t bring my CDP because I don’t want to be too much of myself even though I was on solo travel. English was a bit hard but we have that universal language called ‘body language’ so I was fine. I lived in a dorm for a couple of years so hostel life wasn’t a problem I enjoyed it so much.
Now I’m chanting about backpacking alone, and doing something by myself, it doesn’t mean I always travel alone. It is fun in different way. I experienced several different travels and I know why I prefer go alone just yet.
Because of the freedom.
When you see or experience something really fun, wish someone was there to share it, right? Yes that is the best part of travel with partners. But the downside is, often you want different thing. We are not same so eventually we all want different thing. So many times ‘wow we both want to go Great wall today!’ but the truth is, it’s a compromise for one side. Unless you are aiming the same thing such as travel blogging, it easily gets worse.
Here’s one of other favorite quote, “Travel writing is a creative hanging out.” Yes it is true.
I was not a travel blogger in most of my travels but I was a photographer from the beginning so I kept many things in lenses and now I’m really grateful for it. My everyday journal helps me too. Everything is a writing material.
When you are with partners, it’s easily get judged by them, for taking TOO many pictures, want to do something too exotic or eating disgusting food. Not only taking pictures is important, I’d like to think when I push the button.
Why should I be judged by that?
Other reason is a matter of concentrating.
I’m not a tight schedule type of a traveler. I want to be there as locals do. So I hang out in the town a lot, try local food and talk to people on the road. However when you have someone back home in your side, sometimes it just feel like hangout in your town. So, often all I could say was “I’ve been there.” which is my least favorite kind of travel.
And it’s harder to be friend with other travelers.
This is maybe it is just a non-English speaker thing. Frankly I’ve never met anyone who is so into backpacking as I do. Backpacking is a very new term. And English or any foreign language is a sort of complex. So no one is comfortable to use different language here. That makes me impossible to find travel companion. Even if I found one, when we were on the road, met an interesting traveler, then my companion became a barrier to me. No offence but that’s true.
Staying at hostel and backpacking is the best way to meet people. Connect with others. Itinerary is flexible. Not only learn culture of where you are, it’s possible to get to know about your stranger friend is from. I don’t want to lost that opportunity.
People are judging me because I want to be alone overseas. Like “What’s with her?” I still don’t see what’s wrong with me. I think you can have true fun with others after you learn how to appreciate yourself.
Here are the most often asked questions
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1. Aren’t you scared?
I’ve never been to a place that scares me.
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2. Aren’t you getting bored?
I ‘start’ solo but I was never alone on the road. Even when I was alone, I was doing busy doing creative hanging out.
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3. What if something goes wrong and you can’t ask for help due to the language barrier?
Yes that could actually be a problem. I was no good at English. But hey, I survived, didn’t I? And frankly, English isn’t a global language in some places. We have body language.
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So there’s my chanting about solo travel. Yes I do love it. But I’m not saying that it is the best way. Like I said in the beginning, now I hang around with couple travelers, I realize something. It doesn’t matter you are alone or not. Just find the right person to be with. You can be free between each other. It’s possible that two people want the same thing. I’ve met many great couple travelers. Couple’s travel and solo travel can’t be exactly the same but I’m sure there are some pretty good up sides.
I’m sure if I find the right person, there’s going to be some long list of ‘pros’.
After long pages of ramlbing… So I guess I wanted to say is, I love travel by myself just yet. How about you?
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Hi Juno! I’ve never traveled solo, not really. But from my short solo travel experience I got to the conclusion that when one is solo, always looks for company and ends up being surrounded by more people then if traveling with a partner. Me and my husband just happen to have this perfect partnership and most of the time we want the same things, or does he just let me take the decisions? Hmmmm… Anyways, I hope you will find what you are looking for in your travels and you will always be happy
@The girl in orange
Thanks!
Good that you and your husband have such a strong partnership! That’s so awesome! I’ve seen people have perfect partnership like you. 
And yes that’s true. When you travel alone but staying at hostel and easy to talk to others, always end up with so many friends which I like!
Thanks for the good words and I like your name ‘the girl in orange’ btw.
Hey Juno, I will be traveling solo myself soon.. and I am terrified of loneliness. But I’ve been planning a solo trip for some time. I hope I will enjoy learning about myself and being on my own as much as you appear to.
@Ian
I’m sure you will!! Don’t worry. There are too many things to comfort you to not be lonely.
Can’t wait to hear about your solo travel!
this is very good juno! i totally agree that traveling solo has its merits. but i personally like traveling with another or with a pack. I have the “hunting with a pack” syndrome. I just like the company;) Anyway, good for you girl. U r really v brave!
@Ciki
Thanks!
Yes. Travel with company is really fun at some points. 
I did enjoy that too. ‘Hunting with a pack’ syndrome. haha! good one 
Well, I like it!
I don’t think I am a brace.. just start with lack of informations made me this.
I’ve travelled solo and with other people, and the experiences were very, very different.
When you’re with others, yes, there’s compromise. And the focus of the trip is always What Can *We* Do?, which can be frustrating when you want some time alone, and feels weird when you negotiate some time alone and have to explain your reasons for doing it. When you’re solo, you don’t have to explain to anyone that you’re feeling antisocial and just want to watch the scenery, or read your book, or sit and think. You have to justify your actions when you’re with someone else – even if it’s in a relaxed, casual way, you have to justify them.
And travelling with someone else is really bad for introspection, for thinking things through, unless you’re lucky enough to be with someone who is exactly the same kind of person, the same fascination with learning all the undercurrents and hidden symbols and desires and tensions in the world. Being solo allows you to spend a lot of time just hanging out, observing and notemaking and thinking about what you’re seeing. I’ve tried this with other people before, and got labelled “boring”.
Lastly, it’s much easier to break the ice with strangers if you’re on your own. Fact. So if you want to connect to people, and to be “taken under the wing” of the locals, going solo is your best shot at it.
As I say, I’ve done both, and I’m a fan of both.
But they’re very different experiences…
@Mike
Mike, thanks for the great comment! You made it really good point. Yes we have to think what can “we” do. Since you are ou there with others, we don’t want to be selfish.
If we are with good companions all that troubles are going away I guess.
I did miss some opportunities because I was with someone, some may say ‘you could get instead of that’ and I guess so but I’m not sure that’s better or not.
Again, i think that is because I was not with a right person. haha!!
Yes. they are very different experiences. Thanks for making such a good points Mike!
I traveled solo to Macau and Seoul and it was tons of fun. I really missed my girlfriend, I think we’d have tons of fun, if she could go with me, but then again, I had fun walking around Seoul by myself all the time and as much as I could. It was freedom. But I only did it for few days. If I stayed there for 2 weeks, I guess I might miss my girl too much
Solo has it’s pros and cons, but it’s definitely a great thing to try at least once. Some people travel with agencies prearranging everything for them. I’ve never done that, the least I do is plan my own trip alone and also not plan every hour of the day, some things need to be open, so that something happens you don’t plan. Usually we remember the things that went wrong the most 
@MLK
you are right. We remember when something goes wrong
an yes. Solo travel us a definately something you should do at least once. Now I think of it I did participate a tour operator tour with my friend who visit me. It was not good. Haha! 
I just like solo travel yet. 
thanks for the greT comment! -as always
i’ve never done solo. You’re much braver than me, I think. I will travel alone to meet up with someone or spend a day apart from the group. But never a whole trip by myself. But then again, I did move half way across the world by myself. Does that count?
@Meaghan
Of course! You’ve done thing I couldn’t do.
I will follow your step in short future!!
Thank you for sharing your experiences on solo travel. I couldn’t agree more. I especially appreciate you encouraging women to pick up their backpacks and just GO. I think unnecessary fear has been created a stigma that it’s not safe or inappropriate for women to travel alone. But I love doing it for many of the same reasons you express, and I hope other women take heed. Bravo.
And for the record, your English is quite good.
@Colleen
Thanks for such a sweet comment Colleen. Frankly at first I didn’t feel any scare, or frignten for travel. Because of lack of informations. I just didn’t know.
Still I didn’t feel that deep scary feeling but now I saw many articles and getting to know travel community, I see sometimese bad things are happen evenif you didn’t mean to.
And it’s a fact it’s worse to girls but hey, we all survived!
And english.. haha well, Still long way to go. Thanks!!
I’m traveling solo right now and I think you summed it up well. There is so much freedom. And solo definitely doesn’t mean alone. I’m rarely alone as I’ve met so many other solo travelers. I was petrified to do it but now I’m in month 4 of my RTW and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
@Ayngelina
I bet you have many great companions! I see you are a fascinated traveler!!
Yes we all start solo but it doesn’t have to be ‘alone’. It’s so great that we only met briefly and we became really good friend and want to meet again for a long time.
Let’s hope our path will cross somethere in the world Ayngelina!
Wow, you had me thinking back to my travel days as a solo backpacker (long time ago Juno, you would still be running around in nappies
). Yes, the experience is so different. Travelling solo you just make a decision and go with it; no discussion, no compromise, no argument. In a way that’s a wonderful freedom, as it the ability to hang out with who you want, when you want, if you want.
Having said that, travelling with a partner gives me a whole different set of freedoms. The ability to share my stories and observations freely when I want, the chance to share a joke that belongs in a certain time and place, and the ability to turn to each other when one of us just feels a bit less excited about our travels than normal.
I think every form of travel has its good points, and I’m glad to have experienced so much solo travel before meeting my wife and travel companion. Good post Juno
I love to travel in general… solo or with others…
But I guess solo or with just 1 more is the easiest.
@Melvin
Solo or 1 more. That’s a good option
When travel with others, I easily distracted by them so I don’t remember the detail and all, and that’s not good for me as a writer! 
hehe
Wow! great exchanges of ideas. I am not great solo traveler. I always want my wife with me or my group of friends.
But when I travel with my wifey, I always try to look for other travellers.
Solo travelling has secrets to make it great. Now I am learning thru reading so many travel blogs of solo backpackers.
dumboqtpie recently posted..El Nido and Sabang Palawan Escapade 2011
Thanks! Yes solo travel is something. But travel with a spouse is more than great I think. That is one of the way that I recognize the right people. Who I can travel with. I think we don’t need to be solo, to share the joy with others. Just need to be open, with someone or not.
Good luck with your travels!
Great blog! I also like to travel alone most of the time. I like a flexible schedule I do and try things, especially when I’m in a place where I can get lost. The language barrier is not a end to a means but a means to challenge for an adventure. I’ve yet to meet someone who enjoys the same type of travel to prefer not to donit alone. Finally, why is it hard to eat alone in Korea? Do you have the same concerns in Japan too? Keep up the good work!