Why I enjoy traveling alone

Originally posted on my site: https://mytnlu.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/why-i-enjoy-traveling-alone/

Although it seems crazy to travel alone like many people think, including me. I used to think solo travel is somehow boring to death and only the weird can do that. I started traveling alone when I got angry with my friend who broke her promise to travel with me. After that, I picked my pack and travel by myself and I would find my way: Me is my perfect companion. On traveling solo, I met locals who were always surprised when knowing there was only me on my trip. I was labeled a label of an insane and stupid person.

Through years, I have met people traveling alone and really enjoyed their time. They are not crazy, they are being happy. People may say they are brave. No, they are not. A person is brave as he does what he is really scared of. In this case, they are not scared, they are doing their things. People may say they are weird. No, they are not. I can’t say a person is weird as he is different from the others. So, I call them weirdly awesome.

Okay, I don’t say I hate my companion. I just can’t apply their bucket list as mine, I just can’t follow their style. With myself, I can make plan easier, or even not make any plans. I just wake up and decide what to do next.

I will focus on new friends on my road. Solo travel can make anyone feel lonely, but everything can be fixed. I want to meet locals, I look for them on Couchsurfing community. I want to talk with other travelers, I go to area of backpackers. I don’t want to talk with anyone, I become a anti-social person without being judged. The awesome thing is that I can choose what I will do.

I am tired of caring about campanions. I know I will get tired in mind after having a fight with anyone. I saw a travel fight couple of times, I just shook my head. So, traveling with myself is just perfect.

I become confident. I was very shy and didn’t dare to start a conversation with strangers. I was so scared at my first time making a solo travel. I was so unconfident with my English, traveling alone lets me speak this language compulsorily. Or, I have effort to learn other languages excitedly. I used to be scared of people, now I love people on my road.

I don’t like group travel. I mean, 4 people traveling together is too many for me. It is hard to schedule the date to begin, hard to satisfy 3 other people. Moreover, the fact that 4 people share a same journey is not traveling, I prefer calling it “circle enjoying”. Travel means more than that to me. Travel is which I can get new knowledge from reality. The main purpose is not to have fun with my companions. So, solo travel fits me. Why do people have to go together everytime? What will happen if one of a group wants to have personal space? I want to enjoy my time.

Most importantly, I find an important answer for myself, I have time to seriously think about my life when I am so stucked with problems I have made. Honestly, I have many problems. When I travel alone, problems don’t stay problems, they turn out to be something else. Things on the way make everything in me disappear. People I meet give me advise, a new culture lets me see a problem with a different way. Problems fade.