Five myths of solo travel

Worried of travelling solo while young? Time to myth bust.

So, you’re slightly fearful, worried, apprehensive, concerned, nervous (insert here ____ any other adjectives) about solo travelling?

I’m here to tell you why you it's completely normal to feel this way, but also why those worries will soon evaporate after allowing me to do my very best in myth-busting common misconceptions and worries about solo travel.

Ready?

1. “I’m going to be all alone in a place I don’t know, will I make friends?”

FALSE

Whenever I told those around me I would be going all alone - just me, myself and my backpack - to the other side on the world, the reaction was always a carbon copy.

It begins as a sudden shock, worry and bewilderment followed by curiosity, intrigue and annoyance that I didn't ask them to come along with me. Maybe they can fit in my backpack.

But in all seriousness, you do travel solo, however I’ll try to explain why you’re almost never alone.

You will absolutely make friends no matter where you go, however it also depends on you as a person. Don’t forget, traveling solo means you're mainly dependent on you, and only you, to socialise and attempt to get to know other people.

From my own experience in South-East Asia which is a backpacker hotspot, you quickly begin to realise that everyone around you is in the exact same boat you find yourself in; wanting to meet people and all alone on the other side of the globe.

If you consider yourself introverted and quite anti-social then do not worry - this is the exact environment you want to find yourself in.

I’ve found travelling to be one of the most liberating, character-building experiences a person can encounter. I used to considered myself as a quite shy and timid when it came to socialising, however travelling changes you as a person and I realised that unless I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and mingled with others, it'd become meals one for each night.

The beauty of travel is that there are so many people from different cultures and continents who are likeminded and congregating into one place which you cannot find at home.

However, however much you socialise completely depends on you as a person.

There will be days when your jaw seizes up for the day because of the amount of words you spewed onto a group, and there will be others where you're craving some quiet and tranquillity in your own company. This is the greatest perk of travelling solo - you call the shots on you want to spend your days.

I don’t want to come across as Augustus Gloop but throughout the journey of the posts you’ll quickly realise I’m madly in love with something. It’s warm but sometimes cold. It makes you feel short of breath sometimes and feels so satisfying once in your mouth.

Yep, you’re damn right.

Food.

Socialising over a saliva-inducing dish from local food stall was my go-to just because I am a self-proclaimed (and proud) foodie, especially in places such as Thailand and Vietnam where the food is a symbolises these countries and is worth a four-hour conversation alone.

Going out to eat with fellow travelling companions will become a common occurrence. We’re all human and we all love food so it’s a great way to get to know people as well as the local cuisine.

Since you are travelling solo, I would definitely encourage you to use hostels which are by far the BEST way to socialise and make friendships with fellow travellers extremely quickly, and keep your expenses down.

A solo trip is something which will require to to break through your fears and leap out of your comfort zone if you haven’t previously experienced it, so feeling apprehensive about moving into the unknown is what most go through in any new phase of life which is away from the norm.

However, you quickly realise later how poetic it is that the initial high-ranking fear before solo travel rapidly switches into pure euphoria. The people you meet along your journey become ones whom you share incredible, unforgettable experiences with and the sights you see are all part of building your character.

2. “Hostels aren’t nice and they’re dangerous!”

FALSE

My earliest recollection of hearing about hostels was in the worst way possible.

When I was around 10 years old I watched the movie 'Hostel' which had a plot of two college students travelling around Europe, ending up in a Slovakian hostel in the middle of nowhere - you can see where they is going.

Long story short, it got a little gory and ever since then I had a strange misconception that hostels were like those derelict, creepy places you see in horror movies when in fact, it couldn't be further from the truth.

I can now confidently say they aren't creepy, they aren't derelict though you may be woken in the middle of the night...

By a snorer.

Hostels are by far your haven for sociability and meeting fellow travellers, think of them as social clubs but for adults.

Whether you’re going solo on a high, medium or low end budget, they are the places to be and really do make your your experience that much richer. Most usually have daily events such as bar crawls or group outings to nearby attractions and moped trips around islands so there’s always something for everyone and plenty of opportunities to get to know others.

Depending on type of scene you prefer, party hostels are usually the ones with many events to get everyone involved (and slightly drunk) like beer pong, beer pong… and more beer pong. You’ll be beer-ponging in your dreams long after your trip, I promise you.

In terms of safety - speaking from own experience - I felt extremely safe in most hostels I stayed in. Through the Hostel World app you can usually choose if you’d prefer to stay in a door of your same sex, a mixed one or even a private room.

You can also see recent reviews from fellow travellers so you can understand the ins and outs of what the vibe and atmosphere is like – as a word of advice, avoid any hostel which has comments about bed bugs; it's not worth it!

3. "Will I get lost?"

ABSOLUTELY

This is a question that I asked myself before I left and now laugh at myself for asking myself that question, but it is a genuine fear!

Once you realise that you don’t belong anywhere when travelling solo, the thought of being lost is no longer a worry.

Allow yourself to get lost. Each time my plan didn’t go accordingly and found myself in a peculiar village or town, it was when I truly felt like I was living my backpacking experience to the fullest.

Of course, if you lose your phone and you needed it to get directions back to the hostel you forgot the name of, then you could consider yourself lost.

But don’t panic. I found local people, particularly in South-East Asia, to be some of the most caring, genuinely helpful people I’ve ever met.

But in general, follow your instincts. General common sense comes in to play the same way it would back home. Don’t go into that dark alley if it’s a short-cut and always be wary of your surroundings etc. Just things your Mum and Dad bore you to sleep with before going!

4. "Will I get ill if I eat the street food?"

It... depends.

Okay now we’re talking, my favourite topic. Food. Allow me to begin.

This was an area I was confused with before travelling as I think many have a misconception of food, particularly in South-East Asia. I was told to never ever eat street food, never have ice in your drinks/shakes and try not to eat the grilled tarantulas in Cambodia.

Usually, I would take a look on TripAdvisor and find the best rated food places in the area I was in. You may think it will only show the more up-market restaurants, though i'm far more in favour of heading towards the local bamboo-built huts which is family run, but surprisingly it was really good for finding these types of food places.

For example In Krabi, Thailand, we found local place at the back of a side street which consisted of just plastic chairs, a small cooking area and a dim light which would just enough to see what was in front of you. I can honestly say it was one the best Thai meals I’d experienced. Far better than any restaurant and it cost around £2.50 for two courses and two bowls of sticky rice. Heaven.

Everyone’s sensitivity towards different food will of course be vary. The only time I was ill with food I’d eaten in South-East Asia was the very first week I arrived, and that's usually due to a huge change in climate and the rich or spicy ingredients.

In contrast, a person I met in Bangkok could barely eat most of the food as his stomach just wouldn’t agree with it most of the time. If a place doesn’t look clean, there's few people eating there and the food has been left out for some time, you might save yourself a few trips to the bathroom by avoiding it.

A good rule of thumb to follow is to see which food places are full of local people and which ones aren’t - it’s usually a good indicator of the food quality. The locals know their food better than anyone, so any place they’re queueing up to get into is one you should join too!

5. "I’ll have to eat alone"

only if you want to!

For someone who hasn’t travelled before, it may sound quite strange to be sat all alone, at a table for one with no other soul opposite you except for maybe a prawn head staring at you in the eyes. It's not quite a social norm in the west to eat alone in restaurants which may prevent it for many, however it’s an extremely liberating experience.

A certainty solo travelling will bring is becoming comfortable in your own company. You value time spent with yourself just to relax and also giving your jaw a break from talking none stop.

However, if you’re like me and are absolutely passionate about food where you must share it with other people, then there will be plenty of opportunities to eat with people you meet along the way. Whether it be from hostels, in bars, on tour days out, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll rarely be alone during meal time unless you choose to.

One thing to bear in mind is that many local people eat alone in restaurants and street food seating areas so you will never be the only one, plus you will never get that stare you'd typically be greeted with back home of “oh my god look at him/her eating all alone” as it’s a way of life for them.

There will of course be many solo travellers doing the exact same thing. It takes some getting used to at first but you’ll begin to enjoy the experience more and more.

Not to mention, the scenic locations you will find yourself in whether it's a beach-front or up in the mountains makes that alone time slightly easier to stomach.

*A thought - have you ever noticed how in the west if you ever see someone eat alone, they almost always must be actively doing something so it doesn’t just look like they’re staring into the wilderness?