Why you should NOT to go solo travelling

Though everyone sees the breathtaking scenery, delectable dishes you're devouring, the vast stories of near death experiences plus lots of friends gained along the way, it’s all a very one-sided argument as to why you should pack your bags and go.

But are there any reasons why you shouldn’t go travelling?

Sure, there is an overwhelming case of why you should definitely take the plunge and go backpacking solo, however the full story of solo travel is rarely discussed.

It’s normal to highlight the incredibly wild and adventurous parts of all the experiences you encounter, but difficult aspects during the trip - and what to expect upon returning home - is rarely discussed.

Let’s explore.

1. The huge highs of travel are difficult to maintain

Solo travelling is one of the most liberating experiences a person can encounter in their life.

It is the true definition of freedom where there are no external stressors which daily life tends to bring such as bills, meeting people, traffic and so on. You are truly on your own schedule where every single day is spontaneous and carefree, with the most difficult task is usually where you’ll be eating in the night or what country you’ll be exploring the next day.

Seeing new places and meeting so many likeminded people from every corner of the globe which you’d have never met in your home life is a new experience.

It's difficult to comprehend how in just a few days total strangers can suddenly feel like a close family doing everything together, quite like a tribe.

You will share moments together which elevate the experience from dancing with locals to road trips, eating the best (and most bizarre) foods and opening up about each other’s lives which creates a unique bond like no other.

Think about it. In your life back home, have you ever been with your best friends all day, every day for an extended period of time? The answer will probably be a resounding no. So, on return you’re no longer surrounded by your day-to-day travel buddies who became so familiar, and it can be quite a shock to the system.

You’re now surrounded by people who have busy schedules, places to be and daily life to attend to. Basically the horrible adult things influencing their actions. Going from travelling to new countries on a whim to “so I can’t make it to see you today because of…” will have you longing for the days when every person was available 24/7.

On return home from backpacking the social habits, spontaneous decisions and new lifestyle you’ve spent months – or even years – creating suddenly evaporates into thin air.

Of course, if you are a first-time solo traveller it’ll be difficult to comprehend what’s about to come, so thinking about the aftermath will not even cross your mind; and why should it! However, it’s important to have in mind what can occur once you touch down on home soil.

It can be very difficult to adapt to “normal” life again and being back home can never replicate the lifestyle you are used to whilst travelling. It’s a difficult period to face, but there are ways to face it.

I'd say, travel is as close to "real life" as anyone will ever experience.

2. Using travel as an escape from your life

This is a factor which has two sides to the coin.

Many people go travelling during a gap-year with no responsibilities and the freedom to travel with no children or a fully established career and any pesky bills that come attached.

Some may choose it as a way to escape issues at home such as an unhappy life, a career which isn’t fulfilling or maybe a way to escape the people and environment we can find ourselves surrounded in.

Though usually, the problems that you attempted to leave behind may well be there once you return. Travelling can act as a stop-gap to put a pause on the stressors back home and you enter a corner of the world to seek refuge as forget all about them.

However, the great thing with solo travelling is that you can expect the unexpected.

Different people, scenarios and opportunities can be presented in the most peculiar way whilst abroad. I personally met people who in South-East Asia who had a variety of reasons for their journey, particularly one couple who both were 26-years-old.

They both had stable careers in London but decided to quit their jobs and travel the globe for 8-months and then do the Working Holiday visa in Australia, and are now planning to stay as they loved it that much. Moving to an entirely new country was something they would've never considered, however now they are enjoying life due to opening themselves up to opportunity rather than waiting for opportunity to arrive.

It is almost certain that travelling solo will change you as a person permanently and you’ll never return home as the exact same person everyone back home remembered you as.

You will see your own life in a different perspective and have answers to those problems that were put on standby before leaving. It's a chance to understand what truly makes you happy as well as what you really value in your life.

My advice while solo travelling is this; be open to everything!

3. Goodbyes are extremely difficult

It's tough to comprehend the friendships and bonds you can make whilst backpacking solo. I didn’t believe it was possible to make such close friendships within such a small amount of time but boy, was I wrong (let the waterworks begin).

When you’re on your own, you want to be around people because, well, who really likes being alone 24/7? You suddenly realise that despite the distance we all live from each other, the similarities and ways in which we are connected are closer than it seems.

Despite the different countries, languages, cultures, traditions and so on, every person has a story different to yours and every person is an oppurtunity to learn something new.

Being alone and in the company of others who - despite being from elsewhere - are all following a similar path to you which is a desire for adventure, independence and experience a new way of life.

As humans, we naturally like familiarity and the feeling of safety. Coupled with the fact you’ll be with the same people for several hours every single day just accelerates relationships to a very deep and personal level.

I always say that the bond you can create with people within two weeks whilst travelling would probably take around four months in a “normal” home setting. And so, when it comes to the dreaded time where people have plans to move on to different countries, just like the Jack and Rose “I’ll never let go” scene, it’s in a way like leaving family members leaving.

All the time spent getting to know each other and creating memories together comes to an end and can be very difficult to accept. From being joined at the hip for weeks to potentially never seeing them again is a challenging, though goodbyes are part of the travel experience.

But the worst part? You have to now have to do the whole "Hi, i'm ____ where have you travelled so far?" conversation starter again. And again. And again.

It’s not all sadness, though. You create friends for life during such a short period and on the plus side, you always a place to stay in many areas of the world if you’re ever visiting near their home town.

4. You’ll never want to go home again!

As a word of warning - do not let your parents, friends, relatives or pet dog see this section and you’ll be talked out of it – or barked out of it.

On average, it takes around 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic. In the context of travel, being away from an extended period means you create an entirely new lifestyle of waking up, choosing what food to eat, socialising and deciding what island to hop to next. It becomes your new norm and mentality; just you and your backpack.

The danger? You’ll never want to leave. You fall in love with the feeling of living on your own terms more so than the place you’re actually in. The constant excitement, the new experiences and scenarios which push you out of your comfort zone is a far cry to being in an office block with routine.

Of course, baking your flesh in 35-degree heat on a tropical island whilst everyone back home has their fireplaces blazing and central heating on full blast helps.

Temporarily living in a new place with none of the typical stressors you find back in the bubble of life back home is a feeling which - if you could bottle and sell - would fund your travels for life. It’s why so many solo travellers, and many I’ve met, end up gaining visas to Australia, the USA and many other countries because they just don’t want the whole process to end.

For me, the food would be enough for me to stay on a Thai island for life. But as a whole, it's like a baby tasting Coca-Cola for the first time. Suddenly milk looks and tastes bland and all that time this sweet tasting nectar was there just waiting to be drank.

You uncover a whole new world that was existing all that time you were busy living your life, but now you have seen it with your own two eyes, it becomes very real and new way of living.

Seeing Ha Long Bay in Vietnam for the first time which was a long-time dream of mine was a moment of realisation that a world exists outside the bubble you typically find yourself in. Once we were kayaking around I must’ve pinched myself at least twenty-five times (it would’ve been twenty-six if I didn’t capsize) because I was that in awe of where I was.

Seeing sights like those captures your imagination and makes it difficult to even comprehend going back home to a regular routine and life. Travelling opens your eyes and more importantly your mind which is why so many stay on to work and enjoy a better quality of life. I mean, would you ever complain when relaxing on an island in your downtime?

Travelling is bizarre, unpredictable and a truly precious moment in time. Your idea of your plans before you go backpacking compared to what you actually do are usually more different than a pad Thai and a roast dinner.

Whilst the points mentioned may slightly put you off going, they do not compete with the reasons why you should absolutely go solo backpacking.

Once you leave home to go travelling, you never truly go back.