Solo Travel

Solo travel comes with a lot of emotions. Whether it’s your first time travelling alone or your 20th solo trip, it can be nerve-wracking, eye-opening and full of highs and lows. The beauty of solo travel can be synonymous with the challenges, you’ll learn to deal with whatever life throws your way, but dealing with it in the moment can feel overwhelming and lonely. You’ll develop independence and get to know yourself, but sometimes that growth can feel isolating from the people in your life.

I went on my first solo trip when I was 19, when I took advantage of a last minute flight to Lisbon for £30 because I felt like my life needed change. The change I needed was deeper than a change of environment, but that time alone left me with an opportunity to reflect on that and realise what was truly wrong. I was forced to rely on myself for everything; safety, care, entertainment… the list goes on. And at the time I needed to know that I could rely on myself.

A few months later, I moved to Madrid, Spain alone. Moving abroad intensifies all the feelings that come along with solo travel, and you can find more specific posts about that HERE. While in Madrid I took advantage of every opportunity I had to explore, both in my new home and beyond, and I have never learnt or grown more than in this 6 month period of my life. Looking back, I am so grateful to myself for the fearlessness and determination that pushed me out my comfort zone, as it gave me the confidence and outlook I have today.