Advantages of Traveling Solo

With so many cheaptravel options such as cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, cheapdeals, and cheap vacation packages, itis a shame to pass up a trip simply because you have no one to accompany you.

Solo travel is increasing in popularity as evidenced by TheNew York Times, which recently noted 24 percent of people traveled solo ontheir most recent vacation compared to only 15 percent last year.

The following are reasons to travel solo, according toKaeli Conforti:

• Thefreedom of traveling by yourself can be intoxicating. When you are traveling alone you are incharge of your own destiny. You donthave to deal with someone else calling all the shots, directing you around fromplace to place, and limiting the amount of time you have to explore the thingsthat interest you the most.

  You get to decide what you really want tosee, where you want to eat dinner, and whether you would like to stay at afancy hotel or relax in a cozy looking hostel. Traveling solo allows you to take it easy and focus on why you wanted tobe at your destination in the first place.

• It isremarkable easy to meet new people. Often it is more fun to sit at a bar vs. your own table at a restaurantand let people come to you. Using a proplike a guidebook or a map tends to encourage people to approach you and askabout your plans, where you have been so far, and share interesting stories orsuggestions about where to head next.

• Youget to select your own adventures. Dothat which you are interested in, not having to consider what your friends orfamily might say. This is your adventureso go for it. If you feel like taking aday off from sightseeing and want to just relax, then do so.

• Travelingalone provides a rare chance to unplug and be in the moment. As long as you have a basic idea of where youare going, wandering aimlessly around town can be an extraordinarily enrichingexperience, especially when you stumble upon random events such as freeconcerts or movie premiere parties.

• Beopen to talking to people around you. You may meet someone who could change your life, or swap some funnytravel stories for a while. While it isvery important to always follow your gut regarding your personal safety,remember that not everyone is out to get you. People tend to be curious about other people and solo traveling oftenproves how similar we all are despite our cultural differences and the placeswe come from.

• Solotraveling is a great way to blend in with the locals. If your knowledge of the local language islimited, smile and admit when you do not understand. The response will often be that the otherpersons English is not that great either.

• Takingpublic transportation and staying in Airbnb apartments when traveling solo cangive you a sense of what it is really like to live in a place. Your hosts will often give you greatsuggestions of places to check out that only the locals know about. It can be a nice change of pace to wake up tothe sounds of a real neighborhood and be able to fix a quick meal.

• Rememberyou can always join a group tour if you find that you miss interacting withpeople on a daily basis. Websites likeMeetUp, Zerve, and Viator specialize in group walking tours and other localadventures which is a great way to enjoy a night on the town within the safetyof a group.