Solo travel has so many benefits such as the freedom to do whatever it is you feel, meeting like-minded people and growing as a person. If I had the choice, I would probably rather travel solo than with a friend. This is due to my introvert personality and desire to do as much as possible and not have anyone else’s plans get in my way.
Despite the reasons I love solo travel, there are times where I wish I was travelling with a friend. In this blog post I am going to discuss the things I don’t like about solo travel that you should keep in mind before you decide to go solo.
Asking Random People to Take Your Photo
So you’re on your first solo trip and feeling on top of the world. You just figured out how to get to that popular tourist attraction and you start thinking of how may like your Instagram picture is going to get. Then it hits you… “Wait who is going to take a picture of me?” After this mini heart attack you come to the realisation that you are going to have to actually ask someone.
People will happily take a picture for you. Whether it turns out good is another thing. There have been times where I have had someone take a picture of me and I wasn’t exactly happy with it. So I waited for another unsuspecting tourist to ask.
Even if the photo doesn’t meet your expectations be sure to thank them and offer to take a picture for them.
Whenever a random is taking your picture you won’t have the same freedom to take multiple shots with different outfits, poses and angles. So if you need to get “that” shot you might want to make a friend.
Paying for Hotel Rooms
Whenever you book a hotel room and you are traveling solo the full cost is on you. When you book a hotel you book the room, the hotel doesn’t care if there is one or two people sleeping in that room.
While some hotels may offer single rooms, they are usually only slightly cheaper than the cheapest 2 person room. Hotels aren’t such a bad option when you are travelling with someone because the price is divided by how ever many people are staying in the room.
This is why hostels are such a great option for solo travelers. Not only are they far more affordable, but you also meet a lot like-minded travellers from all over the world.
When you’ve been travelling for a while and only staying at hostels, you will likely want to spend a couple of nights at a hotel to regain some privacy and enjoy the luxuries a hotel offers compared to a hostel. Depending on your budget you may want to stay at hotels sparingly if saving money is a priority.
Not as Safe
While solo travel isn’t un-safe, travelling with a buddy will always be the safer option.
When you are alone, you are more vulnerable to potential pickpocketers, scammers and unlawful people. There is no way around this. You will definitely find yourself being extra cautious of your surroundings, who you trust and your belongings.
Just keep in mind when you are travelling solo you will have to be on the ball a lot more compared to when you are travelling with others.
Eating out Alone
That sad moment when you enter a restaurant and ask the waiter for a table for one. Eating alone it’s a funny one. You look around and see everyone chatting and laughing with friends and then you think to yourself “well I’ve got me”. At first when you eat alone at a restaurant you may feel awkward and that everyone is judging you but really they aren’t.
The more and more you eat alone at restaurants the easier it gets. I use this time to reflect on life, observe the differences in the dining experience compared to back home and plan out what I am going to see or do next.
Feeling Lonely
Although solo travel is empowering and you learn to enjoy your own company, there are times during your trip when you feel a little lonely.
At times you will wish you had a friend with you to share that experience. Sharing the experience on social media just isn’t the same as having them there in person.
I have experienced this from time to time during my travels. These times are temporary and what you should realise is that you most likely would have never had that experience at all if you waited around for someone to travel with. So it’s better to follow your desires than regret later on that you didn’t visit that country because you had no one to go with.
In saying all of this, I definitely find the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to solo travel. The above mentioned things that I don’t like are all just temporary and come from time to time. If it is your first time travelling solo it will take some time to getting used to. But trust me when you do, you will be loving the freedom and the feeling of liberation.
What things do you not like about solo travel? I would love to hear your thoughts. If you are new to solo travel and have any questions please leave a comment below.
