A fellow blogger sent me this article today about the joys of traveling solo. I found the opening paragraphs to be the most telling of my reasons for solo travel. The first, and most whimsical, reason is to embark on a voyage of self-discovery. This is a given, along with challenging oneself to travel outside of one’s comfort zone. I took my first solo trip in 2009 when I visited Costa Rica on a school holiday. It was an ideal first solo experience for me because the “getting there” was pretty simple from New York City and the country is budget friendly and typically attracts laid back travelers both as solos or in groups. For the first time I felt free to interact or avoid other travelers, to make my own itinerary depending on the options presented to me at the moment. For the most part I chose to take part in the company of my new-found friends, but on most occasions the presence of others was only a happy addition to my plans, but not a necessity or a given.
I especially appreciated the unadulterated admission the article makes that solo travel is self-indulgent. This is the truest statement, but it is even more important to point out that there is nothing to feel guilty about for being self-indulgent while traveling, especially while traveling alone. Traveling is, in and of itself, an indulgence. Even those who travel for the greater good, for mission work and the like, choose to give their time in a way that requires travel because they crave the unknown. This is why overseas work is so rewarding: it attracts a certain type of personality that dreams of far away places and people of different cultures.
There is no shame in designing your life to fulfill these dreams and, equally, there is no shame in formulating a trip that is distinctly your own and allowing you to indulge in your greatest joys and simplest pleasures. Some examples from my own travels are taking a one-to-one surfing lesson in Costa Rica, or spending Sunday mornings attending the American Church in Berlin and Paris, or spending a few hours reading a book and sipping café au lait at a brassérie in Mâcon, France. Perhaps my friends and loved ones would have enjoyed these experiences too, but perhaps not. In the end I was able to take these moments on a whim, without worry that a companion might not enjoy them, and make memories that are all my own.
The article then goes on to list the author’s favorite “happy” places: destinations where solo travelers will have fun without a companion or have an easy time making friends along the way. First on the list was Costa Rica, of course! Next up was Vietnam, Laos, Bhutan, and Malaysia. Aside from Bhutan, these make perfect sense because the countries are filled with inexpensive opportunities to completely submerge oneself in history, culture, and breathtaking landscape. Not to mention the innumerable activities and delicious food, as well as the plethora of fellow travelers one is certain to meet along the way! I separated Bhutan from this list because, as the article notes, $200 per day minimum is required to keep Bhutan from being overrun with tourists. Understandable from a preservation perspective, but that qualifier alone would have knocked this one out of the running if I’d been making the list myself.
Next up on the list is Egypt, which I must disagree with wholeheartedly. Regardless of recent events in Egypt, it is very possible that this is a wonderful destination for men traveling solo, however it would be irresponsible of me to not mention the difficulties that will likely arise for solo female travelers in a traditional Muslim country such as Egypt. Additionally, Egypt is known for being decidedly anti-LGBT according to all mainstream sources I have read on the topic. Also, as an economy reliant on tourism the spending traps abound. As a result, a solo traveler is very likely to find themselves cornered into making unwanted purchases or generally attracting unwanted attention in public.
The next destination is Austria, land of schnitzel, strudel and buildings that are so beautiful they sometimes look like wedding cakes! Then Sweden, an often overlooked but extremely “happy” destination. Tunisia is also listed and, I don’t intend to pick on Muslim countries, but I found this surprising for solo travelers because Tunisia is quickly becoming a European playground. As such, it has many large hotels and tourist services, but fewer options for the solo traveler. Germany is next, one of my personal favorites due to the friendly nature of the German people and diverse interests that can be met in the different cities and towns. Next is the Netherlands, also one of my favorites and possibly the most tolerant and welcoming country in the world. Lovely Switzerland is also listed. It’s compact size and diversity of languages and intact history makes it a must-see for all travelers, solo or not. Finally Chile, a country with diverse landscape, equally diverse options for activities, and a delicious culture.
In all I found this article to be a wonderful read, with excellent suggestions for solo trips and even better justifications for taking time out for yourself and having the trip of a lifetime!
No comments:
Post a Comment