How to Manage loneliness …….. when traveling solo
Traveling Solo is the most significant trend in today market, the amount of people I have met in the last two years that are traveling solo is unbelievable. Some are quite happy traveling Solo while the others say they did not enjoy been alone all the time.
Twenty, even ten years ago, Solo Travel was almost unheard off, very uncommon that’s for sure. Very few people were traveling solo. Back then most solo travelers where men and randomly I would bump into older woman traveling on her own. Most 18 to 25-year-olds traveled in groups of friends while the rest traveled in couples and families.
The most common question, I get asked from people who are traveling solo or thinking of traveling solo is – “Do you not get lonely while you are on the road?” This gave me an idea to write about how I manage loneliness when I am traveling solo.
When you are traveling solo, people forget that once you get to your destination, you are going to be all alone. I know the first time I backed my bags to hit the road solo, I make a long list of things to do before my trip – what to pack, what to book, what to do when I get to my destination, one thing I did not take in to account – “I will be all alone”.
To manage loneliness – my advice, prepare yourself mentally that you will be all alone. Remember been Alone does NOT mean Lonely. This applies to everyday life, Traveling or not.
The biggest problem people have is “FEAR” – YES FEAR, I have this too. You are not alone.
The best way to deal with FEAR is to arm yourself with all the right tools and get yourself in the right mindset before you leave for your Solo Adventure.
Embrace the Alone Time – HELPS – MANAGE LONELINESS
– I love this, my life every day is well-organized chaos. I am forever running after loved ones, looking after my family, friends, and customers, helping anyone and everyone who come to me for help…. so when I get this… “ME” time, I enjoy every moment of it.
Pamper Yourself – HELPS – MANAGE LONELINESS
– have that nice long bubble bath, read that book you have meaning to for last two months. Eat that chocolate and drink that wine. All in moderation – 🙂 Pampering yourself does not have to be expensive things, but if you want to and can afford to, go to a spa, get yourself a facial or a massage. This is all feel good and feel better.
Make New Friends -HELPS – MANAGE LONELINESS
– for some people, this is easy, while others struggle with meeting new people. Especially in foreign countries, with the language being a big barrier. Been an introvert myself, I struggled with this for years. Even now, I am confident but shy; I have to make a big effort to push myself to get out and meet new people. I usually start off with making friends with hotel staff and make my way to total strangers.
Stay Active -HELPS – MANAGE LONELINESS
– this is very important, regardless of whether you are an active person when you are at home, whether you go to the gym, or you are fit or not fit. This is not to LOOK good; this is to FEEL good. YES, FEEL GOOD.
When you stay active – the Endorphins kick in. This kicks the ass of the loneliness.
Book Tours – HELPS – MANAGE LONELINESS
– I love this one, pretty much every country, city, the town will have local tours for you to experience. My favorite Tour to do when I am traveling solo is food and wine tasting, usually in the evening – this way I get to have dinner and drinks with other people, walk around the city or town in a safe environment, enjoy the atmosphere at night and meet other like-minded people.
Get Off the Internet
– YES – please get off the internet. The Internet is the loneliest place, traveling or not. I only use the internet for research and information. It is not the place to socialize. When I am traveling alone, I do send my family/friends – an email to let them know I am ok, which I think is very important when you are on the road alone. You need to have a check-in system in place.
Go to Movies / Shows – HELPS – MANAGE LONELINESS
– I love watching movies in different languages. To be honest, the first movie I watched was in France, and it was Shrek – 🙂 I had the time of my life even though I did not understand a world of French back then. Some shows and musicals can be expensive. I suggest picking the ones you cannot watch anywhere else in the world, so it adds to your local experience.
Get Lost – No really
– this is the best therapy for loneliness. When you go sightseeing, I suggest you walk as long as you can. This is the best way to explore a new place, allow yourself to go with the flow. I love playing treasure hunt, find what you find I call it. I always end up finding great local restaurants, shops, gardens, parks, meet local people and my favorite local treats.
Take a cooking class
– this is one of my favorites. Learning keeps your mind active and occupied. What better way to learn how to cook a local dish than by a local chief. You will be amazed at how much fun this is. The very first cooking class I did, the food I cooked was not even eatable. I meet fantastic people, sharing food with other people and having great laughs. My cooking did get better over the years.
Hang out where you know you will meet other tourists
– My go to places are Starbucks (besides the fact, I love a good Chai Latte), and I love getting the Hop on Hop off Bus. You are sure to meet other tourist and solo travelers in these places. Most young solo travelers love the hostels and backpacking style accommodation – this is a great place to meet other travelers as well. If the hotel is your thing, you should have take advantage of happy hour – a great way to meet other travelers at the bar.
Meeting new people is an essential part of traveling, Solo traveling or traveling with others. Use common sense, listen to your gut feeling and always remember. Go where your heart desires but always take your brain with you. Safety before Money and Fun.
The Key to a successful Solo Trip is be organized, plan your days in advance, and be flexible if things do not go the way you wanted it – go with the flow instead of being hard on yourself.
#Travelquote: “There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign”. by Robert Louis Stevenson
Join ME, MYSELF AND I … by Subscribing. You will receive instant access to all there is to know about ….. HOW TO #TRAVELSAFE #TRAVELSMART #TRAVELSOLO By YOGITA RIDGLEY 🙂