13 Unexpected Perks of Solo Travel You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier

Most often, a solo trip is seen either as courageous or lonely. But those who have packed a bag and set out solo know the truth: There are plenty of unexpected joys and it’s a life affirming adventure. Sure, you may think you’re going out to spend time ticking the bucket list sights and Insta moments off your list, but there’s so much more going on beneath the surface.

Solo travel does the strangest things to your confidence and teaches you more about yourself than you thought there was to know. In this article, we’ll look at some of the more overlooked benefits of traveling alone. Solo travel becomes a game changer, thanks to these experiences.

Making Decisions Without Compromise

Going out alone means you’re not in the middle of some endless debate over where to eat dinner or how to spend the day. Love museums? These are places you can wander for hours. Hate early mornings? When you travel solo you don’t have to play by other people’s rules, you have the keys to your itinerary and can travel your trip just the way you want. That’s freedom at its finest, and it’s pretty empowering.

Learning to Trust Yourself

Solo travel is a crash course in self reliance. You soon realize you’re much more capable than you give yourself credit for – whether it’s deciding which means of public transport you’ll need to take in a foreign country or dealing with mishaps (like missed flights, for example). When you solve a problem all by yourself? Somehow that’s like advancing in the game of life.

Unexpected Friendships 

It’s not what you think: Being alone doesn’t mean you’re lonely. The truth is that it makes you more approachable. People are naturally curious about a lone traveler, so you’ll end up having conversations with the locals and other adventurers. A lot of these connections turn out to be lasting friendships or moments you’ll never forget.

Becoming Comfortable With Silence

Solo travel is a rare opportunity to be quiet in an always buzzing world. Whether you’re sitting on a secluded beach or having an open air meal by yourself, they can be very restorative. Sometimes it’s not about doing but being.

Unleashing Your Inner Adventurer 

If you’re alone, you become braver. You’ll also say yes to things that take you out of your comfort zone, like zip lining through a rainforest or eating an exotic dish you’d never in a million years eat at home. When no one is there to judge or pressure you, the world seems just a little more adventurous. 

Gaining a New Perspective 

Traveling solo doesn’t just change how you see the world, it changes how you see yourself. You notice more when you’re not traveling with someone; the tiniest assemblages of a thronging market, though, or the cultural peculiarities of a quiescent town. Somehow, for whatever reason, those experiences just seem to stick with you and shape the way you see the world.

Flexibility at Its Best 

Things come up: you’re delayed on your flight, you encounter an event that was unexpected. However, when you can’t meet up, you’re solo so you’re free to adapt on a whim. That means if you want to extend your stay in a city you love, or skip a place that just doesn’t click with you, you can. No group consensus is needed.

Building Emotional Resilience

It’s not all smooth sailing with solo travel, and that’s a good thing. You learn to stay calm when getting hit with stuff: things like getting lost in a foreign city. A lot better way to put it is to experience this rather poorly and bounce back just as hard.

Rediscovering Your Hobbies

How long ago did you last get to do something you love? Solo travel allows you the ability to reconnect with the things that make you happy: photography, writing, or even curling up with a good book. No one’s there to rush you, you can do what you love best without worrying about being late.

Appreciating the Small Stuff

When you’re traveling solo, you tend to notice the little things: waves smacking a shoreline, a barista expertly pour a latte and you with a sun warmed skin on a morning walk. These tiny moments refresh you, they remind you to enjoy life.

Cultivating Gratitude

Time away from home makes you appreciate everything you might otherwise just take for granted — being able to speak your native language, or being in familiar surroundings. Perhaps you’ll just feel a tad more appreciative for all the adventures abroad, and the little things in-between home by the time you’re situated back.

Boosting Your Creativity

Doing something outside of your routine and into the unknown appears to quick start creativity. Whether you’re journaling, sketching or just brainstorming your next big idea, solo travel can spark new ideas. Who knows? Perhaps you’ll come back with something more than just souvenirs.

Loving Your Own Company

If you’re looking for independence, solo travel offers you that. You can create a personal adventure that is truly yours. Being happy with yourself is something so powerful it can affect every part of your life. Who doesn’t want to be able to thrive on their own in a foreign country – if you can do that, you can do anything life throws at you.

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10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience

Even if you’ve been on a safari in the past, an African photo safari is something you want to experience or at the very list add to the top of your bucket list.

But first, what is a photo safari? The phrase “photo safari” is not a common sentence structure but its meaning can be deduced easily. An African photo safari in general context means going on an adventure with the sole purpose of taking high-quality pictures.

10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience