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5 Big Reasons That Solo Travel Rules

  • Erin Lizzo

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    INSIDER SECRET: When you travel alone, you might be motivated to try a new activity just for the sake of interacting with others.

    These days, we humans are more self-sufficient than ever. We trust dating apps enough to meet up with strangers for first dates. We get in cars with Lyft and Uber drivers we’ve never met, assured that we’ll end up where we need to be. And we order everything from clothes to bananas online. So it’s no surprise that with our ever-increasing ability to function independently, solo travel is on the rise as well.

    Traveling solo around Kauai offered the ultimate freedom.
     

    Booking a trip on your own looks like an easy task on paper but there is often a lot of fear of the unknown that comes with journeying solo.

    Your Miles Go So Much Further

    Here’s the first benefit of traveling on your own. When you book a solo ticket, there’s only one person who needs to get the time off – you. This means that you have the ability to maximize your miles by finding the lowest fares for your travel date. Does it make more sense to leave on a Saturday than on a Friday? If so, jump on that flight and relish the ability to make decisions for yourself, without having to coordinate with someone else. Are you new to the concept of racking up reward miles to trade in for free flights and other travel perks? Check out our guide to getting free flights with credit cards.

    Enjoy the Ultimate Travel Flexibility

    You are the only one making decisions.  My friend Dan sums up independent travel in a sentence. “You can eat wherever and whenever you like,” he says.  You can also make plans on the spur of the moment with other people — like the new friend you met on the train, who suggests that you switch your plans and head to a remote beach town in Croatia with her for a few days. You don’t have to negotiate this with your travel partner, and you’re free to head off on you own again if it does not work out. No strings attached. But the nice thing about solo travel is this – no compromises, total flexibility.

    Find Out You’re Pretty Brave

    When you travel alone, you might be tempted to try a new activity. It’s a great way to expand your horizons, meet new people and develop a little self-confidence that you didn’t know you had. Read about the adventures of another Million Mile Secrets traveler who went scuba diving in Mexico.

    There Are No Mistakes in Solo Travel

    So you missed the train by 30 minutes? Guess what? The only person who is mad at you is you. And what’s the rush? You’re traveling on your own, you get to go wherever you like and there are no set rules. It might lead you down a totally different road to a different destination altogether. Sure, it might be exhausting making every decision yourself but the payoff is feeling self-assured about spending time on your own.

    Get Over Your Fear of Loneliness

    The fear of being alone might be one of the most intimidating factors when it comes to traveling solo. There are so many activities that we’re used to doing with other people. Eating at a restaurant, checking into a hotel room, ordering a drink at a bar, attending a concert – these are all activities that you can do on your own, but often don’t. Traveling solo gives you the chance to slow down and spend time on you own and take a few risks. Go see that band your boyfriend doesn’t especially like. Eat that dish your friend wouldn’t want to share with you. And dance like no one is watching – at least, no one you know.

    I love solo travel, but it’s not for everyone. Have you ever traveled by yourself? Would you do it again? Or are you considering a solo trip sometime in the near future? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)