I got the chance to interview Sonia from Washington DC. she's only 22 years old and she travelled to 48 states of United States of America, she only needs to visit Alaska and Hawaii. She's been all over Europe and she's planning to visit Middle East , Africa, Asia, and the Australian continent, Basically she's going to be travelling the Whole world. that's really cool to see such a young girl, a solo traveller willing to set her studies as also her work to travel.
I have a lot of respect for Sonia as she is in reality living her life, and making amazing experiences as she travels around the Globe.
Advantages to traveling alone
Your time and budget are your own! It's all up to you how much time to spend someplace, what your daily modes of travel will be, etc.
It's easier to make friends with the locals. Many great opportunities to interact with the locals on a personal level can be found and enjoyed without a friend or other companion.
More space to make your trip entirely your own. Solo travel can be a great opportunity for reflection and moving at an individual pace. Traveling by yourself, you only have to please yourself.
You will be far more flexible than non-solo travelers, and may find it easier to cope with unexpected setbacks and complications. There's nobody to blame you for your own gaffes, after all!
Do what you want to do.
Disadvantages to traveling alone[edit]
There's nobody to watch your back. And there's no one to watch the luggage while you go buy train tickets. You have to carry all your gear yourself, which can be both inconvenient and stressful.
It's more expensive, as there is no one to share costs with. Rooms are usually about the same price for one or for two. You'll need to budget a little bit more.
You don't have any social obligations.
You may experience moments of loneliness.
Travel can often involve lots of waiting and boredom, made worse if there's no one to help pass the time.
No one to vent to when things get tough
Get in
Some destinations lend themselves better to solo travel than others. You may find places where accommodations for a single traveler are less restrictive or expensive. There may also be places that cater to individual travelers.
Get around
Pack as light as possible. When traveling with friends the burdens can be shared; one person can watch the gear while another waits in line for train tickets, buys drinks or goes to the toilet. By yourself, you'll probably have to bring your things everywhere you go and prepare for tasks on your own.
Take intercity trains instead of buses, you can move around freely and mingle with other passengers. On most long distance trains the locals bring along a picnic, take some extra food to share with new friends.
Try not to look at maps in busy streets of foreign cities (which will mark you as an easy target for pickpockets) - do the map reading in a cafe, and unwind for a while, the refreshment will help you get your bearings. In many cities using a mobile device will blend better than standing on a street corner with a map.
Eat
Try to find places with a casual atmosphere in European cities, such as cafeterias in department stores, a pub, or an outdoor patio during warmer weather.
You can also try to connect with other travellers by using a free service called eatwithequals.net. It gives you the possibility to meet with interesting people, share good stories and expand your network with other global travellers. The goal of eatwithequals.net is to allow small groups of about 4 people to meet over a dinner, enjoy a good meal and leave the table well fed both in body and mind.
Sleep
In places where accommodation is expensive, you can try to team up with other single travelers to share a room and split costs. A good place to meet people for sharing is on the bus/train/plane in to a new place. Be cautious about who you trust, obviously, but it can be a great way to save money.
Cope
The more travel-friendly the accommodation, the easier it will be to make new friends. If you're feeling lonely, head to a hostel, not a five-star hotel. Hostels are normally filled with solo travelers, many of them looking to make a friend or two to enjoy a beer with.
Tours can be a great way to meet other travelers. Especially walking tours.
Travel forums can also be a good way to meet other travelers who are in the same destination as you.
Music by:
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Relaxing Piano Music Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
I have a lot of respect for Sonia as she is in reality living her life, and making amazing experiences as she travels around the Globe.
Advantages to traveling alone
Your time and budget are your own! It's all up to you how much time to spend someplace, what your daily modes of travel will be, etc.
It's easier to make friends with the locals. Many great opportunities to interact with the locals on a personal level can be found and enjoyed without a friend or other companion.
More space to make your trip entirely your own. Solo travel can be a great opportunity for reflection and moving at an individual pace. Traveling by yourself, you only have to please yourself.
You will be far more flexible than non-solo travelers, and may find it easier to cope with unexpected setbacks and complications. There's nobody to blame you for your own gaffes, after all!
Do what you want to do.
Disadvantages to traveling alone[edit]
There's nobody to watch your back. And there's no one to watch the luggage while you go buy train tickets. You have to carry all your gear yourself, which can be both inconvenient and stressful.
It's more expensive, as there is no one to share costs with. Rooms are usually about the same price for one or for two. You'll need to budget a little bit more.
You don't have any social obligations.
You may experience moments of loneliness.
Travel can often involve lots of waiting and boredom, made worse if there's no one to help pass the time.
No one to vent to when things get tough
Get in
Some destinations lend themselves better to solo travel than others. You may find places where accommodations for a single traveler are less restrictive or expensive. There may also be places that cater to individual travelers.
Get around
Pack as light as possible. When traveling with friends the burdens can be shared; one person can watch the gear while another waits in line for train tickets, buys drinks or goes to the toilet. By yourself, you'll probably have to bring your things everywhere you go and prepare for tasks on your own.
Take intercity trains instead of buses, you can move around freely and mingle with other passengers. On most long distance trains the locals bring along a picnic, take some extra food to share with new friends.
Try not to look at maps in busy streets of foreign cities (which will mark you as an easy target for pickpockets) - do the map reading in a cafe, and unwind for a while, the refreshment will help you get your bearings. In many cities using a mobile device will blend better than standing on a street corner with a map.
Eat
Try to find places with a casual atmosphere in European cities, such as cafeterias in department stores, a pub, or an outdoor patio during warmer weather.
You can also try to connect with other travellers by using a free service called eatwithequals.net. It gives you the possibility to meet with interesting people, share good stories and expand your network with other global travellers. The goal of eatwithequals.net is to allow small groups of about 4 people to meet over a dinner, enjoy a good meal and leave the table well fed both in body and mind.
Sleep
In places where accommodation is expensive, you can try to team up with other single travelers to share a room and split costs. A good place to meet people for sharing is on the bus/train/plane in to a new place. Be cautious about who you trust, obviously, but it can be a great way to save money.
Cope
The more travel-friendly the accommodation, the easier it will be to make new friends. If you're feeling lonely, head to a hostel, not a five-star hotel. Hostels are normally filled with solo travelers, many of them looking to make a friend or two to enjoy a beer with.
Tours can be a great way to meet other travelers. Especially walking tours.
Travel forums can also be a good way to meet other travelers who are in the same destination as you.
Music by:
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Relaxing Piano Music Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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