Solo Travelling Is Amazing, And This Is What I Learnt

The passion for travelling started at a very young age when my family started going on annual summer vacation to Kerala. Exploring places with them, visiting friends and relatives, and having mouth-watering food was our thing. As years went by, the passion for exploring new places, its culture and tradition, the food, their way of living – all of this invoked a traveller in me, to explore the unexplored and tell the untold tales. Though all of this sounds fancy and adventurous, there are a few things that travelling solo has taught me and I’m beyond grateful for that. Let me walk you through.

Managing and traveling by myself

Travelling solo has moulded me to the person that I've become today. Allowing me to take responsibilities for my actions and being accountable for the same. It sowed the seeds of being responsible for my safety, belongings, finance and if there was someone to blame or to appreciate, it was just me and no one else.

Stepping out of my comfort zone

Being by alone with myself paved way for me to understand myself in a way that I didn't know of. It helped me understand my likes and dislikes and realise what's my comfort zone – either allowing me to go beyond and take a step completely out of my league or either allowing me to stay where I felt I was comfortable.

I opened up and sought others

No one to help, I did something way out of my comfort zone – I approached strangers. Be it the locals or my fellow travellers, I went out of way and approached them for help, and trust me what followed that have been amazing and I'd say that it has helped in ways that I can't think of.

This is Callum. I met him during my trip to Goa and I sought out to him for a help and we instantly became friends and roamed the streets of Panjim, exploring the beauty.

Mobile phones are now my best friends

Well, they have always been my best friend, but I realised the importance of having a working phone with a proper data plan. They offered me information, resources and directions like no one else did. But one big lessons that I learnt was to make sure in advance that I carry a working spare phone just in case my primary mobile device decided to give up on me. I've been in a situation with no mobile phone in an unknown place in the not so great time of the day and it isn't pleasant. But the experience is always worth it.

Also, carry a charged power bank and chargers even if you’re on a day trip. You never know when you might need them. Trust me.

Gut feelings are real

Traveling alone has instilled a sense of trust in myself about myself. Trusting my instincts have been one of the best things that I have experienced while I was on the road. It is crucial, and so unbelievable to know that one's instincts can almost come true most times and there is no better way to judge a situation.

This is Curlie’s, a restaurant that I spotted while I was at the other side. My intuition kept telling me to come to this place and see what’s there. And, trust me, I made the best decision by coming here. More than food, it was about the different kind of people that I met here fascinated me. It gave me a whole new perspective.

Hostels over hotels

Staying at hostels are much better than spending the night at a hotel when you are on the road. This was the first time that I stayed at a hostel and now, I can’t wait to explore other hostels across the globe. While staying in a hostel among other fellow traveler are cost effective, it allows to know yourself better and meet amazing people. Meeting people is not only about making friends, but also about learning new things and understanding a different perspective of what you think you already know.

Old Quarter by The Hostel Crowd at Panjim, Goa.