I just finished three weeks travelling though Peru and two through Bolivia. Peru is a popular backpacking destination and there were many other backpackers. I found it very easy to meet people and spent two weeks travelling with at least one other person.
Bolivia is a less popular destination and I found it harder to meet people. Many of the hostels were quite empty. During this time I felt the aspects of solo travelling more. Here are my thoughts on solo travel after about two months of being on my own.
Pros
Puts you out of your comfort zone
I think the best aspect of solo travelling is that it is just you. You, alone in a country where you don’t speak the language and don’t know a single other person. There is no one else that you can rely on, you have to make everything happen for yourself.
While this is daunting and puts you out of your comfort zone, there is some magic in it. Every time you successfully haggle for a taxi or purchase something from a local market, it builds your confidence a little bit. As you learn the local customs and begin to feel more comfortable you realize that you can do it. I find this experience to be fulfilling.
Meet People
Travelling alone you meet a lot of people. I mean a lot of people. My social life went from 0 during the pandemic to 100 real quick. The people you meet are from all over the world and it is interesting to discuss ways of life in different countries. I need to go on another trip just to visit all the friends I have made on this one.
I find that people travelling, especially solo travellers, are much more open to connection. It is not uncommon to walk into a hostel and right away have someone ask you to grab food together, or to join on a tour the next day. Some of my best experiences have been because of spontaneous encounters like these.
Do exactly what you want
When you are travelling by yourself you can do whatever you want to do. You don’t have to discuss with anyone else or think about what others want to do. If you wake up and decide you want to move to a new city, you can. If you want to spend the day reading your book in the park, you can.
This type of travelling is even better when you have no itinerary, and no time restrictions. It is very freeing to be able to decide each day what you want to do and where you want to go. This works well when staying at hostels, because you can ask people where they have gone and what they recommend doing. Everyone is always happy to share, and they can give you advice on which bus to take or what tours are the cheapest. This is how I travelled for the most part in South America thus far and have really enjoyed it. I am flying to Columbia tonight and don’t have a single thing booked there yet.
Cons
No one to share experiences with
Travelling is often full of amazing and unique experiences. When you travel alone, you don’t have anyone that shares in these experiences. You can show people pictures and tell them stories, but there is no way to actually communicate the true feelings of the experience. Often I think it would be nice to have someone else to share these experiences with, who understands exactly what it was like. Sharing these things with someone makes them feel more real in a way.
Loneliness
Unsurprisingly, it sometimes get lonely travelling by yourself. There are days where you don’t talk to anyone. Interestingly, I find it to be the most lonely when there are lots of people around. If I have a travel day where I am on a bus or plane and don’t talk to anyone, I don’t find it that lonely. But if I am a hostel where I haven’t really connected with anyone and there are people hanging out in groups I find it much more lonely.
Additionally, the fear of being alone is often worse than actually being alone. When starting on a long trip, it can be daunting to think about being alone for multiple months. There is always that worry about whether you will meet people or not. In reality it is never as bad you as you think it will be.
Neutral
Who you meet can determine how you like a place
How you like a place is often determined by the people that you meet. This is especially true for cities. After a while, every city becomes the same. One can only see so many big churches. What makes cities unique is the people that you meet there. I have not really liked places, and talked to other people who said it was their favourite place they travelled.
I say this is neutral because it can go either way. It can make an ok place great, or a great place just ok.
My time is South America has been great so far, lots of hiking and other adventure activities. The past few weeks have been a bit cold but I am flying to Columbia tonight for some warm weather!
– Mitch