One of the main purposes of travel is to gain experiences that allow us to grow and develop as individuals and it is important that people travel the way that bests suits them at a particular time. For example, I like to go on adventure holidays and this invariably includes a small group and expert guide, and I frequently participate in writing retreats around the world with like-minded people. However for me, the real joy of travelling has always been to take off on my own and just ‘see’ what comes along the way. Of course this can sometimes be fraught with frustrations, difficulties and even dangers.

Advantages of travelling alone

Freedom
Most people who travel alone generally cite freedom as the great motivating factor: freedom to please themselves, go where and when they want, change their plans on a whim when they hear about something that is a ‘must’ to see, and to accept spontaneous invitations by locals.
No compromises
This is associated with the previous point. Even if travelling with one other person, be it friend, colleague, lover or spouse, there will always be some compromises required. Not everyone has the same interests or the same energy levels, some people need to be emotionally supported all the time, others are apathetic, some have different attitudes to time. With solo travel, there is no peer pressure over finances, the unspoken need to divide up restaurant bills equally, or guilt trips when you want to go off on your own for a while.
Meeting people
Travelling solo does not mean that you will always be alone. In fact, it allows you to meet more people because other tourists and locals find an individual traveller more approachable than those in a tightly-knit group. Also, people in groups have very little need to reach out to others for communication. I have met more people, had more interesting conversations and invitations and made more long-term friends while eating alone in foreign restaurants or sitting alone at bars. But then I am gregarious. Travelling alone allows you to choose the people you wish to spend time with rather than having to face the day-after-day annoyances of the inevitable clowns and whingers found in any large group.
Discoveries
There is a real sense of discovery involved in travelling on your own, and that includes self-discovery. You don’t have to rely on an often ill-informed guide to lead you around on a leash, and there’s the surprise and thrill when you find something you weren’t expecting, like the time I became lost and ended up in a small Bavarian village with a monastery that contained a library with tens of thousands of Medieval manuscripts. Travelling alone allows you to discover more about yourself as you overcome simple challenges such as missing a bus or boat and realizing there is no other for a day or a week. Then there is the sense of achievement when solving much more challenging problems like finding yourself lost in a strange town at midnight or running out of money on a holiday weekend with no ATM in sight and the banks closed.Disadvantages of travelling alone

The single supplement
For those who like to stay in decent hotels, there is the unfair single supplement that can add thousands to the cost of your trip.
Lack of help
There is no one to watch your luggage while you go to the restrooms at airports or train stations, no one to help with persistent touts, no one to be there for you if you get sick or if you are being stalked or harassed by a determined male in the street.
Photos
There are times when I would like to have had more taken of myself in certain places, but there again, there are always people willing to snap one or two for you. I know there will be times in the future when I will travel as part of a group out of choice because I want to visit areas where it is just not possible or sensible for a woman alone, or because I wish to be with family or like-minded people. However, due to my particular personality traits, my preference is to travel alone. I guess it really doesn’t matter how people travel, but that they travel.

Pamela Bradley, also known as Zelda, is a noted author of nine books on ancient cultures and mysteries, historian, public speaker and passionate traveler. Follow her travels on http://www.zeldastravels.com and check out her profile, books, recent memoir, Nefertiti Street, as well as her observations on writing and women on http://www.pamelabradley.com.

The Benefits Of Traveling Alone

Sometimes, going on holiday alone can help you enjoy a destination in a much different way than you would if you were with someone else. For example, trips to places that are particularly fascinating to you might be best enjoyed alone, since youll want to delve into several things that a less interested person might find dull or boring. There are several other key advantages to traveling alone, such as:

Total Autonomy – Other than having to adhere to public transportation schedules and the open and close times of museums and other venues, when you travel alone you get to decide what youll see and when youll see it. Were all familiar with holidays in which several members of a traveling party simply cant see eye-to-eye about what to see and do; when youre on your own, that concern is completely eliminated.

Spoiling Yourself – When you travel with others, you have to make accommodations and compromises about what to see and how much time to spend at any given place. While one person might be perfectly happy to while away an entire afternoon at a single museum, another might be itching to move along to the next attraction. By traveling alone, you can spend as much – or as little – time as youd like at any given place. You dont have to feel self-conscious or fret about boring another person.

Meeting New People – As a member of a group of people – or a couple – youre far less likely to put yourself out there and engage strangers or fellow travelers in conversation. However, as a solo traveler you are going to be a lot more willing to chat with others who are going it alone, or with couples or groups who you meet during your travels. In that way, you can broaden and expand your horizons much more easily – and in a much more entertaining way.

Drawbacks To Traveling Alone

Like anything else, there are some definite downsides to traveling alone. For one thing, not everyone is well suited for it. Depending on your personality, you might find being on your own positively liberating – or downright miserable. If the thought of being in a strange place alone sends you into paroxysms of panic, then youre probably not ideally suited for such an endeavor. Other drawbacks to traveling alone include:

Safety Concerns – Although women are much likelier to be concerned about personal safety while traveling alone, the fact is that any solo person – male or female – is at greater risk for being targeted by unscrupulous people. For the most part, people are friendly and accommodating to single travelers – but denying that the risks are greater is foolhardy indeed.

Loneliness – Even if you are the most gregarious and outgoing person around, traveling alone can be, well, lonely. Despite meeting new people at bars and pubs and while enjoying various tours, the fact is that at the end of the day youll be retiring to your room alone. Having a decent international calling plan can help mitigate this a bit, but its definitely not for everyone.

No One to Lean On – When you travel with another person or people, you can put your heads together if problems arise or if you get lost, for example. On your own, though, you have only yourself to turn to. Otherwise, you have to steel yourself to ask random strangers for help – and that can be a decidedly uncomfortable proposition. Being prepared is critical when traveling alone for this very reason.

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pDerek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For solo traveling, he recommends using a a target=_new href=http://www.gawwk.com rel=nofollowtravel social network/a./pbr
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