Travelling alone: why it's not just for the brave or foolhardy

If you’ve never travelled alone, why not try it this year? It’s not the only way to travel or necessarily the best for everyone, but everyone who loves travelling should try going solo at least once.

From time to time, I meet men who tell me that they have never travelled alone or if they have, that they didn’t enjoy it. I used to find such confessions surprising- aren’t men braver than women, after all? How can a man not have ever travelled alone?

I don’t feel as surprised anymore because I’ve realised that these men have dispelled the myth that non-solo travellers believe: that people who travel alone are brave and courageous, and I’m only saying this because that’s something I’ve been accused of.

Society assumes that men in general are braver and more adventurous than women. And yet, if courage were the only quality required of solo travellers, there wouldn’t be any healthy, able-bodied men who have never taken a trip on their own. In reality, many people don’t travel alone because they choose not to.

Now this is not a commentary on what is the better way to travel or who’s the lowly tourist and who’s the ‘real’ traveller. Such discussions are outdated, pointless and full of self-importance.

(And neither is this piece my attempt at proving that women are the superior gender, or braver and more adventurous than men).

What I’m trying to do is debunk this myth that solo travel involves great courage. And while I’m not putting my fellow solo travellers down, there is a great more to travelling alone than just being brave.

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Having sufficient knowledge to predict certain outcomes, and to know what to do with each outcome.

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What is courage, really?

In solo travel, ‘courage’ is simply a manifestation of having sufficient knowledge to predict certain outcomes, and to know what to do with each outcome.

Here’s an example: If someone has done enough pre-trip research on Beijing, he will know how much it costs to reach his hotel upon arrival at the airport or train station, thereby cutting down on the possibility of being swindled by taxi drivers and conmen; he will know when the last underground trains run, allowing him to plan his return on a late night out instead of being stuck in the city; he will know about the dangerous spots in Beijing and avoid them; and he will be aware of the many scams directed at foreigners and not fall for them.

Throw all these bits of information together and you get someone who is confident to travel on his or her own. This confidence manifests itself into a sense of knowing what to do, or as how outsiders see it, courage. If you can use Google, you can attain this courage just by doing enough research on the place you’re travelling to.

The joy of travelling alone

Most people who love travelling alone do it because of the freedom it gives. They do it because they want to be by alone and enjoy exploring a country by themselves.

I love going solo because I enjoy the freedom of travelling way I want to- I don’t have to tag along with anyone else, I don’t have to wait for someone else to get ready and no-one has to wait for me. As someone who loves writing about travel, I’ve found that my experiences are far richer when I’m travelling on my own. The locals interact with me more when I’m travelling solo and I am more open to speaking to strangers when I’m by myself.

That’s not to say, however, that I don’t enjoy travelling with others - I’m not that anti-social. Some of my most memorable trips have been with friends and family. Having a mixture of trips adds to the overall, wider travel experience and purpose, which is to explore this world we live in and to learn more about its people.

Don’t panic

Few non-solo travellers realise that one needs more than just courage, or what they perceive as courage, to travel alone. Everybody gets scared once in a while, but what a solo traveller needs to be is coolheaded, calm and resourceful. He also needs to have the ability to think on his feet when something unexpected happens.

If you’re a woman and you think you’re being followed, look for the nearest group of people and join them. It doesn’t matter that they don’t know you, just tell them quickly what you’re worried about. Chances are your stalker will leave.

If you’re in a foreign country and you’ve missed your train or bus, don’t hyperventilate. Go to the ticket counter to ask for a refund or buy new tickets.

Bored? Talk to people, learn things

Someone once told me he didn’t enjoy his first working trip alone because he was bored and had no-one to talk to. I actually needed a few minutes to digest that.

Clearly, the first thing you should do if this happens is to leave your hotel room, ask the reception for the nearest street market or cafe and head in that direction. There is no such thing as being completely alone even when you’re travelling alone. There is always someone to talk to, and any form of communication makes for a better travel experience. Worst-case scenario? Chat up the receptionist.

Travelling alone isn’t the only way to explore the world but everyone should try going solo at least once in their lives. Who knows, you may even discover that you enjoy it.