This list is indefinite. I could go on forever, finding reasons for both sides. But with my recent return from my first solo trip to the Dalmatian Coast (Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro), I learned these pros and cons firsthand. Regardless of the cons, I would recommend solo travel to everyone. Do it at least once. Need convincing? Well…

 

You control your schedule.

Unexpected late night out? No worries, sleep in a bit and catch the brunch menu at the cafe instead of the breakfast. I loved this aspect because I could feel well rested my whole trip. Granted, I also racked up over 26 hours of bus rides (not even joking) which I utilized to its full potential (read: nap time).

 

 

You suddenly have all this time for yourself.

We spend so much time focusing our energy outwardly, that we need to remove ourselves from our day to day lives to channel that energy inward. We discover new things about ourselves. We find what really interests us when we don’t have to account for the tastes of others in a travel entourage. As much as I thought I enjoyed eating out, I usually treated myself to a home cooked meal for most of the vacation because I knew I would like it. And on occasion, I topped it off with some ice cream.

 

You meet people.

That’s probably the second biggest draw for solo travel. I used AirBnb for my accommodations which allowed to meet locals in each city I stayed. I would talk to strangers (GASP, I KNOW HOW DARE I), mostly asking them to take my picture. Being bilingual helped as I interacted with half of these strangers in French.

You become your own favorite travel companion.

Maybe this changes when you’re married. But for the majority of people reading this, let’s face it. You can’t always bring Nutella and Netflix isn’t always available in your destination. I became comfortable being by myself 24/7 for a WEEK. It increased my self confidence. Not saying I’m fearless, but suddenly humanity doesn’t seem so menacing.

---

Now for the less glamorous side of solo travel….

You’re responsible for your set backs.

Didn’t plan enough time to cross three countries to catch your plane back home? OOPS. That one is on you! This was almost the case with me, but I was definitely looked after from above and I caught all my buses with less than 10 minutes between each switch.

Spent too much? Can’t blame Honey Boo Boo for your sweet tooth.

I get it. We like to treat ourselves. But I definitely spent WAY more on this trip than I expected. The majority coming from transportation costs, but we need to eat too right? I tried the budget travel hacks – I bought groceries and cooked for myself, I booked cheap(er) accommodations, and I avoided the tourist traps. In the end, I spent what I spent. The next time I plan a trip, I can review my expenses to see how much I really need for myself to travel like Beyoncé comfortably.

 

You do feel alone.

I learned to become comfortable with myself 24/7. And that took the first couple of days. Sometimes I was so starved for human interaction that I would ask someone to take my picture at random places that I knew I’d never post on Facebook. Humans are generally nice people. Living in a big city, I tend to put on a cold front with strangers. It was nice to warm up to people that were kind enough to talk to me.

If you’ve seen my recent YouTube video, you will notice there were plenty of rocks and other things propping up my camera to film.

You have no one to intimately share these experiences with.

Remember that one time in Croatia? Yeah, I’ll never get to say that. Unless I go back (any takers?). I went a little overboard with posting these pictures on Instagram because I wanted to share this trip with those I care about! Although I never made any lasting friendships from this trip, some people do. And that can create wonderful memories to be reminisced in days to come.

I saw this quote the other day and thought I’d use it to tie up this post. Dare to be different. Dare to take a chance.

Bisous from Paris,

Paul xx

Wondering how I afford to travel?

I’ve compiled some of my tips into a fresh batch of ideas to kickstart your travel fund!

Version 2.0: Here

Version 1.0: Here