Solo Travel Is Fun But It’s Also…

Because what you see on social media is often all sunshine and rainbows and only shows the bright side of solo travel, when in reality it doesn’t really reflect the whole truth. Solo traveling and traveling in general is fun, yes, but it can also be messy, confusing and taxing.

So here’s an honest overview of some of the challenges you’re likely to encounter when traveling alone!

Save it for later!

1. Tiring, especially when you have to drag your belongings around with you everywhere you go

Since you don’t really have a place to call your own, you pretty much have to drag your backpack or luggage with you wherever you go.

And although I opted for a 40L backpack that contains practically nothing, which makes me wonder how it can be so heavy, I sometimes just want to get rid of it and travel with nothing but what I’m wearing.

That’s probably also why I like to slow travel and spend more time at one location so I can immerse myself more, and let’s be honest, so I don’t have to carry my backpack for at least a few days.

2. Getting lost, not always in a fun way

It doesn’t matter if you’ve researched the place beforehand or have a map, because sometimes Google Maps just lies! 100% accurate you think? Think again!

So yes, getting lost is fun when you know your whereabouts or when there’s civilization, but it tends to become less amusing when you’re in the middle of nowhere with an unstable internet connection and a map that isn’t really up to date.

3. Missing loved ones

I have a supportive family who accept me for who I am, even if I don’t see them for months. So I consider myself very lucky and grateful.

But still, that doesn’t stop me from missing people when I’m on the other side of the world, and wishing they were there when I discover a beautiful place, witness a good deed that makes me believe in humanity again, or simply when I eat something delicious.

4. You may lose friends along the way

Sometimes, the simple fact that you have chosen to solo travel around the world and don’t have a stable job like everyone else back home will not be understood by people, even those closest to you. And over time, it might lead you to drift away from friends, and lose touch with them altogether.

It happened to me, and although it may be sad at first, it’s okay, because we don’t all see life the same way and we don’t all need to follow the same path. So if people don’t understand your choices and end up not contacting you anymore, that’s life!

Maybe you weren’t meant to keep these friends forever, but only for a part of your life, and maybe that means you’ll meet other people who are on the same wavelength as you and see the world the way you do.

Learn to let go for your own sake!

5. Feeling confused all the time

Changing time zones, languages, currencies, cultures… is really confusing, especially when you’re just starting to get used to the conversion and finding your way around a country.

Solo travel is confusing, so much so that at some point, you might just give the cashier the wrong bill or a different currency, get on the wrong train and act like nothing’s wrong because you don’t want to embarass yourself further, or end up missing your flight because you forgot about the time difference, or look at the locals to understand what to do with the hot towel the waiter just gave you.

The truth is, whether you’re traveling alone or with friends, family…, you’ll end up in a lot of confusing and embarassing situations that will make for great stories later, but can really shake your confidence in the moment.

6. Demanding

Solo travel can be quite demanding, as you can only rely on yourself! From packing to planning, figuring out transportation and other things, you have to take care of everything, and sometimes you’ll get tired of it.

That’s why it’s important to always find moments of relaxation where you can indulge in your favorite hobby, have a spa day, or simply do nothing.

Because yes, traveling is fun, but changing accommodations every few days, packing and unpacking your bags, going through airport security, or figuring out all the little details can be very demanding, even more so when you have nobody to vent to.

7. Breaking down

Have I ever cried in the middle of an excursion or just sitting on a park bench? I sure did, and not because I felt lonely (which can happen when traveling solo, of course) or sad, but simply because I felt drained, tired, dehydrated or hungry.

Honestly, I think my emotions are sometimes heightened when I travel, perhaps because of the different surroundings or because I’m more active than when I’m in my home country, I don’t know.

But one thing’s for sure, I’ve broken down more times than I can count, often for stupid reasons too!

In any case, letting it all out is all I needed, so don’t hold it in and cry your eyes out if you feel like it!

I hope I haven’t scared you off with the challenges you may encounter when you solo travel! Don’t worry, the downsides are far outweighed by everything you’ll see and learn about yourself! Do you like to solo travel? What’s the biggest challenge for you? Leave it in the comments!

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