When I was younger I wouldn’t have considered travelling alone. I only ever travelled with my family or with a partner, I didn’t even do the traditional girls holidays. I liked knowing I had people I knew with me and also found the whole process of flying and getting around airports quite baffling.
I didn’t have my first trip abroad until I was 21 but it didn’t take me long to ignite the flame of seeing new places. By the time I was 27 I’d been to various places in Spain, Portugal, France, Mexico and Africa, all with other people at my side should anything go wrong. I then had my children and the travelling ceased for a bit other than a few group holidays with my then toddler. Some people get out of their comfort zone by going abroad for the first time and this trip alone can trigger them wanting to start living in Greece rather than just visiting. The point is that travel can pull you from culture that you’re used to, customs you’ve become accustomed to and situations that feel ordinary. It’s all about the extraordinary.
It wasn’t until I got to about 32 that I got on a plane or train completely alone and this was as a result of starting to do press trips or reviews for my blog. I found that although scary at first I quickly got over any fears and I learned to enjoy it.
For me travelling alone has some big plus points, you get to choose where and when. You don’t have to worry about other peoples needs and wants and I can see this is probably a big draw for booking a singles holiday. Companies like Friendship Travel help to take the little stresses out of booking by helping to plan the minutiae of your holiday along with a host who makes it easy to get to know your fellow travellers should you wish to. So travelling alone doesn’t have to mean spending your holiday alone. Lone travel is surging particularly for women and it is far less daunting when booking with an established company whose sole aim is to make your holiday the best it can be.
Here is what they have to say about what a singles holiday entails:
It’s easier to say what it is not. It is not about matching people up. It is not about doing everything together. It is not a coach tour for 40 people. It is not an 18-30-something club holiday.
A Friendship Travel holiday is whatever you want it to be. You can snooze by the pool all afternoon or sightsee till your feet bleed; enjoy intelligent conversation in the bar or bop till you drop in a night club. Between you, your fellow guests and your Friendship host, you decide what sort of holiday you want to enjoy.
My upcoming holidays I intend to plan with my family and partner alongside but if a time ever came to travel solo again I wouldn’t have any of the worries about it that I previously did. Personally I’d recommend places like Copenhagen and Belfast (check out the Titanic museum if you go)for short city breaks if you want to dip your foot in the water before going long haul or to any far flung places.
Do your research, be safe and most of all enjoy travel. We live in this huge world, go see it.
*This is a collaborative post with Friendship Travel.
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