Solo Travel When You're Scared: You Don't Have to Feel Ready Before You Go

There is a particular type of solo traveller we see online.

They're standing at an airport with a backpack.

Confident.

Independent.

Completely fearless.

"Just book the ticket!"

And I'm sitting there thinking:

Yeah... it's not always that simple.

Wanting to travel alone and actually feeling comfortable doing it are two completely different things.

You can desperately want the freedom of solo travel while simultaneously thinking about approximately 700 things that could go wrong.

And I think we need to talk about that part too.

You don't need to become fearless first

One of the biggest misconceptions about solo travel is that confidence needs to come before the trip.

Sometimes confidence comes because of the trip.

You do something you're nervous about.

Then you realise:

Oh. I actually managed that.

Then you do the next thing.

Eventually something that once seemed enormous becomes normal.

That doesn't mean you'll never get nervous again.

I certainly don't think becoming completely fearless should be the goal.

Start smaller if you need to

Your first solo adventure doesn't need to involve flying halfway around the world.

Try one night somewhere.

Take a train to another city.

Visit somewhere you already know.

Take yourself to a café alone.

Go to an attraction alone.

Book a weekend.

There isn't a committee somewhere deciding whether your trip qualifies as REAL SOLO TRAVEL™.

You went somewhere by yourself?

Congratulations.

It counts.

Research can help

I can be incredibly spontaneous when I travel.

I can also plan everything.

Apparently my brain skipped the normal middle option.

But when something makes me nervous, research helps.

Where am I staying?

How do I get there?

What does the airport look like?

What public transport is available?

Can I download the map?

What happens if my flight is cancelled?

Who can I contact?

Do I have travel insurance?

Where are my important documents?

You can't prepare for everything.

Travel WILL throw something unexpected at you eventually.

But preparation can turn one enormous scary thing into smaller manageable things.

You are allowed to have a bad day

This is another thing social media isn't particularly good at showing.

Sometimes travel is amazing.

Sometimes you're exhausted.

Sometimes you get lost.

Sometimes the weather is horrible.

Sometimes an attraction you've been excited about for months is disappointing.

Sometimes you want to sit in your hotel room and eat snacks.

That's okay.

Solo travel doesn't mean performing happiness for an audience.

You're allowed to have an ordinary Tuesday while you're in another country.

Why I love the freedom

The thing I keep coming back to with travel is freedom.

If I want to do something, I can.

If I don't want to do it anymore, I can change my mind.

When you're travelling alone, you don't have to negotiate every decision.

Want to spend three hours somewhere?

Do it.

Hate it after ten minutes?

Leave.

Found something completely random that looks more interesting than today's carefully planned itinerary?

CHANGE OF PLAN.

I love that.

Of course, being responsible for every decision can also be scary.

But that's part of what teaches you that you're capable of making those decisions.

Your first trip doesn't need to change your life

There's so much dramatic language around solo travel.

"I travelled alone and FOUND MYSELF."

Maybe you will.

Or maybe you'll have a nice weekend, eat something good, get slightly lost, see something cool and go home.

That's also fine.

The first trip doesn't have to transform you.

It just has to give you the opportunity to try.

If you're waiting until you feel 100% ready, you may wait forever.

Research.

Prepare.

Start at a level that feels manageable.

And remember:

Being scared doesn't automatically mean you shouldn't go.

Sometimes it simply means you're about to do something you've never done before.