Travelling alone is one of the best ways to get to know yourself. You will be introduced to ongoing opportunities to evolve and grow on a daily basis. Our founder Laura shared her tips on how she found the best travelling buddy in herself.
Travelling alone can feel really intimidating idea. What if I get lost? What must other people think? What if I get bored? Trust us, single travelling does have its advantages too. Traveling alone gives you the chance to truly coddle yourself without listening to someone else’s requisites. What could be more relaxing?
People who travel alone are never really alone. “You get the feeling you’re a world citizen,” Laura, the art director and founder of Studio Bonny declares. For her the fear of solitude is a strange myth: “I feel travelling solo has brought a certain courage to my everyday persona. I am quite shy after all but when I’m in my travel mood it’s fairly easy to be social. I’ve been alone but never really felt lonely. When you travel solo you actually notice that quite a lot of people do that.”
Tip 1: Just do it
When I went solo for the first time, it just happened by chance. No one really was able to have a vacation with me that time so I just needed to go alone. But it was a happy accident. After the first trip I really started to enjoy travelling by myself. The best thing is that you don’t bring anything from your everyday life with you. You’re able to get rid of stress right as you step on a plane or a boat or a train. It creates an unbelievable sense of freedom. It feels powerful in that moment but holds you back for a long time (and if it scares you, remember that you can always come back).
Tip 2: Diversify your wealth
I always travel with at least two credit cards and divide the travel budget between the accounts. I also always have cash in different places. It’s a real no-brainer, but so hard to remember.
Tip 3: Start with something comfy (and save the rough spots for the future)
I’ve been solo travelling in Costa Rica, US, Thailand and almost all Mediterranean countries. All these are great places to travel alone. For the accommodation, I try to pick smaller, more unique and personal places with congenial peeps with the same interests. The greatest thing is that you’ll make friends despite people’s age or social class. In Costa Rica, I got to know two American elderly gentlemen living the perfect surfer lifestyle. Each morning, we prepared coffee together at 5am and walked to the beach to check the waves. Unforgettable.
Tip 4: Do it like the locals do
I try to connect with the locals as much as I can and always use the existing amenities available: I shop at the local supermarket and use the neighbourhood laundry to wash my clothes. I also recommend scouring all existing local contacts you might have beforehand. Search for them on social media and send a message well in advance. Local contacts bring so much more to the experience and you really get to show your interest towards another culture. Oh, and learn a few words of the language of the destination.
Tip 5: Plan (at least a bit)
I’m not always the most organized person on the planet but I do plan my trips with care, especially the transitions. Because it might be that the phones, not to mention the internet, are not working. The understanding of the logistics equals security. Of course, it might be that everything goes wrong but at least you have some sort of lifeline to grab.
Tip 6. Have a hobby
Always when I travel alone, I tend to incorporate something active into my trips. I basically have a hobby everywhere I go. In Santorini I was doing a yoga retreat, in Costa Rica I learned to surf and in Florida I booked a tennis coach. When you book an activity, you’re actually never alone. Having a hobby is a great way to make friends too.