Source: Wix
There’s no one formula for travel. You have to figure out what works for you and what you like.
You may be an introvert or extrovert traveler. Or, you may even be a royalist who prefers to travel with family, friends and colleagues; or, you enjoy traveling alone and traveling with unique people. Either way, I have five questions that can help you find yourself a more personalized adventure so that your travels will feel as if you’re on your own personal adventure and not just following a set itinerary.
1) What would make this trip different? What is the one thing that makes this trip uniquely yours? What is the one thing that makes this trip different from all other trips?
2) How long do I want to stay in the country? How long do I want to be there after I arrive? Is this place really perfect for me? Are there any places where I’d like to go out of my comfort zone and explore new territory?
3) What are my priorities if I decide to visit multiple countries in a few weeks time, months or years down the line? How do I decide which countries/places are most appropriate for me at this time in my life/traveling career/life goals?
4) Will my health improve over time as years pass by or will it deteriorate when I’m trying to do too much too fast/too far away from home/family/medical care while traveling alone/travelling with friends/family on business trips/working on a project abroad etc.? Are there certain things that are necessary (health insurance, hotel room, etc.) that may not be available when I need them most or vice versa?
5) If it was possible for me to go back in time: Would things have changed because of those decisions made back then (regarding health insurance, getting married, having children, doing business abroad etc.)? Why did my choices change those decisions at all given what happened back then and how could they have been avoided if had things gone differently then (my health status now versus my health status back then)? This is another way of asking yourself: "What would it have been like had things gone differently?" If yes: Was it better than having nothing at all because it would have prevented you from being ill due to lack of health insurance policy etc.? If no: Then how would things have been different overall even if we had had
2. What are the benefits of traveling alone?
There are several benefits to traveling solo. Firstly, you get to be alone. Alone can be good for your health. Alone can often help you improve your relationship with the people around you. Alone time can help you learn something new. Alone can even make you feel more in control of your life and perhaps even of your destiny. All these things are true, but none of them is more important than the last one: alone time is the best time to learn new things.
In this day and age, it’s easy to find yourself desperately looking for some way out of a routine or a routine that will make it easier to keep going through what’s been happening in your life: chores and responsibilities, schoolwork, working at home or at the workplace…
The reason why so many people suffer from this pressure is not because they don’t want to do any of those things — they do — but because they don’t want to be alone when they are doing them .
Somehow, when we live in an era where we own our own lives and jobs (and careers), there is still a strong feeling that we should “invest” some part of ourselves into the people around us (and our relationships with them). The idea behind this mentality is that if you leave something important “behind” when you go somewhere else for some non-conventional vacation, then eventually someone else will come along and take it from you .
But that’s not how it actually works .
Why would someone come along taking something valuable? Why would they come back home without having seen anything or buying anything? Why would their happiness or disappointment possibly change their future plans?
Because neither person had any experience with what was happening in their lives before traveling somewhere new on vacation — which leads us logically towards my first question: why did they go on vacation at all ?
The answer is pretty simple: because they wanted adventure and because meeting new people could make them happy . And if that sounds like a good reason now too , then there are still 2 more questions right behind my question : why did they go on vacation at all ?
For starters, let’s assume that someone who went on vacation did not have any intention whatsoever about leaving their life behind — he was just doing it for fun and no other reason . But if his reason for going away was due to boredom or loneliness , then how could he have been happy ?
3. How to plan for solo travel
This is one of the best times of year to plan a trip. The lunar new year is a time for connecting with one another, which can happen in many ways. One of the best ways to connect with others and form new friendships is through solo travel.
I believe that solo travel is a powerful experience that doesn’t require much effort. To me, it’s like the difference between going on a mountain bike ride with someone else and soloing it all on your own.
The first step in planning for solo travel is to ask yourself: What are my goals? What will I accomplish if I succeed?
If you have no shared purpose, no means of communication, or no social network — then you aren’t ready for this journey alone. You need to get together with at least one other person who shares your values and wants to help you achieve your goals. If you want to go to Italy on your own, fine! But if you want to go there together, then get together with at least two other people who share those same intentions and want to join you on this adventure.
Make sure that whatever place or activities you select will be an adventure worthy of your experience. And don’t forget that these adventures often require tools as well as knowledge so make sure that wherever you choose to travel — take plenty of supplies with you!
4. How to meet people on the road
Traveling alone isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it can be a positive experience. If you don’t have to worry about your own security and well-being, getting out for a weekend away is an exciting opportunity to get away from the daily routine.
However, there are times when traveling solo is not the best idea.
You could be exposed to dangers that you aren’t prepared for, or forced to interact with uncultured people in unfamiliar surroundings. You may even come across people who will do things that are harmful to you.
That being said, never hesitate to travel alone if you think it is genuinely necessary and wouldn’t put yourself at risk of danger or being put in uncomfortable situations. Here are some questions you should ask yourself before travelling solo:
Can I bring my emergency cash?
Is there a specific place or person I want to visit? Is there someone I want to meet? Can I meet them on the road?
How will I travel alone? Will I be doing this for long periods of time? Will it be on foot or by car? How far will I go and what kind of weather will I experience? What kind of accommodations did they offer me while they were here? Did they offer me other options while they were here that might suit my needs better than what they offered me while they were here? If there was anything wrong with the accommodations that was available during their visit and whether those things would have cost more than what I paid, did they offer me any alternatives during their stay or a refund if that was offered during their stay? How long will it take before we see each other again if we don’t run into each other again after our time together while we are apart from each other while we are apart from each other ? What happens if we run into each other again after our time together while we are apart from each other , will we still remember how much fun we had together ? When do my friends usually travel solo ? Can I call on your services when traveling alone ? Is there anyone else who could join us for an extended trip when one of us is traveling alone ? Who do you usually bond with on vacation trips (friends/family/acquaintances)? Will mutual interests (traveler vs traveler) lend themselves well when traveling solo ? Can one traveler share his/her expenses in order to make sure he doesn’t pay for everyone else's expenses ? Does this
If you have ever traveled alone, you know what it’s like to feel the pressure of being anonymous. You’re out of your element. Your perspective is limited. And you have nothing to go on but your own observation. That’s not to say that there aren’t others who are out there, but their identity has been shifted by their surroundings into a new persona.
Although this isn’t a typical question to ask when traveling alone, I think it is important to make note of this phenomenon as it can be helpful in everyday life (and sometimes even in professional life). A culture-specific question that would be helpful in this regard is: “Who are you?”
Sometimes people will ask me “What makes you?” without giving me a chance to answer or even getting all the way to my point. I will often find myself answering all the questions they ask themselves first and then we can begin talking about how I came about becoming who I am. If someone asks one of these types of questions when traveling alone, it would help them understand why they have chosen their path in life and what motivates them (or at least helps them understand) why they choose travel as a work-life-relationship (WLR).
This type of question is a good way for people who do not regularly travel alone to learn more about that experience. If someone tries asking me these type of questions during an interview for instance, I will try and get an idea about why they are interested in travel before we start talking about our own experiences and experiences in the industry as well.
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