YOU ARE GOING ALONE?

YOU ARE TRAVELING ALONE?

Why yes, yes I am.

Lets address all of the questions and reactions I get when people hear this…

What are you going to do all day by yourself?

Whatever the hell I want! This is my favorite part. I can do what I want when I want. I can stay I can go, I can do nothing I can do everything. I can have lazy days on the beach reading from a hammock, or I can sip the local beer and mingle with other travelers or locals. I can eat what I want, where I want, when I want. I can be social, I can be anti social. No waiting on anyone else, no compromise, you can change your plans simply because you want to.

I am going to rock climb, zipline throughout the jungle, hike volcanoes, improve my photography skills, learn Spanish, sight see, snorkel, scuba dive, try new foods, dance, make friends, surf, shop, fish, read, write, tan ..okay burn, and so much more.

Won’t you be lonely?

Yes, I will have moments of loneliness, it is inevitable. I have moments of loneliness in my own home and I am sure I will on the road.

Am I going to let that stop me from doing this and seeing everything I want to see? NO.

I have done small bouts of solo travel before and am looking forward to all that lays ahead. Travelling solo is exciting and challenging, it gives you the freedom to do what you want when you want to all while learning things about yourself you maybe never knew. Solo traveling helps to sharpen intuition and promote personal growth and independence.

It is also a fabulous way to meet new people that you may not have if you were with a group or another person. People are curious as to why you are alone, they want to know your story, they want to befriend you. While I may set off alone, I will not always be traveling alone. I'm confident there are other like minded travelers out there just waiting to meet me and I cannot wait!

Getting involved in things such as surf lessons, yoga retreats, spanish classes, boat trips, excursions, organized volcano and jungle treks, scuba certification, etc are all opportunities to meet others and form life long friendships with those I meet on the road. I've seen it happen, its happened to me before, and I cannot wait to see what and who is in store for me next!

I enjoyed this post. It is about a girl named Kristin from Be My Travel Muse, and all the friends she made on her solo travels.

Aren’t you scared?

Of course I am. But conquering your fears is what it's all about. What pleasure would we get out of life if we didn’t overcome fears and obstacles? If everything was easy? Facing your fears is what makes it all worth the while.

“As a vegabond, you begin to face your fears now and then instead of continuously sidestepping them in the name of convenience.” - Ed Buryn, Vegabonding in Europe and North America

That's too dangerous you can not do this!

I could go on and on about this and I have in another post here

For now, I simply want to say that I have faith in humanity, I have trust in the world. The vast majority of the world is good and kind, but it is hard for people to grasp that when the random acts of violence are highlighted more prominently in global media.

‘Traveling around the world is statistically no more dangerous than traveling across your home town’

Here are some posts from girls about my age who have spent a significant amount of time traveling solo. The Truth About Solo Female Travel and Safety by Adventurous Kate Solo Female Travel Safety - Tips from 31 women who have traveled the world solo by Kristen of Be My Travel Muse

You are going alone, do you not have any friends?

This one makes me giggle. Mostly because all my life so many different people have asked me how I have so many friends and proclaimed ‘Colleen you have more friends than anyone else I know’. So yes I have a lot of really wonderful wonderful friends who are out there in the world doing their thang while I do mine!

Marta is a dentist, Dana & Joe just bought a house, Traci Casey Frances and Jenny are all getting married, Miguel is racking up $200 Sunday bar tabs, Kathy just moved to a new city, Noelle runs a charter school, Val is getting her PhD, Janie is big city livin' in her new high rise, Nicole Jillian and Sonya are killin the SA game, my home town girls are all crushing it in CLE, Chris is busy being the best Uncle ever, Lauren is a new mom and Alida is about to be!! And I am traveling the world.

One of the hardest parts of deciding to do this was leaving all my friends behind for longer than I ever have before. (FRIENDS: COME VISIT ME). I am looking forward to meeting all sorts of new friends who are like minded and share the same wanderlust as me! If you are reading this and out on the road, email me and let's be friends =)

 I miss them all already

Feel free to send me a message in the below contact box! What was your favorite part of this post? I would love to hear from you!