I’ll never forget the rush I felt as the plane taxied down the runway on my first solo trip.

Fixated on the window, my pupils dilated in wonderment as my heart thumped away eagerly inside my chest. 

 “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done.”

Speaking those words aloud – just above a whisper – confirmed that this surreal moment was actually happening.

This was immediately followed by a stimulating breakout of pimply gooseflesh, a final confirmation of my reality.

Although the experience was completely new, there was an air of familiarity to it, like rekindling a beloved childhood sensation.

I knew in that very moment that I could never go back.

Of course I’d return home in the literal sense, but it wouldn’t be as the me from before. It would be as an alternate version of myself, one that operated at a higher frequency.

It’s a bit difficult to explain – even as a writer – but there’s just something about that first solo trip that does something to you. While words can only convey so much, I’m going to do my very best.

I hope this post lights a fire in you, inspiring you to take the leap into the unknown.

Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee what your individual experience will be like, as it’s different for everyone.

What I can promise, however, is that after your first solo trip, you’ll never be the same.

If you’re used to traveling with a significant other, family members, and/or in a group setting, planning your first solo trip might feel overwhelming.

That’s because traveling by yourself means everything you do (or don’t do) depends solely on you.

You can’t rely on a travel buddy to get you to the airport on time, confirm your hotel reservations, or wake you up in time for that sunrise shoot.

Instead, you’ll need to look out for your own well-being.

Fortunately, although this may sound intimidating, relying on yourself can actually be quite liberating.

This experience will teach you how to fend for yourself, think ahead, and trust yourself in a way you never have before.

It will also help you flex your planning muscles, if that’s not usually your strong suit.

The better you are at arranging itineraries and keeping track of when/where you’re going, the easier your first experience will be.

The upside of relying on yourself is the incredible sense of freedom you’ll feel when you do. When you travel solo, you answer to no one.

As long as you’re not harming others and/or doing anything dangerous or illegal, the world is yours.

Once you realize this, your whole trip will start to click into place.

Just imagine it.

You can wake up whenever you want, go where you want, take as many photos as you please, and eat wherever your heart desires. 

Meanwhile, no one will be there to complain, debate you, rush you, guilt you, or otherwise complicate things.

You’ll really just do you, no strings attached!

Admittedly, navigation has never been my strong suit. In fact, it was the number one fear I had before taking my first solo trip.

But you know what? I figured it out!

Does this mean I made my way around without any difficulty?

Nope!

In fact, I got lost several times while in Prague.

However, I’m glad I did because each experience improved my navigational skills – and boosted my confidence.

So trust me when I say, if I could find my way around foreign cities, you can too!

Traveling solo is a huge confidence booster.

Personally, learning how to navigate around a new city was a biggie for me. Getting my bearings without any outside influence was one part “baptism by fire” and another part just getting out of my own way.

In addition, traveling by myself also made me much more confident taking my own photos.

Truthfully, I’m not a fan of asking random strangers to take my photo when I travel. Since pictures are a huge part of my work as a blogger/content creator, I don’t want to just “wing it” and hope for the best.

Besides, if you follow me on Instagram, then you know that I’m in all of my pictures, so having my trusty tripod with me is a must. 

Solo travel really put my tripod skills to the test, and I surprised myself by being up to the challenge.

In fact, I actually became so absorbed in setting up my shots that entire afternoons would slip by. Honestly, I sometimes wouldn’t have a clue what time it was until dusk fell and I was still shooting! 

Here are some of my favorite tripod shots that I captured during my solo adventures:

Traveling by yourself is also a great way to sharpen your problem-solving skills.

Here are just a handful of challenges I encountered on my solo trips:

• Confusing streets
• Sketchy areas
• Foreign airports with confusing signage
• Uncomfortable carry-on luggage confrontations
• Communication barriers
• Camera setting difficulties

However, I managed to work my way through each obstacle on my own because there was no other option.

And guess what? You will too!

I always try to meet my partner’s needs when I have a travel companion with me.

For instance, I’ll often let the other person pick a restaurant or dictate how long we stay somewhere based on their energy.

Unfortunately, this often means experiences are cut short, if not altogether lost.

When solo traveling, on the other hand, I tend to live in the moment and absorb my surroundings so much more.

Since you get to dictate each experience, you can truly enjoy things to the fullest, whether it’s strolling along the beach for hours or slowly savoring a delicious meal.

You may even look at beautiful sights you’ve seen before in a totally new light. This happened to me – quite literally – as I watched the sunrise in Lagos, Portugal.

Instead of rushing through the moment, I stood and stared, admiring the beauty.

When you solo travel, time is yours to spend how you wish. In fact, time seems to slow down when you don’t have reservations or other obligations to constantly rush off to.

Instead, you can decide how quickly (or slowly) you want to wake up and divide up your time however you see fit throughout the day.

If a plan falls through, you can quickly shift gears and rearrange your schedule on the fly without disrupting someone else’s plans.

Or, if you prefer, you can operate without a schedule whatsoever. Your trip really is yours to design.

Before my first solo trip, every blog I read said that traveling alone is a great way to meet new people.

Admittedly, I was skeptical, but I can honestly say it’s true. Traveling solo is a natural segue for conversations with other travelers.

When you’re traveling with a friend, family member, or partner, you’re probably not super likely to strike up a conversation with a total stranger.

However, when you’re on your own, people feel more comfortable approaching and engaging with you (and vice versa).

For instance, while touring Prague Castle, I naturally struck up a conversation with a couple from Ireland who was also on the tour. I told them about my blog and learned all about their daughter from back home!

Then, while eating my final dinner in Prague, I sat next to a father and a son from Sweden, and we ended up chatting throughout the entire meal.

In addition to organically conversing with other travelers, traveling solo is also a great opportunity to meet fellow content creators.

While in Prague, I met up with my first Instagram friend in real life!

Veronica lives in Prague, so she was happy to show me around the most iconic Instagram spots as well as reveal some hidden city gems.

She also knew all of the best spots to get trdelník! (Yum!)

There’s nothing like meeting up with a local to get the scoop on all the best locations.

I highly recommend reaching out to friends via Instagram who live in your chosen destination and arranging a time to meet up. This is a great way to create content, exchange ideas, and get to know a destination on a deeper level.

In addition to meeting new people, solo travel is also an opportunity to dig deeper and uncover your true “travel personality.”

It can also challenge your own limiting beliefs about who you are.

For instance, I discovered a different side of myself on my first solo trip. I was more carefree, spontaneous, and self-sufficient.

Previously, I’d considered myself to be “Type A” – always painstakingly planning and overthinking – but my trip to Prague challenged this belief.

After getting lost one evening and missing a walking tour, I found myself on a tourist trolley just moments after. The trolley was preparing to leave in five minutes and I made a split-second decision to hop on without questioning it.

If you know me, you’ll know this is very out of character. As someone who overanalyzes every decision, this was refreshingly spontaneous.

In fact, it’s rare for me to make a decision without obsessing over all of the different outcomes first to assure I’m not “missing out” on the best one.

Or, perhaps that was just a self-imposed narrative that I simply repeated mindlessly.

Either way, there was no one to question me, confirm whether or not it was “best” to hop on that trolley, or try to stop me.

All I know is, as it clattered down the street and the wind whipped through my hair, a huge grin spread across my face.

Turns out, it’s totally okay to make decisions off the cuff and have a really great time! (Who knew?)

I was also really surprised how easily I opened up to new people. Truthfully, I didn’t imagine I’d speak to anyone outside of my friend or hotel/restaurant staff.

However, I proved myself wrong once again, and I’m sure you will, too!

As you’ve probably gathered, once you’ve been bitten by the travel bug, you’re basically “ruined” for life.

Well, once you take your first solo trip and get a taste of freedom, you’ll be hooked.

Solo travel enables you to get into a comfortable rhythm with yourself, similar to being single for an extended period of time.

You’ll come to realize that you don’t need a travel companion to be happy and that travel satisfaction comes from within. It’s an amazing feeling!

Additionally, you’ll likely be more selective about who you do travel with after this life-changing experience.

As Ernest Hemingway wisely said: “Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”

Challenges inevitably arise whenever you travel, so adventuring with someone you genuinely care about means you’ll work through the tougher situations.

Side Note: If you do ever find your constant travel companion – shout out to the hubby – don’t let that person go!

You may also find you have a much lower tolerance for unnecessary trip drama once you go it alone.

However, this can be a great way to eliminate excess baggage (literally and figuratively) for much more satisfying experiences in the future.

After two incredible solo adventures, I genuinely believe that everyone should travel alone at least once. It’s hard to explain just how special it is until you experience it for yourself.

In fact, your biggest regret will probably be not taking the leap sooner!

Have you ever traveled by yourself? If so, I’d love to hear about your experience.

If not, are you considering taking your first solo trip? What fears/doubts/questions do you have? Let me know in the comments below; I’m always happy to help!