This famous song can define solo travel. As a child, I used to hear, “Suhana Safar Aur ye Mausam Haseen, Hume Darr hai hum Kho Na Jaye Kahi.” This song was used to show Dilip Kumar on Solo travel, enjoying beautiful nature. And I, with wide eyes, used to tell my dad I would travel like this one day. And really, I did, though I was very apprehensive initially. But I desire to take this opportunity & bring out the eccentric wanderer in me. When I set off to dive into these trips, it made me realise you couldn’t have everything, so enjoy the moment you get- there is this famous Bollywood dialogue around it “Jitna Bhi try Kar lo Kuch Na Kuch Chootega hi, Isley Yahin Isi pal ka Maza Lete hai.”
The orb is a wanderlust; while you explore it on your own, you learn to survive. You know when & whom to trust and how to find a way for yourself amidst the thick & thin. My solo travel taught me to be disciplined. Or else there would not be any sunrise or sunset for me. I have tons of photos of them, each one beautiful & different from the other.
These solo travel made me humble & forced me to come out of my comfort zone. It made me more receptive to varied people of different age groups, cultures & perceptions. A solo traveller is more approachable & less intimidating. You can chat with a bartender or join a group for a drink at your following table. These build up fond memories with people you will likely not meet again. I met people with backgrounds & experiences opposite to mine, which led to a beautiful friendship.
My solo travel also gave me the ultimate freedom I longed for and taught me its actual substance. Since you are the leader & the decision-maker of your journey, you tend to become more responsible for your choices & decision. This freedom also teaches you to take chances, explore and let your fear take a parting. But being precautious is another lesson freedom departs, like giving your travel plan back home to be checked once in a while, carrying a copy of your identities, significant numbers & address, not getting sloshed at a bar, travelling light etc.
The knowledge that this freedom offers made me self-reliant, and at that place, is no distraction, fully observing the sounds, smells, sights and other people’s social interactions. Even the different places we see and ethnicity broadens our knowledge of life & its learning. Abraham Maslow said- “One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen repeatedly; fear must be overcome repeatedly.”
Sooner or later, you will be alone most of the time in your lifespan. Fortunately, I love the time to myself as my thoughts are always muddled, but this loneliness on my trips gives me the time to untangle & focus on correct thinking. This loneliness or your time helps you understand your pace, rhythm,& preferences. Time is like a gift. And I learned that I did not miss anyone on my solo trips. It helped me better understand myself and explore my likes, dislikes, strength & weakness.
I learnt to appreciate moments over assets, acceptance towards survival with just the bare necessities, the beauty of nature, the silence of the mountains, the sound of the ocean & chirping of a bird. Besides, time travelling alone is the perfect opportunity to feast on books, watch movies, book some adventure activity, hike or trek, tour around the city, soak in the charm & enjoy conversation with locals, meditate or eat out at the best joints or cafe. It reminded me of another beautiful line from our Bollywood movie- “Waqt Rukta Nahi, beet Jata hai. Aur hum Kharch ho Jate Hai.”
From my minor to big solo trips, I learned to introspect about life & love. I realised self-love is the best boost to one’s confidence & self-esteem. When you start indulging yourself, you let loose the doubts & focus on opportunities. I am determined to listen, reflect and articulate my voice. Travelling solo will help your career, and new experiences help open multiple doors. I even swept up the positivity around me while navigating unfamiliar places or putting up in a hostel or Dharamshala.
Solo travel is when confronting truth can be challenging, but learning to master them is a part of growth. It eventually improves in solitude & makes us happy by bringing peace to mind. My trips keep me sane, as I value those moments by myself. It helps me feel balanced, giving me space to think about what’s important to me and whether I’m on the right path.
Make as many memories as possible, and capture them in a photo. Absorb in the flow of your trip, and enjoy every minute of doing nothing or barely doing anything. In time slow down and savour the quiet and serene moments. Other times be spontaneous, liberating your soul. Live in the moment, as other things can wait. After writing about why I preferred solo travelling, being a woman, I can only confess I wanted to hold memories. While sitting at my work table or in a meeting room, I can relish them & smile. It can be scary thinking about a solo trip, but t trust me, it’s not. Why wait for someone else when we can inevitably find ourselves, and be responsible for our actions, thereby liberating our minds & soul?
I can sing what Ed Sheeran sang,
“We keep this love in a photograph.
We made these memories for ourselves.
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken.
And time’s forever frozen still.
So you can keep me inside the pocket of your ripped jeans.
Holding me closer ’til our eyes meet
You won’t ever be alone; wait for me to come home.“
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