Back in 2017, I welcomed the year with a HUGE PLAN for myself… TO TRAVEL ALONE!
My family and friends were like, “What?! Are you crazy?”, “Is it safe?”, “You meeting someone?”, or “Are you brokenhearted?”. Lol. Their reactions were hilarious.
Why I decided to try it out? It is because I wanted to gain a bigger sense of independence. Growing up in a Filipino culture, my siblings and I were always raised by strict parents.
My happy face as I finished spelunking.
I only started traveling when I finished college and whenever I do, its always with family and friends. Not that its a bad thing but, there’s some kind of excitement when you’re on your own adventure.
I booked a trip to Palawan, Puerto Princesa and El Nido for 5 days. At first I was like, “Will I make it for 5 days by myself?”. Sure thing I was a bit scared and worried for the reason that I don’t want to mess up in an unfamiliar place, away from my loved ones.
HOW DID I PREP?
To avoid messing up my dream trip, here are the steps I took before booking.
- Parent’s Counseling Though I’m already an adult, I still need my parent’s guidance. I wanted to know how they feel about me going there alone. That way, I can gauge how safe it is to do the trip.
- Finding a Reliable Travel Agency I’m not the type at that time to DIY a solo trip. It was important for me to have someone accountable, such as a trusted agency that can assist and ensure a smooth trip. It saved me a lot of time than doing everything by myself.
- Travel Insurance is a MUST You don’t really know what happens in a trip especially when you’re alone. It’s better to be ready than be sorry later if something bad comes up. I made sure my travel was insured, so I won’t stumble any possible problems during my trip.
- I read Blogs from Solo Travelers With the technology now, it was a blessing to find credible bloggers to seek for valuable information. The trip wouldn’t be possible without these helpful articles. I had a deeper grasp on what to expect when traveling alone.
As a first time solo traveler, I had mixed emotions on the whole journey. Here are my pros and cons for traveling alone.
Pros as a Solo Traveler
- Planning was a jiffy, you don’t have to consider other opinions.
- You learn to be responsible especially showing up on time for the scheduled tour.
- Independence is real. You learn to do everything by yourself.
- You have strict control over your budget.
- You don’t need to wait for someone else.
- You learn to become your own photographer/videographer.
- You learn to interact with other people.
The Cons
- No one to talk to when you spot a beautiful scenery.
- If you’re short on budget, no back up.
- Having to ask a stranger to take your photo.
- Some people think its weird to travel alone.
- You can’t party or hang out late at night for security reasons.
- It could get lonely at times.
What I Learned?
Throughout the whole trip, I learned more about myself. I learned how to navigate and find my way without relying to anyone.
I became more responsible to set my own alarm and diligently wake up. I successfully showed up on time to every group tours I joined. I managed to make friends even if I’m awkward. And most of all, I learned to survive on my own with my allocated budget.
Will I Do it Again?
Honestly, no. Not because my experience was bad, but because I have realized one thing… I am not a total introvert. I’m in between.
It’s still fun to travel with groups of people especially with your family and friends. Though my experiences traveling alone was fun, I still prefer traveling with someone.
However, I strongly recommend that you should at least try it once in your life. The experience is quite liberating and rewarding at the same time.