I recently read that more and more people are at least thinking about taking that step into a journey on their own. Goggle reported that searches for such travel has increased by over 223% in the last 10 years. What would bring about that joy? As someone who has done as many trips alone as with others I can attest to some of the benefits.

Your  interaction with locals is more frequent than if you were with a spouse or friend and you discover that you really are quite capable of handling obstacles on your own.  Best of all is that each day is all yours. I’ve had to handle missed flights, lost luggage. dining alone, getting lost and being frightened and yet I survived. It is fun finding commonalities with strangers and I accept their offers of help when needed and am quick to recipricate.

One might consider doing a small group trip with strangers as a way of easing into solo travel.  Especially if it’s a tour of a place that you might consider dangerous or difficult to get around on your own.  My first such adventure was with a group organized by a woman in England who’s specialty was Africa. Her prices were cheaper than any I had found and she kept her groups relatively small.  I signed up for Rwanda, Uganda and the Congo. There were 8 of us including the leader, only one couple and the rest were women like me, none of us knowing anyone else.  It was an incredible trip but I quickly learned that I am much more comfortable paying extra for the single supplement.  I am older than most such adventurers and I snore.  My “mates” were pleasant and welcoming but I could tell I was the last one picked when it came to roommates!  I would do another trip with this group or any others as long as I have my own room and hopefully a bathroom!

Since then I’ve done multiple trips on my own, hiring a local guide and driver when I plan on doing more than just a city tour.  Another reason for this is that no one is really interested in going to some of the out of the way places that appeal to me! In the last couple of years I’ve travelled solo to Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Bolivia, Malawi, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Senegal, Mauritius, and Paraguay.

 Many of these countries nessistated local guides due to safety, cultural or infrastructure concerns.  And you can find trusted ones online through companies like Tours by Locals, GetYourGuide or by checking to see if a local tour company will offer a private tour for extra money.  I’ve yet to be disappointed with any of my drivers/guides while arranging such tours.  Social media is also very helpful.  I often check TripAdvisor and read reviews and sometimes even engage in a conversation with someone who has used a guide.

A number of my most memorable journeys have been cruises where I had my own room; didn’t know anyone but made some great friends and managed to visit  Antarctica, the Arctic Circle and many of those beautiful Caribbean Islands!  Not all cruise liners offer the” no single supplement” charge so check carefully.  Both Seabourn and Le Ponant do on some of their more adventurous destinations.

While I like doing the planning, the research and discovery, I also enjoy those times when everything has been planned and all I have to do is get to the starting point.  I’m already looking forward to my next cruise which isn’t until 2026 but I’ll be going to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji and I’ll have my own cabin with no single supplement!