My first experience travelling alone

Travelling alone for the first time raises a lot of questions. However, there is no age to travel alone for the first or the tenth time. For a short or a long stay. My first experience travelling solo was in 2012. I was 22 years old.

How I ended up traveling aloneĀ 

In 2012, I was in Vancouver, Canada, for a Working Holiday Visa (WHV). I really wanted to travel around the USA and Canada!
I wonā€™t lie, I had never imagined doing this trip alone, with no one to share it with. The idea of traveling alone made me feel anxious, I was not very confident in myself and I almost deflated a few weeks before departure … I, of course, looked for travel mates but there was no one who had the same availabilities or the same desires, as me. So, what could I do?

One day, I browsed several forums on the Internet and surprisingly I read many testimonials of people who had traveled alone and who really liked it. The next day I talked about this ā€œideaā€ to my Canadian friends and their reaction made me realise that ā€œtraveling alone is greatā€ and not that ā€œunusualā€…Ā  Their reactions and their encouragments convinced me; I can do it too!

The organisation

So, I started drawing the route of a three-weeks roadtrip on the West Coast of the United States. Ā I decided to plan everything that could be planned: transportation, housing, visits, number of days and budget.

I spent hours and hours to read and check everything I could find on the internet, in travel guides and on blogs.

Booking transport was the simplest part: planes, trains, buses. The approach is not very different from group or duo travel trips as prices are the same. I only made sure to not arrive at destination during the night

Regarding housing, it’s a little different compared to group travels. I decided to sleep in mixed dorms in youth hostels. Usually, there are hostels everywhere and itā€™s easy to meet people (depending on the place). Beds are cheaper compared to single rooms in hotels.

However, to choose my hostels, I paid attention to two aspects:

  • Reviews of travelers that mentionned that “the hostel is perfect for solo travelers”, often because it means that it is easy to meet other (solo) travelers, because they have common meeting room and group activities;
  • The location of the hostel: to make sure that the hostel is not located in a creepy area and is not difficult to access

This careful planning was to reassure me, of course, but also to reassure my family who was more than 10,000km from me …

My first solo experience

While boarding the plane, the headphones on my head, I felt an excitement rise in me. I was about to realize a dream and I had the audacity to go alone!

It was a mixture of pride, recognition and admiration … for myself.

Is it surprising? Surely. It is not every day that one admires oneself and that one is proud of oneself. As soon as I landed at the San Francisco airport I realized: I’ll have to fend for myself in this jungle. No, I was not afraid, I took advantage of every moment. The question that teased me the most, before the departure, was: Am I really going to be alone? Strangely, this first solo trip also has the first trip during which I met a lot of people: travelers of all ages, all styles, all origins. I have rarely been alone, even when I was desperate to sit quietly and read a book.

I am not saying that I have never felt alone not been afraid. Of course, there were times when I imagined how it would have been different with my friends, my family or my boyfriend. And then, there were those moments where I had mixed feelings, for example when I got lost when I returned from an afternoon to Venice Beach to find my hostel, or the day when a (unknown) man proposed me in front of everyone on the Wall of Fame in Los Angeles, or even that moment when I travelled on a night bus for 12 hours next to a man who was talking to me in Spanish and who prevented me from sleeping (…) and so on …

As many moments as souvenirs

This trip gave me immense joy and the doubts and fears that I had had before the departure had all of a sudden disappeared. Throughout my stay, I only felt a huge positive energy!

It was a very well-planned trip but it was still the most unexpected and surprising journey I ever had !
No matter how hard we try to plan the itinerary, the number of nights and the visits, we will always live unexpected experiences every day.

I do now understand what a “rich and unforgettable experience” is. Because, for the first time, I had a Rich. Unforgettable. Experience

 

So if you’re looking for an answer to the question “Should I go?”, let me tell you: Go for it !

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  1. says: jerin

    Your Experience is too good. Your first alone travel is awesome. I am a traveling lover and this is very informative for me. Thanks for sharing your experience travelling alone.

  2. Solo trip is a wonderful thing. Have been to London alone and it was such an amazing experience.
    Thanks for sharing this experience.

    Traveling alone allowed me to fully immerse myself in the beauty of different cultures, savoring the flavors of local cuisine, and embracing the warmth of strangers who soon became friends. It’s in these moments of solitude that I found the space to reflect, grow, and connect with the world in a profound way.

  3. says: encalm

    I read your blog post about your first experience traveling alone, and I must say it’s a beautifully written and engaging account of your journey. Your storytelling captures the essence of the excitement, apprehension, and self-discovery that often comes with solo travel.

    Your vivid descriptions, like “a solo traveler, a lone adventurer,” and “the world was my oyster,” make the reader feel like they are right there with you, embarking on this thrilling adventure.

    I particularly appreciated how you shared not only the highlights but also the challenges you encountered during your trip. It’s refreshing to see your honesty about moments of doubt and the eventual triumph of self-assuredness. This authenticity makes your journey relatable to anyone considering solo travel.

  4. says: Oleg

    Oh yes, I understand your situation šŸ˜. I travel alone too, and the first trips caused doubts and excitement. I thought, “God, how can it be, I’m flying to another country where people live in a completely different way, breathe different air, see different food and speak a different language?” How will I live there? It turned out to be quite simple and people everywhere are the same and their everyday life, traditions and culture are also similar in many ways. You just need a little time to learn their peculiarities and get used to them. now I’m flying to another country and I realize that I just need to find a normal hotel, understand what kind of nearby places are suitable for working with a laptop and find a couple of good convenience stores where I can buy cookies šŸ˜‚. I wish you good travels!

  5. says: Lisa

    Your sharing blog is great and i really like it. I am a traveling lover and this is very informative for me.

  6. says: Erica Martin

    Amazing! Very well written and filled with useful information and inspiration information, Thanks for sharing your experience travelling alone.

  7. Your Experience is too good. Your first alone travel is awesome. I’ve enjoyed reading the post. It is very supportive and useful post. I would like to visit the post once more its valuable content. Thanks for sharing this so interesting post! I really want to be thankful for the way you have put it here.

    1. says: Florence

      Hi Johan, thank you very much for your positive and nice comment ! I am very glad that you find my experience inspiring and valuable… I am looking forward to sharing more about my travel experiences and feelings šŸ™‚

  8. I love solo travelling, at first i was sceptical doing it. But good research for the place, activities to do and accommodation is they key safe solo travelling and added bonus meeting amazing people along the journey.

  9. says: Ami Bhat

    Traveling solo can be very liberating. I constantly switch between going with friends and going solo and absolutely love both. Glad you were able to get over those tiny fears and do this trip. It will remain as a special one for you for life.

  10. says: Maggie

    The US is one of the easiest and best places for solo travel! I don’t travel alone but do travel with just my 6 year old and have for years all over the world. It’s definitely a fun experience knowing you can navigate foreign lands without the help of others!

  11. says: Matt

    Great account of what it is like travelling alone. My first solo trip I made the mistake of staying in cheap hotels (it was in Africa) rather than hostels so I got quite lonely. I still loved it though. But once I started staying in hostels, as you point out, you are never alone. I now love travelling solo and prefer it as it forces you to meet new people as opposed to staying with your friends the whole trip.