Reclaiming yourself through travel
As you start your first solo travel, you might notice straight away that, suddenly you can hear yourself think for what feels like the first time in years. And it can be deeply, wildly uncomfortable. For about a day. And then it's the best thing that's ever happened to you.
You get a front-row seat to your own inner monologue, running uninterrupted, with nobody around to nudge it in a different direction. And what I discovered somewhere around a solo dinner in a country where I don't speak the language, is that a worrying amount of that inner voice isn't actually mine. It's a highlight reel of everyone else's opinions, playing on a loop as if it were my own personal wisdom.
“You should see the main square, everyone says it's a must. You can't skip the famous viewpoint, you'll regret it. Three days here isn't enough, you need at least a week to "do it properly."“
Whose voice is that, exactly? Because on day four, alone, with nothing but your own company and a very good pastry, I promise you it starts to sound suspiciously like a group chat you're not even in anymore.
Why you never end up taking that solo trip
You’ve thought about it. Maybe you’ve spent hours looking at flights, saved hotels on Instagram, created a Pinterest board, and even told your friends: “I think I’m going to travel on my own this year.” You can almost picture yourself there. Having a coffee somewhere beautiful. Waking up with nowhere to be. Meeting people from all over the world. Finally doing the things you’ve been putting off.
And yet… you still haven’t booked the flight. You keep telling yourself you’ll do it when you have more time, when work calms down, when you’ve saved a little more money, when you feel more confident, when you find the right destination. And somehow, weeks turn into months. I’ve seen this happen with women I’ve spoken to about solo travel, and I completely understand why. Wanting to travel alone and actually committing to the trip are two very different things. Sometimes, the biggest obstacle isn't the destination, the money or even safety. It’s everything that happens in your head between “I’d love to do this” and “I’ve booked my flight.”
1. You are waiting to feel confident before you go
25 Questions to ask yourself before booking a one-way ticket
There is something exciting about booking a one-way ticket. No return date, fixed plan and total freedom. Just you, your backpack, and the idea that you’ll figure it out along the way.
After working in London for a few years followed by one and off 1-2 months trip to Southeast Asia, I was feeling ready to leave my flat and my routine for good and experience what felt like total freedom of choice. If I wanted to be in Thailand for 3 months or follow a new friend to Bali, it was all made possible. So I booked a one-way ticket to Southeast Asia and walked away from everything familiar.
I had already travelled a lot, I was used to solo trips, and I thought I understood what long-term travel would feel like. But once I actually did it, I realised it was a completely different experience that my 1-2 months trips. It wasn’t just travel anymore. It was movement without a fixed base, constant decision-making, and rebuilding your sense of “normal” over and over again.
Is solo travel easier for extroverts? The truth about personality and solo travel
Solo travel is often assumed to be easier for extroverts. You’re social, outgoing, and comfortable meeting new people… so you’ll naturally make friends everywhere you go and have the best time travelling solo, right? While introverts might have a real challenge meeting new people.
But solo travel challenges extroverts and introverts in completely different ways, and often in the exact areas you wouldn’t expect.
Extroverts and solo travel: the hidden challenges
While extroverts often seem like they should thrive when travelling alone, the beginning of a solo trip can feel surprisingly quiet. You arrive somewhere new, full of excitement… and then suddenly you realise there’s no one to share it with.
You might notice yourself sitting in cafés or restaurants thinking “This would feel better if someone was here with me” or scanning the room, wondering when you’ll naturally meet people again. But it’s not that you can’t meet people, it’s that you don’t know when it will happen. And when you’re travelling solo, that uncertainty can feel unsettling at first.
Travelling solo after a breakup: A gentle guide to reclaiming yourself
There’s a very specific moment in life that many women quietly arrive at after a divorce. It’s the moment you realise your time is yours again.
After years, sometimes decades, of compromise, responsibility, emotional labour, family life, or simply prioritising someone else’s needs, the idea of traveling alone can feel both exciting and deeply unfamiliar. For many women, it’s not just about travel. It’s about identity. Freedom. And learning how to be with yourself again.
How to overcome the fear of solo travel in Bali (First-time solo traveller guide)
If you’re feeling scared about your first solo trip , especially to Bali or anywhere in Asia, you’re honestly not alone.
Fear of solo travel is extremely common, even when you really want to do it. One part of you is excited, and the other part is imagining everything that could go wrong at the airport, in a taxi, or on your first night in a new country.