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
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.
Remote working from the Philippines - The Best places to work remotely in El Nido and Siargao
For years, the Philippines wasn't considered one of the easiest destinations for digital nomads.
Slow internet, frequent power outages, and the logistical challenges of moving between islands made many remote workers choose destinations like Thailand, Bali, or Vietnam instead.
But things have changed dramatically since the arrival of Starlink…