Solitude is bliss: The benefits of travelling solo

Evenings derailed by group indecision? Days wasted on activities that your more assertive travel buddy insisted upon? Finding new conversation topics to get through that umpteenth layover when you just want to listen to a podcast or write your travel blog?

Such headaches simply do not apply when you take a leaf from the books of famed solo adventurers like Jessica Watson, Cheryl Strayed and Tintin, and leave your nearest and dearest at the airport.

But while you might be without familiar company, you don’t need always need to be 100% alone. Navigating a foreign country with no support network can be challenging, which is why travelling in small groups affords you the security of winding your way around locations like Cuba, Iceland  or Sri Lanka without the fear of getting lost, while retaining the flexibility to peel off and do your own thing.

Mixing with other solo travellers can also open you up to making new friends, connections and experiences with people from all around the world – something that probably won’t happen when you spend the trip with a close friend rehashing stories about the people you went to school with – aren’t gap years wasted on the young?

Having a local tour guide on hand can also be handy for pointing out hidden gems, avoiding any overrated tourist traps and, of course, taking your photo when a selfie just doesn’t capture the breathtaking scale of Havana’s crumbling beauty, the ruins of Machu Picchu or the sheer scale of an Icelandic glacier.

And as for the people you leave back home? They’ll still get to hear your travel stories when you return as a seasoned independent globetrotter.

Want to know more about Intrepid Solo Adventures? Contact the team () at Peregrine Travel Centre SA. Join their FREE Solo Traveller Collection to connect with other like-minded solo travellers in Adelaide and receive the latest deals and tips for travelling solo.

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