Travelling Alone or With Mates?

On most online travel forums when the question of solo travel versus travel with mates or a loved one comes up seasoned travellers will usually declare that going it alone is the only way.  There are certainly plenty of advantages of solo travel, but like at home, some experiences are best shared.

Pros of going your own way

• You are your own boss; total freedom to go wherever and do whatever you want to do without a long debate or heated argument
• You make more of an effort to meet new people, and this can be the best part of any trip
• Locals can be more welcoming when they see you alone; in some parts of the world you will be a genuine curiosity travelling by yourself
• You can be as frugal as you want; with multiple budgets can come hassles with one person eating rice and beans, another eating nothing at all, while the other looks for ‘organic grain fed low carbon emission certified co-operative labour products’ in the middle of nowhere. You can do what you want.

There are plenty of downsides to solo travel, and having experienced long term travel solo and with people I really get along with, it may be that many perpetual solo travellers just haven’t found a sidekick they really want to spend time with on the road.  Some downsides of the solo mission can be:

Cons of solo travel

• You will probably get lonely. There’s always ways to counter this; write emails, send a letter.  The lines for the Internet in hostels abroad can be a pretty good indicator that people will always get a bit lonely when out of their comfort zone, even if you travel as part of a group.   If you are clamouring to email home every day or constantly check mate’s movements on facebook while the sun shines in a new destination you might need to meet some new people (hostels always have group activities to get involved in).
• If you get sick it’s no fun being alone.  I remember not being able to move with a case of food poisoning when myself and a mate were due on a flight; he pretty much carried me onto the plane.  That sort of help is harder to find from somebody you just met.
• There are considerations for girls going solo that guys don’t have to worry as much about; check out the travel advice for solo women page for information
• Sharing a beer with a new mate is fun, but sharing one with your best mate or the love of your life is one of the better parts of finishing the day while on the road.  This for me this kind of outweighs going solo

In the end whether travelling solo or in a group staying positive and making the effort to meet new people is the best way to keep a trip ticking along happily.

There are a few websites where you can look for like minded travel partners to hook up with.  Check out:

Travel Chums http://www.travelchums.com/ has member profiles so you can scout out potential sidekicks.

Thorn Tree www.lonelyplanet/thorntree can be a good spot to hook up with other travellers.  You could always mention Aussie Travel Advice while on the site; it might just help get us some people to our humble little project

In the end you will probably have a blast whether you go it alone or with mates.  Being by yourself because a mate has pulled out of a trip shouldn’t be enough to stop you going; any opportunity to travel is a good thing.

Next: Ethical or ‘Green’ Travel advice and resources

Back to Travel Advice or Home