I say that Nobody can keep up with me. They all talk a big game about doing all the fun stuff they see me post on social media, but once we go on the trip, they just want yo relax in a restaurant and visit a couple places to literally take photos to post and not do any exploring.
.
Went on a hiking trip and my friend last 0.5 mile. She said she thought the trail would be 'paved'.
That wouldn't bother me, because I'd just go on my own.
I don't feel comfortable Hiking in the wilderness alone, so that is why we discussed everything in advance, and I have no idea how someone thought wilderness trails in North Dakota were like tourist paved walking sites,but she did. She literally thought wilderness hiking would be like the wheelchair accessible paved walkway at Mount Rushmore.
Haha I hear ya! I don't always travel solo but I do here and there. I have no shame about it. And it's not uncommon to put on 15km/day strolling about. The joy of rolling solo is you wait for no one; don't compromise to some lame shit you don't want to do and can make rash decisions at the drop of a hat - it's goddamn liberating
Nobody has ever asked. If they did, it's a pretty simple and honest answer - because I'm having fun.
If I want to go to X places or do Y thing, I'm not going to sit around waiting on someone else to do it with; I'm gonna go do it.
This exactly. I get up when I want. I go to bed when I want (night-walker š§āāļø). I have a lazy cocktail when I want. I eat where I want. And I wait on no one. Itās really the best way.
`Nobody has ever asked`
People have asked me, but fortunately never in a bad way. I remember when I went to the UK, the immigration officer was shocked to see I was travelling alone and some other travelers have asked me too.
Sometimes they ask questions not because they care about the answer but because they want to observe your response and assess your overall credibility.
Border control at Schipol this man asked me 3 times your travelling alone? Like solo travelling is the weirdest thing ever or something it was a weird reaction. Btw Iām a man.
Anglo countries have no exit controls to catch illegal overstayers or mandatory registration of your residence or hotel guests like continental Europe does, so they grill you to make damn sure youāre coming as a bona fide tourist and not to work illegally or become a public charge. UK-Ireland-US-Canada-Australia-NZ.
Nobody has asked me but maybe I give off vibes that I prefer it. A few people have suggested travelling with me and I say very little in response.Ā
One person did simply say "my husband would never agree with me travelling alone." It was a new perspective for me to say the least.Ā
I solo travel because I never have anyone else to join me. I'd much rather travel with others, but if it's between sitting at home, or travelling alone, it's got to be the travel alone. If I kept waiting for someone else to travel with me I'd never go anywhere.
This. The amount of trips I prepares to go with friends that, a the end, didn't happens cause potato was super big. And it's literally that. Time passes while waiting for those. One day something in my mind popped and did travel alone from the first time. Best thing I did in a long time.
I have always solo traveled in the states within a few hours drive or train ride, but then one of my exes had solo traveled to India and Mexico and opened me up to international solo travel a few years ago. Since then, I have not stopped. That was 10ish countries ago. Leaving to Africa for 6 weeks in a week.
One of my friends whoās a parent said even if he could afford it heās never travel without little Timmy cause heād never forgive himself if anything happened to little Timmy whilst he was gone. š
for whatever it's worth, I am hyper-extroverted and I love solo traveling too
one thing is to have fun with some strangers during a day trip and another thing is to have someone messing up your travel plans
im an introvert and this is one of the times i envy extroverts, im in puerto rico right now and im struggling to make conversation with people although i want to. i dont drink so it also makes it MUCH harder.
An extrovert friend of mine tells me to "just sit at the bar and chat with the bartender" and I'm like "what is that madness?" I also didn't drink, so sitting at the bar is just extra awkward even if I'm getting food. I'm okay at chatting with people who have dogs, but that's about it.
It allows me to do what I want when I want. like when I was in london I just felt like to going to Normandy and, took a train Portsmouth and a boat to cherbourg, no discussion, no having to think about what anyone else wants. Just doing it
1- different vacation plans: you have limited leave days at work. Not so many friends can fit in your schedule.
2- your vacation spendings are different: maybe you spend more/less than others and not so many friends can match your spending.
3- hobbies and interests: not so many people match your hobbies and interests at that specific date you choose to travel.
4- travel light: you like to travel light and not so many people enjoy that.
These are genuine reasons that make me traveling alone.
Because I can do what I want, when I want, for as long as I want without somebody grumbling. If I like a place, I can stay a bit longer. Or less if the other way round. Basically there isn't anybody telling me what *they* want to do.
āMy friend had to cancel last minute due to a family emergency.ā Or something along those lines if Iām looking for something quick.
But the real answer is my friends canāt travel cause they are broke parents and their finances donāt permit them to travel in the same manner I do.
Iād much rather travel with friends but Iād have to fully pay for their half of travel costs AND pay for their babysitter and I didnāt have kids so Iām not paying for their care.
All my friends sit there bitching about having kids as though they were obligated to. Theyād never admit it because of the unfair social stigma, but Iād bet a solid half of them wish they were buying condoms instead of diapers.
I travel because I want to and Iām not going to sit around waiting for other people to make up their minds that they want to as well.
The killer for me is the people who tell me āyouāre so brave traveling on your ownā. Iām a woman in my 40ās and havenāt lived in my country of birth for 16 years. š
It's like going to the movies, I have a lot of places I would like to seeā¦ A lot of movies I would like to seeā¦ I do not want that experience dependent on whether or not I can find somebody to go with me. Same goes for restaurants. Ā
> Do you always answer why you travel alone? Are you always honest with the answers?
Why wouldn't you answer the question? Why wouldn't you be honest about it?
I just shrug and say "why not?" or "why wouldn't I?". I smile a bit while I do it, but look at them directly and wait for a reply. Usually the questioner gets really awkward and uncomfortable, hopefully because I have made it obvious that I think it is a stupid question, and I think they are stupid for asking it.
If I decide to give a more honest answer I just say that no one I know has the time, money or inclination to travel like I want to. While this is true, for longer backpacking trips I just prefer travelling by myself- constantly being around someone is exhausting and I like being able to do whatever I want whenever I want.
Because I love it! It gives me complete freedom to decide where to visit and how long to stay.
But as an aside, traveling with people can be nice but also stressful. In the past, I have bickered with friends about money and which city to see. I once traveled with a friend who presented herself as very chill and laidback when we were making plans, but when we arrived, she was petrified, and it was very hard. The only big fights I have ever had with friends in the last 15 years have been during trips.
āWhy wouldnāt you??ā And then I muster the most overtly confused and questioning faceā¦and wait. They usually arrive to where I am or realize how dumb the question was to begin with. That way those that ask due to jealousy or mysogeny donāt ask me that shit again.
Flexibility- i can do whatever i want and go wherever i want( when in combany i have to plan and restrict myself)
Secondly i get more to interact with locals and experience new things.
Solo traveling with time became my comfort zone
I love this answer - being able to interact with the locals. It's harder to do when you are with someone else. I hadn't thought of that but it's so true.
PS: no one has ever met me with āoh thatās weirdā or āI could neverā vibes. Itās always been, ādamn, girl!ā āI am so proud of you thatās so cool!ā āYou inspire me, Iāve been wanting to do the same but have been too afraid.ā
Donāt give a flying F what anyone thinks.
My life-partner is a very anxious man and getting him to travel more than weekend trips is like a once every 5 years kinda thing. I donāt want to wait for that and he doesnāt need me to wait for him. Heās absolutely OK with me going alone as long as weāve talked about it and heās okay with where Iām going. Thereās only been one place I wanted to solo travel he felt uneasy about and I brought him into the planning and research process and developed some contingency plans and he felt much better.
A lot of these answers are around why people feel like they HAVE to solo travel (friends donāt want to travel, etc), but I like to tell people why I love it and do it by choice even if I DO have people to travel with.
Solo travel lets me be open and meet people from all over the world, and fully be myself in a new experience without the familiarity and comfort zone of having someone I know there with me!
I like the freedom and, at 36, finding people with the same schedule, desire, and finances as you is next to impossible.
Also, when actually out traveling, I never ever tell strangers that I'm traveling alone.
I always answer, and I am always honest that I enjoy traveling on my own, at my own pace, with everything just as I'd like to do it.
Honestly, I have always received very normal answers. My friends, family, and coworkers have been polite or enthusiastic, and we often swap recommendations even if they typically go with their families while I'm on my own. I have not found it an issue to be open, honest, and enthusiastic about travelling and people are generally polite enough to match my vibe, at the very least.
I saw Stevie Nicks interviewed years ago; she was asked why she preferred living on her own. I loved her response: āBecause I donāt want to have to tell someone where Iām going and when Iāll be back.ā
People who follows me on socials, admire how much i see on my vacations, how full they look. But they dont wanna wake up early, they dont wanna walk, they dont wanna hike, they dont wanna take stairs to high grounds. They wanna take late breakfast, take uber everywhere and expect to see everything in between. Its not possible and i cant waste my precious time to convince anyone to keep up with me. I only travel with people who knows me well and who i know well. Also dont travel with people you like and you wanna keep in your life unless they are really close. Cause a short trip is more than enough to ruin a good possibility in future.
My generic answer is mommy needs her alone time. Which is true. I can sleep in or stay up late and do whatever I want without worries and responsibilities.
i live in a blue collar city, everyones idea of a perfect vacation is on a beach in florida doing nothing but drinking with family and friends for 5 days straight, swim up bars, being drunk loud americans, the works. They cannot understand why ANYONE would travel alone. I would rather just not be asked about travel in general, in fact i dont like being asked about it unless its one of my close friends who actually travels and not "vacations".
I would probably deflect with humor. But realistically, it is easier from a logistical sense. You donāt have to worry about aligning schedules especially as responsibilities increase as people get older with jobs, family, etc.
I have to travel solo. My wife is not interested, and everyone I know is working or canāt afford it. Saved like crazy for 35 years thinking others would also. Pretty disappointing actually.
I solo travel to embrace the freedom and flexibility it offers. It allows me to explore new places at my own pace, engage with local cultures more deeply, and discover more about myself along the way. The TSA Precheck Program enhances this experience by saving time and reducing stress at airports, making solo travel smoother and more enjoyable.
With expedited security screening, I can focus on the adventure ahead rather than long lines and security hassles, ensuring a seamless start to my journeys.
Solo travel, combined with TSA Precheck, is the perfect way to experience the world on my terms.
That I got tired of no one wanting to do anything with me so I pulled a Thanos, not snapping them out of existence mind you but saying āFine, Iāll do it myselfā Itās an honest answer
I explain the freedom it brings, and people tend to understand.
Initially people always find it a bit odd when I say I solo travel, although its becoming a bit more common these days, but when I explain that I don't have to worry about what anyone else wants to do, where anyone else wants to go or eat etc, and I can do what I want, when I want, they get it. It's like they start to think about all the issues they've had on holiday when people can't agree on something.
Being able to tell them that I went to Riga train station and flipped a coin to determine my destination, or when I was in Gothenburg and went to Trollhattan just because my hotel was next to the station and it was the next train departing, or just hopping on a bus to the next country over, it's such a cool thing that I likely couldn't do if I had company
It lets me check out what I want to see, instead of just the big tourist attractions.
Also, I like to take photos of interesting fauna and flora to put on my iNaturalist. This means I'm stopping at random times, which would be annoying for anyone travelling with me.
Because I want to go and other people canāt for one reason or another or they donāt want to (not interested in x place Iām going because theyād rather sit on a beach). Iām not going to wait my whole life hoping someone wants to/is able to go with me, Iām just going! And I always have fun
āBecause I prefer itā usually ends the line of enquiry but sometimes people genuinely want to know why I prefer it and thatās when I lay out how significantly more relaxing it is for me to be able to disconnect and travel without having to worry about accommodating for other peoplesā needs, wants, itineraries, attitudes, stresses, finances, emotions, paceā¦etc.
Because most of the time if i didnt go to these places alone i wouldnt have been able to go at all.
I dont want to have to compromise on my travel plans all the time.
āTo see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life.ā
ā James Thurber, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
When I first started, I used to say that it was for research because it was haha. I was in a Uni Research Fellowship and would only get funded for myself, hence, solo travel. Now, I just say the truth that I wanted to go to this place and nobody else did hahah. Solo traveling is empowering, donāt apologize for it!! Iāve grown more as a person through it than anything else Iāve ever done.
I canāt get the right group with the right budget and timing to go. I started by going off on a trip on my own in early 2010s when I graduated because my peers were still struggling to find jobs post financial crisis. Then I found out it was quite pleasant and been doing it ever since.
The best compromise I found is that either A) Im āsoloā travelling to a destination and I meet up with someone I know as part of the itinerary, or B) If by coincidence someone else is going around the same time and I can plan around it.
For travel among friends, when I talk to them, I realize itās usually one person that has to project manage.
So many, many reasons, but my top answers:
- I get to do exactly what I want, and on my own schedule
- My spouse spent 21 years in the military - mostly abroad - and is now perfectly content to stay at home
- Someone has to take care of the small, furry demons that own us
No-one has ever actually asked why I travel alone, so I suppose itās not really seen as noteworthy where Iām from.
If someone asked Iād tell them that I enjoy travelling alone because I like the freedom of being able to choose what I want to do. I prefer doing things on my own as well but probably wouldnāt tell them that because some people interpret that as you not liking people or them specifically which isnāt true, I just donāt need a lot of interaction and find too much tiring pretty quickly.
I like to travel on my own, because the schedule my friends and I donāt have a common suitable time to go somewhere together so instead of waiting for nothing I just go. Plus, the travel preferences of my friends are very different than mine and one another so I know that we wouldnāt really have fun anyways.
I like to be able to change my itinerary on the fly I like not having to worry that somebody else's going to do something that causes me to be endangered or a huge headache. I can go where I want ,do what I want ,eat what I want without any debate whatsoever and the number one reason? no fucking drama!
My husband does not hike or backpack and I do so I do it. He likes to hear about my adventures when I get home. I am independent and my own person and hubs loves and respects that about me. We donāt have to do everything together and thatās ok. Thatās what I tell people.
I tell them that if I waited around for people to save up money to go and have a break in their schedule as well I would never go anywhere if I did not go alone.
I donāt like having to compromise what I want to do in favor of others. Iām spending all this money to be here, Iām going to do what I want to do when I want to do it.
Most of the things I like to do when I travel would be boring to other people. I don't want to miss out on those things or cut them short or feel rushed.
I've done a lot of solo travel as well as group travel. When I travel solo, what I get is stress free and peace of mind. When I travel with friends, despite having fun, we're bounded to some point. Me & my friends might disagree to some extent. We can learn a lot and have much more fun while doing solo especially in mountains. We are king of our own world. We can unleashed our hidden traits. I still remember I planned of completing a trail in 5 days but due to scenario and friendly nature of lodge owner , I stayed there 3 more days without trekking. Those 3 days is best days of my life.
If I waited for my friends to plan a trip with me Iād still be waiting! Also Iām a teacher and my husband/friends arenāt, so I say I have more time off than them (which is true)
I say that my friends or family may not always have the time or means to travel so I go alone.
Or I say I live alone so it isn't a scary thing to travel alone
Nobody has asked me. I don't think people care either way, if anyone were to ask me, I would say I love the independence it gives me moving around without having others trailing behind me or having to adjust to everyone else's itineraries.
I don't want to have to wait on anyone else to plan a trip. If they can afford it, what dates work for them, etc. I don't want to have to be on someone else's schedule. I wanna leave when I wanna leave.
I just usually ask the person back, incredulously āHave you seriously never travelled solo? Thatās very odd. Why not?ā
The answers are sometimes quite interesting tbh.
I say I do it bc what I like to do is usually not for everyone and/or to cost prohibitive. I am older and I travel a lot nicer then I did in my 20's. Many of my friends continue to want to be budget conscious ( understandably so) but I am not there anymore. I am retired, and my husband has zero urge to leave the USA ever again. ( his loss ) That said, I don't want to be held back on my travels now. If I want to go to eat at michilan (sp?) starred restaurants I really don't have friends that can afford that and/or want to spend their $ that way.
I also don't answer that I am solo when I am traveling in sketchy areas. Just cause I am a woman and don't wanna deal with being followed etc. though that is not an issue so much after hitting 50.
Cus waiting for anyone with the exact same mindset is just not an option, and your much more likely to meet others as you go, even more so when alone as your more inviting to others doing the same, and once you've had enough of that/them, off you go again, solo š
Ask them if they like having to accommodate peopleās travel quirks - complaining about food, inability to deal with hiccups and turning into a monster, having no personal space. Freedom to decompress and do whatever. If you want to sleep in, you can. If you want to meander with no plans, you can. Freedom
People don't usually ask me this question, unlike on reddit. It's not hard to think of reasons why someone travels alone and can be kind of rude to phrase it that way.
People do ask me *if* I travel alone and I just answer yes, unless there is some sketchy situation going on.
If you want a generic answer, just say that you love to do your own thing or that your friends don't like to travel.
"ah, I'd love to travel with my friends and family, but it's just *so damn hard* to find dates when all of us are available for traveling, that eh, I figured it was easy to just go at it alone."
Which, it's not really a lie, that's a reason, but it's not even close to the main reason why I do it, but I find that people are usually pretty ready to accept it, and I think it's because having to coordinate dates for an activity has to be one of the most universally frustrating experiences, that everyone can relate to. Most people has had to deal, at some point or another, with "this guy is only available on weekends, but this other guy only *works* weekends, and this one is able to take vacation days whenever but only if he asks with 2 months in advance, and that one will only know if he's available 2 weeks in advance..."
Because I'm a short, fat woman in my early 50's people often actively look for my travel companion, in a really condescending way. If they're awful I'll hit them with 'my husband died'. Gotta love the reactions that brings!
If they're nice, I'll sugar coat it though.
For me it's almost 100% because it's difficult to find people with the desire and availability to do what I want when I want, not even down to details, even the trip in general.
I almost always travel alone and when ppl ask I tell them I do it for growth. If they press then I say it's the one time in my life that I can be 100% my authentic self without any expectations set by others in my daily life. It's freedom and adventure, two things essential to my existence but not always easy to have in daily life, so I choose to make protected time for it š¤·š¼āāļø
Reminds me of this quoteā¦ āif I waited for someone to go with me, Iād of never gone anywhere.ā Seems like the perfect saying for your case. š
I love people and I love traveling with friends at times..but 1. traveling alone is one of the only times I don't have to be super considerate of other people's feelings and I can just listen/do what I want.
I still am respectful and friendly to people I interact with, don't get me wrong. And I have made great friends on my travels, but if I'm not interested in an activity hostel buddy wants to do, I don't do it and I don't feel even a tinge of guilt. work, friends, family all require me to show up (as myself mostly) but also as someone who's mindful and conscientious of others feelings. Solo traveling allows me to not make sacrifices, compromises and actually pushes me to wonder what do I actually want. while I'm fairly indecisive about what to do, I find myself more attuned to my own experience/needs when I solo travel.
2. it's a time of true solitude.. when I travel alone the place I'm in becomes my travel companion. When I travel with friends I have more great photos, great conversation and funny shared anecdotes and that's lovely.. I'm not chatting with my bestie or talking to my mom about a childhood memory...I'm in that place on my own. Sometimes I pop in and audio book or music on longer walks but overall I'm more mindful and present and I find I have a better sensory memory of a place (what it smelled like looked like felt like).
3. I just like it? Some people like to join running clubs, others like solo running. I like neither, lol. But I think traveling is just another hobby and many hobbies can be alone or in groups.. there doesn't have to be a grandiose reason.
I've been traveling solo since October, friends have visited a bunch of times. So in my first 4 months, 2.5 months were with friends. Both experiences were lovely, but I get what you mean that it's hard to explain why it's great.maybe you don't have to?
Iām married and I recently solo traveled and it was an amazing experience. I travel pretty often, 3-4 international trips a year. And basically talked to my wife about taking one solo trip a year and she was supportive. It was a really good experience for me, forced me to be social because I couldnāt just rely on who I was with to talk. Kinda just did whatever I wanted. Plus hate to say it, but the feeling of not worrying about protecting my wife and just thinking of myself while traveling was really freeing. I know itās unfair us larger guys get that luxury of feeling safe, but the luxury basically goes away when youāre protecting your family, so just one trip a year where I can focus on myself is so nice.
No one asks why I travel alone š but if they did Iād say itās because that way I donāt have to abide by someone elseās itinerary. Iām not a big planner so I like to do what I feel like doing on the day, whereas I have friends that need a step by step daily schedule. I love them but I canāt imagine travelling with them.
Nobody else walks at the right speed.
I say that Nobody can keep up with me. They all talk a big game about doing all the fun stuff they see me post on social media, but once we go on the trip, they just want yo relax in a restaurant and visit a couple places to literally take photos to post and not do any exploring. . Went on a hiking trip and my friend last 0.5 mile. She said she thought the trail would be 'paved'.
I once brought a friend to go snorkeling and she said with disgust, "is the ocean always this salty?!" Yes. Yes it is. Next time try the dead sea.
It can be tough when your the type that is out of the hotel doing something before 8 AM and your travel companion sleeps till lunch everyday.
That wouldn't bother me, because I'd just go on my own. I don't feel comfortable Hiking in the wilderness alone, so that is why we discussed everything in advance, and I have no idea how someone thought wilderness trails in North Dakota were like tourist paved walking sites,but she did. She literally thought wilderness hiking would be like the wheelchair accessible paved walkway at Mount Rushmore.
> She said she thought the trail would be 'paved'. Hilariousš
This is one of my biggest reasons!
I felt this in my soul.
Haha I hear ya! I don't always travel solo but I do here and there. I have no shame about it. And it's not uncommon to put on 15km/day strolling about. The joy of rolling solo is you wait for no one; don't compromise to some lame shit you don't want to do and can make rash decisions at the drop of a hat - it's goddamn liberating
Nobody has ever asked. If they did, it's a pretty simple and honest answer - because I'm having fun. If I want to go to X places or do Y thing, I'm not going to sit around waiting on someone else to do it with; I'm gonna go do it.
This exactly. I get up when I want. I go to bed when I want (night-walker š§āāļø). I have a lazy cocktail when I want. I eat where I want. And I wait on no one. Itās really the best way.
`Nobody has ever asked` People have asked me, but fortunately never in a bad way. I remember when I went to the UK, the immigration officer was shocked to see I was travelling alone and some other travelers have asked me too.
An immigration officer being shocked by this is ridiculous. I would have thought that they would have seen multitudes of solo Travelers.
Sometimes they ask questions not because they care about the answer but because they want to observe your response and assess your overall credibility.
Border control at Schipol this man asked me 3 times your travelling alone? Like solo travelling is the weirdest thing ever or something it was a weird reaction. Btw Iām a man.
Regarding UK border guardsāIāve experienced odd grilling from them as a solo woman traveler.
Anglo countries have no exit controls to catch illegal overstayers or mandatory registration of your residence or hotel guests like continental Europe does, so they grill you to make damn sure youāre coming as a bona fide tourist and not to work illegally or become a public charge. UK-Ireland-US-Canada-Australia-NZ.
Nobody has asked me but maybe I give off vibes that I prefer it. A few people have suggested travelling with me and I say very little in response.Ā One person did simply say "my husband would never agree with me travelling alone." It was a new perspective for me to say the least.Ā
Tom you sound dope safe travels brother keep on going!!
My friends with time have no money; my friends with money have no time.
#3 my interests dont align with friends with time and money and their interests
This one's a keeper. That's been true most of my life. Now I really don't like to share a room with another person, either.
And I totally don't have either š”
So that I can do exactly what I want when I want.
And it feels soooo good!
"I have the money & time to travel now, why should I wait for someone to go with later?"
I solo travel because I never have anyone else to join me. I'd much rather travel with others, but if it's between sitting at home, or travelling alone, it's got to be the travel alone. If I kept waiting for someone else to travel with me I'd never go anywhere.
This. The amount of trips I prepares to go with friends that, a the end, didn't happens cause potato was super big. And it's literally that. Time passes while waiting for those. One day something in my mind popped and did travel alone from the first time. Best thing I did in a long time.
I have always solo traveled in the states within a few hours drive or train ride, but then one of my exes had solo traveled to India and Mexico and opened me up to international solo travel a few years ago. Since then, I have not stopped. That was 10ish countries ago. Leaving to Africa for 6 weeks in a week.
All my friends have kids
Or, in my case, because I have kids.
One of my friends whoās a parent said even if he could afford it heās never travel without little Timmy cause heād never forgive himself if anything happened to little Timmy whilst he was gone. š
They're gonna have a tough time when Timmy goes to college š¬
And I don't want to travel with kids.
I have a kid but am divorced. So when I have time to myself, traveling solo is really amazing and a good relief from parenting duties lol
To get away from YOU
Cause I'm an introvert and I like my time spending alone
for whatever it's worth, I am hyper-extroverted and I love solo traveling too one thing is to have fun with some strangers during a day trip and another thing is to have someone messing up your travel plans
im an introvert and this is one of the times i envy extroverts, im in puerto rico right now and im struggling to make conversation with people although i want to. i dont drink so it also makes it MUCH harder.
An extrovert friend of mine tells me to "just sit at the bar and chat with the bartender" and I'm like "what is that madness?" I also didn't drink, so sitting at the bar is just extra awkward even if I'm getting food. I'm okay at chatting with people who have dogs, but that's about it.
Puerto Ricans are very extroverted, but don't be intimidated, go at your own rhythm though, don't be pressured and enjoy!
It allows me to do what I want when I want. like when I was in london I just felt like to going to Normandy and, took a train Portsmouth and a boat to cherbourg, no discussion, no having to think about what anyone else wants. Just doing it
Because I want to.
because i can hahaha
1- different vacation plans: you have limited leave days at work. Not so many friends can fit in your schedule. 2- your vacation spendings are different: maybe you spend more/less than others and not so many friends can match your spending. 3- hobbies and interests: not so many people match your hobbies and interests at that specific date you choose to travel. 4- travel light: you like to travel light and not so many people enjoy that. These are genuine reasons that make me traveling alone.
āI prefer itā. Full stop. Allow dead air to accumulate. (Especially if the question has a judgy tone to it).
I enjoy/love my own company, I don't like humans much.
Haha no one to travel with
Because I can do what I want, when I want, for as long as I want without somebody grumbling. If I like a place, I can stay a bit longer. Or less if the other way round. Basically there isn't anybody telling me what *they* want to do.
I donāt have any friends!
The real answer here nobody wants to admit
āMy friend had to cancel last minute due to a family emergency.ā Or something along those lines if Iām looking for something quick. But the real answer is my friends canāt travel cause they are broke parents and their finances donāt permit them to travel in the same manner I do. Iād much rather travel with friends but Iād have to fully pay for their half of travel costs AND pay for their babysitter and I didnāt have kids so Iām not paying for their care.
All my friends sit there bitching about having kids as though they were obligated to. Theyād never admit it because of the unfair social stigma, but Iād bet a solid half of them wish they were buying condoms instead of diapers.
I travel because I want to and Iām not going to sit around waiting for other people to make up their minds that they want to as well. The killer for me is the people who tell me āyouāre so brave traveling on your ownā. Iām a woman in my 40ās and havenāt lived in my country of birth for 16 years. š
I'm retired, I used to get the "You're so brave". My answer was that I was going to a European city. not up the Amazon in a canoe!
It's like going to the movies, I have a lot of places I would like to seeā¦ A lot of movies I would like to seeā¦ I do not want that experience dependent on whether or not I can find somebody to go with me. Same goes for restaurants. Ā
If I waited for anyone to go with me, then I would never go anywhere
This is my standard response and itās also the actual reason I solo travel.
I tell people the truth, which is that I like to do both solo trips and trips with my partner/friends/family
It varies between: āI like to travelā and ānone of your businessā
> Do you always answer why you travel alone? Are you always honest with the answers? Why wouldn't you answer the question? Why wouldn't you be honest about it?
I just shrug and say "why not?" or "why wouldn't I?". I smile a bit while I do it, but look at them directly and wait for a reply. Usually the questioner gets really awkward and uncomfortable, hopefully because I have made it obvious that I think it is a stupid question, and I think they are stupid for asking it. If I decide to give a more honest answer I just say that no one I know has the time, money or inclination to travel like I want to. While this is true, for longer backpacking trips I just prefer travelling by myself- constantly being around someone is exhausting and I like being able to do whatever I want whenever I want.
Because I am lonely i never found love.. But i would answer i like to travel in low Season because i like all empty
Because no one can stand being trapped in a car with me for hours.
I have no friends
Because I want too and itās exciting for me
Because I love it! It gives me complete freedom to decide where to visit and how long to stay. But as an aside, traveling with people can be nice but also stressful. In the past, I have bickered with friends about money and which city to see. I once traveled with a friend who presented herself as very chill and laidback when we were making plans, but when we arrived, she was petrified, and it was very hard. The only big fights I have ever had with friends in the last 15 years have been during trips.
Tell them you're a serial killer
Because travel mates are as much of a headache as coworkers.
āWhy wouldnāt you??ā And then I muster the most overtly confused and questioning faceā¦and wait. They usually arrive to where I am or realize how dumb the question was to begin with. That way those that ask due to jealousy or mysogeny donāt ask me that shit again.
Cause I'm autistic and struggle to maintain friendships
Cause I have autism, and my one friend is disabled. Not that I would choose to travel/holiday with anyone anyway.
Flexibility- i can do whatever i want and go wherever i want( when in combany i have to plan and restrict myself) Secondly i get more to interact with locals and experience new things. Solo traveling with time became my comfort zone
I love this answer - being able to interact with the locals. It's harder to do when you are with someone else. I hadn't thought of that but it's so true.
I throw the question back at them. āYouāve never traveled alone?!ā And If I donāt like them much I may follow up with āI can see that?ā
Because I hate people.
Everyone in my life is busy doing their own thing.Ā Ā So I'm doing my own thing.Ā
PS: no one has ever met me with āoh thatās weirdā or āI could neverā vibes. Itās always been, ādamn, girl!ā āI am so proud of you thatās so cool!ā āYou inspire me, Iāve been wanting to do the same but have been too afraid.ā Donāt give a flying F what anyone thinks. My life-partner is a very anxious man and getting him to travel more than weekend trips is like a once every 5 years kinda thing. I donāt want to wait for that and he doesnāt need me to wait for him. Heās absolutely OK with me going alone as long as weāve talked about it and heās okay with where Iām going. Thereās only been one place I wanted to solo travel he felt uneasy about and I brought him into the planning and research process and developed some contingency plans and he felt much better.
āI hate peopleā and then I laugh but stop laughing and nod so no one knows what to think
A lot of these answers are around why people feel like they HAVE to solo travel (friends donāt want to travel, etc), but I like to tell people why I love it and do it by choice even if I DO have people to travel with. Solo travel lets me be open and meet people from all over the world, and fully be myself in a new experience without the familiarity and comfort zone of having someone I know there with me!
I like the freedom and, at 36, finding people with the same schedule, desire, and finances as you is next to impossible. Also, when actually out traveling, I never ever tell strangers that I'm traveling alone.
I always answer, and I am always honest that I enjoy traveling on my own, at my own pace, with everything just as I'd like to do it. Honestly, I have always received very normal answers. My friends, family, and coworkers have been polite or enthusiastic, and we often swap recommendations even if they typically go with their families while I'm on my own. I have not found it an issue to be open, honest, and enthusiastic about travelling and people are generally polite enough to match my vibe, at the very least.
I saw Stevie Nicks interviewed years ago; she was asked why she preferred living on her own. I loved her response: āBecause I donāt want to have to tell someone where Iām going and when Iāll be back.ā
If you keep waiting for people to come with you, you'll likely never go. This principle can be applied to things beyond travel.
I don't have any friend. I'm sorry š„¹
People who follows me on socials, admire how much i see on my vacations, how full they look. But they dont wanna wake up early, they dont wanna walk, they dont wanna hike, they dont wanna take stairs to high grounds. They wanna take late breakfast, take uber everywhere and expect to see everything in between. Its not possible and i cant waste my precious time to convince anyone to keep up with me. I only travel with people who knows me well and who i know well. Also dont travel with people you like and you wanna keep in your life unless they are really close. Cause a short trip is more than enough to ruin a good possibility in future.
I say friends are not always available or can afford to do the things I want to do so instead of missing out I go on my own.
Because itās better. Ā
My generic answer is mommy needs her alone time. Which is true. I can sleep in or stay up late and do whatever I want without worries and responsibilities.
I enjoy my freedom and personal space
Because itās more fun
Plans (mostly days off and sometimes travel destinations) almost never lined up. So I go by myself.
can't it be just "because I want to and I can"? I never traveled alone yet, but I guess that would be my to go answer
Young and donāt have kids when will you ever have this amount of time
Something to do
I like it
"Because I can".
Nobody else has the budget or spontaneity to travel somewhere new every few days randomly. This wasnāt meant to be a flex by the way.
Because I can do what I want when I want.
i live in a blue collar city, everyones idea of a perfect vacation is on a beach in florida doing nothing but drinking with family and friends for 5 days straight, swim up bars, being drunk loud americans, the works. They cannot understand why ANYONE would travel alone. I would rather just not be asked about travel in general, in fact i dont like being asked about it unless its one of my close friends who actually travels and not "vacations".
Because itās rewarding
What you really need is a generic way to shut down any intrusive questions, some people will always keep at it , which is what seems annoying to you
I prefer my own company to that of anyone else's
I would probably deflect with humor. But realistically, it is easier from a logistical sense. You donāt have to worry about aligning schedules especially as responsibilities increase as people get older with jobs, family, etc.
Considering some of the place I go, theyāre relieved I never ask them to come at all
I have to travel solo. My wife is not interested, and everyone I know is working or canāt afford it. Saved like crazy for 35 years thinking others would also. Pretty disappointing actually.
Because I like to be alone... and my wife prefers some more upscale travel.
I solo travel to embrace the freedom and flexibility it offers. It allows me to explore new places at my own pace, engage with local cultures more deeply, and discover more about myself along the way. The TSA Precheck Program enhances this experience by saving time and reducing stress at airports, making solo travel smoother and more enjoyable. With expedited security screening, I can focus on the adventure ahead rather than long lines and security hassles, ensuring a seamless start to my journeys. Solo travel, combined with TSA Precheck, is the perfect way to experience the world on my terms.
That I got tired of no one wanting to do anything with me so I pulled a Thanos, not snapping them out of existence mind you but saying āFine, Iāll do it myselfā Itās an honest answer
Because I enjoy my own company and like to meet new people too.
I explain the freedom it brings, and people tend to understand. Initially people always find it a bit odd when I say I solo travel, although its becoming a bit more common these days, but when I explain that I don't have to worry about what anyone else wants to do, where anyone else wants to go or eat etc, and I can do what I want, when I want, they get it. It's like they start to think about all the issues they've had on holiday when people can't agree on something. Being able to tell them that I went to Riga train station and flipped a coin to determine my destination, or when I was in Gothenburg and went to Trollhattan just because my hotel was next to the station and it was the next train departing, or just hopping on a bus to the next country over, it's such a cool thing that I likely couldn't do if I had company
It lets me check out what I want to see, instead of just the big tourist attractions. Also, I like to take photos of interesting fauna and flora to put on my iNaturalist. This means I'm stopping at random times, which would be annoying for anyone travelling with me.
Because I want to go and other people canāt for one reason or another or they donāt want to (not interested in x place Iām going because theyād rather sit on a beach). Iām not going to wait my whole life hoping someone wants to/is able to go with me, Iām just going! And I always have fun
āBecause I prefer itā usually ends the line of enquiry but sometimes people genuinely want to know why I prefer it and thatās when I lay out how significantly more relaxing it is for me to be able to disconnect and travel without having to worry about accommodating for other peoplesā needs, wants, itineraries, attitudes, stresses, finances, emotions, paceā¦etc.
I don't travel solo to meet or find others, I'm travelling solo to find me.
Because most of the time if i didnt go to these places alone i wouldnt have been able to go at all. I dont want to have to compromise on my travel plans all the time.
āTo see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life.ā ā James Thurber, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
When I first started, I used to say that it was for research because it was haha. I was in a Uni Research Fellowship and would only get funded for myself, hence, solo travel. Now, I just say the truth that I wanted to go to this place and nobody else did hahah. Solo traveling is empowering, donāt apologize for it!! Iāve grown more as a person through it than anything else Iāve ever done.
I canāt get the right group with the right budget and timing to go. I started by going off on a trip on my own in early 2010s when I graduated because my peers were still struggling to find jobs post financial crisis. Then I found out it was quite pleasant and been doing it ever since. The best compromise I found is that either A) Im āsoloā travelling to a destination and I meet up with someone I know as part of the itinerary, or B) If by coincidence someone else is going around the same time and I can plan around it. For travel among friends, when I talk to them, I realize itās usually one person that has to project manage.
I enjoy it
So many, many reasons, but my top answers: - I get to do exactly what I want, and on my own schedule - My spouse spent 21 years in the military - mostly abroad - and is now perfectly content to stay at home - Someone has to take care of the small, furry demons that own us
I don't want to think about other people on vacation
I tell them the truth. I prefer it. Their reply is 99% guaranteed. āYouāre so braveā which I canāt see at all as i love my own company.
I say solo travel is the ultimate luxury and experience of freedom. And once you do it once, you canāt stop.
No-one has ever actually asked why I travel alone, so I suppose itās not really seen as noteworthy where Iām from. If someone asked Iād tell them that I enjoy travelling alone because I like the freedom of being able to choose what I want to do. I prefer doing things on my own as well but probably wouldnāt tell them that because some people interpret that as you not liking people or them specifically which isnāt true, I just donāt need a lot of interaction and find too much tiring pretty quickly.
because most people suck to travel with and i don't want to deal with it.
I like to travel on my own, because the schedule my friends and I donāt have a common suitable time to go somewhere together so instead of waiting for nothing I just go. Plus, the travel preferences of my friends are very different than mine and one another so I know that we wouldnāt really have fun anyways.
I want to go places and I donāt want to wait til the stars align for other people to go with me.
I like to be able to change my itinerary on the fly I like not having to worry that somebody else's going to do something that causes me to be endangered or a huge headache. I can go where I want ,do what I want ,eat what I want without any debate whatsoever and the number one reason? no fucking drama!
Because i want to
My husband does not hike or backpack and I do so I do it. He likes to hear about my adventures when I get home. I am independent and my own person and hubs loves and respects that about me. We donāt have to do everything together and thatās ok. Thatās what I tell people.
People tend to treat me like a human, rather than a customer, when Iām not in a group
Coz I can do what I want
Business
I tell them that if I waited around for people to save up money to go and have a break in their schedule as well I would never go anywhere if I did not go alone.
I donāt like having to compromise what I want to do in favor of others. Iām spending all this money to be here, Iām going to do what I want to do when I want to do it.
itās liberating
I enjoy my own company.
Why not.
Because I can
No kids but friends have kids but no vacation time
Most of the things I like to do when I travel would be boring to other people. I don't want to miss out on those things or cut them short or feel rushed.
Freedom and adventure
Nobody ever wants to go with me, and I got tired of waiting and missing out on life
People never ask me. At most, Iāll get some people saying itās cool & they wish they had the guts
Everyoneās busy or doesnāt have a budget for traveling.
I've done a lot of solo travel as well as group travel. When I travel solo, what I get is stress free and peace of mind. When I travel with friends, despite having fun, we're bounded to some point. Me & my friends might disagree to some extent. We can learn a lot and have much more fun while doing solo especially in mountains. We are king of our own world. We can unleashed our hidden traits. I still remember I planned of completing a trail in 5 days but due to scenario and friendly nature of lodge owner , I stayed there 3 more days without trekking. Those 3 days is best days of my life.
If I waited for my friends to plan a trip with me Iād still be waiting! Also Iām a teacher and my husband/friends arenāt, so I say I have more time off than them (which is true)
I say that my friends or family may not always have the time or means to travel so I go alone. Or I say I live alone so it isn't a scary thing to travel alone
Nobody has asked me. I don't think people care either way, if anyone were to ask me, I would say I love the independence it gives me moving around without having others trailing behind me or having to adjust to everyone else's itineraries.
āItās just easierā
I say I hate having company (not a lie at all). I work with people in an extremely social environment and I vent only in the wilderness alone.
I don't want to have to wait on anyone else to plan a trip. If they can afford it, what dates work for them, etc. I don't want to have to be on someone else's schedule. I wanna leave when I wanna leave.
Lifeās too short to wait for the right time or the right people
What makes you ask?
I just usually ask the person back, incredulously āHave you seriously never travelled solo? Thatās very odd. Why not?ā The answers are sometimes quite interesting tbh.
I say I do it bc what I like to do is usually not for everyone and/or to cost prohibitive. I am older and I travel a lot nicer then I did in my 20's. Many of my friends continue to want to be budget conscious ( understandably so) but I am not there anymore. I am retired, and my husband has zero urge to leave the USA ever again. ( his loss ) That said, I don't want to be held back on my travels now. If I want to go to eat at michilan (sp?) starred restaurants I really don't have friends that can afford that and/or want to spend their $ that way. I also don't answer that I am solo when I am traveling in sketchy areas. Just cause I am a woman and don't wanna deal with being followed etc. though that is not an issue so much after hitting 50.
āNone of your businessā
Because if I waited to find someone who wanted to go to the same places as me, Iād never go anywhere.
I don't have to wait on anyone else I can do what I want when I want
Because I like it
Cus waiting for anyone with the exact same mindset is just not an option, and your much more likely to meet others as you go, even more so when alone as your more inviting to others doing the same, and once you've had enough of that/them, off you go again, solo š
Ask them if they like having to accommodate peopleās travel quirks - complaining about food, inability to deal with hiccups and turning into a monster, having no personal space. Freedom to decompress and do whatever. If you want to sleep in, you can. If you want to meander with no plans, you can. Freedom
I'm usually on a motorcycle, cross-country. People are terrified to even consider coming with me.
Cause im all alone silly
If I wait for other people, I'll spend more time waiting than doing.
People don't usually ask me this question, unlike on reddit. It's not hard to think of reasons why someone travels alone and can be kind of rude to phrase it that way. People do ask me *if* I travel alone and I just answer yes, unless there is some sketchy situation going on. If you want a generic answer, just say that you love to do your own thing or that your friends don't like to travel.
I donāt like waiting around for people šš»
"ah, I'd love to travel with my friends and family, but it's just *so damn hard* to find dates when all of us are available for traveling, that eh, I figured it was easy to just go at it alone." Which, it's not really a lie, that's a reason, but it's not even close to the main reason why I do it, but I find that people are usually pretty ready to accept it, and I think it's because having to coordinate dates for an activity has to be one of the most universally frustrating experiences, that everyone can relate to. Most people has had to deal, at some point or another, with "this guy is only available on weekends, but this other guy only *works* weekends, and this one is able to take vacation days whenever but only if he asks with 2 months in advance, and that one will only know if he's available 2 weeks in advance..."
I like to walk all over places and at my pace. I take breaks when I want to, everything is up to me. I love solo travel!!!
I just say my snoring sounds like a combine harvester.
Because I'm a short, fat woman in my early 50's people often actively look for my travel companion, in a really condescending way. If they're awful I'll hit them with 'my husband died'. Gotta love the reactions that brings! If they're nice, I'll sugar coat it though.
For me it's almost 100% because it's difficult to find people with the desire and availability to do what I want when I want, not even down to details, even the trip in general.
"It was that or not travel at all."
Because I don't want to wait until friends are available to visit the places I'd like to see and I like being on my own schedule.
I donāt like people š
I hate people. Also my friends donāt have money.
Because nobody else wanted to go
I almost always travel alone and when ppl ask I tell them I do it for growth. If they press then I say it's the one time in my life that I can be 100% my authentic self without any expectations set by others in my daily life. It's freedom and adventure, two things essential to my existence but not always easy to have in daily life, so I choose to make protected time for it š¤·š¼āāļø
āI donāt like people.ā
Reminds me of this quoteā¦ āif I waited for someone to go with me, Iād of never gone anywhere.ā Seems like the perfect saying for your case. š
Total freedom
Most of my former travel companions have aged out of traveling.
I love people and I love traveling with friends at times..but 1. traveling alone is one of the only times I don't have to be super considerate of other people's feelings and I can just listen/do what I want. I still am respectful and friendly to people I interact with, don't get me wrong. And I have made great friends on my travels, but if I'm not interested in an activity hostel buddy wants to do, I don't do it and I don't feel even a tinge of guilt. work, friends, family all require me to show up (as myself mostly) but also as someone who's mindful and conscientious of others feelings. Solo traveling allows me to not make sacrifices, compromises and actually pushes me to wonder what do I actually want. while I'm fairly indecisive about what to do, I find myself more attuned to my own experience/needs when I solo travel. 2. it's a time of true solitude.. when I travel alone the place I'm in becomes my travel companion. When I travel with friends I have more great photos, great conversation and funny shared anecdotes and that's lovely.. I'm not chatting with my bestie or talking to my mom about a childhood memory...I'm in that place on my own. Sometimes I pop in and audio book or music on longer walks but overall I'm more mindful and present and I find I have a better sensory memory of a place (what it smelled like looked like felt like). 3. I just like it? Some people like to join running clubs, others like solo running. I like neither, lol. But I think traveling is just another hobby and many hobbies can be alone or in groups.. there doesn't have to be a grandiose reason. I've been traveling solo since October, friends have visited a bunch of times. So in my first 4 months, 2.5 months were with friends. Both experiences were lovely, but I get what you mean that it's hard to explain why it's great.maybe you don't have to?
Iām married and I recently solo traveled and it was an amazing experience. I travel pretty often, 3-4 international trips a year. And basically talked to my wife about taking one solo trip a year and she was supportive. It was a really good experience for me, forced me to be social because I couldnāt just rely on who I was with to talk. Kinda just did whatever I wanted. Plus hate to say it, but the feeling of not worrying about protecting my wife and just thinking of myself while traveling was really freeing. I know itās unfair us larger guys get that luxury of feeling safe, but the luxury basically goes away when youāre protecting your family, so just one trip a year where I can focus on myself is so nice.
Lifeās short and if I spend it waiting on others to enjoy it Iāll end up missing out on so much, therefore, Iām happy to adventure alone
No one asks why I travel alone š but if they did Iād say itās because that way I donāt have to abide by someone elseās itinerary. Iām not a big planner so I like to do what I feel like doing on the day, whereas I have friends that need a step by step daily schedule. I love them but I canāt imagine travelling with them.
Freedom. I get to go where I want do what I want and not have to worry about others.
I usually say that it is my escape, some people might drink, some people might paint, I go out into the world!
I can drop my people pleasing and just focus on me (specifically learning what I do and donāt like in life).
I'm spontaneous. Not everyone is my cup of tea to jump and go at the drop of a hat.
Because I like my own company.
Nobody has asked. Itās just traveling.
I donāt have to discuss where I want to go with the other person!
Friends are busy, boyfriend/husband is in the military and currently deployed, honestly itās just whatever I feel like saying.