The Joy of Solo Travel

A friend I met on the road recommended this spot to me. It wasn’t on my list and was right next to another spot I’d wanted to see for years, and that’s how I love to travel. I love connecting with people along the way and being guided by their recommendations as they serendipitously unfold. It makes the experience richer—not just connecting with a place, but deepening the connection with the person who shared it with me in the first place. This time, I was totally alone, surrounded by families, couples, and groups of friends. But being alone didn’t bother me—in fact, I felt completely whole. For the last 8 years, my favorite company has been myself. Somewhere along the way, I’d lost that connection during a chapter of life spent in an energy-consuming, ill-fitting relationship. But now? I feel at peace. There’s something so special about traveling alone. You meet people who inspire you, follow their recommendations, trust your intuition, and—most importantly—grow the relationship you have with yourself. Looking back, I remember how the wrong relationships could cloud even the most beautiful destinations with arguments, chaos, and unresolved tension. But when you’re solo, it’s pure. It’s peaceful. It’s just you, your plans, and the magic of the moment unfolding. No drama. No negativity. No compromises on what feels right to you. You’ll never forget the moments spent with yourself—those days when you felt fully present, fully free, and fully you. They stick with you in a way that’s impossible to regret. And now, after envying solo travelers for so long, I get to be one again. I’m finding my favorite version of myself—the version that feels free, curious, and fully alive. Treat yourself to some solo time while traveling. Go alone. Trust the journey. Let it unfold. You might just find your favorite company was always waiting within you. “You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.” —Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love