Number 14 - Travel alone

My dream is to travel. See the world. Experience cultures, and immerse myself in new surroundings. I’ve grown up with the upbringing that there’s a whole world outside of your own that is waiting to be explored. My parents are avid travellers and my Dads ambition in life is to see as much of the world that he can and see as many of the wonders of the world ancient and modern, and he’s done pretty well in achieving this so far, and I aspire to achieve the same. 

I have a ‘list’ of destinations that I want to visit someday and for so long I’ve not travelled because I was waiting and wanting for someone to share those experiences with. Most of my friends are in relationships and have families of their own now, meaning they can only spare a short amount of time for a trip away. 

I’ve always admired those who embark on gap years and go off travelling alone, but it was something I believed I could never do. I can’t explain it but I’m sure many of you feel the same, like why would you travel alone? Others will wonder why your alone, you’ll have to dine alone, pay single supplements and won’t have anyone to talk to the whole time?! Travel experiences are supposed to be shared. But more and more people are travelling alone. We’re so lucky that we have the opportunity to and it’s so much easier and accessible to travel these days than ever before.

One of my promises this year was to embrace experiences but also to do things out of my comfort zone. So I booked a single ticket to Venice and my 35 day Italian adventure began! 

I spent 3 months planning my 5 week trip travelling around Italy from Venice to Verona & Lake Garda, Milan & Lake Como, Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome and then down to Sorrento the Amalfi Coast, Naples and Capri.

As a solo female traveller I opted to stay in hotels mostly within walking distance of the main cities, sights and travel connections and I travelled between towns and cities via the local train line Italiarail. 

The night before I left, everything was sorted, booked and bags packed but I was overcome with a range of emotions, excitement, fear, anxiety of the unknown. Would I be safe? how would I feel being alone for all that time? But also, that nervous butterflies feeling in my stomach of anticipation and knowing I was about to experience something amazing. 

And that’s exactly the experience I had. I can’t put it into words, but it’s by far the the best thing I’ve ever done. And where better than Italia, the culture, history, art, people, landscapes and FOOD! 

I’ve been lucky enough to visit some of the most iconic sites in the world the see some of the most beautiful and authentic hidden gems and nature spots. 

From riding gondolas in Venice to hiking the cities of Cinque Terre. Celebrating Easter in Florence and climbing the leaning tower of Pisa. Marvelling at Roma’s St Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel, and colosseum, to losing track of time whilst watching sunsets. Sitting by the sea for hours listening to the crashing waves of the sea, to boat rides through the vibrant grottos in Capri island.

I’ll be honest, there were moments when I felt alone. Sitting at a table next to the group of women at dinner who were celebrating their friends birthday, sipping cocktails and laughing, made me miss, but be thankful for the amazing girlfriends I have back at home. Watching families share special moments at some of the worlds most iconic sights made me reminisce of the days long gone by of our family trips when I was a younger. But seeing the couples exchange kisses, holding hands and sharing an embrace was the most difficult, because as of yet I’m still yet to share a travel experience with that special someone (but it’s on my list!)

But, the most amazing thing was being able to meet new people and make new friends. My thoughts of people thinking I was strange travelling alone and that they wouldn’t talk to me, was completely wrong. I met so many people along the way who helped me find my way when I was lost, who invited me to join them for dinner, who I spent entire days exploring the sights together with and having great conversations with over a glass of wine at the bar. Locals and tourists from all walks of life and corners of the world.

The best part of travelling alone is that I was able to enjoy the things that mattered the most to me. I wasn’t spending time worried about whether the other person or people were having a good time. I felt like I had all the time in the world to do the things I wanted, really taking the time to embrace, enjoy and soak in each and every moment. 

If you have a dream to travel, make it happen. And if you’ve ever contemplated going alone but haven’t for whatever reason, just push yourself out of your comfort zone and do it. You’ll be surprised at how it’ll make you feel. Do it at least just once in your lifetime! I promise you’ll be fine! X