After scraping through a hard semester full of tension from exams, long hours in class, and bulky assignments, it is okay to unwind and disconnect from all the pressure. Traveling to off-beat paths or common tourist destinations is among the best reset methods. However, the main worry for some people may be traveling without company, especially for introverts.
Being an introvert should not stop you from traveling. Despite the existing uncertainties, you can still enjoy your trip without company. Introverts acknowledge that there will be anxieties or overwhelming emotions about traveling alone, using public transport, and the language barrier. If you are an introvert and wanderlust, here’re some tips to make your next trip one for the books.
You Do Not Have to Travel in a Group
Introverts struggle with social settings; thus, you do not have to put yourself in a position where you have to tolerate people for the rest of your trip. It is the same way students opt to pay for research papers to avoid the stress of dealing with a bulky research project. If social settings leave you drained, then you can go on a solo trip. Traveling alone may be more expensive than traveling in a group, but it will be worth it since you will have peace of mind. If you need a city tour at any point of your trip, ensure you raise the issue with your tour guide so that they only include a small number of people in your group.
If you are joining a group of people for site seeing, you can choose a destination where you can detach yourself from the group and have some moments alone without straying too far from them. Alternatively, you can take private treks using a map since there are several places you can visit without the need for tour guide services. Sometimes solitude allows you to live without expectations, so you should not have doubts about exploring destinations alone.
Record Everything in Your Journal
Traveling alone gives you time to enjoy your company; your best interaction should be with your diary. Writing down every experience is also a way of expression. It is said that introverts do better at writing than speaking. Allow yourself to be vulnerable in your journal. You can express your excitement and disappointment about the trip and any transformative discoveries you have made. After exploring the whole day before retiring to bed, you can jot down your day’s activities and experiences. You can also find a quiet cafeteria or beach and put pen on paper about your varying experiences. Writing is a way of expressing yourself, and you may find it better than entertaining a large group of people.
Plug in Your Headphones and Read a Book
You will meet people during your trip from the airport to the areas you will be visiting. You can wear your headphones or read a book if you do not want interactions. Sometimes you can be unlucky to find a chatty seatmate on the plane or the places you will be visiting, and your headphones or book will be a good way to keep them from engaging you in long conversations. Headphones and books are also good distractions since they can help you manage social anxiety. Introverts thrive in quiet and individual activities, and your headphones and book will even make such experiences more interesting since they allow you to be more immersed in your thoughts.
Find an Airbnb
Personal space is crucial for an introvert, and an Airbnb can offer this compared to hotels since nobody is watching your every move or random knocks from room service. Also, if you like functioning on your terms, an Airbnb will be the better option since you will eat when you want and without any random company. While staying in a hostel may be cost-efficient, they can also be extremely noisy, and you will not enjoy your personal space since it is a shared space. Such spaces may trigger anxieties; therefore, you need to look after yourself by getting a safe, quiet, and serene place to stay until the end of your trip. If you have minimum interactions, then an Air BNB is the best option, even far better than a private hotel room.
Self-Entertainment
Regardless of how much you enjoy your company, traveling alone can get boring. Therefore, you need to look for various ways to entertain yourself. Some of the best ways include:
- Filling in puzzles
- Watching a movie
- Listening to music
- Reading a book
- Strolling
- Cooking
It is best to keep yourself active and entertained by doing things you love doing when you are not actively exploring to avoid boredom during your trip.
Equip Yourself
Traveling solo means carrying all the essential items you need during your journey. To ensure you carry everything, list all the essential items, from medication to chargers, power banks, and much more, since you may need someone to ask or share with. Your phone going off in the middle of nowhere with no company can be dangerous. Some of the essential items you should pack for your trip include.
- Torch
- Power bank
- Phone charger
- Enough money
- Travel documents
- Medication such as painkillers
- First aid kit
All these items will keep you safe and comfortable during your solo trip; therefore, you need to tick them off your list as you pack so that you can pack all of them.
Last Stop
Being an introvert should not stop you from traveling. The social anxieties might be there, but you will get around them with a good plan. Solo traveling comes with many uncertainties, from security to whether you will enjoy yourself, but you can never know if you do not leap. If you find being in people’s company overwhelming, you can avoid group travel since you might end up not enjoying your trip. Traveling in a group can be thrilling and draining at the same time. Therefore, it is essential to note that the best thing to do is pursue your happiness; if it lies in solitude, go for it!
