**This blog is part 5 of a 5-part series on common reasons why people don't travel, as well as ways to combat those excuses**
(Disclaimer: Obviously, it is safer to travel with a group. If you are traveling alone, you want to be very mindful of your surrounding and those you interact with. Reading reviews can be a good indicator of the safety levels of places. Always trust your gut, and try to actively not put yourself in risky situations).
I hear this one frequently.
Maybe you moved to a new city and you don't know anyone yet. Maybe the people around you don't want to travel as much as you (or they don't want to go where you do). Maybe your partner isn't able to make the trip for some reason.
I don't want to go alone.
I get it. Who the hell travels alone? I mean, that is weird, right??
That makes for a boring car ride.
Plus, when you get there...then what? Take in the sights by yourself? Go to a restaurant and eat alone? AWK-WARD.
Real talk: A year or two ago, I felt all of these things. I thought it would be boring, weird, and even somewhat frightening to hop in a car and go on a roadtrip alone.
But then I did it.
I was weeks removed from grad school. I had no constants in my life. I felt the need to hit the refresh button; find something that gave me structure and plans, if even for a few days.
I was walking to my car in the parking lot from a half-day interview session. As I buckled my seat belt, I thought to myself, "I need to get out". When I got to my place, I searched Google Maps for places within a 5 hour radius. Within 30 mins, I found Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
The next morning, I was on the road, alone, with no plans other than checking into my hotel at some point in the day. For the first time in my life, I felt no rush to be anywhere but in the moment. If I saw something interesting on a sign while driving down the highway, I would take the exit ramp and check it out. After many stops along the way (and after dropping off a couple of hitchhikers (that is a story for a different day...))I ended up in Gatlinburg. The next three days consisted of checking out local breweries, restaurants, and hiking spots. I found myself not thinking of life back home.
I came back from the trip with a whole new mindset. I felt the common post-trip sadness, but something else was there, too. The travel bug. I wanted to feel that high again - finding a place on the internet, mapping out a plan (to a degree) and hopping in the car. So, I did.
I completed a few more interviews, and the next chapter of my life was slowly coming into focus. As one last hurrah before adulting, I decided to go on one more road trip. I knew that it would be some time before I could take a 5-7 day trip, so I wanted to make it count. After narrowing down my list, I choice Acadia National Park in Maine. The only thing I knew about the state of Maine was that lobsters lived there and you would come across the occasional lighthouse. Boy, did I vastly underestimate not only the location, but the benefits of taking that trip.
Simply put, that singular trip changed my life (I'll outline the details of that Maine/Boston trip in a future post). It sparked a fire in me to escape and gain experiences as possible. I have since become obsessed with collecting miles and memories.
Traveling solo gives you experiences that traveling with someone else does not. For one, you can be TOTALLY selfish. You make all the plans by yourself. If you get to a spot and decide you want to scrap your original itinerary, so be it.
You're in control of the travel to/from. This gives you the opportunity to listen to podcasts, the new Post Malone album from top to bottom, or an audiobook. I now religiously listen to a radio show every day, and I discovered it on my Gatlinburg trip.
You have time to be alone in your thoughts. For better or worse, it is beneficial overall. We are constantly tugged in 1000 directions every day. Sometimes it's nice to wake up in a new place and spend the morning quietly reflecting. One of the coolest things of going on a road trip for the first time is going to a brewery/restaurant and taking in the environment around you. Talk to a person nearby - ask if they're from around the area. If so, ask for some pointers. If not, where are they from. I love when I run into a fellow OU alum. Do some people watching. The possibilities are endless.
The sense of pride/accomplishment can be off of the charts when you are traveling alone. You don't know what scary is until you're driving a manual transmission and get accidentally get lost in NYC. Or you're driving to Miami, FL and end up on the wrong turnpike. I wouldn't suggest it. But when you get do it, you feel like a million bucks. Figuring out and navigating the roads, maps, etc is something to be proud of. Not everyone can be independent and do things on their own. Or so they think. If you can NEVER imagine going alone on a trip, challenge yourself in 2018 to take the plunge and be I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T (do you know what that mean?)
-MT