I’ve always admired people who could brave the world alone with nothing but a rucksack on their back and a map in their pocket, and I’ve secretly longed for that same thrill of adventure, of not knowing what lies ahead. So, as one of my new year’s resolutions, I’ve decided that it’s time I take a trip all by myself and I couldn’t think of a better person to ask guidance from than my friend Marie, a Tourism Geography major and travel enthusiast, having just returned from a 5-month long backpacking trip across Asia that took her from urban metropolises like Tokyo and Beijing to the islands of Indonesia and Australia. Browsing through Marie’s photos with the snow falling heavily outside my Helsinki window, I could almost feel the cleaner shrimps nibbling my fingers on a shore in Bali and hear the tapping of my shoes against the pavement in the quaint little town of Hoi An in Vietnam, as if I had been there myself. Here are some pros and cons Marie shared with me about her experience travelling alone:
Cons:
No one to share the experience with: despite being able to meet many people along the way, it’s not the same as having a friend whom you can reminisce with later on
More expenses: such things as hotels and taxis are cheaper when shared; it’s almost always cheaper to stay in hostels when travelling alone or, alternatively, couch surf if possible
No one to delegate: it’s up to you to do all the decision-making, planning and booking, which can get very stressful at times
Pros:
Learning to be independent and trusting your own instincts: there’s nothing better than to look back and realise how much you’ve grown as a person and to know that you can take on the world alone; do use your common sense and be patient and flexible when in unexpected situations
Your trip, your rules: no need to fret over conflicting interests or timetable issues, you can make up the plan as you go
Easy to meet new people: there are more opportunities for you to meet and mingle with other travellers who might also be backpacking alone, especially if you stay at a hostel
Despite being exhausted from her long journey and having dearly missed drinkable tap water, central heating and cheese graters, Marie told me she wouldn’t trade a single moment from her adventures for the world and convinced me that it’s more valuable to buy experiences than material things. After all, stories of scuba diving with manta rays in Indonesia and sailing at the breathtakingly stunning Whitsunday Islands can never get old. As for taking that first step? Her answer was simple: “Just go, don’t mull it over. But do get a comprehensive travel insurance policy.”
Marie’s next adventure will take her to Ecuador in August and she dreams of travelling the whole of Southern America and taking a Route 66 road trip across the US. All photos taken by Marie. Destination in order of photos: Bali (Indonesia), Krabi (Thailand), Kyoto (Japan), Hoi An (Vietnam) and Whitsunday Islands (Australia).