Why you should travel with who the f*$k you want!
There are two topics that I have been seeing regularly for years from different authors: “Why travelling alone is the best thing you can do” or “Why traveling with your partner is the best way to travel”. All of these articles are pretty similar and they can be quite frustrating if you are alone and are dreaming about finding a travel partner, or, if you haven’t had the chance to travel alone yet. I have experienced both and here is what I have learned from the journey:
Traveling alone is the best way to get to know yourself.
After a one year road trip in Australia and a few solo road trips in Europe, I wrote my first article on Medium : “The best way to lose yourself to discover who you are”. As some of you might agree, I was convinced that traveling alone was the best way to travel and discover more about yourself, get more confident with life. It is true that after my road trip I felt stronger. I thought that I knew exactly what to expect from life and how to take it.
Furthermore, my lonely experience allowed me to think a lot, to take the time and reflect on some questions I had; because sometimes you are alone for so long that your brain starts thinking about things you would never think of with others. It was an adventure, I found myself in situations that would have been way easier with someone else and I was so proud to face them alone.
It is said that travelling alone allows you to be more open to others and give you more freedom. You can do what you want. If you want to go out for one night and sleep the entire morning instead of visiting the archeological museum, you can. Well, I would say: just choose the appropriate person to travel with! During my road trip it happened that friends joined me to cover some sections, but we were living our own experience even though we were traveling together. You don’t have to stick to your mates all the time. If you want to party hard in Bali and your friend wants to wake up early to catch the morning waves, let him/her go and just say “Have fun see you tomorrow for lunch!”. The same kind of scenario, if you want to enjoy a place a bit longer, stay and tell your fellow that you’ll catch up with later in another place. No worries!
As a matter of fact, these lonely road trips brought me a lot, but I always thought that even a solo traveler needs a buddy at some point.
Traveling with your partner is the best way to get to know yourself.
After my road trip in Australia I kept travelling, but this time with my boyfriend. We did several road trips together: in Europe, South Africa and currently New Zealand. I enjoy travelling with him because we learn a lot about each other. It’s very romantic and we share everything: food, accommodation, transport, the whole experience. We keep an eye on each other and we never feel alone, exactly what every single article about travelling with your partner says, what a coincidence.
Are we closing doors to others when we are travelling as a couple?
It is true that people usually find it easier to introduce themselves to a solo traveler than a couple. Nevertheless, everything depends on your behaviour: as said previously don’t stick to your partner, go to talk to people and do some activities without him/her. If people see you alone without your partner, even if they know that you are traveling with somebody, they will come to you.
Moreover, after different trips with my buddy, I have realised that travelling with him doesn’t stop me to discover a bit more about myself and to grow up, we’re just growing together. I’ve understood that my year in Australia was only the first chapter of the lesson, and that every road trip is a life lesson, no matter the number of students.
Wherever you go, go with your heart.
What’s relevant for everything you undertake in life is how meaningful it is for you. Every travel experience is personal, regardless on how you decide to shape it. Traveling alone won’t make you special or stronger than others, and being in couple shouldn’t stop you from having your own experience sometimes. Find a balance between your desires and your surroundings.
I hope you enjoyed reading through this article. Contact me if you need a travelling digital marketer to spark your brand around the globe.
