For most of us, going on a trip often does just refer to literally, ‘trippin’. Alcohol, good food and friends, sunshine and a beach, loads of pictures in every other pose possible of the person more than the view in the background and there we’ve had a memorable holiday.
Exploring the true beauty and the real charm of a place, even if doing so can be achieved by a mere 2 hour walk around your hotel; getting to know the traditional culture and the deep rooted ethos of the place; travelling around in the most robust and rough ways possible and getting a sense of the fact that you’re miles away from home, yet you can feel more alive with every breathe that you take in is what defines the notion of travelling and there’s nothing else that comes close to doing a solo trip that truly justifies the definition.
1. Extreme Independence.
We’re used to travelling with friends and family and for the most number of times, there’s one person who takes care of the accommodation, food, transport and the other essential factors. One has to be responsible towards the entire group but while travelling alone, you’re responsibility is just your own self. Which toughens you up and you’re therefore wiser and mature and mentally stronger.
2. Time Isn’t A Constraint.
You are the creator and destroyer of everything that’ll go about right from the moment you step out of your door, till the moment you close the door of the hotel room after stepping in; including the scheduling and planning once you’ve arrived at your destination. You can stay outdoors beyond midnight and afford to get up by noon the next day. Or you can choose to rise by 5am to witness dawn.
3. True Freedom.
Walk by the edge of the lake for hours if you want to. Go to the same mountain top more than once if it gets hung on to you. Light a camp fire and lie down on the sand, under the star speckled sky until you don’t doze off. Go river rafting for as many times as you’re pleased to. This is the endless freedom you feel while on a solo trip.
4. Realisation Of Your Existence.
When you’re at 18,000 feet, about to drive through the highest motorable road in the world, tired, sick, scared, all alone, drained out; when the altitude tickles and teases the nerves of your brain, when your body cries for comfort and warmth but to no avail, every breath that you’d take in, will have one entire lifetime in it. You’ll truly start to value life all the more and you’ll realise that there are two crucially important days in a man’s life; the day he was born and the day he’ll find out why.
5. Clarity Of Thought.
We always are dying to know what others think of us. What do they feel for us. And in the never ending and rather irrelevant quest of the same, we often tend to lose our own identity. We fail to identify ourselves, our goals and ambitions and our dreams and aspirations. Only when you go into hibernation and spend some time with yourself, does your mind start painting a clearer picture regarding life. There’s no better way than a solo trip to help you find yourself.
6. Complimenting The Imminent Change.
In our early twenties, most of us are in the transformation process. The process that turns a boy into a man or a girl into a woman. A solo trip perfectly compliments this essential change and because you’re all by yourself, you tend to relish it all the more.
7. Invaluable Experiences.
The entire journey, the independence and the freedom, the clarity of thought, the sensation of mother nature’s true beauty and the toughening up are all going to make you a stronger and a better human being. The impact of the experiences will help shape you up mentally, psychologically and even emotionally. You’ll feel that you’re a year or two older that day you crash into your bedroom when you’re back even if the trip was of 15 days only.
Life’s too short and the world’s got way too many beautiful places waiting to be explored.
This post was originally published on My Blogs'.