February 2018

Solo travel has been part of my life since I was 12. I had to travel to Melbourne by myself to the boarding school I was studying at the time. The real solo travel I did was to Zurich when I was 15 while I was studying in Switzerland. During one of the school holidays, I stayed with a host family and I was touring the city on my own. The second time was to Vienna when I was 16, also during a short break. Some people have told me that they find solo travel lonely and unsafe. But there are certain cities that one can try as a “beginner,” and are not necessarily unsafe. As someone who puts safety before anything, I can understand why people feel that way. If I don’t feel secure when traveling as a solo female traveler, it can be stressful. On the other hand, once you find a suitable country/city to go, solo travel can be extremely inspiring and rejuvenating. I like to use solo travel as a way to get in touch with my mind and soul. It’s less about ticking off a list of places to see, it’s more about not doing anything or doing things that detach you from this world, routine, comfort zone, and seeing the world from a different angle.