the social side of travel : why i ditched solo adventures

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[@jaiminshah8541]

The first half of the video, I was like: “yeah EXACTLY, I can finally do what I want to do, eat what I want to eat, go where I want to go”, but the second half of the video hit home just as much. I’m finally going on my first ever solo trip next week, and tbh, I’d love to bring my 2 best friends with me, but sadly I’m cursed with the group of friends who hate travelling, hate stepping out of their comfort zone, and hate spending money on “immaterial things” like memories and experiences. I didn’t travel for years, hoping at least 1 friend would come around and go on a trip with me. I’m hoping it changes, but I’m not going to sit around until it does. And until it does, SOLO ADVENTURES, HERE I COME 🎉

[@MonBriella]

Same here, i was able to go to Japan alone. I waited for years for someone (family or friends) to go with me but no one wanted to go to Japan. It feliz lonely but I was able to go wherever i wanted and...learn to be alone

[@EDG]

haha, glad it could resonate with you. Idk how old. you are, but assuming you're on the younger side. It's very normal that your friends dont want to spend on traveling just yet, but give it some time and it'll turn around! I know a few people that didn't get their passport until their early 30s , and since then have traveled the world. Solo adventures are great if you're just beginning to travel, because it can help you learn how to navigate the logistics and sightseeing, and also develop your style. And solo travel is FOR SURE better than no travel at all. I hope you get to travel with friends! then you can compare hah.

[@AdiSchwarz]

Thank you for sharing! ❤ I love that you highlighted someone else's perspective when traveling. While I still prefer traveling solo, I do not close my door for anything spontaneous & that makes a huge difference even if I will choose solo travel all the time! One example was meeting someone at the mountain in the province of South Korea & we became friends. He still reaches out to me for recommendation & sends me images of beautiful mountains he climbs. Another scenario was my spontaneous flight to Harbin without any plan (apart fr my 1st night in a hostel) & I was approached by someone who offered a deal (eg. split taxi fee, share food) with planned itinerary. She got everything planned & all I had to do was to follow. While she was leading the way, she would also ask me if there are some places I missed that we might check along the way (or if we have time). She easily connects with anyone & even brought someone who recommended the Changbai mountains but tickets ran out. She also got to extend my stay in the hostel because their space ran out in the app. She talked to the owner of the hostel!!! At the end, we parted ways & I had to add more places to visit as she went back to Shenyang while I had to stay before my flight to Mohe. I told her, "if you didnt talk to me, I wouldnt even dare talk to you." 😂😅 It was a fun adventure ❤ Other times, I try joining some group tours (as much as I hate noises) to save money 😅 Sometimes, solo travel cant solve everything, that I can never deny. At the end of the day, I am very exhausted but fulfilled whenever I get to meet others unexpectedly. I still love solo traveling but anything can happen. I swear extroverts adopt us!! 😂😅

[@EDG]

thats such a fun adventure! Yeah for experienced travelers , I understand how solo is appealing. Glad you got to have some great trips. Whats your favorite destination of all time? And have you traveled in like a group of 4 ppl?

[@AdiSchwarz]

@@EDG "What's your favorite destination of all time?" I cannot say for sure. Back then I used to be so b&w & had the notion I wouldnt enjoy *touristy* areas but came to realize, not all tourist spots are *that bad.* But there are two things that I expect will help define a *great experience* regardless where I go & that is the 1.) strong presence of nature & being soooo close to it. It can be as simple as crossing a frozen river; 2.) making me feel like I am witnessing a page of a book but in different timeline (applies to both countryside & city). Truth be told, the former makes people say, "I am not for that" which also explains why I'd pretty much prefer going there alone. While the latter gives an impression to some people that "it's boring" & there might be some places that are too *dark* that will require neutrality & prevent any form of judgment. Being close to nature is the source of my FOMO & making me ask myself, "what if in a decade, they'll be gone? What if I'll only get to see them through books?" While the witnessing the *constant change* from *how it used to vs now* is also rewarding, considering I cannot turn back time. Some food are here because they were product of history & change. I believe I do not need to be a history nerd or what, but explaining how things (eg. food) traveled fr one place to another fascinates me. At the same time, I respect what they are NOW. So many words for "favorite destination" (so sorrryyyy) but as long as the place supplies me those, it counts as "I'll go back again!" Group of 4 people? Yes! A bus full of strangers? Yes! Lol. These are the moments when I had to join a tour to save more money (based on shallow calculations) or when I'm too lazy to plan & the tour has everything. There are also some destinations like the highest point in the NE China where private cars arent allowed & the ticket covers the bus/van ride (roundtrip). Since I dont always go with *my close friends* because they found my reasons boring (lol), my 1st trip with four people (me, included) was when my adventurous friend & workmate in Korea offered to drive us to the Southern parts of Korea. I got to revisit my favorite Jeonju & finally got to visit Damyang. She also invited me to her parents' house & mom & sibling invited me for a quick hike before my flight back. Other than that, the only time my partner joins me (just the 2 of us) in my adventure is when both of us are free. We always look forward to those times. So yes, 98%, I travel alone, 1.5% with my partner, & .5% with peopld.

[@EDG]

@@AdiSchwarz thats awesome, thanks for sharing. Agree with your on your 2 conditions lol, ive discovered a similar thing across my travels as well.

[@xvincplayerx8]

It's very interesting to see how different people see traveling. Traveling has brought you reflection and that the prove that it was worthwhile

[@EDG]

@@xvincplayerx8 amen to that. What it’s all about.