Thoughts on a decade of travelling solo
Throughout the past decade, solo travel has become a foundational part of my existence.
I know that some people struggle with the concept of going to a new destination alone, but I’ve never felt that way.
In my case, I’m fairly confident this is because I grew up as an only-child.
When you don’t have siblings, you learn to entertain yourself. You have a lot of conversations in your own head, to create an inner-monologue of ideas, stories, adventures. You need to bring the fun to the table, because you know that if you don’t, nobody else will. And on top of all of that, you also have less people who disagree with you. This is problematic in many ways, but the way I choose to spin it is that from a very young age, I was free to forge my own path and I never felt as though I needed anybody else’s sign-off.
I still live my life as though I don’t need anyone else’s sign-off.
From what I’ve discovered, it’s easier to travel solo abroad than it is domestically. After all, when you’re a long way from home, you’re already anonymous. You’re primed to care far less about the image you portray. It’s much easier to sit by myself in a restaurant or a movie theatre in Chiang Mai than it is in Melbourne.
My solo travels have taken me to some wonderful places. From wild adventures in China, Jordan, Georgia and Morocco. To the more familiar, safe havens of south-east Asia and mainland Europe.
Across it all, I’ve found these solo trips to be liberating, not just personally but professionally too. Some people come up with great ideas in the shower. My ideas have always come to me on the road. And the dustier that road is, the better.
Originally published at https://www.bencampbell.co on November 23, 2020.
