Travel Alone: Am I brave?
"Don't ever think you're extraordinary," I would tell every solo traveller.
Carrying a 25 pounds backpack alone wandering in a foreign land with strangers passing by sounds pretty romantic, like a libertine. At least that's how Alexander Supertramp portraited in Into the Wild. But in reality, it's much less romantic than it sounds. Honestly, there's nothing special about travelling alone. There're thousand ways to travel, and doing that alone is simply a choice of preference.
"Damn girl you're brave! I wish I could have the courage to do that."
"No I'm really not."
"Shut up, you are."
I'm kinda tired of hearing comments like "it's so brave of you to travel alone." Uh-ah, no, I am not. I've never considered myself as the brave kind, sometimes I even dare not to talk back to my father. I chose to travel alone because I don't like drama, because I like being quiet, because I hate to be restricted, because from time to time I don't want to make compromise. I am stubborn, and I know that, so I'd rather go by myself. And of course, having time by yourself is never a bad idea. None of these have anything to do with bravery.
Travelling alone is actually a very common thing. People do it everywhere. 80% of the people staying in hostels are solo traveller. Their footprints can be found in every corner, they make friends from Arctic to Antarctica. If you still think it's absurd, think of these people like the baby birds that are being pushed from trees by their eagle parents. They learn to fly by actually attempting to fly.
If I have to be honest with you, travelling alone is in itself lonely.
It might be exciting and carefree in the first few days, but the feelings wear off with time. With all the goodbye you say to all the people you meet on the way, you are going to feel empty inside. Not gonna lie, sometimes I would want to have someone besides me, to share my journey and the views alongside. Then I turned around, there's no one.
So is travelling alone particularly charming? No. Not a bit. When alone, you are more likely to notice how happy people are surrounded by friends and family, you're prone to be lonely. You'd feel homesick and sometimes you would feel tired of keep going. You'll get lost alone, eat alone, and say goodbye to yourself alone. And is travelling alone an achievement to be bragged about? Nah, they won't tell you all the stupid and humiliating things they have encountered or done.
There's no point to fantasise about solo travelling. It's not a symbol of bravery. Really, it's just a choice.
