My first time to travel solo

Whenever people find out that I'm travelling alone to a foreign country, I get mixed reactions. Some are fearful for me, that I will be all alone in a place that I have never been to. While others look at me in disbelief of why, for the life of me, choose to travel alone. For them, travelling is best enjoyed with company. A few others are even mind boggled when I say I ENJOY travelling alone more than with company. For them, they cannot comprehend the fact that you get to enjoy and be happy in a foreign country without loved ones.

Don't get me wrong. I do not judge other people's preference on how they choose to travel. I also do not take offence on these reactions as these are normal, realistic responses.

I also love travelling to other places with friends, family, and the significant other. For instance I prefer travelling with friends to Hongkong for a shopping trip. Singapore for some Sentosa adventure with family. Or some romantic destination like Paris or Greece with the significant other.

But this year, I chose to defy convention. So as a birthday gift to myself, I gave myself the gift of courage and adventure.

I've been inspired by a few online travel bloggers. These are women, between their late-20s to late-30s, who chose to travel alone. They say travelling alone is the most wonderful and rewarding experience. Because of such reassuring thoughts, I mustered the courage and booked my first solo trip to Korea!

Since I stayed in Korea for ten days, I would need to break this travelogue into several blog posts.

But overall, I must say that these women were right. Personally, travelling alone gives you a sense of freedom. You are in full control of your day-to-day agenda. You can go as fast as you want, or as slow as you want. If you choose, you can hike up a mountain trail for your morning exercise, or you can wander around in an unfamiliar street corner exploring and taking in whatever that day has in store for you.

I also find a sense of peace travelling alone. This may be weird for some. But I feel a sense of Zen going around in a foreign country (even to a place where most people do not speak English) and you only have a map and a Subway app in hand. It keeps my mind at the present moment which makes me appreciate anything and everything.

For the budget-conscious, travelling solo has its merits. You choose when and how you spend your money, especially if you are staying for a longer period of time.
If budget is tight and you only want to have a decent meal under $6, then no one will whine or complain about it.
Another money-matter for me is the accommodation. For practical reasons, I prefer a cozy, comfortable place with air conditioner, working water heater, a clean bathroom and bedroom, and generally a safe and secure place where you can be assured to leave some of your valuables without worrying if the place gets frequently robbed or the housekeeping staff might take something while cleaning. For me, a decent place is all I need when travelling since I am always out the whole day and I only use the room to sleep and take a shower. But of course, if I had more moolah to spend, heck, I have no reason to complain if I get billeted at a posh hotel!

Another glorious thing I have discovered travelling alone is the joy of SILENCE! I am an introvert by nature, but I try to be an extrovert from time-to-time due to the nature of my work. The one thing I love about going solo is that there is no commitment to talk to someone and force myself to make 'small talk' from time to time. I love chatting with people and I get a burst of energy from it. But I do have a problem maintaining that enthusiasm. So staying at a guesthouse (backpackers lodge) for me was a perfect set-up. I get to meet a lot of people, I get to talk to them as much (or as little) as I want, and I can leave without that guilt of feeling obliged to frequently talk to them.

Of course, travelling solo also heightens one's awareness. You depend solely on yourself to find your way home whenever you get lost every now and then. It also makes you aware and alert of your surroundings to make sure that you don't get mugged in some dingy alley (but thank God I chose Korea! May pagkatanga ako minsan, so thankfully Seoul is a very safe place even at night).

I started writing this blog as a way to document my travels and to help those who are curious about the different attractions and must-do's in a certain city/country. I hope this also inspires women, especially my age, to travel solo at least once in their life.

I know that after my 1st solo Korea trip, this is definitely not my last!