FAQ Series #5: Travelling alone, why? 4 reasons why it isn't that bad

Maybe it isn't something for everybody, but I still wanted to write a post about travelling alone. I don't do it all the time, but for sure once a year. It happened many times, when I talked to People and told them that I was going to travel by myself, to get questions like "why are you going alone?", "isn't it boring?" or "aren't you scared to go by yourself?". No. For all three questions.

It feels like having a disease sometimes, when I have a conversation about lone travelling, well, get this: it's all my choice and I'm pretty Aware that nobody is going to be in my Company. So, since this is another Topic which I have to explain myself very often, I put my personal four reasons together, of why travelling alone isn't really a bad Thing.

1. Everything happens on your own Timing

It doesen't really matter if it's about sleeping until noon because you just want to or maybe, like me, just want to sit down in a Café or on your Hotel balcony, sip coffee and write. You won't ever be in any rush to do something, you won't have to wait for somebody or compromise on any decision. You can do whatever you want. Basically: let the egomaniac in yourself rise :)

2. It's all about your trip Organisation

Are you planning to visit an Exhibition, just to stroll around certain City districts or have lunch in that very good looking beachfront Restaurant? Good, go for it!
What I always do before my departure on my companyless trips is to inform myself as much as I can. I try to figure out if there are any cool Museum I want to visit, how the City is built and what quarters are worth to go at. I know I will have time to stop whenever I want to take Pictures, for example. In Addition to that, I love fancy looking coffee houses, even better if they have a view. I could sit for two hours there, sipping my latte and to People watching on a sunny day. Basically all the stuff which takes some time and could eventually bore any potential co-traveller, depending on the interest.
If you're worried about having dinner alone and you get the Feeling to have People staring at you, this is a big myth... You'll find locals that will have dinner by themselves without any issue, so you're not a weirdo by doing that. If you feel uncomfortable, you might should do some take Outs first, or simply avoid the date Restaurants ;)
Another great concept is the single Restaurant in Amsterdam called Eenmaal: you'll find only table for one and it's defined as "an attractive place for temporarly disconnection". It was so successful that a second Restaurant has opened in London already. And you never know... It doesen't exactly mean you won't start any conversation there ;)

3. Alone is not equal alone

Departing by yourself won't necessary mean that you will shut up all the time and don't talk for a week. If you're not into the 5*+ Resort Kind of Thing (which is nice, absolutely...), you will meet a lot of interesting People by living in a shared Apartment or in a hostel for example. This will make your stay lovely: you can follow your plans during the day but will have a beer Buddy or two when you'll chill at home. This is a precious advice, because you can get great tips about what else to see in the City you're at that you didn't really know before. Local tips are always amazing!
Or maybe you're visiting a friend who's working during the day. Same here: you'll have plenty of time and you can catch up later on for dinner and Chat about your day.

4. Make a step out your comfort Zone

As you might have readen in my "About" section, I am convinced that travelling is one of the biggest mind openers you can have. Even better if you're travelling alone. You'll might be forced to get out of your comfort Zone and talk to strangers, if you're shy this is going to be a challenge which will help you out for your future everyday life (nobody's gonna bite).
If you're travelling in a total different continent you can take Advantage of the cultural difference and learn new things. I had a lot of interesting conversations during my travels and I always figured things out that I wouldn't have found in any lonely planet guide.

Photo shot in Venice Beach, California

I hope this inspired you a Little to pack your bag and go for a journey by yourself. It doesen't have to be Long. Try for the length of a Weekend for the first time: you'll figure out fast if it fits for you or not.

Happy Travels <3

FAQ Series #4: How do you fight post travelling depression?

Alright, if anyone of my friends is reading this post right now, they're might be lying on the floor laughing their butts off, because I'm usually the last person you should ask this question. I'm always sad to leave beautiful places, who isn't? But as the long time traveller as I am, I learn more myself after every trip and I suppose I can start giving some advice about how to fight your post travelling depression. Let's give it a try ;)

1. Don't stress yourself out

Y es, we all work. And you probably gonna start your job again after a day or two you're back home. It's normal. Don't start to stress your mind out by checking all your E-Mails as soon as the plane touches the ground, or thinking about what's on your bucket list on your office table. That's not how it works. Don't throw yourself into everything immediately... Maybe start your first day by having a coffee with your co-workers and see what the priorities are. Try to keep the holiday vibes as long as you can. It's a great relaxed Feeling that should last. :)

2. Share your adventures

Meet your friends and your Family. You could maybe organize a Little home Party and make a Diashow of the photos you shot during your trip. Tell them your stories, your best of while being on the road, make them laugh with the incredibly funny things you've experienced. You'll have a laugh with them for sure , and this brightens the mood up.

3. Build new things into your Routine

There we go, this is the most scary Topic. Even for me, that's what gives me shiver down my spine when I think about it: going back to the usual Routine. You are able to actually change it a bit and make it more exciting! I love to build things into my everyday life I've learned while I was travelling. This can include very simple things, like cooking dishes you discovered during your vacation and didn't know the existence about. Or, you tried a bunch of different types of sports and you might liked one of them. So why don't look for it back home? Ok, if you tried Surfing and you live in a place with no beach, you should find an alternative ;)

4. Float into memories

I obviously like to write, it helps me a lot to get over the Holiday blues, I can get over it. Get through your past days as a traveller by organizing your photos, by reading your diaries or just finding a place in your livingroom for your souvenirs. It's nice to make your own resumee, I'm sure you will get a lot of positivity from it.

5. Make new plans

Yeah, absolutely. You maybe have something in mind already, right? An idea, a place you always wanted to visit, or you have some friends abroad. Planning your next trip will keep your mind focused on the good parts coming and since you'll have a great upcoming roadtrip, a weekend, or even just a single day in a different city to look forward to.




Photo shot in Brisbane, Australia

 

 

I hope this helped you a Little bit out :) Some days it's harder than others, but hey, you're not alone with this for sure!</

FAQ Series #2: How do you travel that much?

After explaining the reason of my disease - travelling - I wanted to jump directly to the second most asked question that comes up very often when I talk to People: HOW do you travel that much?

As you might can imagine as a frequent Reader of this blog (thank you so much, by the  way!), I don't sit around at home and wait for my summer Holidays to come, like tons of People do. Yeah, I'm guilty, I travel around a lot, and sometimes People think that Money suddently Pops out from the wrinkles of my Couch or something. Not.
My very chaotic being is most of the time very well organized when it Comes to plan the upcoming trips of the year.

Photo shot while climbing Diamond Head in the morning.
Hawaii 2015

I thought that this post may could encourage you guys to travel more often, or, for those who want to figure out how to do it, i put together a few simple tips in this post. Here you go:

1. You have more Holidays than you think

I know, I know, doesen't matter where you work at, you'll never have enough vacation days. So do I. That's why I plan my trips also depending on how the festivities like Easter, Christmas and several national Holidays (this depends on your Country) fall. If they are on a Friday or a Monday, I have my win Situation already and I figure out what to do with this Extended Weekends.

2. Earlybirds never loose

A lot of my friends laugh about the fact sometimes, that I book a lot of my trips months in advance. Well, there is only one reason: I save a lot of Money. If I book certain flights 6 months or more before departure date, I'll might be going to pay way less than doing it a couple of weeks before. Let's take a Destination like Ibiza for example: if you're planning to go for the Grand Club openings, then you probably know on which Weekend this is going to happen. And you're probably not going to be the only one willing to do some booty shaking on the Dancefloors there, which means, you should book as soon as you can. I live one flight hour away from this beautiful, little mediterranean Island, and the Prices can reach 600$ easily, if you book last Minute. My plane tickets for the european destinations around me rarely are over 200$ for a round trip, and now you know why.

I have to add something else on this: another Thing that makes me save is the fact that I don't really care which carrier is going to bring me to my Destination. I can tell with no regrets here that I had good experiences with Budget Airlines (Easyjet, Vueling) AND the regular ones (Swiss, Qatar). Think about it: is it really necessary to play picky for a 1 or 2 hour trip? You got the answer. ;)

3. A Hotel isn't always the right choice

I'm not telling you to throw yourself in a 30 bed hostel dorm here, especially if you're maybe a Little over 25 and you're looking for some peace. There are plenty of Hotel deals online. Hotels.com is one of my favourite sites, since you can collect rewards and get every 11. booked night for free. If you travel as often as I do, it's an Advantage to book there.
When I'm travelling for a longer period like I am right now, I try to find a good Balance. Hostels are totally fine for me but I couldn't do it for 4 months in a row. My perfect combination for housing was booking a bunch of hostels, Resorts and local Apartments (most of the time on Airbnb), depending on how expensive my Destination was. I Chose to stay in some Resorts in Fiji, local Apartments in the US and part of Australia, and a hostel in between here and there.

4. Do you really want those Louboutins?

I rarely do Shopping when I am back home. It's limited to one piece a month, maybe socks? Just kidding... I'm Feeling quite ironic tonight. Back to the Topic: I don't go Shopping in my hometown unless it's for Food. Simple answer why: because I do that while I travel. I discovered so many good local brands while on the road, stuff that People back home don't even know the existence about, that's so great! So, before your best friend takes you out for a Shopping tour in town, because you'll might have to check out the latest issue of a Louis Vuitton bag, or Loubutins heels, think about it: you could come home from a citytrip with  Little treasures that nobody back home has. And, despite the Shopping abroad, you just saved Money for another intercontinental flight. :)

PS: this guide is for average People, so if you're rich then Keep on buying your Louis Vuittons.

5. Always go off sesason

Depending on where you wanna go, you'll have a high season in some period of the year. If you don't have any Kids that only have the longest break during summer, then DON'T. Don't do it.
The worst Thing I could do, seen from my Country's official holidays point of view, is to book my trips in July or August. That's high season here, where you basically don't recognize you own Airport anymore, so no, thanks, I'd rather stay home. I don't even mind because I know that there is loads of good stuff going on in Switzerland, like Festivals and warm weather (mostly), so I don't really Need to chase the sun then.
You'll find the best deals off season, which doesen't mean it's bad. I had a lot of alarms ringing when People knew I was going to Fiji in February: everyone was telling me about the bad rainy season. I was there 10 days, and I saw rain for 30 minutes. The rest of the time was sunny with an average temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, and the only thing I was looking for was a palm's shade. So if you want to experience Fiji in February, I can guarantee that the storms are mostly over. Just go for it! ;)

Top of Diamond Head, Hawaii

I hope I could answer one more questions with this :) If you have some more, or you might feel I forgot any important Topic, or just wanna leave your Feedback, then post your comment below or send me an E-Mail.