Gen Y Speaks: Travelling solo? You may just want to do it again

Adele Chiang’s recent commentary in TODAY on the pitfalls and challenges of travelling alone has provided a good starting point for all of us to debate the merits and downsides of such pursuits.

However, I find myself disagreeing with her views on such individual journeys, which are actually genuine means of self-discovery and of learning lifelong lessons which are unobtainable otherwise.

To me, solo travelling has so many benefits.

First, it compels one to make prior preparations and grow up in the process.

I empathise with Adele’s ordeal of being pickpocketed in Sheffield and her subsequent management of the matter, but I see such situations as life lessons in emphasising the importance of psychological and practical preparations of travelling alone.

Sure, we may not be able to completely prevent such outcomes which cause personal discomfort and financial loss and inconvenience, but they compel us to re-evaluate our ways of keeping our personal stuff and ourselves safe.

Being alone while experiencing such situations trains us to help ourselves in times of need and be more confident of tackling difficult situations when no one is there – as is often the case in life.

Although I have yet to experience such an ordeal, I have happily travelled on my own long enough during my past entire academic year overseas on exchange in the United Kingdom to learn that such situations will only pass.

We may be alone when they happen, but we emerge as better and more experienced souls beyond them.

Secondly, while Adele mentioned that solo travellers have to pay up to twice the value of a hotel room, she discounted the presence of single-bed hostel accommodation that makes solo-travelling an affordable experience.

This reminds me of my recent (and very fortunate) solo 10-day trip to New York City, where the cheapest (albeit still expensive) accommodation in Manhattan was a single bed in a room of 10 in Chinatown that was half the price of a single room elsewhere.

While I was initially afraid of living with strangers, the experience helped make this one of the most amazing trips in my life.

I met people from all over the world, had no need to decide what I wanted to do with travelling partners or when I wake up every day, and simply enjoyed the city on my own with defining and unplanned conversations aplenty.

I also recall other weekend-long solo trips that I made to cities such as Stockholm in winter earlier this year, where the beauty of the thick snow layers was just a sight to behold. Or my day journeys around London, taking walks in Regent’s Park or exploring cafes around the city alone.

Similarly, £15 (S$27) same-day return train tickets to and from English seaside towns such as Whitstable and Deal were also very affordable ways to appreciate a slow and pleasant day outside the hustle and bustle of city life.

Without the pressures of deciding where to go when visiting such places, one can afford his or her own time at will to watch the beautiful evening sunsets, partake in a personal enjoyment of seafood as far as the budget allows for it, and observe the rustling of gentle and rough sea waves that form a beautiful sight in their own right.

To me, this is a powerful and special way of experiencing and learning about the beauty of this world. I do not think that having somebody to share or negotiate such experiences with is absolutely necessary.

Some friends had shared with me their struggles and fears of travelling alone, such as their fear of prolonged loneliness and the prospect of not having conversations.

However, I contend that this boils down to personal choices, prior life experiences, and a willingness to open oneself up to this life-defining experience.

The notion of having to share my travelling experiences with somebody is highly questionable. Why do I need to do this when I just want to have fun?

I may post curated photographs of myself appearing to have the time of my life, but I also ensure that such photographs of NYC and many other places explored through solo travelling in the UK and rest of Europe were described in-depth through the captions I provide for them.

To each his or her own experiences, of travelling life. 

Ultimately, solo travelling comes with a need to assess one’s own state of mind and personality, and the willingness to pursue experiences that cannot be obtained otherwise.

Experiences that cannot be measured by money and go beyond Instagram reflections of self-discovery.

Solo-travelling opens the world to all of us without the constraints of travelling companions who may not perceive the world as we do on our own.

This is a benefit that can never be exaggerated or captured by photographs, because it is a benefit that is invaluable and immeasurable.

And that is why, you might just want to do it again and again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chan Weng Kin is a graduate student and a photography enthusiast. He recently completed his Masters in Geography at Queen Mary University of London, having obtained his bachelor's degree in the same field at the National University of Singapore last year.