Backpacker Flying Solo - a Solo Travel Tale

“I need to get out of here”, I remember saying to myself, cramming my last
essay into the box. It wasn’t said in any clenched teeth episode or in a
break down sense, but a quite self realisation, a brief moment of
enlightenment. 12 years of school and then uni all without a decent break
was more than enough for me to entertain thoughts of starting a new chapter
abroad seeing the world.

A week later my flight was booked. Destination: London
Purpose:
No freaking idea.

It wasn’t the case of not liking where I was, I loved it, but the desire to
get out and discover was at the end of the day stronger than anything
holding me back.

The thought of travelling solo across the world filled me not with
apprehension but excited optimism, both in its endless possibilities and the
thought of who at the end of it all I would become. Being in heavily social
environments for the past many years, I was keen to see how I would handle
the solo challenge. Knowing full well that flying solo has the advantages
of freedom and creativity, but it also carries with it possible loneliness
and solitude. But the latter was far from my mind, besides if travelling
solo didn’t have its challenges then everyone would do it.

In what felt like a moments notice, I threw my clothes and sleeping bag in
my backpack, fare-welled my folks, pattered my dog, hi-fived my buddies
jumped on the plane-London bound.

It was on the plane that the sense of excitement really began to settle in
about seeing the world. Though London was just a token destination for
purpose and direction took a 2nd seat in the planning stage, the pilot could
have flown to Azerbaijan for all I cared. Like in those movies where a
person jumps into a cab to be asked where they want to go and they reply,
‘just drive!’, I was thinking, ‘just fly pilot, just fly.’

It was whilst listening to the music on the headphones that my already
lazi-fare approach to international travel received a comfort boost of
confirmation through the line of a song, which I have come to very much
agree with. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers once said, ‘So I’ve started out
for God knows where, I’ll guess I’ll know when I get there.’

As soon as the plane landed my journey begun and here I am still moving
round overseas, 5 months after my supposed flight home.

Though I am in no way finished I think I’ve learnt a few things about
travelling solo and travelling ad lib.

You don’t necessarily have to plan your trip in meticulous detail; start
with one stage and see where it goes, just like baby steps; one at a time.
You may never know what might happen or happen next, or where it could lead.
Along the way you might hear, see or read about a venture which takes your
fancy that becomes something you want to move onto.

I went from working in a bar, to seeing parts of Scotland, to hiking right
across Spain on the Camino de Santiago (cheap and great way to meet people –
highly recommended), to working a season in the French Alps to currently on
my way to explore far Eastern Europe. All of which came out of baby steps
planning, making the places I saw and the people I met all the more special
and memorable.

Though this freedom of travel is a benefit of flying solo, there has been
times when a day has gone by and I have spoken very little. Unfortunately a
lot of the time people aren’t going to be flocking to you when they see a
pack on your pack and asking you to regale them with your stories. So many
times in a new place the onus is upon you to get out there and meet people.
Though some people dread doing this and for some it may be the biggest
challenge , but at the end of the day, who cares?? You could be anyone you
want, a new beginning, a clean slate, so just jump in head first.

I remember being in a hostel in Scotland for the first night during dinner
time after an almost wordless day. The room was packed with hungry
travellers chatting away in many groups with me in the middle, alone,
getting familiar with the posters on the wall. For a split second I thought
that although I was surrounded by people, I don’t think I could have gotten
anymore alone. Then just as quickly I snapped out of it, ‘I didn’t travel
half way round the world to eat by myself!’ I turned to the person across
the table, looked at them, saw a copy of Harry Potter next to them and
simply asked them where they were up to. BANG, went from there and I spent
the next week with them and their friend and had fantastic time in Scotland.

Travelling ad lib, one stage at a time, seeing where the journey takes you
isn’t everyone’s cup of tea or may not fall within their comfort zone. It
has at times been a challenge, but one that gets easier each time. Plus
how often in your life will you have the freedom to do, go and see whatever
you want?

When working in the Alps people would ask me what I had planned after the
season, to which I replied, “Not sure, got a few ideas floating round but
nothing concrete yet.” Most of the time from the people in their
middle-ages or those heavily stuck in their jobs would often say how much
they envied me, wishing they had such freedom and had done something similar
before settling into a job.

So not knowing what path to walk (despite feeling a bit lost sometimes) is
more of an opportunity for great things, rather than a burden of
indecisiveness.

‘Whatever will be, will be’

See you on the road.

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