Travelling alone is the masterpiece par excellence – you are on your own, day in and day out. It requires not only great courage, but also patience with yourself. Enduring yourself over a longer period of time strengthens your inner self, furthermore, it‘s the best to get to know yourself and the way you are programmed.

I travelled solo for seven years and want to give you a few pros and cons of such a challenge:

1. Freedom

First of all, you can experience the full sense of freedom by organizing your own daily program, leisure activities and the course of your journey. Get up when and go out when you want, all based on your mood.

2. Perception

Impressions and experiences are perceived and processed more intensely, with a heightened awareness of even the smallest details. A train ride with breathtaking views lingers in memory far longer than if you spend the entire journey chatting with your travel companion—though that, of course, can be wonderful too.

3. Finances

Being a solo traveller, and here we come to a negative aspect, can also be more expensive. Bookings for one person, especially when it comes to accommodation and hire cars/scooters, are simply more expensive than exploring the world together. This requires a good organisation and negotiating skills, which in turn has a positive effect on creativity.

4. What about social contacts?

Well, in some situations I would have needed a shoulder to lean on. A good Primitivo wine by the sea is more enjoyable with friends. Don’t worry, you make anyway enough contacts, of course only if you want to, and WhatsApp & Co. round off your travels and so you always stay in touch with your friends. But keep in mind: some paths you have to go alone.

Travelling solo has developed for me over the years, starting with three days in Berlin, then island hopping in Greece and finally my long-term trip across half the globe. You don’t have to jump in at the deep end overnight, try a weekend trip in a city that you already know to get a first taste, and you’ll see that it has a very cleansing effect from the inside.