A lot of people ask me why I travel solo.

And, I’ve probably partially answered this question in past blog posts. But here’s the complete answer. All in one post.

First, the obvious. I’m single. I decided not to wait till there’s a guy in my life to see the world. Would I love to share my travels with a special someone? Absolutely. But I don’t neeeeed a guy—or anyone else—to enjoy a travel adventure.

It’s not that I don’t like people! I’m just an independent introvert by nature. Being alone really doesn’t bother me. So, traveling alone really doesn’t bother me.

And. Well. It’s just uncomplicated. I’m well aware that the way I travel isn’t exactly normal. Take my May 2018 trip to Switzerland. I went bungee jumping. In December 2018, I visited four countries in a week and walked a total of 70 miles. When I adventure, I adventure HARD. It’s tough to expect anyone else to travel like that alongside me. And, it’s tough for me to NOT travel that way.

I’m also a frugal traveler. I tend to shun the fancy restaurants. Forego wine with dinner. Avoid places with entrance fees. Skip paying for tours. While I do make exceptions, they are indeed exceptions. Again, I wouldn’t want to deny a fellow traveler the pleasure of an indulgence or experience simply because I don’t want to. And, I really wouldn’t want to give in and spend the extra money. Soooo, it just seems easier to go by myself.

There’s also the whole coordinating schedules thing. Because I work remotely, my travel dates are typically very flexible. I know that’s not the case for most people, though. I also know that flight deals tend to disappear quickly. When a price-is-right deal pops up to a place I want to go, trying to confirm dates with someone else means risking that the price will jump before I book. Typically, I’ll book my flight and then maybe ask a few people if they can go—IF the deal is still available. Last year, when I booked Hawaii for March 2018, I initially thought I’d be going solo. Then, a few weeks before the trip, my dad decided to come along. I am thrilled he was able to go, and we had a daddy/daughter trip I know we’ll both cherish forever! But, here’s the kicker. I paid $374 for my roundtrip ticket to Honolulu… and he paid over $1,000! Point is, I only travel when there’s a flight deal and coordinating dates is difficult and there’s no guarantee the deal will stick around long enough for someone else to go with me.

Honestly, sometimes I feel like there should be an application and interview process for people to travel together. OR, at least a required travel compatibility test, you know? If you’ve ever argued with or been annoyed by your travel partner(s) on a trip, I’m pretty sure you do know!

All that said, I’m absolutely not opposed to traveling with like-minded adventurers! After five solo trips, I guess I’ve given y’all a pretty good idea of how I travel. How I adventure. A good idea of what you’d be getting yourself into if you DO travel with me.

Not for you? No biggie. We can still be friends!

BUT. If you like my adventure style. If you’re ALL in, thinking “Giiiiirl, where do I apply???”—let’s go! But first, how ‘bout we go take that compatibility test. K? 😉

**Update 6/2020: I no longer travel solo because I met the love of my life. Still, I hope this helps anyone thinking about traveling solo.