Travelling solo in India? Consider this
The thing about solo travelling in India is that it is not common. Whenever we see a solo diner at a restaurant or a single person buying tickets, the thought automatically pops up, “Why exactly are they alone?” or “Where is their family?”
Why travel solo? Some advantages
As a philosophy, I believe it is necessary to have all kinds of experiences in life. As per a survey by a website called ‘Solo Traveler World’, the main reason people want to travel alone is they want to see the world and not wait for others. It all boils down to the saying — being alone is different from being lonely — and this is the feeling that solo travel seeks to leave you with.
I too once embarked upon a solo adventure — not seeking thrills, but some peace of mind away from the chaos of reality. The good thing about solo travelling is that it allows you to take a step back from the chatter of voices and hordes of people around you. You could take a stroll in a park, read a book, listen to some music, grab a drink or just gorge on some food. The choice is completely yours and you don’t have to justify it to anyone. Your time is at your command.
Solo travelling is a lesson in self-love, and in learning to spend time with yourself. As data suggests, the older you grow, the more you will have to be by yourself; so might as well get a head start on that!
Although popular singer Miley Cyrus is referring to self-love and living the single life in her song ‘Flowers’, these lyrics apply to solo travel as well:
“I can buy myself flowers
Write my name in the sand
Talk to myself for hours
Say things you don’t understand
I can take myself dancing
And I can hold my own hand
Yeah, I can love me better than you can…”
Even on solo trips, not all is hunky dory
Aside of all these advantages, I feel that solo travel may not be the best expression of self-love: the bottom line is that man is ultimately a social animal. No matter where you embark on a solo adventure, eventually, you’ll feel like calling up your relatives and friends and chatting with them, now that you have so much free time on your hands. You’ll find yourself scrolling to the deepest corners of social media, and you’ll feel like posting something yourself. It is surely impossible to live the solo life for days on end — without any interaction with your close circle.
This is not to say solo travel does not have its perquisites, but ultimately, there is a limit to what you can do on a solo trip. Highly self-entertained people may think differently, but I believe that after a while, solo trips become monotonous. After all, how many monuments can you visit and how many audio guides can you actually listen to?
My Verdict
I honestly feel travelling is a hundred times better with a companion, or maybe two or three friends who can tag along with you on your silly expeditions.
1. They can hold your belongings while you visit the loo, collect your food order while you chill in bed and navigate to the tourist hotspot while you click pictures of the stunning landscapes.
2. OH, and did I mention the biggest benefit of travelling with company — that you can capture some good pictures of yourself without having to ask strangers to click some! Your camera roll won’t be full of selfies and landscape pictures.
3. Plus — on days when you actually are at a loss about what to do or where to go — your companions and mates can offer some handy suggestions and steer the itinerary, while you just sit back and enjoy the plan they have curated for you.
It’s quite interesting that a lot of solo travelers actually end up opting for group tours as well. As they say, there is safety in numbers and a group of unknown people makes for excellent company too! And even if you are travelling independently, you will definitely end up meeting some like-minded people and making friends along the line. So is a solo trip really even solo?
