Traveling by yourself can actually be one of the most gratifying experiences while on the road: you can meet new people more easily, you can connect with a culture more fully, you have greater control over your schedule and itinerary. But out of custom, necessity, or fear, we often find ourselves traveling in the company of others, be they friends, family members, a significant other, or an organized group. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t take some time to explore on your own and enjoy some of the perks of solo travel, if only for a few hours each day.
Here’s how:
Communicate
Make sure you let your travel companions know that, for everyone’s collective sanity and enjoyment, you’d like to take some time to explore on your own. Encourage them to do so, as well. Use some of the talking points from above: that you can meet new people, connect with the culture better, do things that the other person might not want to do. And be sure to let people know where you’re going and how to reach you when you’re off by yourself. International phone plans and WhatsApp help tremendously, as does charging your phone completely. Assess the relative danger of traveling on your own in a given destination. Safety first!
Coordinate
Get together with your travel companions to plan a schedule with built-in solo time. Try this agenda:
1) Have breakfast with your companions.
2) Enjoy a joint morning activity with your companions.
3/4) Have lunch on your own and enjoy a solo afternoon activity.
5) Have dinner with your companions.
6) Enjoy an evening activity with your companions, or go out together, be grown and drift off on your own, but let your companions know not to worry unless you don’t show up for breakfast the next morning.
Again, communication and coordination are key. Don’t just wander off. Coordinate.
Discover
Think about what you might want to see or do alone while in a destination. Is it to go shopping, skydiving, or to that museum that only you find particularly interesting? Is it to wander around a city aimlessly to see what you can get into, or to wander around that nightclub aimlessly to see who you can get into? Remember that part of the fun is interacting with people you wouldn’t ordinarily engage with because you’re, well, with people. Take advantage of being by yourself to connect deeper with the place, with other people, or with yourself.
Debrief
Reconvene with your travel companions and share stories from your little foray away from the group. Be smart about how much you share and who you share with, but also be smart about who you travel with and how you act. The idea isn’t for people to get into trouble or to strain relationships; the idea is to strengthen existing relationships while fostering new ones.
How have you traveled solo within a group travel experience?