When I booked my first solo trip, I wasn’t chasing self-discovery. I just needed a break. It was a last-minute plan, the kind you make when life gets heavy and staying in one place starts to feel suffocating. I opened Expedia, picked the cheapest round trip to a city I’d never been to, and booked it without overthinking. That impulsive click changed the way I look at people.
Strangers are more generous than you’d expect.
One of the first things I noticed while traveling alone is how strangers tend to step up when you’re not traveling in a group. Maybe it’s because you’re more approachable when you’re on your own. Or maybe it’s because you’re forced to notice people more too.
In Prague, I was stuck trying to find a tram late at night. My phone battery had died, and my printed map was pretty much useless. A couple standing at the corner saw me walking back and forth and came over. They didn’t speak much English, but they used gestures and a shared translation app to get me to the right stop. Then they waited until my tram arrived. I didn’t even ask for help. They just saw I needed it.
Things like that happened more than once. In cafes, hostels, and on buses. I wasn’t just seeing places. I was seeing people in their default state: kind, curious, and patient.
You start trusting your gut more.
Solo travel sharpens your instincts. Since there’s no one else around to confirm if something feels off, you start tuning in to your own judgement. You make decisions faster. You read situations more clearly.
When I was in Lisbon, a man at a metro stop offered to show me the way. Something about his tone made me pause. It wasn’t fear, just a quiet hesitation. I thanked him and waited for another train. Later, a local told me that area was known for petty scams.
It’s not always about danger. Sometimes it’s just knowing when someone actually wants to talk versus when they’re being polite. Or sensing when a place doesn’t match the vibe it showed online. Sites like Expedia give plenty of reviews and hotel info, which helps, but there are still moments when it’s just your instinct that guides you. You learn to respect that.
People are curious about you too.
One thing I didn’t expect: people are just as curious about me as I am about them. In Tokyo, I sat alone in a ramen bar when a woman next to me asked if I was traveling solo. We ended up talking for an hour. She told me she had always wanted to travel alone but felt it was too late. I told her what made me go for it. It wasn’t a deep or life-changing conversation, but it reminded me that solo travel doesn’t mean you’re isolated. You’re still surrounded by stories. Sometimes you just need to make eye contact for them to unfold.
I used to think I needed company to have a full travel experience. But those unexpected conversations were often more memorable than the museums or sightseeing spots.
Travel makes everyone a beginner again.
No matter who you are back home — a manager, a parent, an expert at something — travel humbles you. When you’re lost in a foreign city, can’t read a sign, or end up ordering something completely different from what you thought, you’re reminded that being clueless is okay.
The upside? It puts everyone on the same level. Locals don’t care about your job title. Fellow travelers don’t ask how much you earn. You bond over missed trains, good coffee, or bad directions.
That’s something I’ve noticed each time I’ve used Expedia to plan solo trips. The comfort of knowing I’ve got my stays sorted lets me be more open to those unexpected, everyday moments. The ones that remind you you’re not the centre of the universe.
Some connections last longer than expected.
Not every person I met while traveling stayed in my life. But a few did. I met a woman in Greece who now sends me postcards every few months. A guy I shared a hostel dorm with in Vietnam became a virtual friend I still swap book recommendations with.
These aren’t deep bonds in the way we usually describe them, but they matter. They’ve shaped how I interact with people back home. I’ve become more patient, more interested in strangers’ stories, and more open to small conversations without expecting anything from them.
And no, traveling alone didn’t make me fearless. I still overthink sometimes. I still feel awkward walking into a restaurant solo. But now I know I’ll survive it. And more than that, I’ll probably walk out of there with something worth remembering.
If you ever feel stuck or burnt out, consider taking a trip alone. Don’t plan it to the last detail. Just enough to feel grounded. Use a platform like Expedia to handle the stay so you can focus on the real part — learning from the people along the way.
Last modified: June 11, 2025
