Julie STAFFORD
THE SOLO JOURNEY
Traveling solo has made me brave, and built my resilience.
TIPS FOR THE SOLO WOMAN TRAVELER
tip #1
TIP 1.
Whether you immediately lunge into the idea of heading off into the unknown by yourself, or you travel with a large or small group, or as a couple (a couple of girlfriends, a partnership, a mother and daughter), the solo travel experience is to find time where it's just YOU doing the journey. YOU seeing, feeling and navigating your experience. Let it just be YOU at a table for one. Don't YOU be afraid of getting lost and finding your way. Let it just be YOU making sense of a language you don't speak. Eat eggs at sunrise, drink wine with a sunset, wish on a star, gaze at a moon, dance in the rain and let YOURSELF be in awe of a the small things in life.
TIP 2.
Choose travel destinations that call you. If you sit with travel magazines, travel books or you visit travel websites, trust me, your next destination will find you. Don't force a travel destination on yourself because you can get a cheap hotel deal. And, definitely don't travel to someone else's 'fav destination' expecting it will become your next 'fav destination' too. The destination that calls you has its arms full of lessons and rewards - just for you. New tribe members and memories that will live in your heart forever await you there. Allowing a destination to call you is like going home.
tip #2
tip #3
TIP 3.
Pack minimally. Travel is about what you carry away from your experience... not what you carry to it! Trust me, if your heart is open to learning and growing, your smile is contagious, and your generosity flawless, you will look pretty to everyone in the same dress, every day ... and wearing the same color lipstick, everyday. Oh ... and take a pair of flats and heels to cover every occasion.
TIP 4.
Be prepared to take some risks. I live by the rule that you get out of life what you give to life and if you do the same things every day your rewards will never change. What if there is more to life than the 'same old, same old' ... and because you were not prepared to step out of your comfort zone ... you missed the life in your life completely! I'm a Shirley Valentine kinda gal. Remember Shirley's famous words: "Wall, why do we have all this life if we don't live it? Why do we have all these hopes and dreams if we don't pursue them?"
tip #4
tip #5
TIP 5.
Leave your preconceptions and judgement at home. If you travel with preconceptions and judgement you'll never find the true experience and you'll always be disappointed. Let life, whatever it is, teach and grow you.
Get excited about conversations with strangers. If you go seeking clues and lessons in the least likely people, clues and lessons will come seeking you through the least likely people.
Travel with Me ...
I am absolutely passionate about solo travel! It's not just a journey; it's a quest to discover the true dimensions of myself, because, after all, isn't that the essence of life - unveiling the genuine extent of one's being? Despite the challenges posed by COVID, which disrupted our conventional travel routines, nothing will never extinguish the indomitable spirit of a nomad.
With over 30 countries under my belt, the exhilarating sound of zipping up my suitcase resonates with the anticipation of yet another solo adventure. Each thump of a new stamp in my passport is like a symphony to my ears.
My wanderlust has revealed that a handshake transcends language barriers, and laughter possesses the magical ability to mend most things. The most unexpected conversations have led me to discover my global tribe.
Solo travel has been a rigorous yet rewarding teacher, pushing me beyond my limits and imparting valuable lessons in observation, interconnectedness, tolerance, patience, and boundless gratitude.
As I reflect on my adventures, I can't help but wonder what other incredible experiences solo travel has in store for me. The journey is not just about the destinations; it's about the profound self-discovery and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.
