Why I Was Afraid Of Travelling Solo

I remember the night I left for Europe. It was 2am, the flight was called and I just wanted to be sick. I didn't want to go. The nerves were so bad that I didn't eat during the first 8 hours of the flight. I couldn't stop thinking about everything that would go wrong or what could happen.

But why was I so afraid?

Because people told me I couldn't do it. I was making a stupid decision which would only result in chaos. I wouldn't come home. I would get lost. I was an idiot. For a minute there, I believed them. Yet, it was one of the best decisions I've made in my life.

Here were the reasons why peers, family members and even complete strangers thought what I was doing was idiotic. These are the reasons why I was afraid to travel solo and how I overcame them.

1. I'm a female.

Lets be real. To all my female readers, how many of you have been told you couldn't do something because you're a female? Because you weren't fast enough? Strong enough? Smart enough? Well that's what happened in this case.

As soon as I booked the flights and told my friends and family, all I got was a negative response. A couple supported me, others degraded me.

I remember my grandfather asked, "Are you taking a man with you?" No I had replied, he looked at me like I was as if I was a fool.

"Why would you go by yourself?" my friend asked. I told her I wanted an adventure, she scoffed and looked the other way.

"You're a woman, imagine how many men would take advantage of a single, female traveller." My uncle had said. I told him I would stand my ground, he laughed and sipped on his beer.

When your own family and friends don't support you or your decisions, who will? But when you're travelling solo, you need to remember you are doing this for yourself. You're doing it to become a better person, to learn about the world around you. You would've researched, you would understand the risks. Remember who and what you're doing it for, none of their opinions matter.

2. I was by myself.

You may be an amateur or an expert when it comes to travelling. But no matter how much you prepare, there is still the fear of the unknown. Who are you going to call when you're in trouble? Where are you going to go if something happened? What would I do if someone strange approached me?

I may have printed all the maps and read all the tips online. I was as prepared as I could've been. But when you land you begin to explore, wonder and learn. You find out where the local convenience store is. You find where the train lines are.  You begin to understand your surroundings, the locals and the culture around you.

It's all about taking that first step. When you first step into the unknown, you realise it's not as bad as you once thought.

3. It was my first time travelling

Now, now. You're probably thinking; 'well, of course you would be afraid to travel if it was your first time'. But when you haven't gone travelling before, it can be quite daunting.

What do you pack? What can I put in my carry-on? Where do I go in the airport? But like before, that's part of the adventure. If I had forgotten something, I could always buy it if I needed. Sometimes I didn't even need it. But when you go travelling for the first time, you'll begin to understand what you need and what you don't. For next time, you'll know what you'll need.

Like I said previously, it's all about taking that first step. Once you've taken that first step, you're already half-way there.