Happiness of Independency

I love travelling, and this is ‘the’ one thing that really enlightens my life, and when I travel, I go solo. I just love it that way! Some of my friends thought I am kinda weird to travel alone, and then they asked me a few questions that I found a bit annoying – “Why are you going alone?” “Aren’t you going to get bored?” or “Will that be fun?” Well, why can’t I? This is my life, so I have full freedom to enjoy what I like and love.

Most of my friends or some people I know do not take trips alone ‘at all’, or they would prefer going with a friend, making them a duo, or even more friends, making a trip more fun. But I understand a few reasons. Some are scared of the language. Some like to have someone to think, plan and decide things together. Some just want to have friends to have fun with all along. And most may feel lonely and bored during the trip. But in my opinion, they are missing a real taste of freedom… definitely!

I would then call such freedom in my own way “happiness of independency” that I have discovered and felt it that way every time I go on a trip alone. So here are what I have found, (and I am sure many of you feel the same.)

Go wherever and whenever I want. We all have just one life, why do we have to wait for friends to come along when the time-off may not be right at the same time. When it comes to travel, waiting might not do you any good or help you open up more to your new world, new experiences in life. So what I do is just to plan for the destination, request for holidays from my boss, find a place to stay, book a flight or a bus ticket, and finally take off.

Stay at wherever I want, and perhaps with whomever I can. For all my trips, I always look for the budget options, whether staying at the lowest-priced hostel or with a local or even with my own friend. Some friends may not like my options, while few are actually cool enough to go along with. I consider I pay less but I earn more for something else in return – the opportunity to eat and shop more, making new friends, and the best of all, great travel experiences.

Travel in whichever ways I want. I walk. I take a bus. I take a train. I fly domestic. I rent a bike. I take a boat. Every way I would like… when travelling alone, I definitely can make my own, preferred choice. Then I don’t have to hear my friends (if they come along) complain about the heat of the day, about the distance, and so on. And two of my best getting-around choices are walking and biking, so I can explore more insight of the areas, especially local routes. Then it’s difficult for me to find a suitable travelling companion with the same travelling style.

Take as many photos as I can. Here is another thing about me – I am a camera geek!!! I love taking photos so badly, and I guess this photography thing is always in my blood. I shoot just about everything, every corner, every movement, and every moment. My camera is my best friend. I can never live without it while on the trip. That’s why I never feel bored or lonely when I travel by myself. Then here I come… on the trip, and I always make many stops to shoot, and when I do, I usually spend a lot of time at one place, sometimes up to 1 hour. I can’t even believe it though, but yes, one corner, one movement with more than 2 or 3 shots – that’s me!

Eat whatever I like or want to try, and even wherever I want. When travelling to a new place, a new country, I love to try local dishes, specialty menus. You won’t have a chance that often to try authentic taste of those local delicacies when you are in your own country or city. Surely, you may be able to find the same dish in your home, but you may not feel the same taste as the original. Besides, I love to check out food along the street from street vendors. The real taste actually begins there.

And finally, I sit down and relax, watch the scene of people walking by and doing different activities, sometimes chill out with a glass of cocktails at a bar, and start writing on my journal… that’s how I usually end my day during the trips.

Life is a journey… so enjoy and taste it as much as you can, and the taste is even better when you just do it all alone.

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