Text and photo by: Prime Sarmiento
Solo and happy in Beijing: This is me taking photo of myself at the Temple of Heaven.
Note: This is the last installment of the six-part series on How To Travel Alone As A Woman. The first part discusses travel safety tips for solo female travelers, the second is about how to travel on a budget, the third part lists down tips on how you can earn money while traveling, the fourth one focuses on health tips for female travelers, and the fifth gives you tips on packing light.
As someone who has an INFJ personality – I seldom experience loneliness that usually comes with traveling on your own. INFJs are after all introverts who enjoy their own company.
But there are times that I miss the company of my trusted friends and family – and that’s when I do a Billy Holiday and sing the blues – figuratively that is, as I’m tone deaf. This usually happens while visiting a strange, unwelcoming place or when I’m experiencing a major culture shock or when I get sick while on the road.
What learned during those trying times was happiness was a choice and if I wanted to, I can banish the blues. So if you’re a woman traveling alone, these tips might help you deal with loneliness while on the road.
1. Sign up for a cooking class
Or a language class, a photography workshop, a yoga class or any of those one to three day workshops open to both locals and travelers. You don’t only enhance your craft, but you also get to meet others who share your interest and learn more about the culture of the country that you’re visiting. Another option is to join an organized day tour – where you’ll likely to meet other travelers.
2. Bring that smartphone and keep in touch
I’m a big advocate of digital sabbaticals but the feeling of isolation and loneliness can dampen even those who claim they are at home anywhere in the world. Luckily for all of us, there’s social media ad budget calls so we can always stay connected. So do tweet, update your FB status, upload your photos and videos, chat in Skype, blog, call your friends and family if you must. The deep connections that you formed IRL can be strengthened online.
3. Meditate
Because meditation centers you, calms you, strengthens your intuition and connects you to a power higher than yourself. You find that happiness within – and this allows you to deal with loneliness and also all the problems that you might encounter while on the road.
You don’t need to go to an ashram somewhere in India to meditate. There are so many guided meditation CDs and audio files available that you can download them and mediate anywhere. If you’ve been reading this blog for some time, you know that I’m partial for Leonie Dawson’s meditation kits* I’m also a big fan of Doreen Virtue’s angel meditations and Christina Ambubuyog’s Embody Your Chakras guided meditation.
4. Volunteer
Even for just one to two days. Helping others you get to help yourself, you learn to appreciate what you have, you stop indulging on sad thoughts as you’re too busy anyway and you do your part in making this world a better place.
Solo traveling is not for everyone. If you think that it’s more fun traveling with friends and family, then do that. This is after all a lifestyle choice and no travel style is more superior than the other.
Do you get lonely while traveling? How do you deal with loneliness while traveling on your own? Do share your tips in the comment section.
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Resources:
Want to know more how to travel alone as a woman? The Art of Solo Travel: A Girls’ Guide* by Stephanie Lee is ideal for the woman traveling alone for the first time but has no idea how to go about it. The guide answers all the questions that you have on traveling alone as a woman – from saving money for your travels, to advice on relationships and health on the road and even advice on how to deal with dream crushers. Get it now and start crafting your own journeys!
Disclosure:
*affiliate link
