Travelling alone is extraordinary and so crazy rewarding. It pushes you out of your comfort zones and into (what I feel) is the real you, the you you want to be, when no one knows you from a bar of soap.
I feel like I am a confident person, but (as some of us feel I guess) I still don’t know who the hell I am. And travelling alone, with zero influences stemming from what you are 'perceived' as at home, you can be whatever you want.
I don’t feel as though I turned into a new person whilst travelling alone, however I felt a large shift in my confidence. That sounds a little lame- but now that I am back home from my 2 year escapade I really feel sure of myself on a personal level (I am still unsure about many many other things in my mess of a life).
Travelling alone pushes you to make friends with people you usually wouldn’t, and that is probably the most rewarding thing. The people and connections you make are strong whether they are like minded people or people you would never usually have the opportunity to chat to. I have met some of the most hilarious and interesting people whilst staying alone in hostels - these conversations usually turn out to be the most drunken and debaucherous nights.
Travelling alone isn’t all amazing experiences though, sometimes it’s scary and sad and lonely… My first stop on my long-winded adventure was in NYC, USA…..
I flew from Brisbane to New York City had NYE in NYC. I stayed in the tiniest little airbnb apartment, in the East Village, Manhatten. It was like a fairy tale, but little old Aussie Phoebz had never seen snow before and never ever experienced negative temps.
My first few days in New York City were daunting and to be completely honest, pretty scary… I was all alone in a ridiculously busy city, without any contact really. No phone connection - except when in Maccas wifi.
I didn’t know ANYONE anywhere nearby. I spent a lot my time at shake shack, my newly found favourite fast food joint, or the diner on the corner of my street. The people at the diner knew my name by the time I left, they were absolute heroes.
After landing, I had to pick up the key for my apartment at a garage around the corner at 10pm in neg 2, seems a little sketchy…? Alone and jetlagged as all hell, I left my suitcases at the diner to run 4 blocks down 3rd Ave to a random garage and pick up a key for a place I’ve never been. ?!? Lol. Turned out the garage was closed (obvi- it's 10pm!) so I had to try and get in contact with the owner of the airbnb who was in another timezone, so that she could call her friends at the garage to pls give me the key.
At this point I was pretty dang cold.
Anyway I got the key in the end, after some banter from the dudes at the garage, and then finally got to my teeeeny NYC apartment, fire escape and everything!
A few other thing that happened for lonely phoebs in NYC:
I rang in the New Year alone but happy as Larry
A lady in a restaurant asked me if Australia was apart of Europe.
I saw a broadway show by myself :)
I was followed home by a crazy homeless man and had to run to the diner.
I was the first to try a new topping flavour at a pizza parlour (it wasn't great) ((but I pretended it was bc the italian boys behind the counter were very excited about it)) !!
Was picked up by a private driver, I think his name was Jack, and taken to the airport in luxury.. A big black range rover pulled over when I was hailing a cab (to go to the airport) and he convinced me that he wasn’t a murderer so ended up giving me a ride for less than what a taxi would have cost. Props Jack, what a dude. In hind sight probably really dangerous….
After 4 nights in NYC, I was en route to MONTREAL, CANADA, where I would attend university for the next 4 months and fall in luurrrve with everything about the experience.
New York City, I would see you in a few months!
Chin chin!
– PB