There is a question that many ask, and many more must be thinking when they learn of my intention of setting off into the cobble stoned wilderness of the continent. That question is, "Alone? Really? Won't you be scared, won't you be bored, won't you be lonely?" But the fact is I really truly don't expect to be. Plenty of people backpack it alone and come off no worse for wear. In fact the most I have spoken to... In fact I feel confident enough to say, all I have spoken to about it who have gone solo backpacking have absolutely loved it. While I would have loved the trip with my friend, as it was in its original conception, there is a real excitement I feel at the prospect of being totally alone.
Firstly, I get to do whatever the hell I want. Whatever. If I want to spend 60 euro to do a chocolate tasting and making tour in Brussels, I can. If I want to go to miniature vunderland in Hamburg, I can. If I want to skip fill-in-the-blank-o-boring gallery or museum, I can. If I want to skip a meal, I can. If I want a splurg meal at the world's top restaurant in Copenhagen, I can (not that I could get a booking) and you should be getting the picture by now. But even more then that I can stay or change cities on a whim and not feel like I am inconveniencing a friend. I can stay or go to follow a pretty boy if I so choose. Or run from an ugly one. The point it, it is up to me.
Secondly, no matter how solid a relationship, how great a set of friends you are. There will always be some cause for tension on a long trip. Absence makes the heart grow fonder after all. This is one of the reasons my mother and I make such good companions. Now I am not denying that we have ever had a spat while traveling. In fact we have. I remember a quite spatty spat over whether to stop for lunch or push on in the town of Wall, England. But because we are family and because we are so close we get over it, move on and forget. But between friends this is not so easily done. I have traveled with one friend, with a group and with a boyfriend. All have their unique little quirks. I'd say the group was the best, though would only work on a pre planned and pre booked trip. Imagine trying to decide where to go next and when with four people. Actually don't, it's too scary to imagine. So, by traveling alone I removed that certain tension of stepping lightly to avoid any social land mines for fear of ruining friendships.
Thirdly. When I went to India with my (at the time) boyfriend he was working, attending a conference in the hotel. During the days I would get up at a leisurely, but not late hour and set off to explore the Indian streets. I loved it. Just wandering alone and taking it at my own pace with no tourist goal in mind. I strolled the markets, drank chai and had a particularly funny interaction with a man who I bought a coke off (coke because I was thirsty but it was the only sealed vessel I could find, wanting to follow the rule and avoid gastro), as I started to walk away with my bottle of coke, he chased me down the street. Through scerades and his few words of english i managed to understand the problem. Apparently I needed to return the bottle so it could be washed and refilled, so much for avoiding gastro risks. I was okay by the way. But the point is, I loved being alone. I am an only child and have a good capacity for self entertainment and busiement. (I think I just made up a word). But this is something I have heard from other solo backpackers, that you learn to treasure your time alone.
Which leads into my next point. (I think it is relevant that my iPad tried to autocorrect that to, 'my next pint', it knows.) Which is, I really doubt that I will be alone at all. I remember distinctly, my first cruise in Alaska where I knew there would be young people and dance floors abound but I was traveling with my mother, I distantly knew that if I wanted to not go to bed like a granny every night I would need to make some friends. This has never been something I was very good at. But I can remember on the second night of the cruise heading up to the nightclub and scanning the smattering of people out that night. I saw a pretty cool looking group of two girls and three guys and decided to balls up and go for it. I walked across the dance floor right up to one of the guys and announced, "hi, I'm Sarah, I'm traveling with my mum and have no other friends, can I pretend I'm friends with you." their response was fantastic. They accepted me immediately and marveled at the fact I was Australian as if it was some great achievement. The girls were from near Los Angeles and the boys were all cousins from Canada, Ontario mostly. And that was that and for the rest of the cruise we were all joined at the hip after about 10pm every night. Our group grew in numbers and we had a large cohort by the end and are all Facebook friends till this day.
The revelation that I could do this was mind blowing, and I think this is one of the reasons I love cruising still. Because it was that vessel (pardon the pun) that allowed me to make a huge emotional leap in terms of making friends. And this is something I can do quite well to this day. I mean I suck at it at home, particularly at taking acquaintances to friends, but when I travel, man I get brave.
The next best experience was in Edinburgh, Scotland at a pub drinking whisky and eating haggis with my mum and I overheard a particularly occa accent and so butted into their conversation. Two guys from Queensland and two scots. I ended up tagging along with them for the night, a German guy and another Aussie lady who had lived there previously joined us and we had a ridiculous beer fueled and adventurous night that hoped from amazing pub to amazing pub and ended in a kiss from a sexy German.
The interesting part is though that so many damn Aussies travel. So most of the people I will meet will probably be Aussies. In fact, I remember one might in Miami where I met some people who went to the same damn uni as me. At least they were doing law, unlike me. Who knows, I could run into my neighbor.
Miami 2012
Pacific 2012
And so my message I do believe, is, you can totally do it. You will always meet amazing people overseas. Give it a go. :)
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