Travel the world on your own?

mikemac

First of all, hope this is the right forum, mods feel free to move it if not.

Was listening to George Hook on Newstalk 106FM last week and they were talking about travelling on your own.

I doubt I'd be brave enough to do it but I'd be willing to give it a go. Most of my friends went off to Australia, Thailand, etc after college.
The sensible person that I am, I stayed in Ireland working and am now in a good graduate job that I realy enjoy and on 35k. I'm a 24yo fella btw.
Starting to regret not going travelling and I want to do it while I'm young and don't have commitments, eg mortgage, relationship,etc.

I still have ambitions to do the whole year travelling in maybe a years time. Was looking at the TEFL option as I know in work, I realy enjoy training people. Two of my sisters are teachers so maybe it runs in the family.

However all my friends won't be going as they've already gone and will be busy paying off debt. In fact, I don't know anyone who would be interested in travelling with me if I was to go in a years time.

If you were in my situation, would you go travelling on your own? Alternativly, are there organisations where you can meet like-minded people before you go and organize to travel together between yourselves.

Any advice appreciated.

Dave!

First of all, I love Hookie, and Fionn Davenport And I texted in to suggest the solo travel show!

Secondly, people travel on their own all the time (so I'm told). I've been going over the idea in my head for a long time now, and tbh I think I'd go ahead with it if the time was right (eg. still unsure about my course in college). You meet people as you go, hook up with them, etc. Have a search in the Travel/Holiday forum, cos there's tonnes of helpful threads in there.

Thirdly, you should definitely go! You won't be able to do it when you've got a family, etc., so you'll only regret it. I'm told that you're more employable if you've gone travelling for a years or two than if you just have a degree. You're young, too -- what are you gonna do other than this? Keep working? Save up for a house? Get married? Start a family? Are you ready to settle down so soon? Go for it mate.

Fourthly, check out this site: http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/categories.cfm?catid=39
There's one place you can meet up with others to go away with I'm sure there's other similar forums around. You could also start a thread in Travel/Holiday and see if anyone from boards wants to go.

Good luck to ye!

MrSinn

If your heart wants to do it then you have to do it,doing it alone is a good idea,its a big bad world out there but you could get into difficulty where ever it is you are tonight so dont let that kinda thing stop you,if you are going to travel with someone then i would recommend a male partner,that is if you hope to get women along the way,i travelled with a female but everywhere we went the local women assumed we were girlfriend/boyfriend or married which we were not !its a good idea for a woman to travel with a man but not always good idea for a man to travel with a woman.
Life is for living,dont let work take over your life!

jrey1981

there are ads for travel partners on dublin.gumtree.com

I can sympathise with you as I would not be that keen on long-distance backpacking on my own.

However, it is like anything, if you take the plunge, hopefully you will adjust to the situation and learn a bit about making new friends or acquaintances along the way where and when you can.

You also might learn a bit about yourself as well as the places you go and any others you meet

jrey1981

there are ads for travel partners on dublin.gumtree.com

I can sympathise with you as I would not be that keen on long-distance backpacking on my own.

However, it is like anything, if you take the plunge, hopefully you will adjust to the situation and learn a bit about making new friends or acquaintances along the way where and when you can.

You also might learn a bit about yourself as well as the places you go and any others you meet

Doodee

micmclo wrote:

I stayed in Ireland working and am now in a good graduate job that I realy enjoy and on 35k. I'm a 24yo fella btw.
Starting to regret not going travelling and I want to do it while I'm young and don't have commitments, eg mortgage, relationship,etc.

Soz man, but i only got half way through your post and saw those familar words,
Go for it. I've heard people say travel broadends the mind etc, but really i just want to see the world, and only time you can do it is while young.

Go for it. Dont look back and just go, otherwise your gonna have to regret it every year you let it pass.

ArphaRima

Not hard to meet up with people doing the same in South East Asia, Australia, or South America. Wouldnt do it in Europe, Africa, or North America though. It's just a different crowd.

Lambsbread

I am in the exact same position as you!! Took a good job after finishing college because i thought it was too good an opportunity to turn down. Now i'm regrertting it. But what i am to doing now is saving abit of money and just going to take off next year.

idontknowmyname

Definitely go!! You'll regret it otherwise.
I went on my J1 a few years ago, none of my mates wanted to go so I just said feck it, I won't get another chance so I went on my own to Oregon- must have been the only J1 person in the entire state! Luckily I had family friends out there who sorted me out with a place to stay and a job, other than that though I was on my own in a very small town, I met loads of people who became my friends and I'm still in contact with them.

Same situation as yourself with the world travel thing, after college I went into a good job whilst my mates from college went travelling. Have now left the job and saving up to go. I possibly could be travelling on my own, which I don't mind as I've done it before but not for this long of a time. It's scary but also an adventure. You'll meet tonnes of people along the way and will have a great time!

Ruu_Old

Id go for it, might as well have a bit of fun and get some experience out of it

MonkeyWrench

Go for it, its not as hard as you may think!

I travelled around the world for about 14 months a couple of years back and about half the time I was travelling to places on my own. In places like SE Asia, Australia and NZ you will always bump in to people who are travelling on their own and you will have no problem meeting new people whereever you go. I found that people on their own tend to make much more of an effort to meet new people rather than just hanging around with a crowd from home.

It is very easy to meet people in a hostel. If you enter a dorm room with a few others you can get to know them, while cooking in the hostel kitchen you can easily strike up conversation, while going on a day tour you will meet people on the bus etc, people who you work in backpacking jobs with. The oppurtunities are limitless. One of the greatest things about travelling for me was that it was so easy to meet and make friends with others. Some of whom i have still kept in touch with.

Faith

Go for it! I was in a hostel in Inverness for a couple of days before Easter and everyone there was really friendly and nice. They sit down and chat to you and invite you places. You'll make loads of new and interesting friends and you'll have a ball! also, it's a great experience for yourself. You'll broaden your mind and become a lot more self sufficient and independant!

Sony

Hi Micmc, Im in a similar situation - Im 24 now and some years back i worked abroad in spain for a couple of years so I that took a bit of the travelling bug out of me but I got it back recently....

Unfortunatly I cant go this year due to family reasons but my mates are going in september--Im sick I cant go but Im gonna do it next year on my own---think its something you shouldnt think about too much and just try and stick your neck out and do it , you never know either by the time youre going there might be someone looking to head off with you

Aziraphale

Why not go with someone younger?

But yeah, travelling alone is good.

me and the biz

MonkeyWrench wrote:

Go for it, its not as hard as you may think!

I travelled around the world for about 14 months a couple of years back and about half the time I was travelling to places on my own. In places like SE Asia, Australia and NZ you will always bump in to people who are travelling on their own and you will have no problem meeting new people whereever you go. I found that people on their own tend to make much more of an effort to meet new people rather than just hanging around with a crowd from home.

It is very easy to meet people in a hostel. If you enter a dorm room with a few others you can get to know them, while cooking in the hostel kitchen you can easily strike up conversation, while going on a day tour you will meet people on the bus etc, people who you work in backpacking jobs with. The oppurtunities are limitless. One of the greatest things about travelling for me was that it was so easy to meet and make friends with others. Some of whom i have still kept in touch with.

co-sign all of this, i went on my own, made lots of friends and am still having a great time.

however, a few years ago i went travelling with someone i thought i would have a good time with... he turned out to be an absolute nutcase and had a terrible time. (one of the reasons i went on my own this time)

LegacyUser

Solo travel is much more enjoyable than travelling with a companion. You are far freer, you can do whatever you like, you never have to mind people and it is easier to meet people.

Everyone is looking for someone to go to X with so if you are going to X you will find it easy to meet people. No reason to assume that you will be alone all the way.

Also **** thailand benidorm in asia go to India.

MM

dundalk cailin

Im almost finished my Erasmus year (im just gone 20) and ive been bitten by the travelling bug! I have to go back to dundalk to finish my degree, and think ill work to save up enough money to go to either USA or more likely france. I want to see more of Europe as well,and def think its something to do while im still young and free Im over here on my own, and find it more beneficial, it was very tough at the start, emotionally i was quite immature, but i really had to just go for it, talk to new people, make new friends and any opportunity i got to see or visit somewhere, i took it! eg Barcelona, Nice, Paris, and heading to Germany just before i head home

frobisher

One of my dreams is to travel the world alone. It is something that you would never forget for the rest of your life and the kind of the thing you would treasure looking back upon in old age. Unless you have a very gooreason not to you should do it. I'm jealous, have fun!

mikemac

Thanks for all the replies. Very encouraging

I'd say I could do it. When I finished college, I went to Belfast to do a 3 month postgrad course without knowing a soul in Northern Ireland. Only moved to Belfast the night before the course started. Had great craic and made loads of new friends so I'd say I'd be well capable of managing on my own.

Something holding me back was the whole issue of going on my own. Kinda worried about being seen as a "no mates" and couldn't get anyone to go travelling with. Maybe seems stupid to some people but it'd be something I'd think about.The posts in this thread seem to suggest travellng on your own isn't so strange.

One of the girls in work told me about this forum
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/
Appearently, its a good way of learning about places.

I'd say I'll definitly go for it in a years time. Better do some serious saving first.

Siobhan*

Go for it OP, you'll only regret it if you don't.

The TEFL avenue is a really good one to explore, especially if, as you say, teaching is something you'd enjoy.

As for meeting people, you'll find that by being alone you'll make a much bigger effort to get out there and make friends and you WILL meet plenty of like minded individuals.

There's loadsa resources on the net for solo travelers e.g. http://www.solotravelportal.com/index.html or http://www.solotravel.org/ and I'm sure I've come accross forums in the past for solo travellers to exchange experiences, hook up with each other etc.

seamus

A mate of mine left for India for three months at the start of December. He initially left with his brother, but his brother came back 4 weeks later. My mate's in Thailand now. In India, he became friendly with a group of Australian backpackers, and spent a few weeks with them. Them he met a Japanese girl, clicked with her, and the two of them went off together to Thailand.

Nuts, but that's how it goes. If you stick with the backpacking places, then you'll meet likeminded people. And in hostels you meet people pretty much straight away and if they're Australian or European you'll be hammered and singing together within a couple of hours.

Personally, I'm a homebird. I'll probably be heading to London for a year or so, and that's bad enough. When faced with the option to head off roughing it for a year, or stay at home, go out with mates, earn money etc, I'll always stay at home.

Civilian_Target

I went to work in Macedonia on my own for 2 months, visited some of the surrounding cities during that time too and it was superb (and I don't speak a word of Macedonian). I feel damn privilaged to have done it and have enough stories to keep talking for hours.If you have any questions, PM!

annR

Travelling on your own is great so long as you have a bit of common sense. It's nice to have a balance between having a focus on something you personally want to do / see and also having the flexibility to change plan while on travels.

You will meet people no problem if you are sociable. There are also many downsides to travelling with someone don't forget.

darkflower

annR wrote:

Travelling on your own is great so long as you have a bit of common sense. It's nice to have a balance between having a focus on something you personally want to do / see and also having the flexibility to change plan while on travels.

You will meet people no problem if you are sociable. There are also many downsides to travelling with someone don't forget.

right...travelling alone wont be that bad..you will meet people on ur way and the fear of going solo would be gone anytime...watch out though for people who might fool u specially if they know ur travelling alone

DiscoHugh

so did the OP end up taking the plunge?

Friend from erasmus (Mexican) has invited me down there for spring break. have money saved as well as SSIA. so am thinking about making a propper trip out of it, cuba, panama (know ppl there too) Argentina.

Also looking to get a TEFL. preferably a two week one....

Dave!

I'm in the process of saving for a 3 month trip to Thailand this summer! woohoo!

A mate is going for I think 4 weeks, but I'll be alone other than that. Scary!

Looking forward to it though.

sheepshagger

Couldnt recommend it highly enough. . .just watch out, you may never return. . .thats what happened to me about 8 years when I left my home countryt, on my travels I came to Ireland and now I can't seem to leave !

CharLit

Cool! I'm sure you'll have a brilliant time, and it's sooooo much easier to meet people when you're travelling on your own. Enjoy!!

dvega

Of course you can travel alone,i know 6 people from the same area where i live who have done it.And some of em are still out there.
You should be really open minded about it,the people you'll meet on your travels,the fun you will have.
The first month might seem lonely but once you get into a job meet new ppl
ya will be flying it.
Plus your only 24 and have plenty of time to travel.
I knew this guy just finished his 3rd year in college and is planning to it hit to oz late next year,he's 34 and going over on his own.

InFront

Yeah do it, I went to Pakistan and India last Autumn alone. It is a great experience but I do think you need to be able to handle being on your own. I am okay with it I think, but there were some nights sitting in hotel rooms in big massive cities like Karachi and Mumbai where I felt extremely lonely and homesick. Only for the fact that I made some friends while travelling, and knew people in some of the places I went, I would have been miserable some of the time I reckon.

But the great thing about travelling as a young person, is how friendly people are in that environment and how easy it is to make friends. Sitting on buses, trains, in stations and in markets, if I saw backpackers or young people who were obviously travelling I'd just start talking to them without reservation. Unfortunately, this became a habit, and it took a few unfriendly stares on the Luas before I copped on not to keep doing it here with Irish people:D

frobisher

I find the forums at www.virtualtourist.com to be brillinat.

LegacyUser

micmclo wrote:

First of all, hope this is the right forum, mods feel free to move it if not.

Was listening to George Hook on Newstalk 106FM last week and they were talking about travelling on your own.

I doubt I'd be brave enough to do it but I'd be willing to give it a go. Most of my friends went off to Australia, Thailand, etc after college.
The sensible person that I am, I stayed in Ireland working and am now in a good graduate job that I realy enjoy and on 35k. I'm a 24yo fella btw.
Starting to regret not going travelling and I want to do it while I'm young and don't have commitments, eg mortgage, relationship,etc.

I still have ambitions to do the whole year travelling in maybe a years time. Was looking at the TEFL option as I know in work, I realy enjoy training people. Two of my sisters are teachers so maybe it runs in the family.

However all my friends won't be going as they've already gone and will be busy paying off debt. In fact, I don't know anyone who would be interested in travelling with me if I was to go in a years time.

If you were in my situation, would you go travelling on your own? Alternativly, are there organisations where you can meet like-minded people before you go and organize to travel together between yourselves.

Any advice appreciated.

It just happens that I'll be leaving for Belgium in March on my own and traveling around europe and then maybe onto aisa from there. I plan to be gone for a year or more. I'm sure if I asked people I know if they'd be interested in going with me I could find someone that would be up for it, but I've decided I'd prefer to travel alone. I mean I am a bit scared and nervous about being all alone in a foregn country but thats half the fun for me, I think it would be a good challenge, and would help me grow as a person or whatever. Anyways I am going to start making my plans after the new year, booking flights and the like, maybe planing my route although I want to make sure none of my plans are set in stone, anyways I'll post back here in two weeks and let you know how I went about things, maybe it'll be a help to you.

DiscoHugh

Lone Traveller how much would you say you'll need money wise for your trip??

Lou.m

The TEFL situation would be perfect for travelling alone, all you need is a degree in any subject and to do the course. I did one a few years ago i have to say though i did not find it that helpful. A lot of people just think of the travel aspect of TEFL but remember you will be responsible for a class of students and be expected to teach them good English and they may be children and they will have to pass exams . And you will be working in a foreign enviroment and be graded on your preformance it is a job like any other and you will be expected to be professional. It is differant from backpacking and being able to do your own thing. When you have a job and a boss it changes things. But it is good sometimes to get the experience of living in a country rather than pass through it. You would of course teach through English but you might need a bit of the language to get you around. Some programes give you somewhere to live aswell as a job and this can be helpful.
In the end i just did the course and did not travel i just thought it might be too like working in Ireland, you know worrying about the pressures of the job etc. Although doing it in another country would be totally different i imagine and the hours are very good.

But backpacking does allow a certain freedom or you could do agricultural work like when you pick grapes in France for three hours a day and have the rest off, you can do that in farms around europe and travel around to each one if you arrange it in advance. THere is this oraganization that does things like that i think it is called H.O.O.F.E.R.S international or something there might be some one on here who might know the name for definite, i am not sure.

Bakpacking is something i would not do alone though but you can find someone just to go travelling with. But the downside is you dont always know what someone is really like just from a few meetings though.

Anyway whatever you decide i hope you get what you want from it

Podge29

Definitely go for it. I'm going next Septmeber for a year on my own. Can't wait.

I'm in the exact same situation as you - although i have 1 problem. My girlfriend of 2 years has already been and won't be coming with me...

That's a story for another day....

You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't at least give it a try

"Feel the fear and do it anyway"

DiscoHugh

^^yea that's what I'm doing...off in March Hopefully, the missus isn't too pleased obviously but like you said once you decide to go it will eat at you if you don't