The Solo Travel Roller Coaster
What no one told me about solo traveling: It’s an emotional roller coaster.
I had no idea that life as a solo nomad would be totally exhausting. All I dreamed about was the adventure, the landscape, meeting locals and experiencing new cultures.
But after solo traveling extensively I found that I go through the exact same roller coaster every time whether it’s a flight to another country or taking a train to another city.
Here's how it goes:
1. You feel the itch to want to go somewhere new (excitement ensues).
2. You start dreaming about your next location and you can visualize your time there when looking at Pinterest or Instagram (joy bubbles like warm soup in your belly).
3. You start planning the journey by booking tickets and having a date on the calendar. (Stress and anxiety begins)
4. A few days before departure a mix of excitement and dread hits you like a bat to the gut. You start thinking about how scary it will be to not know anyone (unless you have a HerHouse Sis meeting you at your location) and how it will be very uncomfortable. You start thinking that this was a bad idea and you want to cancel your trip.
5. The day that you leave the terror is real and you want to run and hide in a closet like a 5-year old. But you pull on your big girl panties and get on the plane anyway.
6. After finally getting to your new location the anxiety is still there but it's starting to melt away. At least you didn't die in transport. If you're with a HerHouse Host you have a friend and instant community. If you're in a hostel you will start awkwardly making friends with the other travelers and you’ll start having a great time.
7. After a few days or maybe a week this location, you’ve become comfortable and relaxed. You feel safe, you have community, and things are good.
8. At this point you realize that you can't live the rest of your life in the hostel or host home and anxiety starts to bubble again of finding your next location.
(Return to step 1 or 3)
I went through this cycle over and over again while solo traveling. But what the process showed me was that the hardest part of any season of transition is the space in-between the two locations.
It’s the plane, train, or bus ride.
Actually…it’s not the ride itself. It’s the step onto the plane. That’s the hardest. That’s the one that you have to push past your fears. After that the other steps will become easier. So when you find yourself in that place where you’re needing to make a move to a new location know that the season of transition will be very scary.
But don’t let the fear keep you from taking the step all together. You never know what gifts and magic will be waiting for you at your next location.
Go see for yourself.
