i drove 3,500 miles by myself!
here’s why I love solo travel, and why you should too!
What’s good everybody!
So, if you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll notice that I took a little roadtrip at the end of this summer. And, by little, I mean a 12 day, 3,500 mile drive across seven states! At first, I was nervous about how I was going to plan all of the logistics, and if I was going to be able to stick true to my 2020 Travel Goals while roaming through a few states that don’t seem that friendly. But looking back, I’m really happy that I had the courage to plan this trip! It was great not only because I got to see a bunch of new states and experience America with my own eyes, but because I did it by myself.
my roadtrip through America’s Southwest
Yup! You read that right! I did a 3,500 mile trek through America solo. dolo. I hit each of these states, safely, and while practicing social distancing, cuz we know COVID is still out here in these streets.
I made sure to only drive six hours a day to avoid fatigue, wore my mask religiously at every stop, and laid low so I wouldn’t have to interact with people. And, tbh, it’s a lot easier to avoid people and practice social distancing when you are by yourself!
Even though I was apprehensive about driving long distances, I’m proud of myself for successfully executing the trip…while only getting one speeding ticket 😅I’m even prouder for doing it solo! It was fun and liberating! So, because I enjoyed my trip so much, I wanted to pass on some of my tips to you so you can plan your own solo road trips! Here are my top five reasons for why you should consider solo travel too!
top 5 reasons why you should do a solo road trip
my solo trip to Egypt in 2016
🤸🏿♀️it’s fun!
Believe it or not, solo travel is really fun. On a solo trip, you can be your own source of entertainment and happiness. And, you can enjoy spending time with someone special: YOU. Call me a purist, but I try to take every opportunity I can to spend time alone, because it is seemingly more difficult to unplug and just focus on you in the social media era that we live in. So, practice some self care, and plan a little staycation for yourself this year!
Pro Tip: If you’re afraid of eating alone at a restaurant, consider reading a book, or talking to the restaurant staff more closely to get exclusive information on the menu, or even the city you’re in!
⏱you’re on your time: move at your own pace
You know that annoying feeling of being pressured into doing things you don’t want to do because you’re on a group trip? Or that annoying experience of having to get up too early when you’re traveling with relatives or close friends because your mom is more neurotic than you are…or is that just me?
Well, regardless, solo trips are literally the opposite of that. On solo trips, you get to move at your own pace. If you want to do something spontaneous and pop into a random little restaurant that you saw on the side of the road, go ahead because you are on your own time.
And while you may be able to get similar experiences or spontaneity in a group trip, solo trips give you the freedom to create your own itinerary and explore every and anything t that your heart desires. So go ahead and take an extra 30 minutes at that museum that caught your eye. You deserve it!
spotted:carefree Black girl in Utah
🙅🏿♀️judgement free zone
Issa judgement free zone! There’s nobody around (that you know) to critique the things that you want to do. So, if you want to test out a new style, or try something new that you’ve been too nervous to do, go ahead.Or, if you just want to be a recluse and stick to being lowkey, that’s fine. No one is judging you for your choices.
I personally like this kind of freedom.During my road trip, I stopped once every 45 minutes to use the bathroom, and I am not ashamed!
👩🏾🤝👨🏿you can meet new people
Traveling solo does not mean that you are alone. You are in a new city, so there’s an entire city full of people you can meet! Take advantage of the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in this new. culture, and see things from a new point of view! I’ve had the good fortune of making solid connections with people I met randomly overseas.
But, if you do not feel comfortable meeting new people, do not feel pressured to! I have definitely opted to isolate myself and avoid meeting new people if I didn’t feel like I was in a safe environment.
Pro Tip: Consider using apps like CouchSurfing to find locals in the area who you connect with!Just be sure to meet in public places and to share your itinerary with someone you trust!
🤓 you learn about yourself
Above all else, traveling solo gives you the chance to learn about yourself! Sh!t happens when your traveling! And on solo trips, you have to learn how to handle these situations on your own. Being put in these kinds of situations usually push you past your limits, but in a good way.
I welcome the challenge because it forces me to become a better traveler. And, it always makes for a good story. I would have never learned how great of a finesser I could be if I didn’t take the wrong train in Belgium and have to find another way to get to the airport before I missed my flight! But, that’s a story for another day.
my Black ass experience
so, what is it really like to take a solo road trip through America, specifically, Trump territory? Well, thankfully, I didn’t have any issues! While I do understand the real dangers of driving through racist sundown towns, and the possibility of running into racists, I was able to avoid all of that. I limited my interactions with people, partially because of COVID, but primarily because I didn’t want to run the risk of hearing microaggressions or racist comments. I really only visited Black restaurants (when I could find them), and spoke to folks in the service industry (hotel receptionists, etc), who are paid to be friendly. Even though some folks may think this kind of travel is limiting because it doesn’t give you a chance to fully immerse yourself in a new culture, I was perfectly fine with this kind of experience for this particular trip because of how racially polarizing America is (right now). I don’t necessarily recommend this for every trip, because duh, I just wrote a post encouraging you to travel solo. But, this summer, my main focus was on visiting certain sites, not on making new friends.
So, stay tuned for more details! I’ll be dropping gems all throughout this month highlighting my favorite places from my road trip!
