I've been seeing a post pop up suddenly on my fb newsfeed. about why and how women should travel alone.

and it's all by girls who are suddenly(?) inspired to travel alone.

(honestly, the article is more what girls should do when traveling alone than why girls should travel alone)

her point was about "being a bad ass" read: here

I frowned when I was done with the article. firstly, where was this article back in 2007 when almost everyone was freaking out about me going to Taipei alone? secondly, I don't think she's traveled alone enough to understand what it means and how much more enriching it is to travel alone. or she just didn't put it down in words.


it's true that you don't have to answer to anyone when traveling alone and you can be "selfish" for once. that's what I felt the first time I traveled alone. when I was planning. knowing that I could wake up each day with no agenda and just do whatever I wanted to. that freedom was incredible.

but traveling alone is more than just a "bad ass" experience.

I've always known that I'm responsible for myself and no one should be burdened for my sake. but that struck me even more when I was really completely alone in a country with no one to rely on. I'm responsible for how I feel. I'm responsible for myself and no one should have to look out for me or take care of me. I shouldn't count on others to change things for me.

Since then, that insatiable thirst to be alone grew. I ate alone more. I started going out alone. I was no longer ashamed of telling people that I was alone in town or having dinner or having lunch. instead, I started to feel sorry for people who thought it was sad to be alone.

one of life's biggest lesson is learning to love yourself enough to be comfortable with being by yourself. and traveling alone taught me that.

of course I have my lonely moments. but loneliness and being alone are two very different things. I can be surrounded by familiar faces and feel lonely and sad. I can also be walking down the empty rose garden near Hyde Park myself and feeling absolute peace and glee.

and honestly, words cannot describe the change in a person's mindset when traveling alone. not just for women, but for the men too. to find comfort in solitude. of course there are only so many cherry blossom streets you can walk before all the couples around you make you depressed. but that's another story.

so go forth, people! travel alone!