La Plaza de La Virgen, Valencia.

A year ago, I would have never thought about traveling solo. The idea of it terrified me; it was something that I told myself I couldn’t do.
Not only did I tell myself this, but others did as well. Worried family members would say “you’re too tiny to travel alone” and “it’s dangerous for someone like you”. The repetition of hearing this made me believe it was true, and that under no circumstance would it be okay for me to travel solo.

My decision to book my first solo trip was quite spontaneous. Out of curiosity, I researched train tickets to Valencia to plan a future trip with friends. After realizing that tickets were cheap for the upcoming weekend, I did the most spontaneous thing I’ve ever done and purchased a roundtrip ticket.

I don’t know what came over me, but in the moment, I really felt the urge to plan a trip on my own. Before this experience, I never took part in the planning process of a trip. The overall process was a lot easier than I thought it would be; I bought a ticket, booked an air B&B, packed my bags, and embarked on my journey!

Surprisingly, I was never fearful of travelling solo. Instead, I felt an overwhelming amount of excitement and optimism towards the trip. I now realize that my attitude affected the success of my travels. Instead of stressing out, I took everything step by step and went with the flow. I didn’t obsess over having the perfect itinerary planned, and I didn’t worry about seeing everything in one trip.
I consider myself to be a social person. However, I never felt lonely or bored while in Valencia. Contrarily, I enjoyed having alone time. I could do and see whatever I wanted to do, whenever I wanted. I found that I could focus on my surroundings more-so than when I am with others; all my attention was placed on the city, not my companions.

I think that having a “go with the flow” perspective allowed me truly enjoy my first solo trip. Planning a trip on my own was extremely empowering. I realized I am capable and independent. I learned that if I feel motivated to do something, to step forward and do it. Not only am I able to apply this mindset to travel, but amongst other life goals and dreams of mine as well.