Travelling Alone - A Pro and Con List

Pro - You can crawl out of your miserable hostel bed at what ever time you please. You are your own alarm clock.

Pro - You can eat what you want, when you want, where you want and for how long it takes.

Con - Sometimes, sitting at the bar with nothing but a vodka and soda for company makes one feel kind of pathetic.

Pro - You can stop and shop in a store for as long as you like.

Con - But when you find that gorgeous dress that is about the same price as a few nights in a hostel, it would be nice to have a second opinion to make you PUT IT BACK ON THE RACK! YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT! HOW ARE YOU GOING TO EAT?!

Pro - Deciding what you're going to do, where to go to get there and how long you're going to be there before you move on to the next tourist attraction, doesn't take the entire day to organise. You're own itinerary is just that, you're own.

Con - When you're standing in front of the World's Biggest Blah Blah Blah, it would be nice to have someone to share it with.

Pro - You can take as many photos as you like without someone tapping you on the shoulder, telling you to hurry up because they need to pee/are hungry/are tired/will cut off your fingers if you take one more damn photo.

Con - You take so many carefully aimed selfies of you and said tourist attraction, even Facebook would be ashamed. Or, you have to do the awkward "Hi, can you please take a photo of me in front of Lake Who Really Cares?" and then try to smile while hiding the fear in your eyes that the good samaritan you just asked to be your paparazzi might suddenly make off with your camera.

Con - With no one to share the load, you constantly look like a pack horse.

Pro - With no one to share the load, you don't have to listen to people complain about how heavy your and their bags are.

Pro -  You can sleep on the bus/train/plane.

Con - It would be nice to have a friendly shoulder to sleep against on the bus/train/plane.

Con - When the old man who sat down next to you on the bus/train/plane starts telling you about his rheumetism, you'd sell your soul for a friend to turn to keep you conversationally unavailable.

Pro - When the cool cats you met at the hostel invite you to spend the day with their travel party at That Beach or That Park or That Neighborhood, or are also heading to That City on That Train and staying at That Hostel, it's nice to feel your little heart inflate. Ah, friends.

Pro - When people ask what you're doing and who you're doing it with and you say that you're travelling alone, the impressive look that crosses their face makes even your toes feel proud.

Con - Then the pride turns to fear as you worry that they might kidnap you or steal all your belongings, including your sacred collection of travel magnets.

Pro - When you're sitting alone in a cafe eating the most delicious breakfast you've ever wrapped your lips around, or on the train whizzing past burnt orange corn fields and electric blue skies, or standing in front of the most magnificent sculpture or building or creation, and you could share it with someone or you could just exist their quitely taking in the sheer awe of this inspiring world you're in, travelling alone totally trumps.  

Ciao for now. xo