Want to take the plunge with solo travel? Let these quotes inspire you…

If life gives you lemons – go travel alone. Heading abroad for a solo adventure is the kind of feat that is both daunting and delightful. Yet that stomach-churning feeling of coming face-to-face with the ‘great unknown’ is very much part of the thrill. And once you’ve got used to it, it’s an experience that offers unparalleled scope for freedom, confidence and a newfound sense of self. 

In fact, whatever problems you’re facing in life – work anxiety, family stress or any other kind of strain – solo travel has an uncanny knack of putting things into perspective, firing you up with fresh landscapes, people and ideas.

Tempted? Below we’ve rounded up some motivational quotes from our community of solo travellers, authors and wellness experts – to help inspire your next independent jaunt abroad. Grab a cuppa and let that wanderlust lure you in…

Charlotte Fox Weber

UK-based psychotherapist and author of What We Want

“We tend to get worried about surprise; we think that we need to know what’s coming. But allowing for that uncertainty, or even playfulness and creativity – all of which solo adventure brings – can be transformative. It’s an antidote to our overly sanitised lives.”

Teha Kennard

An American consultant who lives in the UK

“When I was travelling alone, I was living my life outwardly, surrounded by new friends and new experiences and fully engaged in every moment. The human connectedness I saw in so many different cultures around the world was the thing that mattered most. It helped me open myself up to a whole new world of possibilities.”

Kim Walker

A family medicine doctor from Illinois

“My adventure to Jordan did me the world of good. Having taken time out from constant care decisions and triaging, I’ve been able to rest my brain and let loose the more creative side of my personality. And because of that, I can be of even more service to the community that I serve.”

Orlando Quarless

A trainee architect from New Jersey

“Our lives these days have made us somewhat complacent. As a society, we’re too comfortable. We’ve lost the knack of what it feels like to explore a new city or try something new. But it’s through travelling that we get to push boundaries.”

Umesh Kumar

A freelance lawyer from London

“In my old life, my annual leave was restricted to one or two nice holidays a year. There was never enough time to do something really adventurous. Now, whenever I have a gap between assignments, I fill it with treks in Nepal, Peru or the Alps. Once upon a time, I only dreamed about these expeditions – now they’re part of my everyday life.”

Karin Peeters

A psychotherapist and founder of UK-based travel wellbeing site, Inner Pilgrim

“The freedom I felt was enormous. I decided to do an experiment – to be completely myself and find out if this real version of me was going to make any friends. I was lonely at times, but also built some life-long friendships. The entire experience was a huge boost for my self-esteem.”

Luke Doherty

An ex-England rugby player and founder of Mindful Peak Performance

“It’s likely you’ll have some nerves or adrenaline around the uncertainty that lies ahead, so it helps to harness that energy. Like an athlete would for a competition or an event, think about your motive for taking your solo trip. What’s driving you? What do you want to get out of it? When you have a positive outcome in mind, then you can prepare for it fully.”

Julie Nguyen

Founder of US-based luxury meal delivery service Methodology

“I began dreaming of a life where I could stay in not just another country but in a specific city, for weeks at a time. Long enough to befriend locals, find hidden gems, and get a more accurate feeling of what life there is like – what do people value and why, what makes this place and its people so special?”

Sophie Emler

A management consultant from London

“If you look at something like solo travel and think, ‘That looks fun, but I’m scared’, then it probably means you should go for it. You’re going to be afraid but it’s a case of mind over matter. By the end, you’ll feel so proud of yourself for having looked your fear in the eye and achieved what you thought was impossible.”

Katie Black

A people and operations manager from Sydney

“The ability to travel solo as a parent, and especially a single parent, is huge. You come back happier and with more patience and tolerance for your family. As a mum or dad, don’t feel guilty about travelling alone if that makes you happy. You’ve earned it. You give everything to your kids, so it’s okay to take 5% back for yourself.”

Joe Ellison

A freelance journalist from London

“Being enveloped by a different backdrop, away from the pressures of daily life and expectation, stirs the soul in ways nothing else really can. Being away from it all makes you more receptive to talking about how you really feel, and keen to ask the bigger questions, too.”

Lucy Northmore

The founder of corporate communications platform Brand Equity Group

“My adventure in the Philippines was the start of a new chapter for me. It reaffirmed the way I want to live my life. Soon after the end of the trip, I travelled to the Thai island of Phuket. I stayed over the first Covid lockdown, before living on Koh Tao for a while. By stepping off the treadmill of life, I was in a calmer headspace with the confidence to handle whatever came my way.”

Sam Considine

An accounts manager from Essex

“There’s something about solo travel that woke me up to myself. I hadn’t realised it but I’d not been myself. The adventure gave me the boost I needed to refresh and get in touch with the old me.”

Ed Stafford

British adventurer

“We don’t learn much if we repeat the same things day in, day out. We don’t learn much if we know we are safe and the consequences are trivial. So, drag your grey life into glorious technicolour and go on an adventure. One that you know will be tough, that scares you a little, and you may fail at. It will be an unparalleled fast-track in your personal development and set you on course to becoming the very best version of you.”

Fancy travelling solo with the support of a friendly group of like-minded strangers? Check out Flash Pack’s raft of worldwide adventures to kickstart your next great escape.

Got a story or adventure that could inspire a solo traveller like you? Tag @flashpack on social or email [email protected] to be featured.

Images: Supplied