Travel to Learn: What Solo Travel Can Teach Us

Traveling can be pretty daunting as you will be filled with questions and worries being away from the comfort of your home. From you will return alone late at night from a club, or how uneasy will it be to eat alone in a restaurant to how you will pull your car out of the ditch or what if you get lost because two minds indeed work better than one, solo traveling can quite stingingly plague the minds before the first trip.

Is skipping solo travel worth all the worries?

The important question is; are all these questions worrying enough to skip traveling solo because of the lack of a traveling partner. A series of rewarding and life-changing experiences and memories will be bared behind if you do that. Sure, you will have to be extra alert while going out alone at night in a foreign country, or to be safe in an area known for pick-pocketing, but isn’t it good that you be careful even if you are traveling with a friend or a whole group?

Is loneliness even an issue?

Another central stigma around traveling independently is loneliness. Even introverts worry about being homesick, however, traveling alone doesn’t necessarily means you have to be alone or feel lonely. If you are traveling for volunteer work, you can choose to go with a group of participants and make some of the best friends you have ever had, or if you are just traveling to feed your lust for wandering around, you will find so many fellow tourists in your dorm, or even choose to live with locals so you don’t have to be alone and learn the culture, traditions, and religions of your localhost. You can learn to enjoy your own company if you are all by yourself, meditate, let go, be completely and irrevocably free.

Trails and tales of independent travelers

Millions of solo travelers have taken Thailand flights, leaving behind the comforts of their houses to find comfort in the soul by running through running through Thailand’s rainforests or spending early morning meditating in temples. Banana pancake trail is quite a famous backpacker route for all of you who want to loop around the islands, forests, waterfalls, and beaches that have the memories of thousands of independent travelers that have taken steps on the grounds.

You learn to be independent

Even if you are a grown up, how many times can you remember to have taking care of every traveling essential all by yourself? How many times have your mother not asked you if you have your passport and airline ticket with you or your assistant or co-worker have made sure you do have your passport? And you know if they hadn’t asked you or made sure, you might have lost it? Going solo will teach you how to manage the details all by yourself and to be aware of my things you wouldn’t be if you travel with your friends or family because you have them to depend on. The freedom and being independent is a thrill that allows you to do what to do whenever you want to.

You learn the sense of direction

You might be scared to hike through Thailand’s rainforests alone because you are bad at navigating your way. Especially when you are traveling alone, you are put to test is the only navigator. You learn to be a little more alert and aware of your surroundings.

You hear your inner voice in the silence

Imagine all the fans are off in a cold house and you can hear the clock tick-tocking hitting the four wooden walls in the eerie silence. That is exactly how the inner voice work. Being alone in a secluded forest will not only allow you to hear your thoughts but heighten them to the point where you can shut and twist them however you want to. You will understand and learn about the world from a whole another perspective and let you dig deeper into your soul. This can also improve your mental health.

Traveling to countries which focus on meditation and religious rituals such as Thailand, India, and China where Yoga retreats, spiritual healers, massage, hiking, and meditations will all help you relax and open the gateway to the third eye. When your thoughts are racing and you zone out of your physical surroundings, you can’t really command yourself to stop fretting over regrets of past and worries of what is to happen next, but you can tell it to focus on what is in front of you. Positive thoughts are a game-changer and so is breathing out your worries. Especially when you have an amazing mountain view in front of you.

Learn to go with the flow

Your main goal of traveling solo is to establish this connection with nature, God, and inner realm and to search for as many secrets of the world as possible. When you are traveling solo, you are your own decision maker and you don’t have to worry about your friend who doesn’t want to share a hotel bed with you. Alone, you can stay and go anywhere you want to. You can literally sleep a night on a hammock. Meeting people from all phases of life and discovering places and foods tends to relax you in a way no antidepressant can. You will learn to be tolerant and to compromise and accept life throws your way.

4 Can’t Miss Hikes in the Pacific Northwest

If you’re going to the Pacific Northwest, there’s one activity you don’t want to pass up: exploring the can’t-miss hikes in the area. Of course, Seattle is known for coffee, craft beers, and eclectic restaurants, but what many people don’t realize is some of the best hiking trails in the Pacific Northwest are located in and around Seattle. While making plans for your trip, you just might realize that stationing yourself in and around the Seattle area to be close to these hiking trails is an idea you don’t want to miss.

Old Mount Si Trail

Want to find a trail less traveled but still itching to experience Mount Si in its entirety? The Old Mount Si Trail gives hikers a view similar to one you would find on the newer Mount Si trail but without the crowds. Located in the Snoqualmie region, the Old Trail is only 24 miles from Redmond, the perfect place to make your hub if you’re wanting to be outside of the city. While this hike will give you a more challenging experience with an 8-mile round trip hike and an elevation gain of more than 3,200 feet, it will be well worth the trek.

Little Si Hiking Trail

With an elevation gain of more than 1,200 feet and a 4.7-mile hike round trip, Little Si is perfect for those hikers who are less experienced or want a moderate workout with stunning sights along the way. At the top of Little Si, you will find a panoramic view of Mount Washington, the Upper Snoqualmie Valley, and Mount Si on a clear day. Make sure to obtain the Discover Pass before hiking Old Mount Si Trail and Little Si Trail.

Mount Teneriffe

While Mount Si and Little Si are well-known hikes in the Seattle area, don’t shy away from the lesser-known hikes such as  Mount Teneriffe. It’s longer, at 13.8 miles round trip, and has an elevation gain of 3,800 feet. You will pass the Kamikaze Falls and come across incredible views of Mount Rainier from the summit without dealing with the heavily populated trails at Mount Si and Little Si. Note that the trailhead is only 36 miles from Seattle.

Crystal Lakes Trail 

For those looking for a hike farther outside of the city, Mount Rainer has the Crystal Lakes Trail. Gaining 2,300 feet elevation during this 6-mile round trip hike, you will come across a view of Mount Rainier, the wildflowers lining lower Crystal Lake, and various wildlife as you make your way towards Upper Crystal Lake. If you’re looking to camp, both Lower and Upper Crystal Lakes have sites available, but be sure to obtain a permit.

Whether you decide to hike Mount Si, Little Si, Mount Teneriffe, or Crystal Lakes, the Pacific Northwest does not skimp on diverse terrain or stunning perspectives. If you can’t decide on one trail, make a weeklong trip out of it to enjoy as much as you can of this spectacular region of the United States.

Enhancing Your Vacation: Much More Than Just Sitting On A Beach

Vacations are something that many of us really look forward to. In fact, the majority of us will plan our year based around vacation time and book the destinations way in advance. We work hard to save the money for these trips and so, the truth is, we want to ensure that we get as much out of that time away as possible. Many people get to enjoy a vacation once a year, and they really countdown the days until they head off. Not all of us like the idea of just sitting on a beach for two weeks. Sure, for some, that might be heaven, but I wanted to share with yous one of the other things you could consider doing on your vacation. Helping you to get the most out of it. So if a beach lounger doesn’t inspire you too much, here are some of the other ways you could enhance the vacation this year.

Consider camping instead of a hotel

Holidays don’t always need to be spent going somewhere hot, booking into a hotel and spending your days lounging around the pool or the beach. Why not try something different this year? Camping is fast becoming a viable choice, not just for families, but for groups of friends or even as a couple. It is a real different way of enjoying a vacation and with websites like Tents and Camp gear providing you with all the essentials, you can even enjoy some of the home comforts you are accustomed to. Camping under the stars, enjoying being at one with nature, and spending some quality time together with your friends and family really sounds like the perfect ingredients for a smashing vacation.

Go hiking and exploring

Maybe you like the idea of venturing off somewhere warm or in a different country, however, once you are there why not use the opportunity to explore and see the destination from a different side. Hiking and exploring in a different area can be very exciting, and many locals or accommodation staff will be only too pleased to tell you about amazing walks you can embark on or secret sights that are a little off the beaten track. This is your chance to experience some of the beauty of the location you have chosen, so don’t delay.

Research different sightseeing opportunities

If you like the idea of learning or want to quiet the historic buff inside you then doing plenty of research ahead of your vacation should highlight some of the main attractions and sightseeing opportunities. No matter where you go, I guarantee there will be something exciting and different to see. A temple or some ancient ruins, a cactus garden or the local town. Explore a little and don’t be afraid to try new things. It might present you with a great chance to hire a car and head out on the road to some of the best attractions out there. You may be surprised with what you find.

Combine a few locations into one vacation

Who says you can only go to one place for your vacation? No one. If you have two weeks why not look at the surrounding areas of your chosen country or destination and see if you can combine a few other stops along the way? Maybe a few different cities or even jumping on a plane and traveling somewhere else for a few days. Cruises are a great opportunity for this if you like the idea of destination hopping but you don’t want the hassle of booking flights or different accommodation. Many cruises will enable you to see different countries in one vacation, and often these locations can be pretty amazing. Alaska. Europe. The Panama Canal. Some of these places you may never get to see in one holiday.

Go back to your youth

Finally, why not take a leaf out of the students book and travel a little? Life as backpacker has to be experienced at least once, right? Student son GAP years use the time to travel around and see different places, often the locations that are the most popular are Australia and Asia. You may not want to do it for months at a time, but you could try it out for a week or two and see some of the more rural locations that are yet to be touched by tourism.

I hope that this has inspired you to consider some of the other ways you can spend your vacation time. Sitting on a beach is great, but there is so much more you could do, wouldn’t you agree?