Solo long-term travelling. Part 1

INTRODUCTION

Something paradoxical about everything we do in life is that what we think will be the main challenges we will face, are not those we end up facing. This is the power of having a mentor or a counsellor that has walked the path we aim to walk. And even though we will surely walk the path differently, there are some points where we can save some headaches. These posts are my contributions from my own walk as a long-term solo traveller. I wish they will bring light and inspire many of you to embark on your own unique long-term solo travel. Enjoy!

One disclaimer I feel is important to share about who I am is that: I am a white, middle-class man, from Spain (part of the European Union). I speak English fluently; I have University education and I did my travels backed-up with good enough funds to not worry about being out of money during the trip. My first long-term solo trip was when I was 25 years old, for 9 months and it ended up in a burnout that has shaped how I see, and I have solo travelled afterwards. I love people and spending time with them although I consider myself an introvert, so time alone is very important for me. My reality will surely not include everyone’s reality, so please keep that in mind reading forward.

I also want to precisely cover what I understand by long-term solo traveller and the difference with nomads, so that we have a clear common context to start from:

●      Traveller versus nomad: The key difference for me is that as a traveller, no matter how long you do it, you have the plan or the idea of returning somewhere at some point. You might have a partner, you might have a job, a home or nothing at all, but you are most probably returning somewhere. Long term travelling is another experience for you. Instead as a nomad, travelling is your way of living. There is nowhere to return for good and the option to go somewhere else at some point is always there. You might have a home somewhere, but your life is not built around it and you don’t really need to go there. Your life is built around moving. If there is the option that you mightn’t return when you start travelling but it is not clear, I will still consider you a traveller.  In this series of posts, I will cover the casuistry just for long-term solo travellers.

●      What do I mean by “long term” travelling? Any travelling longer than 3 months. In a coming section, I will cover why the 3 months mark.

●      What do I mean by “solo”? You start and finish your journey by yourself. You might travel in pieces with people, yet, you have your own compass, and you are guided by it. If some people have a similar one, you might very well join forces. The moment your plans change according to other compasses, or a joint compass between you and others, and not your own alone, we start losing the “solo” part. Nothing wrong with it, it might be beautiful, and a fantasy for many of us, to get lost in the love for another person and just travel around together gathering memorable moments. It can also be that you start “solo” and do not finish “solo” anymore, and big celebrations to that one too :)! So, to make it clear, “solo” means starting and finishing alone and following your own compass.

Now that these points are clear, it is time to move to the different types of long-term solo travellers. For this, I have identified some variables very present in solo journeys and I will offer dropdowns of each of them. The variables I have chosen are:

●      Time

●      Money

●      Intention

●      Geographical location

●      Pace

●      Connection

●      Company

●      Luggage

I would love to hear in the comments if you come up with other key variables for long-term solo travelling.

And before diving into it, here comes another disclaimer: The intention of this classification is not to box anyone, which won’t be possible, we humans are far too complex for that. The intention is to create awareness of the possibilities and second, to motivate self-awareness of what elements of solo travelling are very much you, which ones are maybe’s and which ones are totally no’s. While reading the different descriptions your mind and body will react (goosebumps, thrill, disgust, fear, boredom, aha moments, etcetera) and this will give you information about where you are at, your comfort zones, your edges or longings for exploration, all priceless information when starting a solo-long term trip. I am bringing some humour in the names of some classifications, and in the descriptions, so bear with me for that and I would like to ask you to not take it personal if you are in one of those categories. This said… let’s start and enjoy the ride!

TYPES OF SOLO LONG-TERM TRAVELLERS

TIME

As I have mentioned above, I am considering long-term travelling as anything further than 3 months, which is the minimum time I request to offer my long-term solo travel coaching services. There are two features about the 3 months mark.

●      First, in most cases, to travel for 3 months, you need to leave part of your previous life behind, and that’s why it gets tricky and juicy at the same time. Few jobs give you 3 months holiday, 3 months having an empty apartment might be too much for your budget or 3 months away if you have a family or are in a relationship might be something to consider twice.

●      In my experience, after 3 months the thrill and the excitement of the novelty of solo travelling starts fading, and the real stuff that is in you will start to come up to the surface. After 3 months, travelling feels like a new routine again, and you no longer have the safety network and comfort of home. Again, this is the tricky and juicy moment and where the window for transformation starts if we allow it. It is also when professional support will bring its best value.

From the 3 months mark onwards, the sky's the limit. However, I would safely say that up to 24 months would gather most long-term solo journeys. Within this range of 3 to 24 months, I will split further in three groups:

●      Experiencers (3-6 months): from 3 to 6 months is a time very socially accepted to go for a solo journey. It is a “I want a break arena” but hey, I will be back. Surely, I’ll be a new and different person, but I will be back and to some extent return to my previous life, I just need a breeze of fresh air. The longing here is to experience new things, be it realities, countries, landscapes, activities or people. It is a good time to disconnect or transition between jobs, after a break-up, to find inspiration or before a big new stage of life starts. The motto here is “I will be back”, and there is a commitment to it. There is a shadow on this area too, which would be those that don’t fully break free from their life despite having a deep longing to do so or being true travellers inside. They play safe committing for 3-6 months and do not allow the full expression of their traveller’s souls. Yet, for many this is already a big step, and truth will surely reveal itself sooner or later. Respect to them for sure.

●      Jumpers (6-12 months): from 6 to 12 months, it starts to require some serious courage, your friends and family might start asking, “why going for that long?”, money might become a limiting factor and the ties you need to cut as a jumper will likely be more and more definite than for the experiences. You are somehow jumping into the abyss. There are chances you will be back to your previous life although you have doubts you might be secretly longing for a better place to settle than where you come from. Deep down, you know that in such a long solo journey, a lot is going to happen and the world where you come from might be turned upside down. Jumpers are somehow rebelling against the norm, are taking a risk, are challenging what we are supposed to do and are open to what life has in store for them. A deep transformation in such a journey is almost inevitable. The motto for the jumpers is “I might not be back”. There is a shadow too, and here starts the arena of the “Peter Pans” or “escapers” that don’t want to commit or are afraid of going to the next stage in life. More on this section in another post. Yet, it requires courage to avoid in this way, easier and more comfortable would be to watch Netflix 24-7, get drunk or dedicate yourself to other more available and comfortable ways of avoiding yourself. Respect to you if you are a travelling Peter Pan! Check if this last piece triggers you in some form, it might reveal some important truth.

●      Believers (12-24 months): No, this is not the group dedicated to the fans of Justin Bieber. Although devotion and faith in something “bigger” than you, might be paramount. Call it a project, a calling, a search, a spiritual journey, something strong and clear is pushing you to break the norm to such an extent. You might want to gather different pieces of wisdom around the world, experience humanity to its full spectrum regardless of territories, borders, cultures or landscapes, something bigger than you is behind this journey. It is not about you anymore, it is a service to something bigger. It is a mission. There is a conviction and the determination to get there is what will allow you to push through and embrace the difficulties and challenges of such endeavour. The motto of the believers is “I am born to do this”. This one is big, and the shadow is also big, the realm of the “deluded” starts here. If it is a soul moved journey or it is a purely mentally constructed journey might define the outcome of it. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. The former might lead to great awakening while the latter might lead to great distress, or burnout, which eventually might turn into a breakthrough and a great awakening. And there are surely many shades in between, so please don’t take this as one or the other, and more as extremes of an incredibly wide spectrum of possibilities.

After 24 months of travelling, you might very well phase into the nomad category, which is a different journey and out of the scope of this post. Chances are some might want to pursue a combination of a more settled-nomad lifestyle, and others just have enough and get back to a more routinary and settled life. God will unfold its own mystery for each of us :)

MONEY

Let’s be honest, money is a factor that will incredibly influence how your solo long-term travelling is going to work out. And here you also have the whole range of possibilities. There is a good deal of stereotyping here, so bear with me about it, as the truth is that there are as many travelling possibilities as travellers, and you will likely find yourself having elements from the whole range.

●      The hitchhiker's-couchsurfers-wild campers: this group goes all in to merge with their environment. For some it is also an experiment to test human kindness and generosity, or the almighty provision of God or any other form of deity. There is also an aim at not spending anything, or very little. I am fascinated by this group, as it requires great courage and the capacity to bear the highest level of uncertainty of all types of solo long-term travelling money-wise. It is also the riskiest way of travelling and not a way that would be recommended in certain countries. For its own nature, it is mostly a slow way of travelling where you are open to being taken by the circumstances although speed can be added if circumstances allow for it. There is always a factor of uncertainty and turn of events that you need to be open to if you want to play in this realm. Their main motivations are to challenge themselves, deeply experience a journey, or find trust and goodness in the world.

●      The backpackers: this would be a group of low budget travellers. They do not have much money to spend although they are not poor people, if so by choice, not by circumstances, as I dare to say that most long-term solo travellers are beyond a survival mindset. They are very eager to create new connections. Hostels are the headquarters for these travellers. There is a whole culture and scene for these travellers. They want to eat “local” to keep their budget in check and immerse themselves in the culture. Bargaining becomes your number one best skill very early in your journey depending on the region you are travelling in. Going “local” is the mantra. It is cool and cheap. Backpackers do not want to be tourists. There is certainly a thirst for discovery, adventure and finding that next gem where you are the first one to explore. Their main motivations are to explore new cultures and connect. In this group we would also have some party goers, those that want to travel cheap except when we talk about parties.

●      The campervan traveller: this group is growing strongly in the last years, especially after Covid as the increase of prices in camper vans shows. The fact that you can take your own home and transportation with you, wherever you go, is a strong plus. It also allows you to stay in very raw and natural locations, where you could only stay by camping, and with some level of comfort. Once the investment of buying the campervan passes, it is a very affordable way of travelling, especially in expensive countries, compared to staying in apartments or hotels. This travelling allows for flexibility and lots of serendipity while staying with a high degree of control of your circumstances. It also allows for time alone if you wish without much need to encounter other travellers if you do not want to, something hard for the previous group. Great and beautiful way to introspect. It is also a style that requires the most learning curve regarding logistics if you are new to it, where you can park, get to know each country's regulations, points to discharge dirty waters, etcetera. It is a style I am personally pursuing right now to travel around Europe. Their main motivations are flexible comfort, independence, freedom and comfortable connection with nature.

●      The Workawayers (or Woofers) or travel-workers: these people like to travel while deeply connecting and immersing into each place, while not spending much. They are also willing to immerse themselves in an organization and long to create and leave some legacy in the places where they travel. Workaway or Woof, are some ways, not the only ones, to do so. You work on average for 3-5 hours per day, and in exchange you get accommodation, food, your hosts will likely lend you their bikes, or cars, nice recommendations of what to see and potentially use their existing network for whatever you might be interested in. If they have other volunteers, this is a great chance to deeply connect with other fellow travellers. Few better ways to connect with others than by creating something together. In this option, a trade between independence and safety occurs. You get some structural needs met at the expense of time commitment. This is not the best way of travelling if you are in full exploration mode, although it can offer a good break if the travelling pace and uncertainty gets too much for you. Very important is to get clear on boundaries and limits as some power dynamics might occur in these contexts and family dynamics you have lived at home might replicate in this context. Great arena for coaching this one here :)

Another option is to just travel and find jobs or make money on the way. Hostels, bars or stores. Any service for tourists will also do the job, call it instructor of surfing, scuba diving, or guide in tours, hikes, masseur (that’s me!) are good options to find some jobs on the way. Some people take their office to the beach and sell food, massages or jewellery there, a great spot to engage with some potential clients. Here the possibilities are endless and can go as far as your imagination goes.

The main motivation of this group is to travel in an economically sustainable way while creating and connecting with the local community.

●      The digital nomads: these people are the ones that work online while they travel. Their economics are stable and running well while travelling. Although nomads are out of the scope of this post, I want to include this type since some people take time to test this option for some months, with the idea that if it does not work, they have a place to return. This group wants to combine the best of the world of travelling while having a working productive routine, some degree of comfort, and the choice of novelty and adventure if they choose to. These are the “co-people”. They breathe community, co-working spaces, co-living, co-creations and are unlikely to spend much time in hostels. They tend to go for individual rooms to maximise their sleep and rest well. Having someone not snoring next to you or waking you up late at night becomes the number one priority. Other key priorities are to find spots with good Wi-Fi, nice light and a comfy desk and chair. Their main motivation is to create a balanced and exciting lifestyle that allows for geographical independence.

●      The extravagant: these are the wealthy travellers that go to luxurious and beautiful boutique accommodations, eat the most delicious and beautifully presented food and visit the most eye-catching spots. Basically, doing very cool activities. They got money to do all that. The phone might be an extension of who they are, and they show the most beautiful and latest cool things to do. They can be influencers that make a very good living doing just that. They might just want to take some time off to grow in some areas of their life and they have the time and money to do it in such a way. Their main motivations are enjoying, indulging in the pleasures of travelling, self-expression and sharing what they experience.

INTENTION

Your intention will greatly affect your choices when travelling. The truth is that there could be a combination of intentions and a sort of ranking where some have more weight than others. It could also be that we are aware of our intentions to some extent and as we travel, we realize that there are other deeper and, most probably, unconscious reason/s. The first time I solo travelled I was curious to explore the world, and it was also true that I was searching for happiness and freedom as I was feeling very stuck back home. As the journey kept going, I saw there was also some unconscious intention of escaping motivating me to solo-travel. As everything in life is mostly an inner game, things didn't go well for me. And there is nothing wrong with that. I am also aware that there was a soul movement guiding me and a seeking part that led me in this direction to eventually learn many important lessons. Leaving my story aside for now, here are some of the main intentions that long-term solo travellers might have:

●      Explorers: They are looking to expand their horizons through their senses, eat new food, see new landscapes, get to know the local culture and people and do things that are new for them. In most cases, the attention is pointed outwards. You might need different types of clothes for different activities and climates for instance and your budget might be higher than if you have another intention. Explorers might need some balance with some routine otherwise they might get to the point where the new inputs and the novelty does not feel exciting anymore, which is a real pity.

●      Seekers: This group of travellers are seeking more inner experiences, the inputs they are searching for might very well come from within. Also, from outside, in the form of teachers or inspiring people that cross their paths. They could be more introspective and potentially have a lower budget than other travellers, which is really a stereotype because you never really know where your next spiritual diamond will come up. In any case, I think you get my point. These people can and might travel lighter and live frugally, although again, not necessarily. They might also be inspired to do few fixed plans and go more with the flow of life and follow their inner inspiration and the signs that higher realms send them.

●      Escapers: This group of travellers can be very well camouflaged as seekers and as explorers and yet be unconsciously escaping. Escaping can be conscious or unconscious. When doing consciously, it can be a form of taking the needed space to make some decisions in life or to get ready for a next stage. If that’s the case, it generally has some time constraint as you clearly plan to come back to your home at some point. This time can serve as a simple distraction or to learn new perspectives that will bring the wisdom needed to face life back home. When escaping is done unconsciously, I would say that there are high chances that the journey won’t be nice or pleasant. Might look like it in some moments but it will lack inner alignment and that is a great cocktail for discomfort and turmoil. And nothing wrong with that, some of us need some stirring and discomfort to see things with clarity and ask ourselves some uncomfortable questions. These journeys might look a bit hectic, disordered and “going with the flow” but a flow that does not allow us to feel and to find where our alignment is. The sooner the realization comes, the easier and the faster it is possible to course correct to a more aligned way of travelling, or even stopping it if that’s the most aligned choice.

●      Happy feel-ers: They are looking for happiness and see traveling to get there. In some cases, they feel happy at home, but they will feel happier traveling. In some cases, they are very unhappy at home and because their soul movement is travelling, doing it will make them happy almost instantly. To some extent. Because the personal baggage always comes with us, no matter where we go. In other cases, they are unhappy at home, and they keep traveling and being unhappy. They might experience a novelty happiness peak at the beginning, but as time passes and if the inner work is not done, they will eventually fall back to the baseline prior to the journey. In this latter case, there is probably an unconscious escaping running the show. When they leave their home, and after the initial peak, the issues only get amplified and shit hits the fan, because they realize that there is nowhere to escape from themselves and without the safety net that home provides, the situation gets even worse. I would say this is the easiest case for burnout while travelling and is a tricky one that I will cover in Part 2. As everything in life, whatever we do based on chasing happy fleeting moments of excitement, will have a weak foundation and can be a rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

The world is your playground when long-term solo travelling and choosing what region or regions you want to explore is something worth considering that will affect different variables. Some of them are your level of stimuli, what you need to pack in your suitcase, budget and what you will need to consider before going for it.

●      Single country: fortunately, most countries have such richness to experience that you can be a solo-long term traveller just sticking to one country. This way allows for reduction of logistics that might become a pain after some time travelling, i.e. exchange rates, SIM cards, visas, different languages, different rules, different time zones, different foods, climate, country frequencies or culture. This way also allows you to experience the nuances of different regions of the same country and go deeper into it. It is generally the cheapest option, as you start getting tips and tricks to by-pass the mostly “overly charged” products and services that you first reach when you are new somewhere.

●      Region: this choice I dare to say is the most preferred among solo-long term travellers. People here choose a region or a few countries and move around them. Despite the higher costs compared to other regions, the EU is probably the best region to travel without much hustle this way due to the lack of borders, common currency, internet roaming, similar legal rules, and great transportation connections, that allow us to experience very different countries in a matter of hours. The benefits of travelling in a region with respect to one country alone is that you will experience more contrasts, and you will expose yourself to more diversity than staying in one country.

●      World: if the thirst to explore the world is there, the world is at your feet. This trip will take you to explore the edges of our planet. Different climates, radically different cultures and landscapes, fauna, languages or cultures. For most of us this is THE DREAM. If you are ready to have THE ride, go and explore the world! Bear in mind, you will need to move time zones, change different currencies, visas and adapt to different foods and social norms. This background process will need some time and energy. Other than that, I can’t think of a better way to explore the richness, beauty and myriads of possibilities that our planet has to offer. Wanderlust-ers this is your journey.

PACE

Solo-long term travelling can be done at different speeds. With pros and cons for each. I have seen people visiting 1 city every 1-2 days and people sticking in a small village for months. And both can also be combined. Here are three different groups:

●      Rushers: These are the ones that want to move, see and experience lots of new things. They are moved by enthusiasm, thirst and wanderlust. Chances are that this way of travelling comes more naturally when solo-travelling begins. They might spend from 1-5 days in each place. Basically, they connect with other people travelling in a similar way and they might meet these people again in the next destinations, which is very magical. This was constantly happening to me when travelling the first months in Thailand. Connections may happen with people working in the services rushers make use of. Tinder may work well to connect for these travellers. Although in my experience, hostels, organized tours or events are the easiest way to connect fro this group of travellers. Backpackers and Instagramers can very well fit in this category. As a rusher, your main occupation is mostly dedicated to travelling and sightseeing.

From my own experience, I found this pace unsustainable after approximately 3 months. Especially if my levels of confort are low and I sleep all in hostels. If I want to travel this way for longer than three months, something I keep in mind is to take very well care of how I sleep, keep a basic routine that grounds me, stay connected with people I love and keep clarity of what’s the “raison d'être” of travelling this pace. This way of travelling, allows for tons of connections and stimuli, yet the risk is that it may end up feeling the same process over and over.

●      Tasters: These are the ones that want to taste and let the experience cook a bit slower. They want to see what’s behind the first layer you find when you arrive in a new place. As I have travelled more, I have come to appreciate this way of travelling more and more. This group might spend 5-90 days based in one place and doing short trips to surrounding areas. Here you start connecting with people that also live there and are not providing any service to you. Workawayers, volunteers, digital nomads, and backpackers might fall in this category. Here you start merging slightly more with the surroundings and have a taste of how a life living in such a place could look like. Yet, you are a traveller, and you won’t likely experience the full depth of what it means living in that place. With moving less, there is more space for some creative endeavours, work, or even organising something in the communities where you are at.

●      Rooters: These peers like to really become masters of the land and feel that they are part of the place where they stay. They want to belong, create community and contribute to it, know the hidden corners, and build lasting relationships with local people as much as expats, nomads or other travellers. This takes between 3 to 6 months, and the longer the merrier. Only thing is that for those staying above one year in one place, in my opinion, they have settled and might lose the label of long-term travellers. This is a way most digital nomads operate, alternating sedentary with more travelling periods. The “disadvantage” of this way is that the pain of leaving can be hard to chew, and some might not leave and just settle. And I quote disadvantages because hey, how beautiful it is to stay in a place out of pure choice and because we are in love with it and what it offers? Starting again might be hard at first as you need to start everything from scratch again, although once you find your way and go through the process a few times, it becomes more natural and connections do not need to break, they just take a different form. The place you loved, will always be there too, just be aware, especially in developing countries, that it might change next time you are back there.

CONNECTION

Your needs and desires for connection with other people will influence the way you travel and will occupy some headspace. At least it does to me. Therefore, it is important to know where you stand here before your trip. In specific, it will influence if you are an introvert or an extrovert, your capacity to connect with strangers, and if the intention of your journey is more inwards or outwards. While I think the intention of your journey matters, I think your nature will pull stronger and drive your decisions. This section and the previous one, pace, are very correlated. You might choose to take more time in places if it takes time for you to connect and that is something important for you. Or take less time in places if it is not important for you or you manage to connect in a nourishing way fast. This section is very connected to a sense of safety and your need for it during your journey, as deep connections with others and a sense of community are among the main drivers for a perceived sense of safety. Below I elaborate further on the three most important categories of this section:

●      Capacity to connect with others: This is a true asset when travelling alone, really. If you easily connect authentically with people, and I want to emphasise authentically, it gives tons of flexibility and confidence that you will be able to connect if you need to, under the most strange situations. By connecting authentically, I mean connecting in a way that nourishes and uplifts you, it does not matter how long the connection lasts, it could be a few hours or a few minutes, an authentic connection leaves you more inspired and touched than before it. No need for drugs, or alcohol or a particular situation or setting, you can go to the beach and easily make some friends. To me, this is when travelling solo can be really really fun. These people won’t choose plans to connect with people as they naturally do in any setting and they will move more for the experiences they want to have or the things they want to see, they won’t be stopped to go somewhere they really want to go with the thoughts of, “I might be the only foreigner there”.

On the other hand, and to not demotivate you if you struggle with connecting with people, there are so many opportunities while travelling solo that can be done in groups. Including accommodations that organise gatherings for travellers to connect with other peers. You will not be the only one with this need to connect and create bonds with strangers and not be very skillful at it. So, no worries, this part is something that has been well taken into account by the “solo travelling industry”. Moreover, connections with strangers end up happening in the most natural and unexpected moments. Be it asking some questions, getting curious about where someone’s accent comes from or sharing some cheeky compliments to that beautiful man or woman that caught your attention ;) Despite this, if you struggle with connecting, the topic of searching for opportunities where you think it will be easier to connect might be more present in you than for those with more ease. But hey, nothing wrong with that and that might actually be the gold to find on your journey.

●      Intention of the journey: Despite your character and capacity to connect, it could be that you have a particular intention for your trip. If the journey is more inwards, chances are that you will choose to spend more time alone, in quiet places or closer to nature. One of my favourite activities for introspection and ultimate connection with nature is free diving, really, that for me is the winner. At the same time, and for safety reasons, you’ll always need a buddy with you, offering a very good balance of accompanied introspection. Hiking is another amazing way to bring introspection and connection with nature as nature calls for silence if you listen to it. Silent or meditation retreats are a great way to support this intention too. Other types of retreats such as tantra and yoga offer a good balance between introspection while staying in company and in connection with likeminded people. More discipline might be required though, especially for the tantra ones, where lust can easily take over. Ceremonies that connect us with nature and our ancestors, such as sweat lodges, ayahuasca, San Pedro, vision quests, family constellations etcetera might be important elements of journeys with the intention to focus inwards. Above all, silence, solitude and a journal are key elements that most journeys inwards will have in common, and company will not likely be something you search for, most probably something that just happens spontaneously and with little attachment. The priority is to follow your own flow and intuition.

When the intention is outwards, you want to experience different things and expose your senses to different contrasts as the driver of your trip. Try different foods, meet different people or visit picturesque locations. You will not be pissed by arriving at a beautiful spot full of people because the spot itself is more important than the context of it. You might even enjoy the buzz, except when people get in the middle of your pictures. That’s really a bummer. Parties, dancing venues and even crowded and noisy places are probably a part of your journey and although you might need a break from time to time, you feel like fish in the water within the buzz. You might fancy events where the whole intention is to connect with others and make new connections. Being part of local festivities, rituals or religious ceremonies will be the cherry on the cake of your journey. You might also enjoy nature although with a good crowd and people you feel comfortable and connected too. It is not only about nature but who you share those moments with that will make for meaningful memories after your journey.

●      Character. In most cases, the character will define the colour of your trip, and here I want to emphasise that there is not black and white, more like a wide range of greys, so please do not box yourself here. A crowded religious ceremony could be one of the most enlightening and beautiful places an introvert could be in. This is more about the tendencies of your trip according to your nature. In Spanish we have a saying which goes as “the goat heads to the mountain”, meaning if your essence is one, you will end up hanging around the places aligned with that essence. This is important to understand to not fool yourself, stay true to you, and not let the excitement of novelty take you astray, at least unconsciously. It is as easy as, if you hate loud music and people on drugs, don’t go to a jungle rave, unless you consciously really want to experience that. And if you can’t stay quiet for more than 5 minutes, forget about a silent retreat despite how much benefits it might have and trendy and cool it is nowadays among conscious travellers. In life in general, and especially while solo long-term travelling, to find healthy stretches is a good idea.

Here below I thought it would be cool to share all the categories possible based on these three axes, I have also taken the liberty to write where the struggles might show up and were not.

1. Easy to connect with others, intention inwards, introvert - Hallelujah

2. Easy to connect with others, intention inwards, extrovert - You have got this

3. Easy to connect with others, intention outwards, introvert - You have got this

4. Easy to connect with others, intention outwards, extrovert - Hallelujah

5. Difficult to connect with others, intention inwards, introvert - You have got this

6. Difficult to connect with others, intention inwards, extrovert - Tricky

7. Difficult to connect with others, intention outwards, introvert - Tricky

8. Difficult to connect with others, intention outwards, extrovert - You have got this

I find ease of connection and capacity for opening-up an asset whatever your nature is. Then when the intention of your trip aligns with your nature, hallelujah! It is likely that things will go smoother, maybe at the expense of growth and novel experiences? Maybe. Although chances are you will feel more confident and reassured during your trip, which is nice and important given the amount of novelty you will encounter.

Then the tricky cases are those where there is difficulty to connect with others and create rapport, and when the intention of your journey is going against your nature. Cheers to you for your courage, first and foremost. In my opinion, these are the cases where a solo-long term travel coach might be of best service to offer some buffer and safety on the potential inner challenges you could face. These are the cases that can potentially originate the biggest breakdowns and breakthroughs, so there is gold for those willing to go down the mine.

The rest of the options are more of “you have got this!”. Challenges might be there, surely, although the stretch is something bearable. For these cases and the hallelujah! ones, a travel coach will also be of very good service as it can stir the waters from you, bring depth to your journey and support you in making the decisions that will make your solo long-term travel a masterpiece 🙂

COMPANY

A solo-long term travel does not mean you are constantly alone. You will very likely spend time with other people at some point. Remember, the only rule here to keep being a solo traveller is to stay true to yourself and not be swallowed by your travel companions. This section is very connected with your character and nature to express yourself and find your place when you get to new places. In this context, we can find three different type of solo-long term travellers:

●      Loners: These are the ones who actively look for solitude. It is a choice. Either because at some point the many hellos and goodbyes feel too much, the intention of their journey is inwards, they choose quality of connections over quantity or just because they simply enjoy their own company. What a gift! :) It is quite easy to spot them, they won’t be ashamed of going to restaurants or activities alone, or even to bars and stay alone there to simply enjoy the music or the atmosphere. You might find them alone on the beach with a book or doing some hike here and there. In cities it might be more difficult to find them, as they might camouflage with the inhabitants of the city. As much as ease of connecting with others is a magnificent skill for solo long-term travelling, the capacity to stay alone, deal with yourself and enjoy those moments is another fundamental in the long-term solo travelling skillset.

●      Laid back: These are the camaleons of the three. They can be either hanging out with people or being and seeking time alone. They are happy with a bit of everything, and they are laid back about their company. There is someone, amazing, there is no one, also amazing. They feel at ease in both scenarios and although they don’t need to be often in connection with people and can enjoy themselves alone, they might want to do it from time to time. These ones are more difficult to spot right away, and you might need to follow them for some time to figure out who they are ;)

●      Connectors: These are the ones that after a week in a place seem to know everything and everyone in there. They are natural networkers and mix equally between locals, expats, travellers or any other fauna around. These people tend to be high in energy, enjoy being in the hotspot and surrounded by people. They need to be surrounded by people. They can be great fun. They are the kings and queens of the evening gatherings and will always have a toast at hand to throw at the crowd. They are genuine extroverts. While this is a great asset and skill in life, I am not sure if this trait is the best for solo-long term travellers. It might make you very vulnerable in situations that are more geared to introspection and where people are searching for peace or wanting to do their own thing. I have seen some of those extroverts anxious for some action when no one around them is up to it. You might also miss out on more remote and off the grid places where only true loners dare to go. Yet these options are just a tiny percentage of what’s possible in a solo-long term trip. All into it!

As a personal experience, and looking backwards, I can see how I have been the three of the above at some points, depending on the place, and how confident and inspired I felt. As I grow, I see myself becoming more flexible and falling more often in the laid back arena with some loner tendencies sporadically. My tip here: don’t take this as something fixed and be open for some surprises once out there ;)

LUGGAGE TYPE

This section mightn’t seem as meaningful as the others but hey, your luggage will incredibly impact how and where you will travel. And getting back to the first category, I dare to say that by checking people's luggage weight and shape you can determine what money range they are travelling in. Here are two groups:

●      A classic, the backpackers: Even without knowing what’s in the backpack you guess something already, these people are geared for adventure, flexibility and mobility. This luggage allows you to reach any place and if not too heavy, go on multi-day hikes with it. With the right gear you can go as wild as sleeping outside in tents or in nature. When moving from point A to point B, this type of luggage gives you great flexibility as you can easily walk with it in any type of street, avoiding the need to take taxis, and with the possibilities of moving around with scooters. You can save some costs if you just want to walk to places with your luggage and get the excitement of moving around with scooters. Backpacks are very versatile. However, if you are into going to beautiful events and you need your design clothes neat and well ironed, this mightn’t be the best gear for you. I wish there could be such a combination available!

●      The suitcasers: When you see them, you know it is unlikely they will travel to a deep forest in the Amazonia (unless they got some backpack hidden somewhere). There are some places where having this type of luggage will be a burden. I have seen some of these ones in non-asphalted roads of some Thai islands and I did not envy them in those moments. Also, when moving from point A to point B, where it is not too far to take a cab, walking a few minutes in random streets could really be a pain. However, there are big perks not to be dismissed: more space, folded and clean clothes, and pain free shoulders <3 uh la la, that becomes a dream in some backpacking journeys. The fact that it is less convenient to take this luggage to wild places, makes it less likely that your clothes will get dirty, on a trek, it is not unusual that rain shows up, the bag gets muddy or some food or liquid spills inside when moving in and out. If you appreciate clean folded clothes, choose a nice suitcase for your trip.

●      The “I want it all-ers”: After some years of solo long-term travelling, I have become a proud “I want it all-er”. I have a big luggage with my nicely folded clothes and an empty backpack inside for the wild and more speedy trips. This requires having a bit of a base where you trust to leave your luggage. Once that’s sorted, that's the ultimate freedom I have found. Let me know if this solution would support your trips too in the comments :)

This is the end of this post. I wish these different types of solo long-term travellers inspired you to explore yourself and to bring you closer to what type of traveller you could be in your long-term solo journey. If you are an experienced long-term solo traveller, I wish you had some fun with the categories and that it added light to some blind spots of yours. I would greatly appreciate any comment, feedback or addition!

Part 2 is cooking and will be more about our internal worlds, the barriers that we might find before jumping in solo travelling, the actual barriers that could happen and some potential post barriers too. I will also offer some soothing and different perspectives so that the initial barriers look more manageable. I will also share some tricks to deal with the actual challenges of solo-travelling, and for the challenges once the long-term solo travel is finished. Stay tuned on social media or subscribe to the Newsletter if you want to catch it on time. See you soon!

If you want to know more about my solo long-term travel coaching offers, go to "Travel" under the "Coaching" tab. I am looking forward to working with you!