I have been travelling alone for a very long time now.
It all started when I got my first job overseas. I remember going to the airport alone, carrying my luggage and everything I needed to start a new life in another country.
I didn’t know back then that travelling alone would become such a big part of my life.
After I started working overseas, I slowly began exploring different countries. At one point, I was travelling to almost three countries in a year.
I have always been curious about other places. The food, the culture, the people and even the little things we don’t usually notice.
Since I work in the hospitality industry, travelling has helped me understand people better. You realise that everyone has different ways of living, communicating and doing things. And I think that’s one of my favourite parts of travelling.
Most of my trips have been just me, discovering places on my own.
I remember going to China because I wanted to see the pandas. I stood there in the hot sun, waiting just to watch them. I had come all that way, and I wasn’t going to leave without seeing them.
Vietnam was different. I was interested in the history, the culture and everything the country had been through. I enjoyed learning about places that I had only heard or read about before.
Then there was Kazakhstan. Another country, another culture and so many things that were different from what I was used to.
That’s something I have always enjoyed about travelling. You get to see how people live outside your own little world.
But Georgia was a little different for me.
It’s such a beautiful country, and I really enjoyed exploring it. But somewhere during that trip, I remember wishing I had someone with me.
Not because I was bored or didn’t know what to do alone. I was used to travelling by myself.
It was just one of those places where you see something beautiful and wish you could turn to someone and say, “Look at that.”
I felt Georgia would be a lovely place to visit as a couple.
I think that trip made me realise something. I love travelling alone, but sometimes it would be nice to have someone to share those little moments with.
Someone to enjoy the view with, try the food with, or simply walk around without having to say much.
But travelling alone as a woman is not always as easy as it looks in pictures.
I enjoy my own company, but I am also very careful.
Whenever I plan a trip, I spend quite some time checking the area before booking a hotel. I prefer staying somewhere safe, even if it means paying a little extra.
I only book taxis through apps. I don’t get into random cars, and I avoid sharing too much information about myself with people I don’t know.
And here’s something funny.
If someone I don’t know starts asking too many personal questions, I suddenly become a completely different person.
I might have a different name, a different story, and sometimes even a fiancé waiting for me at the hotel lobby.
Yes, a fiancé.
Apparently, he has been waiting for me in hotel lobbies around the world.
I know it sounds ridiculous, but sometimes that’s what you do to feel safe.
I don’t think every stranger has bad intentions. I’ve come across some lovely people while travelling. But I also believe I don’t owe anyone my personal information just because they ask.
There are things I really enjoy about travelling alone.
I can wake up whenever I want, visit places that interest me, spend hours walking around, or sit in a café without worrying whether someone else is getting bored.
Sometimes I visit a place just because I saw a picture of it somewhere. Sometimes I order food without knowing exactly what I’m going to get.
And sometimes things don’t go as planned.
But that’s also part of travelling.
Over the years, I’ve learned to be comfortable doing things alone. Eating at restaurants, visiting attractions, finding my way around unfamiliar cities and figuring things out when something goes wrong.
I don’t always have someone to take my pictures, and sometimes I have to ask someone or just take a selfie.
But I have never wanted to stop exploring just because I didn’t have someone to go with.
One of my favourite things is getting a window seat on a plane.
I love looking outside, especially when the plane is taking off. Watching the buildings become smaller, the roads disappear, and eventually seeing nothing but clouds.
Sometimes I think about where I’m going. Sometimes I think about where I’ve been.
And sometimes I just look outside without thinking about anything at all.
It’s funny how life changes.
Years ago, I was just a girl travelling alone to another country for work.
Today, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve packed my bags, gone through airports and found myself somewhere completely unfamiliar.
There are still so many places I want to visit, so many cultures I want to learn about and so much food I haven’t tried yet.
Maybe some of those trips will be alone, and maybe some will be with someone special.
Either way, I know I’ll keep travelling.
And I’ll still be asking for the window seat.
Falhaven
