Independent singles: The Single Traveler
New waves of senior backpackers are travelling alongside the traditional pre-university student. You can decide to be a single traveler or sole, or you may choose to meet a travel companion online at the NewYoungTravel.com.au travel forum.
As with touring, traveling as an independent single has its pros and cons:
Pros
- The world is your oyster as far as flexibility goes – do what you want when you want
- You can be more open to meeting new people. You are more likely to strike up a conversation or make an effort on getting to know others than if you travel with someone
- You have the final say on your itinerary – 5 stars, budget, or a bit of both
- Sleep in! No early starts if you don’t want them
- The experience can often be quite empowering
Cons
- Eating out alone the first few times may be a bit uncomfortable, but take a book. And don’t let travelling solo stop you from eating out
- The dreaded single supplement. We can whine all we want, but it is, unfortunately, a fact of life
- No-one to ‘wow’ with or share the experience when you see those Pyramids for the first time
- Taking photos
- It does get lonely sometimes on long trips
