Why I love traveling solo?

Before I start sharing my travel experiences, I feel it would be only fair to answer some questions that I am asked frequently- "Why do you travel alone? What fun do you derive in riding so far all by yourself? Wouldn't having a group help you enjoy your travel more?" 

Well, it is true that when it was my first time, it did feel daunting and terrifying. I asked myself many a times if I was up for it and there was this constant fear of whether I would survive as a solo rider. Loneliness is a scary feeling but when you spend more time with yourself, you start maintaining focus and get to know more about your limits and capabilities. The whole idea is to push yourself outside your comfort zone. Traveling alone offers the perfect opportunity to introspect and reflect on your life. It gives you a chance to learn about yourself in ways you cannot imagine. You are never really alone in the actual sense because you inevitably find someone to share your experience with- probably another crazy rider or enthusiastic children and locals who are keen on knowing why have you come all the way on a motorcycle to visit their town!

Over-enthusiastic locals trying to figure out who has come to their town!

Local school kids excited that someone stopped by to click their pictures

When you travel alone, you get to do exactly what you want and when you want. If you feel like waking up at 4 am to see the sunrise, nobody is going to ask you why! If you want to just relax for an entire day in your hotel room, you have complete freedom to do that as well. Nobody is going to tell you to do something you do not want to do. You can decide for yourself if you want to keep going or take a detour if you see a small road going somewhere which eventually leads to something like this-

 

Or this

Or this

You can stop as many times as you want to click pictures if you come across some breathtaking views. Like this

 Or this

Or this

All the initial apprehensions about having a travel partner by your side disappear when you realize that you can equally enjoy, if not more, a meal all by yourself or spending the night all by yourself. There have been times when I have felt helpless, but times like these, you have nobody to turn to but yourself. It is also in such situations that I have realized that there is a lot of kindness in the world and there are people going out of the way to help me out. 

To be honest, embarking on my first journey with only my motorcycle and luggage as companions was one of the best decisions I ever took. I come back feeling more confident about myself and obviously a happier person. There is nothing more rewarding than the experiences I have acquired while travelling solo. I am still as excited to explore a new place as I was when I started riding because in a country such as India, every place has something unique to offer that is totally different than what you are routinely accustomed to. 

Travelling all by myself has made me humble. None of my personal and professional accomplishments carry any value when I am on the road. Only the experiences I have acquired over time and the manner in which I react and adapt to circumstances will help me when I am out there. After a successful ride, it reminds me that I set my mind to something and succeeded. Planning and executing complicated travel plans solo is proof that I am more capable than I ever expected myself to be. 

As a solo motorcycle rider, I have learnt that traveling solo is easier than you think and rewarding in a way that few experiences in life can match. Sometimes, all you need is a little bit of perspective to value and appreciate the things and people around us- like your friends, your family, your colleagues, the small things we take for granted! 

As it is rightly said, as long as you make the most of your solo travel, your stories will be epic accounts you ll never get tired of telling!