Thursday, December 17, 2015

Ridin' [the bus] solo

Traveling Solo


I am constantly being asked by others where my travel companions are, or if I am waiting on other people. I reply that I am traveling alone and many seem shocked by that concept. "By yourself?" "Why would you do that?" "Don't you have friends?" "It's not safe to travel alone." "Aren't you scared?" are some of the phrases that often follow the initial shock. Yes. I am traveling through Costa Rica by myself. Yes, I have friends, but I choose to travel alone, for many reasons. I've never felt unsafe traveling alone. And no, I'm not scared. The concept of traveling alone is foreign to many people and not very much understood, so I thought I'd at least attempt to explain why I choose to travel alone.

Why I Choose to Travel Alone

1. A Journey of Self
Traveling is a great time to get to know oneself and do some serious self-reflection. I've been able to better uncover my likes, my dislikes, what ticks me off, what I'm passionate about. It's allowed me to also reflect on how I fit into the world and allows me to just be. I don't need to have a reason for my existence when I'm traveling alone. I can just be out in nature and enjoy it for its inherent beauty. 

2. Doing What I Want to Do
Traveling alone allows you to do all the activities and go to all of the places you want to do without feeling held back by others. That's not to say that friends and fellow travelers are roadblocks; that's not the case at all. It's fun to travel with friends. But sometimes, you might come across something you really want to do, like hike in a national park, that maybe some of your friends are not down for. There's nothing wrong with going to do that on your own while your friends do something else that they want to do.

3. Learning to Be Alone
It's an important piece of your development to learn that it's okay to be alone sometimes. Growing up, I felt lonely because I thought the key to life was always having people around you. Yes, relationships with other people are important, but your relationship with your self, how you see yourself, that's extremely important as well. Traveling alone allows me to feel more comfortable about myself and to take time for self-reflection.

All The Right Fun in All The Right Places

These are not all of the amazing places I've been able to visit alone, just the ones I happen to have pictures of. This visual is not exhaustive of my adventures though. But traveling by myself has been pretty incredible.

San José, Costa Rica

Mall San Pedro, exploring downtown San José, Barrio China, Castillo Azul, Avenida Central, volunteering at el Hospicio de Huérfanos, Casa Amarilla, Catedral Metropolitana, Plaza de la Democracia, Plaza de la Libertad Electoral, Museo Nacional, Festival de la Luz, Parque Morazan, Parque España, Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, Parque Nacional







Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Playa Negra, Rocking Js (sleepin' in a hammock), Finca de la Isla Botanical Gardens, Luluberlu Art Gallery, a yellow sand beach, exploring Puerto Viejo















Monteverde, Costa Rica

Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Sloth Backpackers Hostel & Bed and Breakfast, Orchid Garden, Herpentarium, exploring Santa Elena















Jacó, Costa Rica

Playa Jacó











Volcán Poas, Costa Rica
what was supposed to be a crater selfie...

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