Traveling in itself is an act of self-reliance. A solo holiday will push you to expand your horizon for new things and allow you to decide your own destinations and meet different people, characters, and personalities. That is the chemistry and the engaging element of solo holidays. Here, two female solo travellers tell their stories of exploring new regions of the world and engaging in local cultures during their holidays.
Laydy Voyage, a French-Canadian tells her stories about how she explores the world alone. Here, the 38-year-old solo traveller tells how she navigates the fears of stepping into the world alone and stories during her journeys.
Laydy has been traveling the world on her own for the past 18 years since she was 20-year-old. She has traveled solo to many countries across South America, Europe, and Australia.
“Living in London is so easy to travel worldwide, especially in Europe. For example in Italy, I visited Milan, Portofino, Verona, and Venice; In Spain, I visited Madrid, Barcelona in the North, and the Camino de Santiago across the whole of Spain. I also went to the south of Spain, such as Andalusia.” Laydy stated.
In the beginning, Laydy went on her first solo trip 18 years ago to Manly Beach, Australia, at the age of 20. Her journey to Australia sparked her passion for solo travels.
“I was inspired by The TV series Heartbreak high, a TV program about the lives of students at a multicultural high
school which was based in Australia in Manly Beach near Sydney. I liked how their lifestyle was fast-paced surrounded by the beach, nature, and sunny weather. At the age of 19, I knew I wanted to discover more and didn’t want to just stay where I was at that point back in Canada. I was passionate about seeing different things. So I decided to start my
very first solo trip in Australia and made sure to visit Manly Beach.”
Laydy’s favorite destination was Patagonia in Argentina. She went to Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia, Argentina in 2015. “I joined a tour and met an English girl, and we started connecting and chatting. We walked on the Glacier and were impressed by how insanely clear-blue the sky was, which was uncommon for that period according to the guides and made it all the more memorable and magical.”
“We drank the water from the active Glacier. We were both amazed at how pure and fresh the water tasted. In the end, we celebrated our journey with a glass of whisky each. The whole journey was unbelievable and purely magical. To me, I will always remember this journey in Patagonia. Argentinians were amazing, and they were very good at looking after people. My one-month trip to Argentina was a very rich experience of my life and a magical one.”
Laydy also joined cooking and dancing classes in Buenos Aires, the country’s capital city, during her solo trip in Argentina. “I would also add,” says Laydy, “Argentina is very organised for solo travellers like me. The bus tickets were cheap back in 2015.”
“I felt safe when I was in Argentina. Just like everywhere else in the world, you still have to remain alert and careful, I felt I could trust the Argentinians with their suggestions and advice during my travels which made me feel safe during my trip. I really appreciated this country.”
“Argentinians are very good at looking after their national parks and environments. For example, even small things like not flushing the toilet paper to avoid pollution in their seas and water. Overall, Argentina is very open to visitors. They are welcoming and very passionate about sharing their culture and history.”
According to Spanish Acemady, over 60% of Argentina’s population shares the same Italian heritage due to the significant influence of Italian immigrants from 1870 to 1960. “I like how they speak Spanish in an Italian way with their hand Italian-style gestures.” Laydy demonstrates.
“Freedom is what motivates me to explore the world. I enjoy the freedom of planning, organising, and going with the flow. When you travel, things don’t work out or get cancelled last minute. I found that travelling alone made it easier to adapt to the unexpected changes that may occur along the journey. Whereas when travelling with others, you need to compromise. When you are travelling solo, you can change destinations and go anywhere you wish to whenever I want.”
“Solo traveling made me focus on staying in the present, because I need to stay aware and alert. It is something really exciting and freeing. When you are alone, you pay much more attention to the views and nature, and everything is enhanced. It is mind-opening to travel alone.” The 38-year-old demonstrated.
“Most significantly, one of the pros of solo traveling is making friends more easily. I am passionate about meeting new people who are in the same boat as me therefore I could create good connections and memories with people – someone who is doing the same thing as you, either sitting on the same bus or going to the same destination as you are. I chat with the people around me, connect at the moment and create amazing memories.”
Laydy’s solo journeys made her more resourceful and able to observe the world directly without any distractions. She enjoys observing what happens around her, learning to be more open to interacting with all kinds of people, enjoying being in her own company, and most importantly, learning to be more careful about her budget as a solo traveller.
“I realised that traveling alone can be less expensive than travelling in a group. Sometimes you end up spending more when you are travelling with friends. I could pick my own accommodation that was more suited for me or try different meals at restaurants of my choice.”
“Most significantly, one of the pros of solo traveling is making friends more easily.”
Layday believes “being authentic” is the best way of making friends during her journey. “When you are travelling alone, you connect with people, especially with other solo travellers, a lot faster and easier than in your normal life.”
“I am passionate about meeting new people who are in the same boat as me, therefore I could create good connections and memories with people – someone who is doing the same thing as you, either sitting on the same bus or going to the same destination as you are. I get chatting with the people around me, connect at the moment and create amazing memories.”
“If I see a group of people I would connect with them by asking them questions about how long they’ve been traveling for, what they’ve visited so far and would ask for travelling tips and advice which they were most often than not, always happy to share with me.”
Some people would then ask to join me on some day trips and that’s how you’d create connections and make friends during your travels and create great memories. The next day, you’d go your separate ways but then would keep in touch and plan to meet up again. This is similar to networking.”
“What I look for is authentic and genuine people to create memorable moments and simply have a laugh. You attract what you project.”
When I asked Laydy, “What’s the most touching story you’ve ever witnessed during your solo travels?”, the 38-year-old entrepreneur said, “There are a lot of moments I can think of. Travelling alone made me realise more than ever that it is to treasure the present moment. You are new to discovering new environments; I tend to discover as many places as I can, make as many new connections I can, create as many memories I can and capture as many pictures as possible.”
“With the people, I met during solo trips, the genuine connections I made, those people you had a laugh with and spent good time with are priceless as you travel. For example, that day in Patagonia, south of Argentina on the glacier, I was so aware that I was experiencing something extraordinary. I felt the elements of the Sun, the Air, the Water, I felt like the
luckiest woman on Earth.”
On the other hand, “And most often than not, great moments with the greatest of company don’t last forever. I learnt that we enjoy wonderful moments but that in the end, we all go our separate ways as we all have different destinations to reach. We all go back home and sometimes we don’t get to see each other again.”
“Those moments are great no thanks to the locations, but thanks to the people you meet. It’s all about the company. Whenever someone left, it would make me sad, because the synergy would change. But I’ve learnt to move on and not to get too emotional. Now because I know that people and moments come and go, I know when it’s time to move on and carry on to other destinations. I try to leave before everyone else leaves, before things change too much and before it gets too sad. So I keep on walking, and I don’t look back.”
“As I made the most of the moments and enjoyed every second of the journey and have no regrets.”
“Now as I’ve travelled to so many places, as soon as something changes, or someone leaves, I always try to leave first before things get sadder. I had a great time, and I moved on with no regrets. When I move on I don’t look back, as I can only make the most of the moment and enjoy every second of what my journey was, at the moment.”
“Solo travelling is overall mind-opening and makes you realise that what you think you know about life is only a very tiny fraction of all the wonders there are out there yet to be discovered.” Laydy concluded.
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