Myth: it costs a lot to travel.
Yes it does if you stay in $400 a night hotels like I used to do.
It was fun.
The truth is I love to travel solo.
I don’t have to wait for a friend to break up with her lover, leave their job, or save enough money to go with me.
When I want to go to Nepal, Colombia, or Sardinia I put on my Van sneakers and go!
I can sit in a fancy pants bar/restaurant like I am now and write. And enjoy a superb glass of red wine and be at ease and comfortable.
You never have to negotiate where to go based on money.
I was backpacking in the Himalayas solo in 2009 in Sikkim, India and realized I was spending less money per month than I received for renting out my apartment in Palo Alto, California.
I was spending less than $300 per month to stay in guesthouses eating home made Tibetan soup and momos, traveling by share jeep in the Himalayas, and having a blast.
I came home from that 10-month trip with money in the bank.
Advice.
Don’t go over your budget on lodging. Yes you can splash out for a few days. But you can also get budget accommodation and live it up at the upper crust lounge/restaurant like I am now.
Secret: you can often work/write in 5-star surroundings enjoying the incredible views and then go back to your Airbnb room, campsite, or rented home.
You’ll discover that having a set amount to spend on lodging will keep you kosher.
I often times suggest a lower price on a room when the price suggested is too high.
It’s called rich foreigner tax. Many countries, like India, have no set prices on their rooms, the price is whatever they can get.
So haggle wisely, you’re still most likely paying too much.
Freedom!
One of the best things I ever did was travel twice around the world with no itinerary buying one-way plane tickets along the way.
If I felt like staying in Bali another month I could, no discussion.
If I wanted to explore Burma for a month, I went.
First time I went round the world I spent $2900 on plane tickets, the 2nd time I spent $1800. No I didn’t buy a RTW ticket, it doesn’t give you freedom on your journey.
For example I decided to stay in Cambodia for 4 weeks when I couldn’t stomach the thought of leaving.
I was falling in love with Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat is located and so I stayed.
No heated arguments. I found an incredible local guesthouse: Rosie’s guesthouse. And another one, Ou Malay where the Cambodian owners and I had a love fest of laughing and daily camaraderie.
It was $7 a night, no wifi but so what?! We loved each other!
You meet so many people!
When you’re solo, there’s no one to listen or talk to. You can be alone with your own thoughts and then Bam! you meet someone seriously interesting who lights up your world and you wonder how you ever would have met them if you were with someone.
This has happened to me more times than I can count. And I’m still in touch with many friends I met traveling from Spain, Korea, Australia, Nepal, India, Germany, and Argentina.
They shook up my world and invited me into a new portal of love and friendship. I never would have met them if I wasn’t solo.
Being solo you have to reach out. It can be intoxicating.
Traveling solo, I mention my thoughts to whoever is standing by, I don’t take offense if they don’t respond, I’m simply radiating aloha which means, I’m spreading good will and happiness which is what the Dalai Lama advises but I didn’t realize until living in Hawaii that this means Aloha.
Pay attention. You might meet your soulmate, best friend ever, or meditation master around the next corner.
Suddenly you’ll be in a new world that you had no idea even existed.
Safety.
Yes you can be safe but you have to trust your gut. Don’t negotiate with the red alert warnings your instincts tell you. Pay attention.
Your body knows before your mind. Listen.
And while you are at it: don’t tell people you’re traveling solo. Don’t advertise your solo status by flagrantly drinking and carousing. Really.
Do make friends with families and women. Volunteer with humanitarian foundations that are educating and changing lives. Don’t be afraid to talk to people and smile.
A smile is universal. Yes it works in every country. Try it. It works.
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The Occasional Nomads 