Dec
Solo Female Travel, Travel Inspiration
Travel Alone Quotes: Inspiration for Solo Adventurers
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“Travel Alone Quotes?” Really? You couldn’t just save the inspirational sayings for a Pinterest board, Rachel? Haha, you got me there. I know some of you probably think I’m obnoxious dedicating an entire post to smiley travel affirmations. Affirmations are almost cliche. To make matters worse, this is the internet. I mean, at this point, we’ve all read the most common inspirational quotes so. many. times.
Honestly, I think a few famous quotes are so widely shared across Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest that we could write an analytical essay close-reading each and every word in great detail.
As you might’ve guessed, like plenty of others, I also “love to hate” inspirational quotes. I think most of my readers have that one friend who posts these happy-go-lucky affirmations three times a week. It grinds your jaw, doesn’t it? Especially after a rough week in traffic, you wonder why you can’t feel so wonderfully blessed. Not to mention, this anonymous friend’s relentless joy makes your finger trigger-happy for the block button.
Regardless, the perfect quote will (somehow) lift my spirits when I need encouragement the most. Secretly, positive affirmations make us smile. They are popular for a reason. A good reason.
And I couldn’t write a travel blog without at least one post dedicated to this very topic.
Why I Wrote a Post Dedicated to “Travel Alone Quotes”
Okay, so despite the occasional annoying Facebook friend, I’m still a sucker for positive quotes and share them on my own social media channels. And when positivity and travel are combined in the same sentence? I feel awesome and ready to book the next plane ticket I see cross my laptop screen!
And come on… After all, I already wrote a post on Shakespeare’s travel quotes. It makes sense I’d write another one about my favorite solo travel quotes.
Furthermore I wanted to bring an extra splash of happiness just in time to ring in the new year. A lot of my friends had a challenging time in 2018. It was a stressful twelve months. Let’s move in a more thoughtful and happy direction in 2019, shall we?
With all that said and done, I hope you enjoy my favorite “travel alone quotes.” I made an effort to avoid the most cliche ones, haha. More importantly, I want you to feel inspired to book that “ticket for one” in the near future. You deserve the richness of an epic solo trip.
Bon voyage!
“To travel is to live.” ―
Um. Duh, Mr. Christian Andersen?
Let’s face it. We’ve all wondered about whether or not we’re truly living our lives. We sleep, go to work, squeeze in time at the gym if we’re lucky and somehow motivated to exercise, eat, and then somehow do it all over again. Life’s robotic at times. And while stability is nice, it’s bleak to think about our limited time on earth blending together. Routine kills dreams.
Travel breathes fresh air into our lives. New smells, new buildings, new languages, new people. A little vibrance goes a long way to boost one’s mental health.
Like Hans Christian Andersen said, we need to live, not just drift aimlessly from place to place. So go exploring far and wide.
Truthfully, you shouldn’t let the lack of a travel partner stop you from enjoying these experiences either. Go anyway.
“No, no! The adventures first, explanations take such a dreadful time.”
― Lewis Carroll
Argh, we psyche ourselves out (so fast and quick too!) of achieving incredible feats. So, please please please pretty please, don’t try to talk yourself out of traveling alone. Meaning don’t explain why solo travel is such a bad idea.
This particular quote is taken from Alice in Wonderland. I actually relate to Alice in many ways as a traveler. Love that book. However, the reason I added this quote is because, although Alice in Wonderland is a trippy and unusual novel, it’s so true that explanations take up valuable time, time which ought to be devoted to going on epic adventures instead. Logic is great, but don’t let your head rule your heart 100% of the time either.
Now don’t get me wrong. You want to do plenty of research for your trips so you don’t miss anything special. I’ll fully admit here that I didn’t research my earlier trips nearly as well as I should have and regret it.
But, as a solo traveler, you shouldn’t have to explain your motivations to an unsupportive friend or acquaintance. Your dreams are yours to protect and live. Don’t ever let someone talk you out of your goals to eat sushi in Tokyo or study art in Florence.
Explanations are for suckers.
“If you don’t take risks, you’ll have a wasted soul.” ― Drew Barrymore
Solo travel comes with risks. I won’t lie to you and say it doesn’t. For example, you might lose your passport or miss a late night train, and then you’ll only have your wits to rely on to fix things. Bigger risks, like taking the wrong step at Mt. Kilimanjaro, are also real possibilities. You have more sets of eyes looking out for your safety when traveling with family and friends. Not much else to say.
Still, allowing fear to control your decisions isn’t the best course of action to take. By missing travel experiences, you’ll always have that niggling doubt inside your brain and wonder if you could’ve lived a more fulfilling life. Even worse, you might feel resentment against yourself for playing it “too safe.” Rewards are higher than risks in some cases – particularly if those cases are travel-related.
So don’t waste your soul on risks and anxiety. Book your trip. Have a great time. Go.
“I’m an adventurer, looking for treasure” ― Paulo Coelho
I’d imagine a lot of you are already familiar with Coelho’s book The Alchemist, which is the novel where this next travel quote is taken from. The Alchemist is a story about a shepherd who goes on a journey to pursue a reoccurring dream; it’s a quintessential tale of a quest.
Follow your desires. Eventually the universe will show you the way to success. Just stay mentally strong in the face of resistance.
I think most of us are familiar with the Law of Attraction. In the simplest terms, the Law states that if you pursue your dreams and actively think about them, then eventually those dreams will come true. It’s motivational. Mind over matter and all that.
And as for treasure? You’ll build confidence, make new friends, learn about other cultures, and so much more on your solo travels. At the end of your trip, the treasure you seek may not hold any monetary value, but the memories last forever.
“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.” – Amelia Earhart
Ahhh, one of the best examples of solo female travel quotes was stated by Amelia Earhart. We’ve all heard of her. Now I try not to think about her disappearance too much because it bums me out and makes me hate flying more than I already do. Instead I’d rather remember her multiple adventures, as well as the progress she made for women in aviation.
Again, you don’t need to explain away your desire to explore the world. Sure, some people might think you’re weird, but as an adventurer, remember you can’t please everyone in life.
And adventure is always a worthwhile cause. For example, it’s true to act in a responsible manner with money, but if travel is important to you, then budget for some awesome trips and ignore the haters.
“Wherever you go, you take yourself with you.” ―
Solo travel gives us time to reacquaint ourselves with … ourselves. We need peaceful moments too. I mean. Think about what I said earlier about our days blending together due to our busy routine. The result is lots of people wake up one morning without realizing who the heck they even are anymore. Pretty scary, huh?
As I’ve said, we lead incredibly hectic lives. Our focus drifts to other people leaving very little time to focus on our own needs. We worry about friends and family and romantic relationships. I think this “neglect of one’s self” is doubly true for women who are expected to care for everyone and anyone. Socialized niceness has its consequences.
Therefore, on your solo travels, be present with yourself and truly take in your surroundings. Don’t stay glued to your phone, because you feel awkward at being alone. Remaining attached to social media defeats the purpose of traveling alone around the globe. You want to breathe in the scents, sounds, and sights of your new “home” city.
“To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice.” ―
Argh, it’s annoying how expensive travel is for most people. It’s very true that staying at hostels and packing picnic lunches reduces the cost, but still, there’s not much you can do about airline tickets, especially if you’re a teacher (aka me) and only able to travel on school holidays. You’re literally cut out of every flight deal imaginable.
Your bank account is gonna feel the pain after any trip. Just a fact.
Regardless of your feelings on Eat, Pray, Love author, Elizabeth Gilbert, you have to agree with her that traveling alone is worth the financial and emotional stress.
More money in your bank account is great. However don’t let budgets restrict you so much that you never leave your apartment. Setting aside an amount even as small as $20 a week goes a long way toward your travel savings. Worth it.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” ― Ursula Le Guin
Fans of science fiction and fantasy will instantly recognize Ursula Le Guin. Her short story, The Ones Who Walk Away from the Omelas, is one of the most thought-provoking pieces that I have ever read in my life. Check it out.
Sadly, all trips come to an end. Let’s be honest here too. I think we all feel (at least a small) urge to return to home as our travels creep closer to their conclusion.
Remember the lessons learned on your journey, because they matter so much for your personal growth. The ending isn’t the most important part. Not even close.
“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.” ― J.K. Rowling
Of course I couldn’t write a post like this without referring to J.K. Rowling once, haha.
For me, stepping into the night means emerging into the Unknown. Nothing is more unknown than traveling to an unfamiliar place completely by yourself. Is it scary? Of course.
Yet, if the temptation of an adventure is too strong for you to resist, then throw on your backpack and pursue your travel dreams anyway. Conquering your fears earns you respect from everybody including the most important person in the world: yourself.
“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey
The outstanding and inspirational Oprah Winfrey said one of the best travel alone quotes.
We worry way too much about what other people think about us. I’ve talked a lot about unnecessary comparisons to others and setting boundaries when finding peace with yourself.
Living your dream life will take you on all sorts of adventures. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of new friendships I created just from deciding to start a travel blog.
By living your dream life, you will go to places and reach new heights that will blow your mind. Chase after the life you want and never settle for less than that. And don’t waste your time fretting that your dream isn’t the same as someone else’s dream. They are both valid. You do you.
What We Can Learn from These Travel Alone Quotes
So what can we learn from quotes about solo travel? The most important message to take is traveling alone is often worth the risk. In exchange for discomfort, such as eating alone in public or flying on an international flight, you discover more about our vibrant world as well as a lot about yourself – such as your own passions and interests.
As a society, we shouldn’t be so fearful of “alone time.” Doing things alone doesn’t make you a reject or loser. Embrace the solitude and don’t let being alone prevent you from visiting exciting places around the globe.
And remember: I 100% believe in you! You can travel alone. You have the ability and resources to plan a wonderful trip. Don’t feel scared.
Do you have any favorite “travel alone” quotes? Tell me which ones inspired you to go traveling – even if you were shaking in your boots at the thought of being by yourself. As always, thank you for supporting the blog!
