A quick little back story: some of you may have assumed or noticed, that as of the past 4 months, I’ve been single. I’ve been doing a lot of work to get myself back to a place where I feel confident within and at peace with where I’m at in life. Now fast forward until now and I did it. I felt strong enough (yet a little crazy inside) and booked myself a solo trip to Hawaii for 6 days! Be sure to read my full Hawaii Travel Guide first and shop everything I packed for my trip to Hawaii!
Some of you may be thinking, wow that’s crazy. Why would you travel alone? That sounds terrifying! etc… But let me tell you: it was the SINGLE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. It is exactly what I needed in this time of my life, and I couldn’t be more proud of myself for taking that leap! It’s a special feeling I never want to forget and hope everyone can experience.
I shared my entire journey on instagram stories (you can watch my “Hawaii” highlights), and was blown out of the water with the response from all of you! I was shocked. The most outpouring of love, encouragement, motivation, fearlessness, and acceptance I have ever received. It was incredible to see how many people I motivate and INSPIRED to live their life, be free, take the leap, be strong and courageous, and move forward with a smile and positive life outlook! I love you all so much, it’s actually making me cry as I type. Thank you for being here and being so invested in my journey, truly, YOU are what makes this life amazing. You matter!
Anyway, back to the blog post and the reason you’re here today: what it’s like traveling solo Q&A style… let’s do this!
What made you want to book the flight?
I had a week off of school (for ski week) and had original plans to go somewhere with other bloggers. It fell through, and I figured HERE I GO, I’M GOING TO BE BRAVE. And that was that!
How did you know how to plan the itinerary of your trip?
I thought about places I wanted to see and wrote them all down. After that, I researched hotels in those locations and wrote down a rough draft of my day-to-day itinerary. Of course weather changed this, things happened, and my days had to be adjusted, but I checked everything off my list that I wanted to see. I mostly used google maps to figure it out and planned my outfits accordingly (using Instagram to see the aesthetic).
How did you get around and navigate once you were there?
Google maps- super easy!
Was it lonely?
Not for one second. I was shocked! Everyone keeps asking me this and it is SO not true. Just because you travel alone doesn’t mean you are lonely. It was actually more freeing and exhilarating than anything else!
Did you ever feel unsafe or scared?
The second I landed, I was worried for a millisecond. Then that feeling quickly faded and I felt incredibly safe, excited, at ease. Just keep in mind: if you are a female and you are traveling solo, you have to be super aware of your surroundings at all time, which I was. Never put yourself in an unsafe situation, so it’s up to you!
What was it like eating out alone?
Scary at first, honestly. But then it was amazing! I put my phone away, looked around at the ocean, people watched, and no one was there to judge me on what I ate and drank. Glorious!
How did you capture such great photos for Instagram?
Using this tripod, iPhone mount, + clicker (total = under $30). It was so easy! Don’t get me wrong, it took about 50ish shots for each outfit to get THE ONE, but it was very manageable. I typically shot my photos in Hawaii at sunrise and sunset. During the middle of the day I took time for myself to explore and enjoy the moment. But earlier in the day no one was really out by the pool or beach so there was less judgment (haha). Plus- it was a huge conversation starter carrying around my travel tripod! People loved it actually.
Overall my advice on traveling solo is: DO IT. BOOK THAT FLIGHT, MAKE THE TRIP HAPPEN. JUST GO! You will feel more empowered, happy, free, strong, and courageous than you even knew possible! I’m vowing to myself to take a solo trip annually for the rest of my life. It truly was SO special and I hope I always remember this time in my life 🙂