Four months ago, I decided to quit my job, leave Paris and go for a one-year trip around Latin America, alone. While I’m not the only one to have leapt, I’ve met quite a few people telling me: “Wow, that’s my dream, but I could never do it”.

Oh yes, you can, everybody can! How? 

Go travel alone for one week.

That’s it.

It is not a scary step that you are going to take but gonna become an adventurous one. 

Why?

I’m glad you asked

1. Overcome the first hurdle

Don’t quit your job already, take a smaller step! It’s the most effective way to overcome the first hurdle. You know, that first hurdle, when you want to start the habit of running, wake up to a frozen morning of winter and… *Snooze*. To overcome that, an effective tip is to prepare the running outfit the night before, to put it in a chair next to your bed. It becomes the first thing you see in the morning, inspiring you to take action.

Zero friction, zero excuse.

I’ve found that for most people, the ‘alone’ part is the very first hurdle, the very first excuse. ‘What if travelling alone is not for me?’

Maybe, but give it a try. For a week. Then you’ll know!

2. Get a sense of the experience

That’s 99% of the point. I can go for hours on how travelling alone is for everyone, that it can profoundly transform a human being, its relationships with the world, with others, with himself. I could do it. That would be fun, but useless!

This is something that one needs to experience for himself, and I’ve found out that 80% of the solo-traveling experience is trialled in just a week, alone, in a new country. Beware, a long week-end is not enough, the loneliness and freedom just starting to kick in around two or three days, mixed all together in a baffling and unearthing feeling. (“I’ll have whatever he’s having!”)

Get a sense of the experience and you’ll see by yourself how easy and natural traveling alone is. Just like you would test-drive a Tesla before buying it, test-travel a solo trip!

3.  Come out of your shell 

Don’t get out of your comfort zone this time, expand it. Get comfortable with new things, like eating alone in a restaurant, or randomly talking to some people around and following them wherever that conversation will lead to. And most of all, get comfortable with not knowing.

When travelling alone for just a week, the amount of planning required is zero (okay, zero point five). There’s always going to be an extra ticket for that bus, an extra bed on that hostel, and an extra sit in that cool-people-you-just-met’s car.

Pick a close-by and convenient country. If you live in Europe, Portugal, Spain or Italy are perfect. Still in the comfort zone, right? It’s still comfortable: Physically (food, security & amenities), emotionally (culture, time difference) & financially (it’s okay to spend more if needed).

There aren’t a lot of excuses left, are they?

4. Don’t change your holiday plans

Ah yes, holiday plans. The convenient advantage of the solo travel week (yeah, it’s a thing now) is that you still can go on holiday with your family, with your loved one or your friends. Only just a little less.

If you’re lucky, you’re French and get 5 weeks of paid holidays. 3 weeks in the summer, 2 for Christmas. Book the last week of the holidays, pack a small backpack, and just GO!

Once you’ll get the taste of solo travelling, and likely experience all the amazing benefits of it, chances are you’ll also realize that solo travelling is easy. That it’s for you too, and that having taken that very first step makes the possibility of a bigger one more likely!

Travel for a week alone, and tell me how it was!