Born A Solo Traveler

I was born a solo traveler.  The only daughter of resourceful mother with three sons, I learned at an early age how to play by myself.  While my brothers were out doing the things that boys do, I played alone with dolls and discovered ways of entertaining myself.  Thirty years later, I'm still playing by myself.  But, that pink plaid bedroom in my childhood home with the white canopy bed covered in heart shaped pillows is long gone.  Now, I leave my heart on the pillows of hotel room beds in cities that I dream of calling home.

When I first began blogging and writing about my travels, my goal was to demystify solo travel and be a resource for anyone planning a solo trip.  Having lost count of my solo treks, traveling solo is admittedly second nature for me. In a world where comfort zones are crucified, I set out to debunk the myth that solo travelers are antisocial and socialize more.  I entertained brunches, phone calls and texts from friends who wanted to "catch up."  Only to discover ten minutes into the conversation that they were planning a big trip and wanted a travel consult.  It wasn't long before I realized that there were people in my life who engaged me, not out of genuine concern for me, but because they needed something from me.  The blogosphere is filled with stories of once close friends becoming strangers as a result of the other's love for the open road.  I'd hoped my story would be different.

In hindsight, I wasted so much energy trying to change what's naturally inbred within me.  The ability to go at it alone.  If following my passion and traveling the world puts people off, then so be it.  I'm no longer tasking myself with the responsibility of changing what others think.  My commitment to helping ease the solo travel fears of others remains strong.  But, gone are the days where I entertain those who momentarily set aside their resentment of my travels as a means to receiving travel advice. And in the spirit of that content little girl that still lives on the inside, I'm walking into each new day letting anyone or anything not for me, fall by the wayside.