What solo travelling has taught me
What solo travelling has taught me
3 weeks down under
Going alone in itself was a huge challenge for me. Having an anxiety disorder, doing even simple things can be extremely difficult, including eating in public on my own, being in new places and getting over tired. I’m proud that I’ve managed to travel to the other side of the world on my own, despite my mental health. When I arrived in Sydney after having a horrendous flight experience (I had one of the worst panic attacks I've ever encountered) and crying for most of my second flight, I really didn’t think I’d make it to the end of my trip without catching an earlier flight home.
I’ve learnt to talk people I’ve met along the way. It’s so easy to keep your head down, have headphones in and ignore everyone around you, especially having lived in England, which is arguably one of the most socially awkward countries there are. However, it’s also so easy to speak to people and you gain so much from doing so. I’ve made friends from: Australia, England, Italy, Samoa, Germany, Israel, Japan and Holland to name but a few. Solo travelling has taught me how to not be lonely when I am alone, but more importantly has reminded me of just how lucky I am to have my family and friends and a home to come back to. I have never valued them more.
I have been documenting my travelling on Instagram, but I think it’s important that social media shows the entire picture, not just the best parts. People often negatively compare themselves or their lives to posts they see on social media that look much better than what they have. My photos I’ve posted over the time I’ve been here have captured the best moments of my time, but fail to capture the really tough days I’ve had too, such as the awful panic attack I had on the plane here, when I was utterly terrified when I broke my phone, and when I found out I was following cyclone Owen up the coast. I’ve had the highest highs but also the lowest lows. It’s important that people see the full picture! Having said that, the highs definitely outweighed the lows and I’ve done some incredible things that I will never forget.
I’ve learnt to talk people I’ve met along the way. It’s so easy to keep your head down, have headphones in and ignore everyone around you, especially having lived in England, which is arguably one of the most socially awkward countries there are. However, it’s also so easy to speak to people and you gain so much from doing so. I’ve made friends from: Australia, England, Italy, Samoa, Germany, Israel, Japan and Holland to name but a few. Solo travelling has taught me how to not be lonely when I am alone, but more importantly has reminded me of just how lucky I am to have my family and friends and a home to come back to. I have never valued them more.
I have been documenting my travelling on Instagram, but I think it’s important that social media shows the entire picture, not just the best parts. People often negatively compare themselves or their lives to posts they see on social media that look much better than what they have. My photos I’ve posted over the time I’ve been here have captured the best moments of my time, but fail to capture the really tough days I’ve had too, such as the awful panic attack I had on the plane here, when I was utterly terrified when I broke my phone, and when I found out I was following cyclone Owen up the coast. I’ve had the highest highs but also the lowest lows. It’s important that people see the full picture! Having said that, the highs definitely outweighed the lows and I’ve done some incredible things that I will never forget.
Though I will miss Australia and the people I have met, I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience I’ve had. I couldn't recommend solo travelling more, as I think it really helps you to take a step back from day to day life and evaluate what is truly important to you.
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