My initial thoughts on being a solo traveller

Last week I set out from Manchester, England on a three day journey to the opposite side of the world… New Zealand! I was completely alone with only a rough idea of what the next few months will look like but I had a dream so big that I wasn’t scared.

Let me give you a bit of background as this wasn’t a decision I made on a whim – well not quite anyway!

Since my first big adventure to Borneo with Outlook Expeditions back in 2017 at the ripe old age of 18, the travel bug has only grown within me. I’ve since been fortunate enough to visit parts of Thailand, Hong Kong, Italy and Denmark as well as the occasional adventure in my home country the UK. All the while I was training to be a teacher at Leeds Beckett University until I qualified in 2021 and then subsequently completed my ECT (Early Career Teacher) years in a lovely primary school where I taught Year 6 and then Year 5.

During this time I went from living with my family to living in halls, living with friends at uni, living with my best friend in our first year of teaching to finally living on my own. It was in that final year of living alone that I began to fully appreciate how comfortable I was in my own company. I rarely got bored as I could always do whatever I wanted and I quickly grew to understand what I enjoyed doing versus what I had been doing simply to appease others. Going on a long walk in nature or visiting the seaside? Yes please, count me in! Shopping in busy city centre precincts? No longer how I wanted to spend my time.

Amidst all of this training, teaching and in general just surviving, I became increasingly independent (I had to) but I never lost that longing to travel and explore the world. As a teenager I used to joke that I wanted to see every inch of the world – I see now that that isn’t quite possible, however I am willing to try!

So that takes me to the summer of 2022; I was busy scheming with my family how and when I would move to New Zealand (emphasis at this point on move). I had everything planned out – I would complete my two ECT years and then another year after that to secure my teaching degree and then get a teaching job in New Zealand for the following year and spend a few years out there exploring but working as well.

It was during a family holiday to see some family friends in Ayr, Scotland that everything changed. I was explaining my plan to my close friend and she asked a question that I just couldn’t answer:

“What are you waiting for?”

What am I waiting for? I reeled off an answer, something about job opportunities and security, when she interrupted me and said, “But Jess, what does this one more year here give you that you couldn’t try and get out there?” and that was it. By the following morning I had run through a new plan with my mum on a windy walk down the beach and that evening we spent our time researching Visas and application forms. By the following Monday I had handed in my letter of resignation and everything suddenly became very real.

Over the next few months my plans changed on an almost daily basis until I landed on the fact that it suited me to not have a set plan but instead go with the flow and just see where life takes me. I knew I would start in New Zealand but I was now planning for Australia and then contemplating a seasonal job in Yellowstone National Park, USA the following summer.

Fast forward several chaotic months of selling all of my clothes (shout out Vinted) and getting my life in order, time disappeared quicker than I ever thought it could and I was on the train station platform with my family by my side wondering how I would ever say goodbye to them knowing it would be an indefinite amount of time until I saw them in person again.

After a tearful goodbye and a train journey full of deep, reflective thoughts, my wonderful Aunt met me in London to see me off to the airport the following morning. A mishap with my check in and confusion around my hold luggage kept me on my toes until suddenly I was heading through security and realised that was it – I was now about to face the big wide world all on my own. And you know what? I could not have been more excited!

The airports and planes could have gone smoother (think liquids through security and a very nice TSA agent) but whenever I had any questions, concerns or worries I swallowed my pride and asked someone. I cannot stress enough how completely normal, useful and plain old sensible it is just to ask a member or staff to clarify, check or point you in the right direction. There are several times that asking for help saved me a whole load of trouble.

As a solo traveller, one of the biggest potential obstacles can be eating alone – thankfully after living alone for a year already this is something I am acutely used to doing and so it doesn’t phase me however that doesn’t stop me being hyper aware of every other person around me. Even though eating alone doesn’t bother me, the potential judgement from other people is still something that I am trying to ignore and work past. It is also worth noting that in airports and popular backpacking destinations, people eating alone is a really common sight and no one even bats an eyelid.

And that brings me to landing in Auckland, New Zealand at 05:30 am with my (very heavy) bags and a hotel booked for only the first two nights. I struggled across the city transport (another time I asked for help and it paid off massively!) and left my bags in the luggage room at my hotel. I then headed into the city where I stopped for breakfast and coffee before whiling away a couple of hours for free in Auckland Art Gallery (a must visit if ever in Auckland CBD).

My initial thoughts as a solo traveller have largely been incredibly positive. I am still so excited to explore these beautiful islands and still extremely content in my own company (so far at least anyway!). Who knows how I will feel a week or month from now but for the time being all is good!