If you’re planning your first solo travel adventure, we recommend packing up your car for an independent road trip. Here are our reasons why road trips are the best form of solo travel – especially if it’s your first time travelling on your own.
You have complete freedom
When you’re behind the wheel of your car with no passengers, you have complete freedom. It’s up to you and you alone where you go next, when you stop and which route you take. You don’t have to stick to anyone else’s timeframes. If something distracts you, you have the freedom to stop and explore or to take a diversion to your original route.
You’ll feel safer and more comfortable
If you are travelling solo for the first time, driving in your own car could help to put you at ease. You instinctively know how to drive your vehicle, so can relax and enjoy the scenery without panicking about things like layovers or negotiating public transport. You can equip your vehicle with everything that you need to feel safe and comfortable, such as a Sat Nav, cushions and blankets in case you need to take a nap, and a phone docking system to play music during your trip.
You don’t have to carry your luggage
One annoying thing about travelling on your own is that you have to carry all of the luggage without anyone to share the weight. This problem is easily solved by taking a road trip – you can pile all of your luggage into the back of your car and simply set off, without worrying about lugging heavy suitcases and equipment for things such as sports, camping or photography.
You don’t have to navigate public transport
When you travel by plane, rail or public transport, there are always worries and stresses involved. Have you got your tickets? Can you carry all your luggage? How do you know when you’ve reached your stop? When you are taking a road trip, all of these worries are alleviated. Your belongings are all safe in the back of your car, you don’t need to worry about tickets or bookings, and you are free to set your own time frame without worrying about restrictions set by other forms of transport.
You can set your own pace
When you are taking a solo road trip, there is no one there to say you don’t have time to stop or to rush you along. You get to make your own decisions about where you visit and how long you decide to stay in one place. If something catches your eye, you are free to park up and investigate. If you fall in love with a place, you can decide to stay for longer. When you’re driving down the open road, there is no one telling you to drive faster, allowing you to relax and enjoy the drive.
You are truly independent
When you’re taking a solo road trip you are completely independent. You aren’t restricted by what your travel companions want to do, or by the restraints of public transport. You can go wherever you want and do whatever you want without having to worry. If you’ve always dreamed of travelling on your own because you want to be more independent, taking a road trip is the ultimate adventure.
Emma Lavelle is a UK based writer and photographer and has her own blog Field and Nest.
