With spring around the corner, travel season is upon us.
With Valentine's Day long behind us, we need to escape from our self-loathing and embrace the idea of traveling abroad -- solo. And what better way to explore than with no nagging attachments back home?
These are the 10 reasons to travel while you're single:
1. What Happens Abroad, Stays Abroad
Whether you're a little conservative, at the center of slut-shaming or tainted by any other vice, you're pretty free to do what you want without running into your boss, clients, uncle, ex or any other similarly undesirable souls. Because you're traveling, there's less pressure and fewer expectations in casual dating, so people tend to be more open-minded.
There are also once-in-a-lifetime celebrations to go all out, all of which justify your beer chugging at Oktoberfest and neon-paint attire at the Full Moon Festival. Be responsible (and considerate), but emancipate your soul while overseas.
2. Activities With Your Significant Other Are Different Than Those While Frolicking With Friends
A romantic sunset over the Adriatic Sea with your love might be nice, but pub crawling in Sydney with your buds is awesome. You might meet new people and stay active while traveling with a partner, but the way you spend your time will be different than if you were traveling with friends, or alone. You're forced to meet new people when you aren't committed to sharing your attention to a special someone, and thus you're likely to be more social.
3. There Are No Regrets Regarding Cheating
I've met many young, restless travelers who venture on their own with a boyfriend or girlfriend at home, and end up two-timing, three-timing, eight-timing. It's unsettling for the friends this person is traveling with. Also, there's no way these people who cheat feel no guilt; they probably would have had a better time if they'd just traveled single!
4. No Problems With A Significant Other At Home
While some people do cheat while traveling with a significant other at home, others don't, and still have to put up with the insecure partner. With time differences, more nights out drinking, meeting new people, enjoying yourself, etc, the non-traveling person in the relationship might feel threatened, jealous or frustrated. He or she might be unfaithful assuming you are.
Even if neither person is in an affair, there will be time, energy and emotions invested into ongoing conversations and fights. Regardless, you wouldn't have to deal with this if you were traveling while single!
5. Learn to Be Alone
Everyone knows a few serial daters. A part of being single is learning how to be independent, and how to kick it on your lonesome. Traveling is a lively hobby, and between exploring new places and meeting extraordinary people, you stay busy. The transition of getting to know yourself without the “other half” there is that much more fun (and easier), when you're doing it while traveling.
6. Free Drinks
No one really offers the couple free drinks. But when you're by yourself, as a male or female, you might meet some bartenders, locals or fellow travelers who use it as a conversation starter. Accept at your own risk.
7. Build Confidence
By figuring things out on your own, befriending fellow lovers of all things spontaneous and unleashing your adventurous side, you'll return home with more confidence. You'll have stories and photos to share that prove you are boldly living life, and that's always attractive! Traveling also makes you more knowledgeable about the world; you become more open-minded, and have a rich and fruitful perspective.
8. Warranted Interest
While traveling, you stand out in a crowd. Customs, body language, attire, an accent -- cues like these give you away for being unique. Different is sexy. Conversation comes naturally as you have plenty to share about your culture and lifestyle at home. A local will want to show you around, and a fellow traveler will be looking to connect too. You don't have to try too hard to “Get Lucky” while traveling.
9. Those Pictures Won't Go to Waste
How awful would it be to experience a painful breakup, and have all of your pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower feature your ex prominently? What if every time you think of Rome, you think of your ex-lover? Some relationships aren't forever, but travel memories are. So consider a few snaps on your own and with friends when traveling.
10. You'll Like Being Single
Roaming the globe makes you realize how much more there is to life than finding one person to share it with. There's something wrong with you if right now you actually want to be single… right? Wrong! Go abroad and you'll see why living a lucid dream is your first step towards self-liberation.
Original post via my travel blog.
Photo via We Heart It
