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31st January 2017
03:49pm GMT
There is nothing worse than having the time and money to head on holidays and not being able to find ONE SINGLE PERSON to go with you.
If we had a penny for every time we heard 'oh sorry, me and Jimmy are going to Lanzarote in August' or 'I can't, I used up all my annual leave on weddings', we'd be able to rent our own private island.
Luckily, it's now easier than ever to say 'feck it' and just go on your own – without taking your life into your hands or spending your entire trip reading books over a candlelit dinner for one, thanks to USIT.ie.
In the last few years, USIT has sent thousands of Irish solo travellers on adventure tours all over the globe and to celebrate the growing popularity of solo travel, the company is giving 15% off selected tours and dates.
So if you’re thinking about going it alone, but not sure if you should, then read on…
As we mentioned, solo travelling means that you don’t have to keep putting off that trip you’ve always wanted to go on - which makes it ten times more likely that you'll actually go.
You don't want to be pining over that missed opportunity to see Cambodia on your deathbed.
Finding time to travel is always difficult and if you have to coordinate with other people, chances are you’ll never do anything productive with it. If you only have yourself to answer to, you can go ahead and jump on a plane at a minute's notice.
(Well, maybe give it a week or two.)
People can be quite different in their travelling styles. Some people like staying in the cheapest hostel available and jumping on a train with no specific direction in mind. Others like planning ahead, researching and booking activities, and staying in nice hotels.
Whether you’re the kind of person who would prefer to get a culture shock in Japan or experience the Inca Trail, you can choose the perfect trip just for you.
No more sitting through three-hour museum tours when all you really want to do is go mingle with the locals over a few pints.
Some people are perfectly happy to sit by a pool all day and relax, while others get itchy feet and need to keep themselves busy. These opposite types of people often find it hard to get along on holidays and it can end in drama by the end.
If you're travelling on your own, you can nap if you feel tired or explore temples for hours without having to worry if anyone else if happy/bored.
Whether it's a South American adventure or going back to nature in Cape Town, the choice is ALL yours.
There’s no requirement to get up early or meet people by a certain time. Planned to go on a hike but had one too many margaritas the night before? Stay in bed.
The only plan that you have to stick to is the requirement to head back home at the end!
The whole idea of heading away is to experience a new perspective, not to have the same conversations that you'd be having in your local at home.
When you’re travelling with other people, it’s very easy to just stick with who you know. When you’re alone, it’s much easier to strike up a conversation in a hostel, café or just on the street.
There are also great apps like Meetup.com, Wandermates and Badoo, which allow you to meet up with fellow travellers and talk about your experiences in places like Australia and Israel.
Single? You might find the love of your life (or at least a sexy backpacker to keep you entertained!).
When you’re travelling alone, you have only yourself to rely on to make your plane on time, to get off at the right stop, to head in the right direction.
It's a great way to remind yourself how capable you are and can give you the confidence to pursue other goals. It's hard to feel bad about your life when you're sailing on a yacht in Croatia, am I right?
If you've been finding that things are getting on top of you, getting away can be a great chance to hit the reset button and give your brain a break. New experiences and challenges can provide a new perspective.
You're also much more likely to be taking part in fun physical activities, which are known to improve mental health.
