Since I am single with weird workdays off, I do a lot of solo traveling. This seems to freak people out. "That's not safe!" "You shouldn't do that!" "You're going to get murdered!" I've heard it all. People are so caught up in stranger danger that they think everyone is out to get everyone else.
Well, it's either solo travel or curl up in my bed and become a human burrito, so fuck it, I'm travelling solo.
I choose to believe that people are generally good. Yeah, there's weirdos out there, but they're the exception. Whenever I've found myself in need, strangers have come to help, whether it's a car wreck or whatever sort of emergency situation people want to help. I think people are generally good, so I keep an open mind when I travel, and that's how I find my tribe. Even as shy and introverted as I tend to be, I still manage to meet good people while I'm out and about.
On a trip to a tulip festival, I was at a brewery and made friends with the gal next to me. She was also travelling solo. We made fun of the sportscast show that was on the TV and discussed our favorite haunts along the I-5 corridor. Our time together was brief and we'll likely never meet again, but for those two hours we found solidarity and kinship.
Recently I went on my first solo camping trip. Next to me was a chapter of the Oregon League of Women. They saw I was alone and invited me over, and we spent the evening at their campfire sharing stories of our adventures. They were a tribe and they welcomed me in for a night, and I found with them a circle of warmth, safety, and camaraderie.
"How can you travel alone?" The secret is I don't travel alone. I travel by myself, but seldom do I find myself alone.
Try it sometime. Put down the phone and chat up the person next to you, wherever you're at. Actually speak with your Uber driver. Sign up for an event by yourself and talk to the people there. Embrace the adventure and the unknown. Talk to strangers. When you do, you'll find your tribe in places you least expect.
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