My First SOLO TRIP!

When I decided to go solo, I was very clear. I wanted to spend quality time with myself, discover more about who I am, and fall in love with myself once again. Sometimes in our busy professional lives, we tend to ignore the small things we used to love when we were young. I wanted to try all of those things.

Finally, I told my friends that I was going on a solo trip! I got all kinds of reactions - from “Are you out of your mind?” to “Awesome, Kesh! Go on…” After listening to everyone’s opinions, I still wanted to continue. So yeah… I booked the tickets, the hotel, and was ready to go!

Pondicherry here I come!

Why Pondicherry?

I went there before and loved the place. The beach, the peaceful locality, the sense of safety - what else do you need on a solo trip? I packed a couple of clothes, some books, and left for Pondy.

Honestly, deep down I was also scared initially. I’ve travelled a lot before but never alone. This time I had to handle everything myself. There would be no one to accompany me. What if I didn’t like my own company? What if I ran into some problem? A chain of thoughts was running through my mind when I was about to leave. I was scared and excited at the same time. 😄

But the moment I reached, all those fears vanished! I was totally free like a bird - relaxed and refreshed. I got lost in the early morning breeze, the sunrise, and the sound of the waves. I used to read a lot when I was young then somehow with time it slowly stopped and I didn’t even realize it. So this was the best time to bring books in my life again. I started reading and then just forgot about everything else!

I roamed around a lot, tried different restaurants, and did some silly, crazy things I might never do when I go with a group. The best part was that there was no one to judge me. I was free to do whatever I wanted, no one was there to tell me what was good or bad. I was both the leader and the follower.

When you travel alone, you meet different kinds of people, and each person teaches you something. You realize there are so many different ways to enjoy and be happy. Especially in India, you meet people with various cultures, languages, and religions - each with something to share about their lives. Listening to them is just amazing, and after some time, you also feel connected to them.

At one point, I was just sitting at the beach and observing people. There were groups of friends giggling and pulling each other’s legs. There were couples holding hands, talking, lost in each other in that beautiful evening. There were children playing in the sand, throwing it around, building things, trying their imaginations in sand. No responsibilities, no stress, no worries about the world - probably the happiest people on the beach! There were groups of elderly people laughing, discussing family and retirement. They looked very peaceful, they had fulfilled their responsibilities towards society and now time to rest a little. There were families - parents teaching their children something, playing with them, and enjoying their time together.

And then there were people like me - without any company. Someone was playing a guitar, someone was writing in a diary, someone was meditating, someone was reading a book, someone was cycling, and someone - just like me - was sitting quietly, watching people, and enjoying the evening. Everyone looked happy and completely engrossed in their own world. I was just remembering that I was also part of a group like them when I visited last time and who knows someone like me noticed us at that time and thought the same? 😄 😄

From my experience with this trip, when you’re travelling alone, people are incredibly kind and helpful. It’s nice to see how curious people get when you tell them you’re travelling solo. They ask so many questions, and it’s always a pleasure to answer them.

I truly feel everyone should travel solo at least once in life. Sometimes we get so caught up in our busy lives that we forget the “real” us. Give yourself a chance to figure out what you truly love, what you want to do in your life, and what you are currently doing. When you go out and explore, you realize that the small things hurting you right now are actually nothing. There are plenty of things to do in life, and we are wasting our time thinking about some stupid things which don’t matter in the long run.

Go, find your love, explore, and enjoy! ❤️❤️