Before I was married, I was the poster boy as to why a single man should travel alone. Coming out of a relationship with a crazy person, I went to Pattaya, Thailand by myself. Fast forward seven years later I find myself back as a single man, and once again I am planning on traveling solo.
Some ask should a single man travel alone. The short answer is, yes. Even though it may feel uncomfortable or strange at times. Travel is about freedom, about seeing the world and experiencing new things. You will find that as a single man exploring this planet has a lot of healing properties and can put your problems into a new perspective.
If you are recently divorced or single, traveling will help repair your sanity. Even if you did not just get out of a bad relationship, hell even if you are still married, heading out on your own every once in a while, is a good thing.
Reasons to Go it Alone
Every man is different; therefore they will have different motivations as to why they need to escape it all. During this escape I believe everyone should go away by themselves. No friends, no family…no one who will make you feel like you need to be on your best behavior. Below are some of the situations a man might find himself that leads him to travel alone
Mongering
I will leave the first word out, but I assume you get the idea. If you are a single man or newly divorced you may want to just go crazy. A trip to Pattaya or Costa Rica might be in the cards. I am not sure your views on “pay to play” but if you are to do this, it is best to go out of the country. For some reason it just seems more acceptable.
When I went to Thailand it was an eye-opening experience. After a while even the most deviant behavior seemed normal. Attractive 20-year-olds calling me nonstop…it is good for your soul (yes, I know they were not after my dashing good looks). I cannot tell you how many expats I met there who were in our same situation. They were married, got burned by the institution and felt like the United States had nothing left to offer. Why stay in a place where women treat men like garbage? Go away, all your needs can be taken care of. When you are done fly back to the United States and get to work on creating a better life. On the other hand, like so many, you may find you will not want to leave.
To Find Your Place
If you are like me, you may have lost a lot. I am thinking more and more these days as to where I want to end up. Personally, I have been to 22 countries already, I have an idea as to what I want in a permanent living location. You never know what you like unless you go to a destination and spend some time in the area.
Trying to start over? You need a place that fits. See the world and decide where your life will be reborn. This does not have to be out of the country, you can explore the continental United States as well (if this is where you are from). On a personal note, I am going out west to a couple of states I have never visited. I want to take a look as to what is out there. If you have time and money, why not see what the rest of this planet has to offer?
To See the World
Even if you are not trying to move, travel helps build a more fulfilling life. You may think this is difficult because you have no one to go with. Many of our peers and friends might not YET be divorced, or they may not have the resources to travel. There is no reason we should not be able to experience travel just because we are by ourselves.
As you get older you have less and less important people in your life. That means fewer people who are willing to go to the destination you are targeting. This does not mean you shouldn’t experience travel; it means you go solo. Traveling alone allows you to be selfish and see the things YOU want to see.
To Know Himself
With all the hassles of day to day life, sometimes we lose sight of what is important. Traveling alone, especially if you go someplace without a lot of noise, allows you to think about what you really want out of this existence. A single man traveling alone can figure out what he is drawn to without the influences of other people.
Time to think is a luxury these days, getting out of your comfort zone and traveling solo allows for us to acquire this luxury. Fly away someplace far where no one can bother you; maybe hit the Mediterranean sip wine and ponder the path you want to take.
When we travel alone and get out of our comfort zone, we learn what makes us tick. You will find out what scares you, what you are drawn to. There is no one else to talk to but yourself (some of the time). Use the absence of people to figure out what you really need.
To Get Away from Everything
Whether you lost everything like me or you still have your life, getting away helps us to leave the constant noise behind. Personally, I recommend getting out of the country. Between the media, social media, and idiots just talking on the streets the overwhelming noise and complaints of our society is unbearable.
Get away from a society that is constantly berating our nature and calling men “Toxic”. Away from a dating scene where women use men like commodities. Run, even for a little bit, from a society that wants to control your behavior, speech, and thoughts.
Even if you just leave for a few days or a week, it will help lower the stress. Traveling solo lets you leave your monotonous life, your terrible job, or the construction that keeps you up at night. At least for a little while you can put it all out of your head and concentrate on enjoying life. If you bring family or friends, you might not be able to fully break off. Therefore, traveling alone is essential.
Tips for a Single Man Traveling Alone
I already answered the question should a man travel alone, but what are some of the ways to make it less uncomfortable? People ask is it weird for a man to travel alone. At first yes, but you get used to it. There are certainly things you can do to make it a bit easier.
Do What You Want
Travel is about freedom, embrace it. It may sound obvious, but many people still live by societal standards. If you are traveling alone and there are no witnesses do what you want (obviously within limits, do not end up in a Turkish prison.)
Want to go to a strip club or hook up with that random chick at the bar why not. This is for single men, if you are married avoid this, I do not promote cheating. In Prague and see an Absinthe bar at 10 am? Go nuts. Go to a steak restaurant and order so much food that Michael Moore would get sick. I think you get the point. Live as gluttonously as you want, worry about the consequences when you get back. You are on this planet for a short time, might as well enjoy it.
Plan Ahead
This is important, map out everything you want to do before you get there. I am not saying avoid spontaneity, but you do not want to be thinking, “well now what?” that is when the strangeness might come into play.
Find your destination and almost over book your schedule. No need to stick to that schedule if you are enthralled in something else. It is to keep those periods of “weirdness” to a minimum. If you always have another destination in your back pocket you will not have to worry about what to do next.
Go Alone
Obviously, this post is entitled “should a single man travel alone”, but alone means alone. There is a purpose to traveling by yourself, it is to find out more of what makes you tick. You do not need someone breathing down your neck or looking at you cross eyed when you are doing something they may find unacceptable. This includes friends and family. Part of traveling alone for a single man is finding himself. You may not be able to do this with a traveling companion.
Conclusion: Should a Single Man Travel Alone?
A single man should travel alone on a regular basis. Really, I think all men should travel the world solo now and then, but especially a single man. Sometimes life kicks you in the mouth, traveling is a good first step to repair the damage. It may feel strange, but in the long run I think you will find it rewarding.