I Was Afraid to Travel Alone and Here’s Why I Did It Anyway

originally Published: Jun 2, 2021

My first attempt at solo travel was supposed to be simple. It was a couple of days sandwiched  between a visit to Munich with a few girls from my study abroad program and a trip to Grenoble, France to meet up with a friend.

What I didn’t know is that there are overnight trains and local trains that will stop in a train station somewhere between Munich and Zurich, kick you off onto the open-air station platform, and not move again for four hours. 

I spent those four hours stressed and sleepless on a cold train station platform in either Switzerland or Germany, avoiding the teenagers who came to the station to use the vending machine and make out. When I finally got to Zurich at 7 a.m., I spent another few hours sleeping in the train station because my hostel wouldn’t have a bed for me until the late afternoon.

That mess aside, the days I spent wandering through Switzerland were lovely. I wandered through art galleries and buildings older than my country. I ate chocolate by Lake Geneva, and I had a good cringe-funny story to tell my friend when I finally met up with her in Grenoble. 

Since that poorly planned train ride, I’ve traveled alone through more of Europe, Asia and North America on my own. I’m so ready to get more solo trips on the books as soon as it’s safe. Here are the benefits to solo travel that I have found:

Email: shelbi.e.polk@gmail.com
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