One of the main reasons people sell their soul to the devil to pay for an overseas trip is to experience new cultures and meet new people. Overseas travel can be a coming of age experience, life changing, soul cleansing, Eat-Pray-Love sort of experience. So how do you decide if this is something that should be shared with your mates, or done on your own.
Both travelling solo and with a group has many pros and cons, both of which our team has experienced first hand. We’re going to break down all you can expect from venturing out both with or without your posse, so you can make the best decision for yourself.
Group Travel
First things first, bonding with your people. Look it could go either way, and with a glass half full mindset we’re pretty confident in saying you’ll never be closer with your mates. There’s something about back-to-back drunken nights, sprinting to your flight and shared life-changing experiences that brings you closer together with the people you love. Not to mention you never get bored or lonely. So many laughs to be had you won’t remember a time that you weren’t in stitches. And you have constant protection from the spooks you meet along the way that aren’t picking up on social cues that you just aren’t interested in adding them on Facebook and meeting up with them for a drink later.
Speaking of protection, generally speaking it is safer to travel in a pack as opposed to alone. Travelling with your mates makes those new and strange places feel less scary. As well as being able to split the cost of ubers (instead of walking through the wrong side of town alone) and accomm. Have you heard of our epic Group Tabs feature? ? Your Pelikin travel card will work perfectly in this situation (check the details out here) and we have built it specifically for groups of travellers!
Finally, and we can’t stress this enough, you’re going to want to talk about your trip and relive every moment once you’re back to reality. And no one who wasn’t there actually cares, except the people you were travelling with. So in order to let the dream live on, you’ll want your mates around to reminisce with.
Solo Travel
Solo travel isn’t for the faint of heart, it requires you to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to meet new people, create your own memories and build your self confidence. You can do what you want, when you want, with no compromises and there is nothing more liberating than that type of freedom.
If you’re travelling alone, we recommend allocating a small amount of your trip to a tour of some sort like a Contiki, Top Deck or Sail Croatia, there are so many out there that are worth the investment. It gives you the chance to meet others and immerse yourself in the culture. Otherwise booking into hostels will most likely give you the opportunity to get involved and make new friends. You’ll find as a solo traveller, others take notice and make more of an effort to include you in their plans. And there’s the added bonus of not bickering and fighting with your normal friends. They say you learn the most about your friends when you travel with them, and unfortunately, not all our friends have the best habits and traits.
All in all, solo travel gives you the chance for solitude, peace and quiet and self-discovery. Travelling alone is an accomplishment, something that you should do, so that you know you can do it. It’s not easy, but it’s rewarding.
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So, where are you off to next? And are you going to brave it alone, or bring your mates along for the ride?
DOWNLOAD THE PELIKIN APP NOW via the App Store or Google Play Store because whether you’re alone or in a group, your trip will be sh*t without it!
