We all travel for one reason or other.However, best of the trips happens when we experience something phenomenon. Experiential Travelling is quiet vast. We can understand it more once we are completely lost in the place we visit rather than focusing on any other things like comfort; friends or people. Its all about either traveling solo or with like-minded solo travelers who share the similar passion. Usually, such kind of traveling can also be called as transforming travel as you end up coming as a different person
It not only grows us as a person but develops so many skills that are unparallel to any other experience. Most convenient way to plan a vacation is to go on a luxurious trip through some tours and travel. But we may miss out on many essential things if we plan it solo.
When I talk about the solo trip it doesn’t mean that you have to go alone all the time. Though it may sound little ironical the fact is one of the ways to solo traveling is to flock with the group of solo traveling community where all are strangers.
With this kind of journey, we end up learning so many things. Many time end up making many friends . There are lots of management and leadership dynamics that come in places like group; interpersonal; decision taking etc. Such kind of trips makes us more self-aware and raises our emotional quotient to a different level.
However still if you plan to travel all alone and wish to spend time with yourself that can be also different kind of experience. For more details about solo trips, you can read my another post on some facts of solo traveling .
I am passionate traveler. My Travelling journeys have helped me in one way or another. Have traveled with many souls who were stranger once but now friends. Some of the things that I have learnt during these trips is as follows.
Solo traveling helps you develop a lot of skills that also depends how much efforts we put. Sharing few such details. Here I am referring to traveling alone or with a solo traveling community.
Communication Skills — Interact as much as you can
More we interact more we get exposed to different people and feel connected. At times it may be difficult to break the ice. One way is to start with some interesting games .
Group organizer may play a very important role in the same. Your introduction is like a first impression ; make it as interesting as possible. Try to add some unique trait of yours that people aspires and can resonate with.
Like if you are good in playing guitar than never hesitate in showcasing the same. It can give you altogether different platform to showcase your talent.
If you plan to travel all alone than try to connect with locals. Understand their mindset. It can be anyone from hotel reception to localities in the city. This may familiarize with the culture of the city.
Assertive Skills – Learn to Assert
Assertiveness is a very important skill. Its ability to say no in such a way that another person understands and take it positively. This skill also safeguards us from a lot of embarrassing situation and project us as confident persona .
Conflict Management – Resolve Conflicts rather than reacting
If you go with the group of strangers and realize that there are not your kind of people than it may create some friction.
However, as a Traveller this is another skill which we can learn by traveling with such groups i.e conflicts management. What if you caught in a situation where you are traveling with 10 strangers; all older than you and you feel left out. That may be an golden opportunity to work on your communication skills where there will not be an harm even if someone judges you . We can say that is side affect of travelling with unknown people who may have almost neutral & unbiased opinion .
Also, it helps in developing leadership qualities where you need to develop resilience yet stay happy to leverage the trip. We also become wiser of how to deal with dynamics. This is an example of extreme situation normally such groups are fun.
Self Awareness & Acceptance – Connect with your Instincts and accept your limitations.
To err is human but how much time are we exposed to our mistakes? In mundane life, we get so much engrossed in the daily routine that we take everything for granted including our mistakes. We only wake out when our mistakes get converted into blunders. Best way to be more observant of our own gap is through self-awareness. And what better way to get that exposure than taking an opportunity in not that comfortable yet comfortable place to work on it. So in a way best platform for letting us know where we are wrong at the same time work on the same.
Managing Contingencies – Push yourself to move out of a comfort zone
People who are not much familiar with experiential traveling may be little nervous or jittery about how to make that first move. I would say just do it; anyways you have to start from somewhere. I started my journey in 2011 when I moved from Bangalore to Delhi with a small trek in Nanital; Pangot . It was splendid travel experience . It almost had transforming effect on me when I look back. I can say that I was bitten by that travelling stink that I got stuck in that travelling vicious circle in most positive way .
When you feel good from inside it almost has an healing affect on you . That inner connectivity & love comes very well when we travel as we are in most relaxed state .
Adapt – Adjust without compromise
This is amazing skills that we may acquire effortlessly which we may acquire while traveling with solo travelers. Adjustment is part of life but its an art; some people do it unwillingly, however, smarter are those who adapt. Many people mistook adjustment to compromise and eventually suppress their feeling & emotions which may harm them later. However, people who adapt do it temporarily and even if there are getting accustomed to the norms but in the process, they learn & grow. Infact ; we should all have an attitude of adapting to the situation and we would never feel that pressure of adjusting. As adapting is more or less like accepting the situation and working on making it better. While Travelling it becomes easy to acquire such skills as we are in relaxed state and when we meet people from different walks out perception changes altogether.
Discipline & Smartness – Adhere to the itinerary..
Whenever we plan to do experiential traveling we are looking out to connect with locals and explore our culture. Best way to leverage the place in minimum time is to adhere to itinerary as a planner by the organizer keeping in mind the time constraint. This will not only make us more meticulous but will assist in making us more disciplined in life as well.
Congrats you got transformed from Tourist to a Traveller – Plan next trip.
If you take 4-5 such trips or till the time you adopt 2 or 3 above points you are already a different class of traveler. People who travel for leisure or luxury may be many but they would always be tourist unless they explore the real essence of traveling.
Even if you have already adopted all the above points there is always a scope for improvement. Also, above points may be limited there is so many more that you can learn while experiential traveling like photography; cuisines; scenic beauty etc.