Ups & Downs of Solo Travel

Hoan Kiem Lake

This trip was one of the best things I have ever done! Finding my feet in a new place all by myself was challenging yet essential. Hanoi set the tone for what turned out to be a trip complete with new friends, crazy adventures, self-reflection, and above all my true self. I’ve summarized my reflections and learnings at the end. Prior to that, I have walked through my experience in Hanoi.

Finding Footholds:

I arrived in Vietnam in the early hours of the morning with the sun starting to rise. Over the past few weeks my excitement for the trip had only grown. However, in just under an hour I realized just how unprepared I was. It wasn’t any logistical unpreparedness; the issues rather were mental. The second I sat in the car which took me from the airport to the hostel I felt extremely on edge. I was being overly cautious and untrusting of the city and the people around me.

The feelings of stress and anxiety continued well into the day as I walked around Hanoi. The unwalkable pavements littered with bikes and scooters did not help one bit. I tried escaping these feelings of unease and nausea by practicing what I had intended to when I first planned my solo trip. I slowed down and walked by Hoan Kiem Lake with a coffee. While the relaxed atmosphere helped calm my nerves, the second I was back amid the packed by lanes the worries set in.

Despite the constant tension, there was also an awareness that it was just not right! It was defeating the entire purpose of a solo trip. Thankfully this realization coupled with the positive encounter of Abraham, a fellow traveler, helped me gain a sense of accomplishment (in relation to solo travel being fruitful) and comfort. I found that I liked talking to someone about my/their day and getting excited about the city I am in. We made plans to grab a beer the next day. Something so minimalistic allowed me to feel at ease just because it was something to look forward to! Before bed I looked back article that I wrote prior to embarking on the trip and reflected on what I wanted to get out of it.

Was I just kidding myself and was this an excuse for a holiday or did I truly believe that there was a lot to gain from a trip of this kind?

I firmly believed and am now (after the fact) convinced that it was the latter.

The next day and subsequently, the ones that followed changed and shaped my experience. My method to get out of the rut was to do the things that needed to be done. The basics – things you supposedly HAVE to do when you are in a particular place. Synonymous to the Colosseum in Rome or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I admired historical temples and museums, dacoit guarded train streets and crowded markets, the tomb of Ho Chi Minh and botanical gardens. The feeling of cautiousness hadn’t disappeared, but by becoming slightly busier and proactive in immersing myself into the history of Hanoi, I was able to massively subdue it.

Colors & Hues of the Hanoi Markets

The Power of People:

On meeting Abraham in the evening, we attended a Vietnamese water puppet show. An art form that I had never heard of before. It was something that many people had recommended! However, the highlight of the evening was the dinner that followed at Beer Quarter. My calmness as we sat and shared a few drinks was in stark contrast to that of the day prior. Being able to talk with someone I had only just met about life in 2 different countries: Singapore and India, was very intriguing. We spoke about what college in the United States is like for me and what conscription was like for him. Different places we had been to within Hanoi and around the world. It felt great to have some company and talk about a wide range of topics.

The next morning, I met other travelers who had moved into the hostel! Caleb from New Zealand and a German who had hopped over from Thailand. At this point I was the ‘expert’ on navigating Hanoi, and I was more than happy to lead them through streets and lanes. The 3 of us grabbed dinner at a restaurant close to our hostel. Once we sat down, an American overhearing us joined in our conversation and our dinner group went from 3 to 4. This was one of the coolest experiences I had as it was 4 people from completely different backgrounds, nationalities, and age groups having a great conversation. Travel and cross border culture was the predominant them. After dinner Caleb and I ventured to Beer Street, a mere 5-minute walk from our hostel (it had quickly become one of my favorite spots in Hanoi) and grabbed a couple of Bia Hanois.

NY's celebrations on Beer Street

My last night in Hanoi and the first leg of my first ever solo trip concluded with great beer and even greater conversation! Following the 3 days in Hanoi, my time in Vietnam was spent between Ha Long Bay and Hoi An. The trip only got better, and I look forward to sharing stories from my time in those 2 places in a following article. Reflecting on my time in Vietnam I believe I learned a great deal, both about solo travel and myself.

Key Learnings from My First Solo Trip:

1. You will never truly be ready – Nothing could have prepared me for the discomfort I felt upon reaching the heart of Hanoi. A first solo trip is always going to be an unknown more so when it is a place you have never been before. All one can do is keep moving! Losing yourself in the location you find yourself in and maximize everything it has to offer. Reflect on why you chose to embark on the trip and open yourself to experiences that will inspire you all over again!

2. People’s lives can be vastly different – Every conversation I had left me in awe of the person opposite me. Meeting people whose goals and dreams are so different than my own opened my eyes to how much flexibility the world has to offer. Hearing people take trips for 4 weeks let alone 4 months was inspiring. People work jobs and live with the freedom and ease of working remotely from any corner of the world or taking months off to satisfy their hunger for travel.

3. You appreciate all the conversations – When you are alone it is up to you to create dialogue. Small conversations or laughs over drinks can be great with the intermittent loneliness. Investing in people has a ton of value when on the move. At the very least you gain some company for a small period. At the most? Who knows, maybe you make a friend you can travel on with or visit in a completely different part of the world. The sky is the limit!

4. Environment matters – Pick a place which allows you to do everything you like. Prior to any solo trip reflect on what potential destinations have to offer and whether that ties in with who you are. Do you want a lot of history and culture? Nature and landscapes? Perhaps a combination or even something else entirely? A location can make or break a trip but what you do in a location is entirely up to you.

5. Create the hype for yourself – Using familiar suggestions, articles, and resources are great. However, they must never transcend the discovery of a place for yourself. Don’t lose track of what you want and what you enjoy. Every now and then, it seemed like I was losing out on an experience someone else rated very highly. It was crucial for me to remember that what I was doing was what I really wanted. Solo travel allows you to build the hype of a place by yourself. Do not let others' must dos sway you from yours!

THE Train Street