Chris Mitchell of TravelHappy.info recently sent us an article of his, entitled Seven Reasons to Go Traveling Solo—a fine collection of tips and advice for those looking to make their next trip alone. This is a popular topic here on Vagablogging, and we’re always preaching the benefits of independence in your travels.

Admittedly, traveling solo doesn’t always lead to independence. As Chris points out, it’s important to “know your own mind,” and not rely on other travelers as your only source of inspiration.

“Avoid falling into the trap of just doing what other backpackers do – there’s a definite travel circuit in most countries for backpackers to follow, which is incredibly useful, but only if you are interested in the things included in that circuit. There could be lots of other stuff in the country you are visiting that is a bit off the beaten track that is of much more personal interest to you.”

Of course, this shouldn’t discourage you from interacting with other travelers along the way. Traveling alone doesn’t mean staying alone, and the friends you meet on the road often add to the uniqueness of your trip.

“You will see and do some amazing things wherever you travel in the world – but what makes your trip truly spectacular is the people you meet along the way. Solo travelling exacerbates this because you are much more open to talking to other people because you have no one else around.”

The rest of the “Seven Reasons to Go Traveling Solo” can be found at TravelHappy.info.

Thanks, Chris!