What is it like to travel alone?

At the end of 2015, I resigned from the advertising company and traveled to Southeast Asia for three months. It was my first time abroad, and I visited Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Now that I have been back for exactly one year, I think back on this trip. It was not all as wonderful as others imagined. There were even some minor "accidents" during the trip.

But everyone who has traveled alone will understand that the true meaning of being on the road cannot be expressed in words. It is the world in front of you, the experience of every moment and the real life and experience. Those beautiful moments are the biggest attraction for your next trip.

On the road, the first person I met was actually myself

Resign and go travel It's actually quite accidental, and to be honest, it has some elements of escapism. Modern people who are not determined enough sit in office buildings day after day, and it is probably inevitable to fantasize about distant places. The popularity of "The world is so big, I want to see it" is the best example.

But travel is actually a kind of life. No matter where you escape, you cannot escape life itself.

When I was in Hanoi, Vietnam, I met an Italian with an unshaven beard who had been on the road for more than two years. Many foreigners like this kind of long-term travel, which is very different from Chinese people.

This Italian man did a backflip on the bunk bed in the youth hostel, holding the edge of the bed with his hands. He was at least 1.9 meters tall, as flexible as a monkey, and very energetic. Every time he went to a city, he did a backflip. I would attend local couchsurfing parties. When I saw him talking and laughing happily at the party, I admired him very much.

At that time, I had just set foot on a foreign land, and the roar of motorcycles all over Vietnam made my brain hurt. I was very dissatisfied with everything and already felt homesick. Because we planned to travel for three months, the accommodation conditions we booked were very poor. The conditions of the hotel that cost five US dollars a night and included breakfast were very poor, and a dozen people could sleep in one room.

After all, I am curious about everything during the day, but at night when everything quiets down, I just lie in bed and cry silently, missing home.

(Shopkeeper selling lanterns in Hoi An Ancient Town)

It’s a bit shameful to say it, but that’s what I was like at the time. I complained all kinds of things to my family and was very negative. Finally, my sister said to me, if it doesn’t work out, just buy a plane ticket and come back. But when I heard her say this, I struggled with how difficult it was for me to embark on the journey, and felt unwilling to give up easily.

This state lasted for a week. When I arrived at Nha Trang, a seaside city in central Vietnam, I began to resurrect with full health and actively face the journey.

In fact, people’s emotions will fluctuate, even when traveling on the road. Traveling will amplify some things and shrink some things. The first person you meet on the road is actually your true self.

I don’t remember who said that the most important thing in life is to learn to get along with yourself, so only by understanding yourself more deeply can you get along with yourself better.

Wandering in a foreign country and experiencing the warmth of a foreigner

Ninh Binh, Vietnam

In Ninh Binh, Vietnam On a normal day, I was walking alone on a hazy road, and a local passed by on a bicycle. He stopped and asked me: Do you want a ride? I thought I heard him wrong, but after confirming again, he really invited me to sit on the back seat of his bicycle.

At that time, I was surprised and a little wary, but I thought that on the road in broad daylight, the bicycle would not ride very fast and would not be very dangerous, so I sat on the back cautiously.

So we started chatting. He was a tour guide and could speak simple Chinese. He also told me that many grasses in Vietnam are edible. Then he stopped and picked them from the trees on the roadside. A leaf said to me that it is good to eat.

Seeing that I was unmoved, he ate it himself! After riding for a while, he arrived at his destination and we parted ways to say goodbye.

(Penang, Malaysia)

When I arrived at Bangkok Airport, it was already very dark. I took the address of Sofa Guest’s home and was helpless. On the roadside, the aunt who was riding the bus with me came over to help me figure out a way. She looked at the maze-like route map for a long time, took me to the place she knew was closest to the sofa guest's home, and then gave me the sofa Golf, the guest, called, and finally Sofa, the guest, drove over to pick me up.

While waiting for Golf, we chatted about our respective journeys. I heard that I was going to Indonesia, and she recommended interesting places in Indonesia to me. Although I didn’t go to the place she mentioned in the end, that night , the moment when she accompanied me on the roadside waiting for the sofa guest to pick me up, will always be remembered in my heart.

Although you should not rely on others for help, believing that there are always good people in the world will help you will make people feel that the world is not so cold.

The world may not always be a beautiful place, but it is still worth breaking our hearts for, and warmth and kindness are one of the best things in the world.

The world is broader than you think

Traveling allows people to temporarily escape from the daily life circle. You will find that the world is broader than you imagined, many trivial matters become blurred, and many details are magnified. People will be more sensitive in a foreign land and discover more beauty.

Golf, the couch surfer host in Bangkok, lives with his parents and younger brother. There is a room in their big house used to accommodate couch surfers. There are a lot of things left by couch surfers that Golf took in, including maps, phone cards, travel tips, and many other strange things. Among them is a thick book with couch surfers from many countries using their own country. Language written words.

I found a lot of diaries left by a Chinese girl. Golf told me that this girl stayed in his house for more than a month. They also traveled to other cities in Thailand together. Finally, this girl Just like their family.

Although I have not met this girl and may never meet her, this story is really touching. Across differences in nationality, language and culture, relationships between people can be so simple and beautiful. If I had stayed at home, I would never have known that such a story existed, let alone written it so that more people could know about it.

(Viewed from the window of Golf’s house)

See various scenery and eat local food

< p> Of course, a very, very important thing on the road is to see various scenery and eat local food. I won’t take photos of them one by one here. I’ll just post a picture of the sea in Bali. That’s what I’ve seen. The bluest sea.

Under the hot sun, the sea water is like blue ink, and the endless coastline makes people feel that they are too small and insignificant. They feel a deep awe in their hearts and feel that they are compared with the magic of nature. , everything is worth mentioning. Traveling through thousands of rivers and mountains, one glance will last forever.

In Yogyakarta, I climbed all night in the rain to reach the top of the volcano. I saw the sea of ​​clouds surging under my feet, and the red sun emerged little by little from the distant mountain tops. The world The color changed bit by bit, and I was so shocked that I couldn't say a word.

From complaining and being frustrated when I first went out, to later learning to handle everything, learn to adapt and enjoy, traveling has made me grow a lot. I also love daily life and feel that true heroism is achieved by turning daily necessities into a poetic life, but on the road you will have a completely different experience.

We only have one life. If we don’t experience it more, wouldn’t it be a waste of this life? So many touching moments and beautiful scenery are already the best reasons to travel. Stories and wine are always there on the road, but home is always there and you can turn back at any time, so young man, why not go out for a walk?

(The pictures in this article are provided by the author)

Related articles in previous issues:

One person’s Train to Busan | In the Mood for Love, if you don’t catch her, she will run away

After escaping from Shanghai to Sweden, I discovered that I can do it alone, don’t be timid and just do it!

I finally came to the "mysterious" Africa and started a new work and life here

After my late graduation trip, I decided to travel around Europe by train

Regardless of the relationship status of a person (single)

or the living status of a person (living alone)

Even in an intimate relationship< /p>

We all believe that everyone needs to learn to be alone

I believe that one can live a wonderful life alone

WeChat ID: yemayouth

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Sina Weibo: @野马青

I have a colleague who is a little girl. She travels alone every summer vacation. She said that once she was deceived at a train station and was left penniless and all her belongings were robbed. Fortunately, she still had her train ticket. As a result, she returned to the train station in her city in embarrassment and notified her family to take her home. But she has no fear and still likes to travel alone. During Qingming Festival, she went to Wuhan University to enjoy the cherry blossoms alone.

She said that when traveling alone, the heart is free. You can enjoy the scenery you like, think about the issues you like, conceive the words you want to write, and reflect on the wonderful things you have experienced. If you are in a good mood, you can hum a tune or recite a poem silently. She said that many successful thoughts come from the seemingly lonely road, many words are picked up on the kind of travel that others think is lonely, and many ideas are extended during such travel. Although he is just one person, his thoughts can travel through the past and present for thousands of years, and travel thousands of miles across China and abroad. Why not?

In fact, life is a journey. In the end, you are walking alone, maybe in the dark night, maybe as lonely as a wolf in the wilderness, so what!

Traveling alone is a good way to taste and enjoy solitude, and thus understand life!

Traveling alone is more like a "practice" in life. In addition to experience, traveling alone requires courage and belief. , because in addition to poetry and distance, there will also be many unexpected challenges and tests during the journey! At this moment, I am traveling alone (Fun Xinjiang Season 2 - Northern Xinjiang). Looking at the spring moon hanging in the night sky, I inadvertently flew back to my familiar hometown and told my family about my story. Feelings of longing. However, traveling alone is also a journey full of rewards. The real meaning of traveling lies in the scenery and experiences along the way, not in reaching the scenic spots where people flock to. This is the original intention and authenticity of embarking on a journey alone.

Traveling alone is sometimes the voice of the heart, but sometimes it is also a helpless act. People often say: It’s nice to be at home every day, but it’s always difficult to go out. To onlookers, a person's travel is a kind of enjoyment and unrestrainedness, and it is also a symbol of strong economic strength. In fact, people only see the enjoyment and satisfaction of travelers from photos, but it is difficult to see the real situation they face. . Many times a person's journey cannot be predicted whether the road ahead will be bumpy or bumpy; whether what he will face tomorrow will be the trials of good times or bad times, the enjoyment of sunshine and wind; or the challenge of ups and downs and hardships. Just like my previous trip to southern Xinjiang, in addition to having to face the vagaries of the weather, road conditions, vehicle conditions and many unexpected encounters will test a person's endurance and optimism. This is the real journey. Aspects of human travel.

Compared with people who are immersed in the reinforced concrete forest on weekdays, shouldering heavy and boring work tasks, or staying at home all day long with mobile phones and computers, traveling is a way for people to return to their true nature. The choice and process, especially when traveling alone, say goodbye to WIFI and various electronic devices. Traveling will make people say goodbye to the desire for extravagant entertainment and feasting, and it will become easier to satisfy during the trip. In addition, you will find that the Laughter will run through your entire journey; when you encounter setbacks and hardships, you will become extremely strong and choose to bear it silently; when your endurance reaches the limit, you can also choose to sigh helplessly or cry hard without any hesitation. Eventually you will learn to face everything calmly throughout the journey, and at the same time be able to think independently and objectively about what you are encountering.

I have traveled alone many times, the most recent one was on March 28, 2019. I had no plans to go out, but I suddenly saw the ticket price from Tianjin to Sanya the day before was about 100 yuan, which was very cheap, so I made a decisive decision. I bought a plane ticket and spent three days in Sanya. I have the advantage of being alone. I can do whatever I want, stop and go, no one is restrained. I don’t have to worry about other people’s waiting. I can also meet people who are also on the road. , there is no need to plan in advance, completely relax yourself, because the return air ticket is very expensive, so I borrowed the train to return. On the way back, I passed Haikou, got off the bus and walked around for a long time, passed by Guilin and spent a day to see the landscape of Guilin, passed by Zunyi, and stayed for a day , look at my college roommate, pass through Chongqing, stop for a day, and see the night view of Chongqing, just in time for cheap air tickets, fly from Chongqing to Tianjin, the scenery on the journey will feel different only after experiencing it.

I have traveled alone twice. Once I went to Beijing alone to watch the Mayday concert, and once I was on a college graduation trip. I wandered alone for 20 days, starting from Shanghai to Xiamen, and then Moved to Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

When traveling alone, the most worrying thing may be safety. After all, one person is weak. Secondly, the cost-effectiveness of traveling alone is not actually the highest. For example, when it comes to accommodation, if one person wants to live in a better place, it will definitely cost a lot. If you travel with friends, you can share the cost with each other. Another example is when you eat, you can see Everyone wants to try all kinds of food, but how much does it cost to taste each one? It’s different if there are several people together. Each person buys the same thing and then tastes each other. For the price of one food, you can taste several delicious food.

The benefits of traveling alone are also obvious. You can do whatever you want along the way, you don’t have to accommodate anyone, just make yourself happy. You can go wherever you want, eat whatever you want, get up when you want, and go to bed whenever you want, without being disturbed or restricted by other people. And a person can disguise himself better.

Go to a strange place, no one knows your past, no one knows who you are, there are no labels, just be yourself.

Traveling alone can make more friends. If you are traveling with friends, you may not talk to anyone else during the trip except your friends, but when you are alone, you may take the initiative to communicate with the people you meet during the trip. You can travel together. During my graduation trip, I met 4 friends in Xiamen and 2 friends in Hong Kong, and I still have contact with them today.

If you have never experienced traveling alone, it is recommended that you give it a try, but it is best not to go to that kind of remote place. You can go to a relatively prosperous city, buy a local map, and use it in your hotel or hotel. Study the route at the hotel, then take your mobile phone with you, measure the city with your feet, and feel the life in that city with your eyes.

Traveling alone is full of loneliness, uneasiness, and unspeakable helplessness. I remember one time, my parents and I were angry and took the pocket money I had saved to take a bus from Zhengzhou Railway Station to Shanghai for fun, but along the way I always felt a pair of strange eyes staring at me. Looking at the faces of strangers everywhere, I felt scared and thought of my parents. I hesitated: Should I turn around and go back to Zhengzhou? Or are you going to Shanghai stubbornly? At that time, I chose the latter.

After two days of playing in Shanghai, on the third day I was wandering on Nanjing Road when I was followed by a stranger. I was so frightened that I quickly walked to the police box and was protected by the police. With the help of the police, I rushed back to Zhengzhou by car that night. In the car, I had very little money left in my hand and returned to Zhengzhou hungry. I stayed in the waiting room of Zhengzhou Railway Station until dawn before I dared to take the bus home.

From then on, I never dared to travel alone again.

What is it like to travel alone? Last year around May Day, I went to Shanghai by myself, with no one to accompany me and no one to ask!

I originally wanted to find a friend, but he was busy, okay, then I’ll just have fun by myself. A one-day trip to Shanghai City God’s Temple, there are a lot of people, it’s pretty good, just by myself Ate the famous crab roe buns. Although I didn’t feel how delicious it was, at least I tasted it myself. I also ate the smoking ice cream, which was very hot at the time. It was very expensive, and then the smoke stopped after a while. I had a lot of fun by myself. But I still feel a kind of loneliness! After visiting the Chenghuang Temple, we went to the Bund. In fact, it’s nothing, it’s just a kind of persistence. Traveling alone must become more formal and meaningful!

In fact, it is really lonely. The way you watch others happily watching, four or five friends, taking pictures together, eating crab roe buns together, and then tasting them alone, is actually the same. After some practice, at least, I will not rely on anyone. Originally, I wanted to stay in Shanghai for the night, but it was too lonely. It was boring to stay in a hotel alone. I took the car back to Suzhou at 12 o'clock in the evening, and it was still raining heavily when I came back. God won't give you face either. Suzhou is such a rainy city! I'm the redundant one too!

In April 2015, I cycled alone in Sichuan and Qingdou, giving myself a free and easy trip alone!

Speaking of going to Tibet, I had this idea many years ago. When I was in the army in 1990, I first heard that Zheng Jun had returned to Lhasa, and I had a mysterious expectation and yearning for Tibet. As I grew older, demobilized, got married, and had children, my dream of going to Tibet was extinguished several times. In 2014, my children went to school and boarded. My parents were in good health and had made arrangements for their work, so I discussed going to Tibet with my family. , my family members all agreed at first, what if something happens on the way alone? In addition, can Lechi complete this journey? After the question was raised, I explained it patiently and carefully, and did ideological work, because I was a driver in the army and have been doing this job since I was demobilized. In addition, I have traveled to many places across the country in the past few years in this industry, either taking care of bosses or customers. , this time I served myself once, and fulfilled my dream for many years!

I once spent a month traveling alone through Dongguan, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. It must have been 2008, alone, with a trolley case, taking off my watch, turning off my phone, no goal, no route. Buy a city map or look at bus stop signs. If you are curious about which name, just take the bus there. When you are hungry, find a small restaurant nearby. Find a hotel to put your luggage in the evening and come out to experience the night of the model city.

When you have had enough of traveling in one city and are tired of it, go to the station and look at the train timetable and pick any city and continue traveling.

In short, I think traveling alone is the most comfortable. Traveling is not to see the scenery or take pictures. It is a journey of the heart without a mobile phone or a watch.