At the beginning of this year, instead of New Year’s resolutions, I decided to write a list of things I wanted to “let grow” and “let go”. This practice is a reframe of the traditional New Year’s resolutions. The idea being that you need to make space in your life by letting go of things that no longer serve you before cultivating new things. I wrote down a few intentions for myself in each column, and then, like every other set of resolutions, promptly forgot what I had se out to accomplish this year and never looked at that list again. That is, until a few weeks ago when I happened upon the list while cleaning. I had forgotten what I had written and I was pleasantly surprised to see I have actually been following through on several of the intentions I set for myself. I’ve been trying a new style of dance, I have been meditating more. One in the middle of the list was “traveling alone” with a little heart drawn next to it.
The first notable solo trip I ever took was to Italy for 3 months. I was 18, did not speak Italian, and had a very tight budget. My budget was so tight that I was only able to go by participating in the program WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), where I worked on farms in exchange for a place to stay. The trip was mostly uncomfortable and strange, and I am so glad that I did it. Because of how I was traveling, I was able to meet fellow travelers and locals and really get to know them. I was able to learn about life in the country in a more intimate way and really experience the benefits of “slow travel,” staying in few places for longer rather than trying to go to as many places as possible in a short amount of time.
I learned very little about organic farming techniques and much more about myself, and what it takes to travel alone. The lesson will always be different depending on who you are, but I believe one of the main benefits of solo travel is that it gives you the chance to get to know yourself outside of your regular environment and routine. It’s a way of being forced to spend time with just yourself, and hopefully to become comfortable in that company. Who are you really? Without your job, your hobbies, your friends and family? On this trip, I started to let go of some of the anger that I was carrying at the time. I started thinking about the things I didn’t like about myself, and the kind of person that I wanted to be. The kind of relationships I wanted to have, and how I could achieve the life I wanted for myself regardless of my circumstances.
Over the years, I have gone through periods of traveling alone frequently, and other times not so much. Since I started traveling again this year, I have traveled almost exclusively with other people. I like traveling with others because it’s just more fun to share the experience with someone else. Traveling with other people is usually cheaper, easier, and you can divide up the cognitive labor of finding a place, finding things to do, etc. There are also the little things. Someone is there to watch all your heavy bags when you have to go to the bathroom. I love the experience of sharing a nice meal with someone. If you get sick, someone can go to the pharmacy for you. I haven’t felt intimidated traveling alone, but it can feel safer to travel as a group in a new place.
While in Colombia for a work trip, I decided to take advantage of being relatively close and go to Peru for the first time, alone. I debated if I should do it since it would be such a short trip, and I would be by myself. The things I enjoy about solo traveling are getting to go and do whatever it is I want, and being more open to meeting new people, which can be a challenge for me. I was only going to have 3 non-travel days, so I decided to stay in Lima. As much as I want to have the experience of Cusco and Machu Picchu, the promise of ceviche and Pisco sour was enough for me to book a first visit.
I stayed in the Miraflores district. I got a private room at the hostel chain Selina, with the hope that I would be able to meet other travelers but still get a full night’s sleep and not experience the nightmare fuel that I have seen in shared hostel bathrooms. It ended up being the right choice for me. I went on a free walking tour of downtown the morning of my first day, and immediately met two solo female travelers, one who was going to teach at a school for a few weeks and the other was a traveling nurse.
After the tour I walked along the coast from Miraflores to the artsy neighborhood of Barranco. The main attraction was the Puente de los Suspiros, the area features murals the Peruvian artist Jade Rivera.
I took the bus back downtown to see a light and water show at Parques de las Aguas. I don’t know if this applies to the rest of Latin America but light shows are also inexplicably popular throughout Mexico. This one was actually worth the trip. The entire park was decked out with creative fountains, and the light show itself was a spectacle.
I ended the night by skipping the line for a table and sitting at the bar at a wonderful spot called Panchita. I couldn’t chose so I ended up ordering way too much food, Lomo Salteado and ceviche. I sat next to a chatty European couple, and gathered via their conversation that the other lone female at the bar was staying in Lima traveling and working remotely.
The next day I went on a full day tour to Paracas, Ica, and Huacachina. I booked through Airbnb ahead of time but saw this tour advertised everywhere in Lima. It is probably not worth it if you have the time to stay and explore outside of Lima overnight. I had to get up at 5am and we ended up spending 6 hours total driving.
We took a boat tour from Paracas to the the Ballestas Islands. I got to view a mythical Nazca line on the way, and the islands were full of sea lions, penguins, and lots and lots of birds.
The islands were mined extensively for guano in the 1800s. Guano is a powerful fertilized and Peru exported it by the ton to Europe. The sharp increase in demand led to a need for labor, and subsequently the migration of Chinese miners in large numbers during this time. This explains the Chinese cultural influence on Peru, and the culinary delights that exists as a result, such as chaufa.
On the boat, I sat next to an older woman who told me she travels alone frequently. She started over 10 years ago after quitting her corporate job as an executive assistant. Now she works odd jobs and travels cheaply to make the most of her flexible schedule. She tries to make friends with locals where ever she goes, and likes traveling alone because she can go and do whatever she wants.
The last day I went on a food tour, with one other person who was also traveling alone. We visited a fish market in Lima, and I tried a bunch of different foods for the first time, including Causa and Parihuela. I ended the day by going to the beautiful flower covered Larco Museum. If you only have time for one museum in Lima, I recommend this one.
On the way back to the hostel I watched the sunset, sitting next to someone writing in their notebook, who appeared to be yet another solo female traveler. Seeing so many other people doing the same thing for different reasons validated my own experience, making me feel less lonely and at odds with myself about choosing to travel alone rather than not travel at all. The next morning I headed home, excited to spend time with the ones I love.
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