Bucket List # 11 – Travel Solo… ?!

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Back in April, I read a series of posts from Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival. Their topic? Travelling solo.

(click the photo above to read the whole blog post)
I was amazed by the stories shared by all the travel bloggers
who participated in this blog meme. They inspired this post.

I love me some me time. Don’t get me wrong, I love hanging out with my close friends and family. But, I appreciate my solo time when I get to relax, do whatever I want and just be carefree.

 One of the many ways I amuse myself when I’m alone… take nasty or funny photos of me.
And this is the most decent one I could post. I’m weird like that. *lolz*

Travelling alone, though, sounds pretty scary to me. I've always travelled with companions, mostly my family. And I enjoy being with others because at least, when I get lost, I'm not alone. *lolz*

My last trip was with my mom, bro, aunt and a family friend. It was a 5-day "amazing race" vacation where we went to Pangasinan, Vigan, Pagudpud and Baguio. None of us were familiar with our first 3 destinations so it was truly an adventure. Well, at least for me.

I admit, I'm not what you'd consider an outdoorsy, adventurous type of girl. I do enjoy discovering new things, but I usually go for what others have already experienced. I guess it's that paranoia or the obsessive-compulsive in me that keep me from putting myself out there, all vulnerable and clueless.

I did get a chance to travel alone for a very brief moment. My very first plane ride happened late 2004 when I flew to Cebu all alone. I tell yah, I was a bit nervous. No, not because of the plane ride. Okay, a little because of my fear that it'll crash and we'd all die. But, it was more because I didn't know what to expect.

After that, I flew about six more times to and from Cebu. And I’m hoping I’d get to fly to somewhere outside the country soon.

Okay, that trip can't really be considered travelling solo 'cause someone was waiting for me in Cebu who lived there almost all her life, so I was in good hands. But, the experience of going through the boarding process at the NAIA airport, riding the plane alone, waiting for that someone at the Mactan airport with that bit of fear that she might not show up, for me, was very memorable.

I guess that's why I really wanted our trip last December to push through. I wanted to experience the thrills of traveling again. I did my research, taking note of places we should visit, dishes we should try. And we didn't hire our own transportation. We took buses along the way.

I completely enjoyed that trip even though we were in and out of each destination quicker than we anticipated. I had 4 of my loved ones with me who were all game to take that crazy short adventure with me.

Oh, I also didn't have any access to the internet on those 5 days. I had my iPad with me, but the hotels we stayed in either didn't have WiFi at all or had really poor connection. What a bummer, eh? But, it turned out to be a good thing. I got to bond with my companions, most especially my bro and nanay.

And it was also fun when we didn't know where to go and couldn't search the web for directions. No, we weren't stranded in a remote place where we might need the best chirp for someone to locate us. We were just unfamiliar with some of the places, especially when we were in Laoag and missed the last trip to Pagudpud. It's just amazing how many people out there are willing to help out.

So, I don't think I'd be travelling solo anytime soon. I still relish the experience of travelling with people. I want someone to be there with me when I see something marvelous. That way, I could get him or her to take my photo with the awesome scenery as the backdrop. *lolz*

 This photo was taken in December, few pounds heavier than I am now. :)

BUT, I'm still adding this to my bucket list. As scary as it may sound, I feel like my life's not going to be complete if I don't get to experience travelling alone before I, y'know, meet Him.

I wish I could build up the courage (and the money) to travel solo. I really do. But, it'd be better if there's someone special there with me while we enjoy the sunset at the beach somewhere south. *sigh*

That last bit is for another blog post… O_o