Wondering how it really feels to leave your comfort zone? I have been very positive about my experience so you might be expecting the answer “amazing”. But actually… no, not at first. You are entering an unknown territory and unless you are a superhuman, you WILL feel a little uncomfortable at first. Don’t worry, though – it doesn’t last.

That Fear of The Unknown

Deciding to go solo travelling is the easy part. Surprisingly, so is the travelling part. But the last few days before you hit the road? The. Worst. You may be excited, but some panic, fear and nervousness are probably unavoidable. Personally, I was feeling a little uneasy for two days before my departure, as if I was about to take a big exam.

I knew everything would be just fine as soon as I started travelling but I just wanted to be on the road already.

They say life begins at the end of your comfort zone. And we are all so cosy in our comfortable bubbles that we feel unwilling to just take that one step out and see what’s out there. Why? Because we don’t know. And we are afraid of the unknown.

What Is The Worst That Could Happen?

I am on the plane, looking at the breakfast in front of me and realise I am starting to feel nauseous. It’s not the quality of food, although it doesn’t look exactly appealing. It’s the nerves. There is only one hour left till we land in Bangkok. Oh my God, it’s really happening. What was I thinking?! Breathe in, breathe out. Ten minutes later, I finally manage to take a few bites of my omelette, drink my orange juice and continue staring out of my window at the unfamiliar tropical lands below.

There is a lot of things to be nervous about. Sleeping in a hostel? Never done it before. Travelling all by myself? Not something I usually do. Doing the above on a continent I have never been to? Sounds like a challenge.

But I keep thinking to myself: what’s the worst that could happen? It’s just travelling, something I have been doing for a while. Getting on a plane alone – cool, done it many times. Navigating trains in a foreign city? I’m actually an expert on that. I am sure I’ll manage the rest.

And if shit happens? Well, shit happens everywhere. You could be robbed any time in your hometown but you don’t walk around worrying about that, do you?

You Will Be OK

If you are about to embark on your first solo adventure and feeling a bit scared, it’s OK. I know how it feels and I can only tell you: It will pass.

When I finally got off the plane at Suvarnabhumi Airport, I almost started crying. Happy tears. I’m here. I made it to Bangkok! All by myself. I made it happen.

It felt incredible.

My advice is – don’t panic. You might be going alone but there will always be people around you, someone you can ask for directions or to help you out if you get stuck. Or even find WiFi and Google what you need. Have offline maps so you can’t get lost easily and good travel insurance with a number you can call in case of emergencies. Everything else will work itself out.

So there you go. My honest answer about how it really feels to leave your comfort zone. It’s not a piece of cake at first but once you get past that, it’s pretty amazing. I have been travelling solo for almost two weeks now and I can only recommend it.

Make sure to also read my first impressions from Southeast Asia where I started my trip!

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