You have probably noticed that solo travelling is currently in vogue. Maybe ten years ago you would be considered a ‘weirdo’ eating your pasta alone in a trendy restaurant, but today you will look cool. We do owe a lot to movies, such as Eat Pray Love and Into The Wild, for striking our wanderlust and inspiring solo travel. But before you consider a bold globetrotting move, I would like to give you a few tips. No I’m not about to advise you with the perfect swimsuit nor an ultra effective sun protection cream to include in your suitcase. I am about to ask you – how comfortable are you spending time alone? Do you feel the necessity to surround yourself with people all of the time? Do you feel uncomfortable being alone with your own thoughts? If so, then maybe you should consider postponing your loner trip to a time when you will feel 100% happy spending time with yourself.

I am telling you this, because I have unsuccessfully attempted travelling alone in the past. I say ‘unsuccessfully’, because although physically I was alone, I was never really alone in my mind. I was either reminiscing a failed relationship or obsessing about a potential love interest. Unfortunately, our mind is a very powerful tool and if we have no idea where the ‘switch off’ button is we are never really able to truly disconnect. We will be spending time with our rubbish thoughts, wasting our time seeking for a ‘garbage bin’, instead of enjoying the breathtaking view that is in front of us. That is what I have been doing in the past – pretending to be happy to the outside world, whilst suffocating inside.

Travelling alone can be incredibly liberating and exciting, as much as nerve-racking and stressful. It all depends upon our state of mind. If we are in peace with ourselves and we are able to live in the moment, then we are more  likely to enjoy ourselves when going solo. Otherwise, we can spend months travelling alone, trying to find our peace of mind, missing out on the beauty that’s surrounding us. Isn’t it better to find ourselves before spending money on expensive trips that we cannot truly appreciate?

I just came back from two weeks of solo travelling in South of France. Finally, after years of soul searching, a lone yogini enjoyed her solo adventure to the fullest. Although, I did spend a few days with family and friends, I was alone most of the time. I felt empowered, free of worry, and truly joyful. I was staying in a small city near Monaco, called Cap d’Ail, which is a secluded natural reserve difficult to access with public transport. Which makes it all the more special. The terrace of my apartment had a breathtaking view to the seaside where I had coffees, candlelit dinners and spent time writing; inspired by beautiful sunsets. I had access to the beach directly from the house – all I had to do was take the stairs down to the garden and open the front gate. I have found myself a special spot for yoga and meditation, where I spent hours doing breathing exercises and stretching. I wandered around the beach alone, enjoying every smell, colour and feel. My soul was flying. I felt excited. Happy. In tune with my emotions. It was the first time in years that I felt truly happy alone; detached from my thoughts I was able to enjoy every single moment of my ‘loner’ adventure.

Below you will find the photo diary of my trip…