experience – Need Coffee Will Travel

Hi everyone! Today I wanted to share my experiences on traveling alone, as I am currently on my first adventure by myself in Seattle, WA! If you are thinking about traveling solo, I definitely encourage you to do so, you’ll learn a lot about yourself overall. It’s worth it!

YOU ARE YOUR OWN BEST ASSET

This is an important one. If you’re like me, you lean on people more than you realize in your every day life. This isn’t a bad thing, it just means that you are used to talking through and doing things with other people. However, when you are out there on your own, trying to figure out what way your gate is in the airport, or your trying to find out if you are walking in the right direction on the city streets, nobody is going to have your back but you!

So first thing you need to do when you have to deal with any type of situation-take a deep breath, tell yourself that you are okay, you will figure this out. Don’t panic, the calmer you are able to deal with things, the more proficient and clear headed you will be.

YOUR MIND FEELS LESS CLUTTERED

I found it much easier to sort through my thoughts when I just had to worry about myself for a bit. Perhaps you love to make your family and friends smile as much as I do! It makes you feel good inside. But sometimes we get so caught up in making our loved ones happy, that we forget about what we want for ourselves! Maybe even what we NEED for ourselves.

Being on an adventure alone is a journey. And you get to lead the journey, just like you should be the leading role in your own life!

There is something refreshing about being on my own time schedule for the day. I can wake up and grab breakfast, work out, get ready in leisure, and head out at whatever time I feel ready for my adventure! Nobody is telling you to hurry up or slow down for them. Wanna take a swim? Do it. Wanna go for another coffee, even though you’ve already had three today? Do it.

YOU DON’T NORMALLY GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH CREDIT

Everyone has situations in life where they feel not in control. Of course, it’s part of the ups and downs we all face. You are just doing the best you can with what life throws at you, and that’s more than anyone can ask of you!

Normally I would push myself to accomplish a whole list of tasks in a given day. When making goals of things to get done, I find it easier to hold myself accountable this way. But it’s easy to overload yourself, and then feel guilty when you miss one or two things. Remember that you are a capable person, and take your alone time traveling as a time to make small goals for the day, ones you know you’ll get done with plenty of time to relax after.

YOU HAVE A HIGHER APPRECIATION OF WHAT OTHERS DO FOR YOU

Traveling alone in the airport for the first time, I realized how difficult it is to wheel two suitcases and have on a heavy backpack at the same time. Normally while traveling with my mom, each of us had one suitcase to maneuver. I never thought twice about it! Multiple times while walking in the city, I felt like I was trying to carry ten thing awkwardly at the same time. It’s always nice to have a second person to hold something for a quick second while you get organized. Especially when you’re as clumsy as me!

There are lots of other things that I took for granted, like how nice it is to come back after a day out and talk to someone face to face about things. Of course, technology is great and we can call, facetime, and text as much as we please, but cherish your time with your loved ones while you have it.

IT FEELS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU ORIGINALLY THOUGHT

If you aren’t used to living on your own, traveling alone can be intimidating. I enjoy my alone time in my every day life, but I have never lived completely alone. At first, like I mentioned just above, it was weird to come back after my day out and just be alone for the rest of the night. However, I do think this definitely was good for me to experience.

If you feel similarly, don’t worry, you’ll get used to it! I did. A few days in, I was more excited for my evenings because I knew I’d have time to sit down and write without interruptions. Use your time to call family and friends, and simply relax. Play your music loud, take a hot shower without a time limit, watch tv in bed and read that book you never have time to read.

Also, something that isn’t exactly what you imagined doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Maybe your plans aren’t going exactly as you thought. Trust yourself and know that you will make it a good experience regardless.

Obviously you don’t know how you will like something until you do it! So I definitely encourage you to at least travel alone once to get a feel for it. Maybe just a weekend trip somewhere you’ve always wanted to go! No matter what, you won’t regret it because it will be a learning experience.

HOW TO BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND

I said earlier that you are your best asset, essentially that you are capable of taking care of yourself. But being your best friend is more about being kind to yourself, emotionally and physically. I’m lucky enough to have a best friend that I can be honest with, and we simply are there for each other when we need it most. But you can do this for yourself too!

Realize when you’re tired and just need some time to relax. Make yourself as comfortable as you possibly can, spoil yourself with the little things! Get that magazine you’ve been wanting to read, grab yourself a bottle of wine. Give yourself time to breath. Think through things that you feel are important, and trust that you will make a good decision for yourself.

Take time to reassure yourself that you are enough, and everything is, or will be okay. When you are alone you can refocus your needs in life, see the big picture. Do yourself a favor and be honest. You’ll be a lot happier and thank yourself later!

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you haven’t traveled alone, where is your dream destination? Perhaps you travel alone frequently, what was your first travel journey alone like? Comment below, I’d love to have you share your experiences and thoughts! Join me in future posts for more travel stories, tips, and inspirations that I can’t wait to share!

Today I’d like to take you on a walk with me through the streets of Seattle!

Imagine tall buildings of varying height towering overhead, giving shade to some of the streets throughout the day. The city traffic is buzzing, cars are driving quickly, honking horns every few seconds. Taxis picking up and dropping off. Sirens are heard in the distance.

Crowds of people are walking up and down the streets, locals and tourists alike.

Men in suits of navy and charcoal, on their venture to and from work. Others doing their shopping in the city for the day, bags hanging on both arms from Nordstrom, Anthropologie, and more. People soaking up this rare sunny day in the park while enjoying a hot dog from a nearby stand. Parents with little ones in tow, holding hands. Some individuals waiting in line for their lunch break meal. Every one of them has a different story.

It’s amazing how many people wait to cross the street at any given time. They gather in groups of ten or twelve at times…

Walking across the street, you must be attentive to the people who are crossing the street from the other side, so as not to run into anyone. As we near Pike Market, the crowds begin to thicken. Only a block away now, the streets are brick, and cars are trying to cross between large groups of pedestrians. You can hear live music playing ahead somewhere, and there is a buzz of excited voices around you as people discuss what their first stop will be. Ahead you see the iconic sign you’ve heard so much about. There are people posing for their picture in front of it, experiencing it for the first time.

The closer you get, the more your senses are overwhelmed. Ahead there are vendors of every kind, outside there are locals selling ice cream and freshly made smoothies under tents. There is an entrance area that we walk towards.

People seem to be packed in quite tightly, many of them are looking at something. Before you can see anything, a pungent smell of raw fish hits you. The bricks under your feet are wet. The crowd opens slightly and you see a wide display of fish laying on ice chips, the workers wearing rubber boots and waders. The sign above reads Pike Place Fish Co.

The crowd is waiting for something. A nearby gentleman steps forward to speak to someone behind the counter. Soon the workers start chanting, and one of the fish is taken off ice and is being thrown back and forth between the workers.

The crowd claps and is buzzing with the excitement.

Next you weave between people to move on. You pass a large variety of bouquets, labeled with reasonable prices and some with the type of flower they primarily consist of. Dahlias, Peonies, Sunflowers….colors for any taste or style.

Moving on, there is a vendor selling jewelry that is homemade. The older lady behind the table greets you with a smile, and encourages you to pick up anything to look at it. There are earrings and rings with pearls, turquoise, and quartz.

As we continue to move slowly through the crowds, you see many more vendors, including those selling lavender, locally grown produce, fresh pasta, and printed t-shirts.

We also pass a few restaurants, some boasting a waterfront view. There are just as many, if not more vendors to catch a ready made meal at, as there are selling anything else. Looking to grab some lunch, you see an endless array of options. Hot dogs encrusted in breading, fried chicken, fresh bakery items, sandwiches with local fish.

There is a teriyaki chicken stand that catches your eye with it’s food displayed in a case. As you approach, it smells wonderful. After ordering and paying for your food, we make our way back out. The crowd is slow moving, but that’s okay. You use this time to enjoy what’s around you, soaking it all in. After all, that’s why you’re here, right?

Apparently around 30,000 people visit the market per day! That’s an incredible number.

I hope you enjoyed taking a walk with me! Those of you who have been to Seattle or Pike Place Market, what are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your experiences. Comment on this post below, and as always feel free to contact me via email!! I hope you enjoyed this post, and will adventure with me again in future posts!