I've traveled exotic places like India, challenging places like Patagonia, iconic cities like New York and London… and yes, I'm an introvert. Here I'm in Hamburg, Germany.
Being an introvert and being a solo traveler are not mutually exclusive.
I know because I am a solo travel introvert.
At a recent dinner, five long-term women friends and I somehow got onto discussing Myers Briggs assessments. And yes, I mentioned that I was an introvert. Despite having known these women for 10 years and more, a few heads swerved my way.
They had become used to my solo travels and had lost their knowledge of me as an introvert. After a short pause they remembered when they first met me and there were nods and “oh ya”.
Yes, solo travel may seem to be for those enormously confident extroverts who would naturally bound out into the world, but there are many, many solo travel introverts as well. In fact it may be that introverts actually outnumber the extroverts. But in the emails and comments I've received, it seems that introverts are also often hesitant to go solo. They are concerned about being too alone.
This is Noemie. I met her on the Navimag ferry to Patagonia. She, along with over 150,000 other solo travelers is a member of the Solo Travel Society on Facebook – many of whom are introverts.
As a Solo Travel Introvert You Can Learn the Ways of an Extrovert
I believe that solo travel is very suited to those of us who like our quiet time. Really, what's better for an introvert than to travel alone. Time to yourself for your own interests and the joy of your own pace are luxuries for the introverted.
Plus, as one grows we also learn skills that are not necessarily natural to us – yet we can be okay with them. In my case I learned the skills of being an extrovert from my late husband through I didn't know I had until I traveled alone. By traveling solo I exercise these skills so that I can draw on them when needed. Yes, I believe that solo travel is perfect for introverts. If you want to develop the skills of extroverts, here are my tips.
I often check out Meetup.com when I'm visiting a city. In Hong Kong I (temporarily) joined a hiking group.
7 Tips to Travel Like an Extrovert – if that's what you want
The important thing to note is that while the tips below will put you into social situations they are not permanent situations. They may last a day or an hour – it's up to you. I'm not suggesting that you live all your travels in an extroverted fashion. After all, a solo travel introvert needs some time to her or himself as well. But for your social needs, here you go.
- Book your accommodation according to how social you want to be. It's not hard to book a hotel and keep to yourself but to book a place to stay that may introduce you to others takes a little thought. How social do you want to be? Perhaps an independently owned inn is right where you can have some interaction with the owners. Or maybe a B&B or hostel is better where you may have more interaction with other travelers as well. Get the details in advance. Some B&Bs actually operate like inns with separate breakfast tables rather than communal ones. If that's what you want, great. If not, find another.
- Try slow travel. If you stay at the same B&B, inn or hostel for a week rather than a couple of nights, you will find yourself entering a bit of a social scene. As you're seen again and again, people will naturally start talking with you. They'll be curious about you, your travels, what you did that day… It can make for pleasant chats of a few minutes or much more.
- Take a class. Classes – cooking, language, art… – will put you in a social situation with a purpose. Everyone attending will have a shared interest. You will have something in common with them making conversation easy as you discuss the whats and whys of the class.
- Join a Meetup, even for a day. I'm a member of meetup.com but I don't use it at home. When I'm going to a city I check out the meetups for that city and join one or two that interest me and have events planned for when I'm there. I did this in Hong Kong and it nearly killed me. Not really. Read: Meetup.com Got me Hiking in Hong Kong: And it was #$@&%*! hard!
- Take a short tour. Day tours, half or full days, are great ways to get a little social time. But you may also want to consider a short tour of a few days at the beginning of your trip. In addition to putting you in a social situation it can offer an introduction to a new destination. Take a short tour to learn how to navigate the country/city, its culture and currency. It will give you the confidence to then spend more time there on your own.
- Make good use of the lobby, common room or lounge. Don’t read while you're in a common space. That's like hanging up a sign that says “don't talk to me.” Instead, people-watch and enjoy the scene. Eventually something will happen that will open up a conversation for you.
- Repeat. If you are staying in one place for a while, go to the same coffee shop, green grocers, pub or restaurant consistently. You’ll be noticed as a new regular and people will eventually chat with you. This happened to me in the Lake District of England. I went to the same pub for four nights in a row. It was a really tiny pub. Yes I felt awkward the first night. But less and less so each consecutive night. And then, on the fourth, which happened to be Guy Fawkes Night, I walked into the pub and it erupted to greet me. I was like Norm walking into Cheers – if you remember the show.
So those are my tips. What are yours? Please share your advice in the comments so that another solo traveler introvert can benefit from your experience.
Travel cheers!
Janice