The Lonely Island
Why is planning a group trip so arduous, nerve wracking and most times pointless? The meme about planning a group trip is literally the truest meme ever when it comes to travel. It's also something I'm currently experiencing, even though the trip is still months away.
I know a lot of people (read: bloggers), especially travel bloggers will talk about why it's so important to travel alone, how it's so enriching, how you discover parts of yourself you've never known, you develop your own strength, blah, blah, blah. I am not that type of person. Solo travel is not something I ascribe to. When planning a trip, I ask people because I know I'm not about that solo travel life. On lots of blogs you'll see lists about why solo travel is so important for a single young lady. This is not that list. In fact, it's quite the opposite. This is the list of reasons I don't care for solo travel.
1 - Who is going to take the dope pictures for Instagram? I know this is very first world problems and vain of me, however this is very important. If you're anything like me, you look up pictures on Instagram of places you travel to before you go there, so of course if I'm going on a trip, I'm going to instagram the hell out of it. And to me, selfies aren't that dope for travel photos. Not only that, but selfies don't show off the place you're visiting. I need someone to take pictures and videos as I try new foods, take rides, jump into waterfalls, pet animals, etc. I mean I can ask strangers to take the photos, but that's awkward as hell and I'm already a generally awkward person. Or what if I go to a lesser visited spot and no one is around. I know this sounds like I'm reducing possible travel companions to photographers. But come on. Let's be real. If it didn't go on the gram, did it really happen? No. And that's one huge reason solo travel sucks.
2 - I like to travel for experiences and I feel like experiences are nothing if they aren't shared. I want someone I can reflect on the trip with later. I want someone who's just as excited about experiencing something new with me. And I want someone to share the memory with.
3 - I currently live alone so when I do things such as travel, I want someone to come along. This isn't to say I have an issue with doing things alone, because I'm the first to boast about taking yourself on dates. I go to the movies alone, go to dinner alone, go to the beach alone or whatever else, but I want to experience new places and new things with someone.
4 - Again who is going to take the dope pictures? This is very important, so important I had to list it twice. I take loads of pictures (well have a friend take them) now when I go to local attractions. Can you imagine how many photos I would take at an international attraction?
5 - Because I'm a single young woman, and we have to be honest that safety CAN be an issue when traveling. I don't worry about this that much but other people do when I tell them about travel plans (like the ones I'm currently making since everyone is dropping out of a group trip I'm planning).
I may still end up on this trip alone. Who knows. Even if I do, I know I'll have a good time. But why is planning a group trip so stressful? Why can't everyone come on board and STAY on board? And why the hell is that meme so damn accurate?
By the way, I named this post the Lonely Island since I might be traveling to one alone and because it's a comedy group and you have to find planning group trips comedic or you'll have a breakdown, like I almost did when yet another person said they could no longer make it on the trip AFTER I purchased my plane ticket.
