All by myself, don’t wanna be, All by myself!

...but Rosanne White does

Travelling alone always seems like a daunting and often quite dangerous prospect, but it was one of the biggest and best decisions I ever made. After working in the North Island of New Zealand for six months, I wanted to see more of the country. Previously, I’d travelled with a close friend who made Nikki Graham look like Mother Teresa, so I was really excited about having my own mini adventure without worrying about anyone else. But at the same time, I wasn’t sure if I could deal with being on my own for such a long time.

In the end, I took the plunge, and booked myself onto a backpacker bus, a popular choice for single travellers in New Zealand. I’m really not into coach tours; they make me think of SAGA holidays, so I got on the bus feeling more than a little bit nervous. But I soon found I had nothing to worry about. During my journey, I met loads of single travellers of a range of different ages and nationalities along with couples and groups of friends. Meeting people on the bus meant that we could all book to stay in the same hostel and sample the local nightlife, or stay in touch and meet up again later on in the circuit. During the couple of months I spent travelling alone, I climbed a glacier, went jet-boating and white-water rafting, hiked over a volcano and managed to squeeze in some whale watching.

Travelling alone was the most challenging thing I’ve ever tried. Although I enjoyed meeting people, by the end I began to miss having friends around instead of having to introduce myself and begin from scratch with every new person I met. However fun it was, I always remember a part of me feeling a bit sad that none of my close friends or family were there to share it with me

All-in-all, I think travelling alone is something everyone should try. It sounds like such a cliché, but it does teach you a lot about yourself and how you cope on your own. But it’s also something you have to think about and really plan. While New Zealand is an incredibly safe and friendly country, I’m not sure I’d be so quick to go it alone when travelling elsewhere. I’m now planning my next big adventure and I can’t wait. Travelling alone is not only both exciting and terrifying; it gives you the biggest sense of achievement when you realise that you did it all yourself.