
Why I Solo Travel in My 40s
How solo travel in my 40s helps me stay grounded, grow, and see the world on my own terms.
Why I Travel Solo (Still, and Happily)
Solo travel in your 40s isn’t about escaping anything. It’s about choosing to go. For the space, the freedom, and because sometimes I just need a break from everything.
I’ve got three kids, a full-time job, and a life that keeps me busy. But now and then, I pack a bag, book a cheap flight, and head off. No hotels. No plans. Just a bunk bed, a good walk, and enough quiet to think straight.
No One to Please
Travelling solo means I don’t have to explain myself. I can change my mind, take the long route, or do nothing at all if that’s what I feel like.
I’ve spent my birthday with strangers in Chania, Crete. I’ve wandered all over Thailand on next to nothing. I once slept in a street for 4 hours in the early hours in Pescara waiting for a bus to get to Rome.
I stay in hostels. I carry everything in one small cabin bag . If money’s tight, I’ll sleep in an airport. That freedom matters more to me than comfort ever will.
Quieter Head
ADHD makes it hard to shut my brain up. Feels like 50 tabs open most days. Travelling solo helps close a few of them.
No alarm clocks. No one needing anything. Just long walks, coffees, and the odd scribble in a notebook. That’s when things start to make sense again.
It’s also the only time I ever finish a book.
Meeting People Without Trying
Weirdly, travelling solo makes me more social.
When you’re on your own, people talk to you. You get help when you need it. You end up in conversations you’d never have if you were part of a group. Some of the best nights I’ve had started in hostel kitchens and ended in 4am laughter with people I’ll never forget.
It’s not about making content. It’s about real moments with real people.
You’re Not Too Old
People think hostels are for 19-year-olds, I’m 41. I snore. I book the bottom bunk when I can. I carry ibuprofen in my washbag. And I still love it.
Hostels are just people. Some young. Some old. Some just trying to get through a rough week. But i wouldnt want to go anywhere else when im on my own.
I don’t travel to relax. I travel to move. I want to see every country in Europe before I’m too to old…
Why I Started
I didn’t do this for fun at first. I needed a reset. I needed to grow. I needed to be on my own.
Now I keep doing it because it reminds me who I am.
If you’re wondering whether you should go, you probably already know the answer.
Book the flight. Pack light. Go.