Why do Irish people not tend to travel solo?

Pisco Sour

I've been travelling by myself for the last 3 months and have had an absolute blast. After going solo I dont think I could ever go back to backpacking in groups. Have met so many great people and most of them are also going it alone aswell. Along the way I have met a fair few Irish, however only 2 of these were travelling alone, every other Irish person was travelling with friends from home. Not saying its a bad thing, its just something I found interesting. Why do we tend to travel alone less than people from other countries? Is it a cultural thing? Is it a security thing, Irish stick together and all that?

amdublin

:eek:

Sure you do be needing a drinking partner

:P

KylieWyley

Depends on where you're travelling but it could be a security thing.

E.g., I wouldn't be all that comfortable if my girlfriend was travelling alone.

gustafo

i have done a lot of travelling all over the world with the last decade and i have always gone travelling by myself, i think its the only way nobody to worry about and if i get tired of a place its so easy to travel onto the next place

Whippersnapper

I would be too nervous to travel alone and it wouldn't be much fun either.

Pisco Sour

Whippersnapper wrote: »

I would be too nervous to travel alone and it wouldn't be much fun either.

Well I'd disagree with that part. I have travelled in groups and on my own and it is much more fun doing it on your own. So easy to meet people and you meet way more when alone rather than sticking to friends from home. The freedom is amazing aswell.

Columbia

I far prefer travelling alone. To be honest, with the exception of my girlfriend there really isn't anyone I could put up with for more than a few days, and she's a bit of a homebird so doesn't want to go to very many places.

Larianne

I think it depends on who you travel with. If you travel with someone easy going and up for the same things as you then its great. If you travel with someone who has to be up at a certain time, has to be at a place now now now, its a bit ****.

Travelling on your own has its good and bad points. Its great in that you don't have to worry about anybody else. You can do your own thing. It also helps improve your interpersonal skills majorly. I was quite shy before I went travelling. Now I could talk to anyone. The downsides I found were going back to your room alone and not being able to discuss the cool things you experienced that day or if there was a moment and you have no-one to share it with. I also hated eating on my own.

I do agree its much easier to meet other people when on your own. You tend to gravitate towards other people and couples tend to take pity on you too.

Why Irish people tend to travel in big groups? I think at the moment its because taking a year or two out travelling is the new thing to do and many people who do this wouldn't usually be interested in travelling at all. I mean a lot of people going travelling these days end up doing the same route, staying in the same places, getting drunk and not really travelling. It's like a year long sun holiday really...

billyhead

Hi OP,

I am thinking of taking 3 weeks off from work this summer and travelling on my own. I was thinking of going interrailing across Europe. Would anyone know where to start organising it and when to start the booking etc. Should I just leave accomodation and the booking of rail tickets when I get to each city/destination etc and only book flights to mainland Europe. Also any suggestions as to routes/citys to take etc. It will be my first time travelling on my own:D and I would appreciate as much info/feedback as possible

flavaflave

I agree with Gustafo and 04052511...I have yet to do it but I imagine travelling alone would be extremely enriching..meeting new people..seeing and interpreting new places through your eyes only. It must be so liberating. Somebody please recommend must-see places for me

vill@in

I'm heading off on my own on 5th January for 10 weeks around SE Asia, before heading on to Australia. A lot of people have asked me how I feel about going solo, and I have to say I'm looking forward. It didn't really suit for any of my mates to come with me, so I'm not gonna let that hold me back!

solerina

Fear...pure and simple !!! I have never travelled alone for more than 3 days and its completely due to a lack of confidence....although Im working on it !!!

number10a

I'm heading away on my own for a week on Wednseday for New Year and everyone is in shock at the thought of it! They simply cannot understand why I would want to do it - especially because you should never be on your own for NYE I'm told (clearly not gonna happen when I'm staying in a hostel). Some were even suggesting it that I cancel it and go some other time when someone else would be able to go with me and so that I won't be on my own for that critical ten minutes around midnight on NYE!! I'm going to Poland and Ukraine and I'm not even telling my family about the Ukraine part because they'd have an absolute shìt-attack at the thought of me going there on my own. Anywhere outside of Western Europe and North America is just to scary for them to contemplate - let alone contemplate going there on your own.

I can't really understand the mentality of it. I reckon as another poster said, a lot of the Irish people who you meet travelling don't really want to travel and treat their year out as a year-long sun holiday - just move from one place to another along the well-beaten path and drink their way through the world simply because everyone else does it. They come back none the wiser of any of the countries they've visited. The people from other countries who you meet generally travel because they want to, not simply as a rite of passage.

I really am a huge fan of heading off on my own!! I actually only have one or two friends who I would dream of travelling with anyway - and they can't always go when I want to. The freedom is brilliant, and you meet so many people you wouldn't otherwise.

pow wow

I don't think it's a uniquely Irish thing, plenty of my 'foreign' friends balk at me traveling by myself. I have a couple of friends I know are into the same things as me and that I know I can holiday with (nothing tests a friendship like a holiday to the back end of nowhere!) but sometimes they're busy or broke so I go by myself a lot. Doesn't bother me in the slightest really, it's everyone else who seems to have the problem :cool: Life is very short...and my idea of hell in a handcart is a group holiday!

How Strange

I've travelled by myself a few times; twice to south America. It has it's challenges ie nights can be quite lonely but in general the whole experience is far more enriching and enjoyable because you do exactly what you want to without trying to please or accomodate others, there's no fighting, bitching or moaning.

You definitely meet more people when you're solo. If you travel in a group you tend to stick together. IMO meeting different people is one of the best parts of solo travel.

You become self reliant and much more comfortable with your own company and not many people can truly say that. You could spend days just on your own and that terrifies a lot of people.

I'm married now but I was very anxious about our first trip away together but for the most part we like doing the sane things but if at any stage I want to do x and he wants to do y then we do our own thing.

My nightmare would be travelling with a large group of people. It's just not my scene. I'd either go solo or with one very close friend or my oh (obviously!)

Rebel Boy

I've been in Australia for about 7 weeks so far. I traveled alone and its the best thing I've ever done. At times it does get lonely, but in general its easier to meet new people but that also depends on the hostel u stay at etc. Some hostels people would chat away 2 u no problem in other ones people wouldn't even say hi etc. I was very nervous coming out here at the start but all that went away as soon as I landed. The best part is the freedom. U can do what ya want when u want providing the cash doesn't run out lol