When taking to the road as a solo traveler, the thought of simple tasks can be a little daunting. When traveling with a group it tends to be a little more simplistic and carefree but when solo travel begins your eye must be a bit more watchful.
While I have been fortunate in not meeting a creeper at a campground, there are many other considerations I still am extremely mindful no matter how peaceful the camping experience.
When cooking, for example, I always make sure to discard items from my campsite before sunset so as to not attract animals throughout the night. When camping, I always make sure to drop a pin to send to my accountability buddy so someone always knows where I am for safety.
And when hiking, I always make sure to abide by the rules of solo hiking including not wearing ear buds when on a trail and making sure to not leave items of value in my car and thus making myself a target to theft.
Following these simple principles allows me to enjoy my trip while traveling solo while also feeling safe and secure.
The outdoors is a big space and can be one of the best ways to feel free from the clutter in day to day life. But unless you are allowing yourself the opportunity to do so in a way which will feel free of stress you are missing the majority of the experience.
When I first embarked on solo travel, I was aware of my surroundings from traveling previous however I started to realize just how much I truly did rely on a friend when I was traveling with someone else. On days when you are tired or sore, a friend will push you through it all to make it to the next step, when traveling alone you have to be your own pep talk. On the other side, when out in the wild, you start to realize just how much of an impact a friend has on your feeling of security when you are traveling to areas which are off grid from civilization. When alone, your security comes from your ability to be mindful of everything around you instead of relying on someone else.
Solo travel can be one of the most liberating and empowering things you can do. With just a bit of consideration and a mindful eye the world is yours for the taking just as it has ben mine on my journeys.